Ancient Literature Test 1
Ancient Literature Unit Test
JFE 2010
Write the answers to the following items on your sheet of paper.
I. Sumerians, Egyptians, Hebrews, or Mayans? (Write S, E, H, and/or M)
1. Wrote in Cuneiform on clay tablets
2. Wrote in hieroglyphics on papyrus
3. Wrote on scrolls
4. The oldest culture from which we have writings; dating from approx. 3500 – 2350
BCE
5. Culture whose writings indicate that the people were concerned about death
6. People’s view of the afterlife was bleak
7. People prepared for the afterlife by placing objects and wealth in their tombs
8. pairs and doublings are a motif in these people’s writings
9. washings and baptisms are a motif in these people’s writings
10. An ancient culture that has been divided into three kingdoms or dynasties; dating
from 2660 – 1075 BCE
11. Writings indicate that the gods respond to the people
12. Writings indicate that people worshiped the sun god Ra
13. This people’s flood story tells about Noah building an ark during a story that lasted
40 days
14. This people’s flood story tells about destroying the wooden people with a flood
because they were not made well
15. This people’s flood story records that the flood lasted seven days and that the gods
caused the flood because the people were loud.
II. Write the titles of the works that match the following descriptions.
16. A song that recognizes God as the Shepherd who guides and protects
17. A prayer found in a coffin that asks the gods to give the writer of the prayer eternal
life
18. A joyful poem that shows how the sun affects everything
19. A story that teaches the lesson that God, portrayed in the story as a father, is kind
and forgiving
20. A long story that includes why one man, who survived a flood, receives eternal life
from the gods
21. A story that relates the experiences of a Hebrew woman and her daughter-in-law
22. A poem that reveals the speaker's hope to see her love at the worship festival
23. A long story that includes the hero's quest to get eternal life
24. This work includes an account of creation in which the gods attempt to make
humans three times.
25. This work includes an account of creation in which the people are barred from the
Garden of Eden because of their sin.
Works: The Epic of Gilgamesh, from the Book of the Dead, Adoration of the Disk, I’m Going
Downstream on Kingswater Canal, Genesis, Popol Vuh, Ruth, The Prodigal Son, Psalm 23
Ancient Literature Test 2
III. Vocabulary (Please note the word bank below the items.)
26. The long story of Gilgamesh and his quest for eternal life is an example of a(n) __________.
27. The story of the father who embraced his son and threw him a party even though the son had wasted
his inheritance is an example of a(n) __________.
28. The poem/song written by King David that describes himself as a sheep who needs God to take care
of him is an example of a(n) __________.
29. When Gilgamesh faces obstacles at the beginning of his journey, he overcomes them or __________.
30. When the world is created, the seas and air are full to overflowing with fish and birds; the seas and
skies are __________.
31. When Naomi returns to Bethlehem, she asks people to call her "Mara" because bitter things have
happened to her; she __________ the loss of her husband and sons.
32. When a character goes on a journey to get a prize or treasure, he is going on a(n) _________.
33. To give out something in portions (to give everybody the same number of Skittles, for example) is to
__________.
34. Stories that explain natural phenomena and often include gods and goddesses are known as
_________.
35. Words sung or chanted as part of a religious ritual are __________.
36. Something that is threatening or that indicates evil is coming is __________.
37. Thoughtfully meditating, thinking, or questioning is __________.
38. A dazed condition can be called a(n) __________.
39. To establish by decree or law is to __________.
40. A passage can also be called a(n) __________.
allot
cuneiform
epic
hieroglyphics
incantations
laments
musing
myths
ominous
ordain
parable
prevails
psalm
quest
stupor
symposium
teeming
transit
IV. In a well-written paragraph, explain what you have gained by studying the
selections of ancient literature in this unit. Please give specific examples.