WorkSheet – 12 PP Publication

A. Tick the correct option

1. India’s most ancient text is
   (a) Rig Veda
   (b) Sam Veda
   (c) Atharva Veda
   (d) Yajur Veda
   ✅ Answer: (a) Rig Veda
2. ‘Sindhu’ refers to the river
   (a) Sutlej
   (b) Indus
   (c) Ravi
   (d) Beas
   ✅ Answer: (b) Indus
3. India’s most famous text:
   (a) Ramayana
   (b) Mahabharata
   (c) Puranas
   (d) Ram Charita Manas
   ✅ Answer: (b) Mahabharata
4. ‘Bharata’ is a name that first appears in the
   (a) Mahabharata
   (b) Ramayana
   (c) Puranas
   (d) Rig Veda
   ✅ Answer: (d) Rig Veda
5. In one of his inscriptions, Ashoka used this name to describe whole India:
   (a) Bharata
   (b) Indus
   (c) Jambudvipa
   (d) Hindustan
   ✅ Answer: (c) Jambudvipa

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B. Fill in the blanks using appropriate words

1. In the course of history, India was called by many names, both by its inhabitants and by visitors from outside.
2. India’s most ancient text gives the northwest region of the Subcontinent the name Sapta Sindhava.
3. The ancient Indian texts are difficult to date.
4. ‘Bharata’ is a name that first appeared in the Rig Veda.
5. ‘Bharatavarsha’ means the country of the Bharatas.

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C. State whether the following statements are True (T) or False (F)

1. About 5,000 years ago, the ‘Indian Subcontinent’ has had many different names and shifting boundaries. – ✅ True
2. Mahabharata is a very long poem written from a few centuries BCE onwards. – ✅ True
3. ‘Bharata’ is a name that first appears in the Mahabharata. – ❌ False
4. ‘Jambudvipa’ means ‘the island of the fruit of the jamun tree’. – ✅ True
5. Chandragupta Maurya left us many inscriptions. – ❌ False (It was Emperor Ashoka)

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D. Match the items in Column A with Column B

Column A	Column B	Answer
1. People who live in a particular place	(h) Inhabitants	1 → h
2. The northwest region of the Subcontinent	(e) Sapta Sindhava	2 → e
3. Malabar plum tree	(f) Jambul tree	3 → f
4. Kaccha	(a) Kutch	4 → a
5. Pragjyotisha	(g) Assam	5 → g
6. Vanga	(c) Parts of Bengal	6 → c
7. Kurukshetra	(d) Parts of Haryana	7 → d
8. Kashmira	(b) Kashmir	8 → b

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E. Very Short Answer Questions

1. Name all the four Vedas. (HOTS)
   → Rig Veda, Sam Veda, Yajur Veda, Atharva Veda
2. Which one is the most ancient Veda?
   → Rig Veda
3. Who created the Vedas? (HOTS)
   → The sages or rishis of ancient India (exact authors unknown)
4. Which region of the Indian Subcontinent is covered by the Rig Veda in its text?
   → The northwest region, referred to as Sapta Sindhava
5. Name the terms used in the Mahabharata to describe ancient India.
   → Bharatavarsha and Jambudvipa

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F. Long Answer Questions

1. What are the different sources to learn about India’s past and evolution?
   → Ancient texts, inscriptions, foreign travelers’ accounts, archaeological findings, coins, literature, and oral traditions.
2. Name any two ancient texts of the Indian Subcontinent. Describe them briefly.
   → Rig Veda – The earliest known sacred text composed in Sanskrit, describing hymns and rituals.
   → Mahabharata – An epic poem that narrates the story of the Kauravas and Pandavas and includes references to ancient geography and culture.
3. Describe the meaning of the given terms:
   (a) Bharatavarsha – The land of the Bharatas, referring to the Indian Subcontinent.
   (b) Jambudvipa – The land (or continent) associated with the jamun tree; another ancient name for India.

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G. Assertion and Reason Questions

1.

• Assertion: It is difficult to say when we came across a name for the entire Indian Subcontinent.
• Reason: Ancient Indian texts are difficult to date.
  ✅ Answer: (a) Both Assertion and Reason are true and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion.

2.

• Assertion: We can learn about India’s past and evolution from many different sources.
• Reason: India was very different 5,000 years ago.
  ✅ Answer: (b) Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion.