Chapter 5—Worldview: Cultural Explanations of Life and Death
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Worldview deals with all of the following types of questions except:
a.
what is the purpose of life?
b.
what is the right way to live?
c.
where did I park my car?
d.
what is the nature of good and evil?
e.
how did life begin?
2. Which of the following best describes the relationship between worldview, culture, and intercultural
communication?
a.
culture influences worldview
b.
worldview influences culture
c.
intercultural communication is impacted by culture and worldview
d.
B and C
e.
A, B, and C
3. The three forms that worldview can take discussed in the text include:
a.
religion, spirituality, secular humanism
b.
religion, spirituality, cosmology
c.
secular humanism, cosmology, spiritualism
d.
secular humanism, empiricism, pragmatism
e.
empiricism, objectivism, secular humanism
4. A religious worldview ____.
a.
always recognizes a universal spirit, deity, or God
b.
believes in a reality greater than humans
c.
believes that human conduct has long term significance beyond death
d.
B and C
e.
A, B, and C
5. Other terms that describe the worldview of secular humanism include:
a.
atheism, nihilism, polytheism
b.
agnosticism, rationalism, deism
c.
animism, spiritualism, shamanism
d.
atheism, agnosticism, monotheism
e.
capitalism, animism, nihilism
6. Secularists ____.
a.
reject “miracles” and supernatural beings
b.
have a set of ethical standards like religious worldviews
c.
believe in the finality of death
d.
A and C
e.
A, B, and C
7. The two basic approaches to spirituality as a worldview include:
a.
formal religion is not required to live a life of faith
b.
concern for the sacred, not material things
c.
the impermanence of the immaterial
d.
A and B
e.
A, B, and C
8. Which of the following would not be consistent with a worldview of modern spirituality?
a.
learn to value action
b.
practice mindfulness
c.
engage in creative expression
d.
seek simplicity in lifestyle
e.
none
9. Religion serves as a mechanism of social control by ____.
a.
establishing notions of right and wrong
b.
transferring some of the burden of decision-making from the individual to the supernatural
c.
reducing stress and frustration that lead to social conflict
d.
A, B, and C
e.
none
10. The elements of religion include all of the following except ____.
a.
speculation
b.
finality of death
c.
sacred writings
d.
rituals
e.
A and B
11. Rituals ____.
a.
help relieve social tensions and reinforce group bonds
b.
be direct or indirect
c.
are instinctive
d.
A and B
e.
A, B, and C
12. ____ differentiate between acceptable and unacceptable conduct.
a.
speculation
b.
rituals
c.
ethics
d.
cause and effect
e.
prehistories
13. Which of the following is/are core assumptions of Christianity?
a.
Jesus is the son of God
b.
pain is the gravest problem in human life
c.
the material world is the only reality
d.
A and B
e.
A, B, and C
14. Cultural expressions of Christianity include all of the following except:
a.
the importance of community
b.
the importance of self
c.
the importance of non-action
d.
the importance of courage
e.
assurance of the future
15. According to Judaism, who did God choose to function as “father” to the Jewish people?
a.
Muhammad
b.
Abraham
c.
Isaac
d.
Siddhartha
e.
none
16. Of the following, which is not a core assumption of Judaism?
a.
only one God
b.
people have free will
c.
obedience to God
d.
original sin
e.
none
17. Judaism is expressed in culture through ____.
a.
a history of oppression and persecution
b.
the emphasis on learning
c.
the idea of justice
d.
the importance of family and community
e.
A, B, C, and D
18. According to Islam, Muhammad is/was the ____.
a.
prophet of God
b.
son of God
c.
son of man
d.
incarnation of the divine
e.
fusion of church and sate
19. Core assumptions of Islam include:
a.
belief in angels
b.
the Koran is the word of God
c.
submission to the will of God
d.
B and C
e.
A, B, and C
20. Which of the following is not one of the pillars of Islam?
a.
prayer
b.
alms
c.
prudence
d.
fasting
e.
pilgrimage
21. The Islamic term Jihad refers to ____.
a.
an internal battle against one’s baser instincts
b.
acts that defend Islam or furthers its cause
c.
a complete way of life
d.
A and B
e.
A, B, and C
22. Identify the statement that is not correct about Hinduism.
a.
world’s oldest known religion
b.
highly monolithic
c.
created before people maintained written records
d.
originated in what is now northern India
e.
lacks a single canonical text
23. The Bhagavad-Gita describes paths to liberation that include action, devotion, and ____.
a.
peace
b.
knowledge
c.
persistence
d.
selflessness
e.
C and D
24. The ideas that an ultimate reality exists and the divine is in everything are core assumptions of ____.
a.
Hinduism
b.
Confucianism
c.
Shamanism
d.
rationalism
e.
B and D
25. The term ‘dharma’ is translated as:
a.
duty
b.
law
c.
justice
d.
truth
e.
A, B, C, and D
26. According to the law of Karma:
a.
good actions produce rewards
b.
bad actions produce punishments
c.
sometimes A but always B
d.
sometimes B but always A
e.
A and B
27. When the Buddha was asked if he was a God, what was his reply:
a.
I am God
b.
I am what you see
c.
I am awake
d.
I am what I am
e.
no
28. The first noble truth in Buddhism is:
a.
suffering is caused by desire
b.
life is suffering
c.
to end suffering you must end desire
d.
suffering is caused by necessity
e.
evil is the cause of suffering
29. All of the following are part of the Eight-fold path except ____.
a.
right view
b.
right purpose
c.
right speech
d.
right conclusions
e.
right efforts
30. The sayings of Confucius are presented in ____.
a.
the Vedas
b.
the Upanishads
c.
the Analects
d.
the Koran
e.
A, B, and C
31. Adherents to Confucianism express their belief through ____.
a.
humanism, rituals, power, and the arts
b.
spiritualism, rituals, power, and the arts
c.
secularism and rationality
d.
right action and right thinking
e.
C and D
TRUE/FALSE
1. Worldview is an all-encompassing picture of reality based on shared assumptions about how the world
works.
2. Secular humanism denies ‘miracles’ and rejects the idea of supernatural beings.
3. Secular humanism, unlike religious worldviews, does not have a set of ethical standards.
4. Spirituality and religion are both experienced within a social institution.
5. Religion deals with both the sacred and personal conduct.
6. Globalization has had little impact on the world’s religions.
7. The most common of all rituals are rites of passage that mark key stages in the human life cycle.
8. Christianity is the largest religious tradition in the world with more than two billion followers.
9. Judaism is the precursor to both Christianity and Islam.
10. Followers of Judaism believe in the concept of original sin.
11. Jewish history is replete with examples of oppression, genocide, and persecution.
12. Muhammad received his revelation from God in 610 CE.
13. Muslims belief the Torah is the infallible Word of God.
14. Islam reflects a complete way of life without making a distinction between religion and society.
15. The Bhagavad-Vita is the oldest and most fundamental scriptures in Hinduism.
16. “Truth is one, but sages call it by various names” is a Hindu expression.
17. The Hindu concept of Dharma applies to both religious and communal responsibilities.
18. Buddhism bids men look to nothing but their own efforts for salvation.
19. The Buddha taught that only the righteous have the potential to seek the truth on their own.
20. The Noble Truths in Buddhism reflect a pessimistic view of the world.
21. The remedy to human suffering, according to Buddhism, is the eight-fold path.
22. Confucianism is not formal religion in the conventional sense.
23. Confucianism emphasizes self-consciousness over social relations and responsibilities.
24. The cornerstone of Confucian thought is deep compassion and empathy, or ‘Jen’ (humanism).
25. Confucian philosophy is reflected in language that is more direct.
ESSAY
1. What is worldview and how is it reflected and manifested in culture?
2. Differentiate between religion, secularism, and spiritualism.
3. How has globalization affected religion?
4. Discuss the nature of sacred writings across religions.
5. What are the core assumptions of Christianity?
6. How does Christianity relate to ideas of community, individualism, doing, courage, and the future?
7. With less than one-quarter of one percent of the world’s population, why is Judaism considered a
‘major’ religion?
8. This question number was omitted in the printed copy of the test bank. To maintain the integrity of the
numbering system between the printed copy and ExamView, this question has been marked “do not
use on test” in ExamView’s question information dialog.
9. Differentiate between the core assumptions of Judaism and Christianity.
10. Explain how the values of learning, justice, and family/community are reflected in Jewish culture.
11. Give a brief overview of the origins of Islam.
12. List and explain the Five Pillars of Islam.
13. What is meant by the term ‘jihad’ and how is it used in Islam?
14. What is the ‘Islamic’ view on gender? Is there universal agreement? Explain.
15. One of the core assumptions of Hinduism is the divine in everything. What does this mean?
16. Explain the Hindu notions of ultimate reality, Brahman, and multiple paths. How are they related to
one another?
17. Hinduism and Islam both reflect a ‘complete way of life.’ What does this phrase mean and how is it
reflected in each religion?
18. What is the relationship between dharma and karma? How does karma work?
19. What are the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism?
20. What is the purpose of the Eight-Fold Path in Buddhism? List and explain at least three of the paths.
21. Discuss the Buddhist notions of silence and impermanence. How is it reflected in communication and
culture?
22. What are the Analects and how do they relate to Confucianism?
23. Confucianism is expressed in culture through jen (humanism), li (rituals), te (power), and wen (the
arts). Describe each and provide an example of how each might be manifest in communication.