Myth Test Review
“Prometheus and the First People” and “Orphan Boy and the Elk Dog”
Prometheus and the First People
1. Why does Zeus punish Prometheus?
a. for creating Man
b. for giving Man the shape of the gods
c. for allowing Man to walk upright
d. for stealing fire for Man
2. What is the “heavenly fire” that Prometheus lights in
Man’s mind?
a. anger
c. intelligence
b. envy
d. pride
3. What was required for the origin of fire?
a. a long, dangerous quest
b. a transgression against the gods
c. a tragic accident
d. an act of supernatural strength
4. Which personal quality was admired in ancient Greek
culture?
a. intelligence c. caution
b. dishonesty d. humor
5. What does the myth of Pandora explain? The origin of…
a. beauty
c. gifts
b. evil
d. marriage
6. What is Pandora’s weakness?
a. curiosity
c. envy
b. pride
d. ambition
7. Based upon Pandora’s myth, how did the ancient Greeks
feel about their gods?
a. mainly good c. both helpful and hurtful
b. always evil d. had no interest in people
8. What insight about human nature does this story convey?
a. Beauty is both a blessing and a curse.
b. Curiosity is both a blessing and a curse.
c. Anger is both a blessing and a curse.
d. Pride is both a blessing and a curse.
9. Why does Zeus decide to destroy people in a flood? They
were…
a. too intelligent
c. too evil
b. too powerful
d. too happy
10. Why do Deucalion and Pyrrha survive the flood?
a. Prometheus helps them to get back at Zeus.
b. They had lived honest and just lives.
c. Zeus forgets that Deucalion is an expert sailor.
d. They beg Zeus to spare their lives.
11. What is one aspect of ancient Greek culture that is
important in the Great Flood myth?
a. an oracle, or message from a goddess
b. an athletic competition, the Olympic Games
c. the grape leaves and goat cheese of their diet
d. the democratic government of their city states
12. What aspect of human life does the Great Flood myth
explain?
a. why floods occur
b. why rainbows occur
c. why people are no longer evil
d. why people are able to bear suffering
Orphan Boy and the Elk Dog
1. What does this myth explain? The origins of…
a. elks
c. horses
b. dogs
d. deer
2. How do people treat Long Arrow in the beginning?
a. cherish/honor him
c. fear/obey him
b. neglect/reject him
d. do not know he exists
3. Why is chief Good Running an important character?
a. He adopts Long Arrow and prepares the young
boy for his quest.
b. He saves Long Arrow from wild horses and
teaches him to tame them.
c. He gives Long Arrow a map and his rainbowcolored belt.
d. He introduces Long Arrow to the spirit people
and reveals their secrets.
4. Why does Long Arrow want to do a “great thing”?
a. to make mom proud c. to become rich & marry
b. to make chief proud d. to become chief
5. Which question about Blackfeet culture does the myth
answer?
a. What customs/ceremonies were important them?
b. What customs were important to their enemies?
c. Why did they first settle in the Great Plains?
d. Why did they begin hunting buffalo?
6. How long does it take Long Arrow to find the Elk Dogs?
a. day
c. several weeks
b. week
d. several years
7. Where does Long Arrow find the Elk Dogs?
a. top of a steep mountain c. inside a dark cave
b. behind a great waterfall d. bottom of a lake
8. Which quality does Long Arrow need the most?
a. dishonesty
c. bravery
b. humor
d. impatience
9. Why does Long Arrow need to be patient once he finds
the Elk Dogs? It takes time to…
a. round up the animals and tame them.
b. trick the spirits and steal the animals.
c. break into the old spirit chief’s tipi.
d. get a look at the old spirit chief’s feet.
10. Which best describes the myth?
a. A hero with supernatural strength goes on a
quest and makes a discovery.
b. A hero with supernatural strength commits a
transgression and is punished.
c. A lonely boy goes on a quest and makes a
discovery.
d. A lonely boy commits a transgression and is
punished.
11. Which question about Blackfeet culture does the myth
answer?
a. Why was writing so important to them?
b. Why were horses so important to them?
c. What kinds of laws/punishments did they have?
d. What kinds of pottery/weaving did they make?
Myth Test Review
“Sundiata” and “Rama’s Initiation”
Sundiata
1. What lesson does the Mari Djata’s childhood teach?
a. Everyone’s destiny is determined at birth.
b. Anyone can change their destiny.
c. Only heroes have a destiny.
d. There is no such thing as destiny.
2. Which adjective best describes the community’s attitude
towards his inability to walk?
a. sympathetic
c. indifferent
b. mocking
d. fearful
3. What characteristics does he share with other epic heroes?
a. He is an orphan who is adopted by a wise man.
b. He is a younger brother who is treated cruelly by
an older brother.
c. He has a high position in society but must
overcome a special burden.
d. He has a low position in society but has talent.
4. What role did soothsayers play in ancient Mali?
a. heroic warriors
c. foretellers of the future
b. kings and princes
d. reciters of long poems
5. Which word best describes the first wife, Sassouma?
a. resentful/vengeful
c. foolish/silly
b. kind/honest
d. happy/successful
6. Before his death, what present does the king give to Mari
Djata?
a. a huge iron bar
c. a crown
b. a griot
d. a plot of land
7. Who becomes all-powerful right after the king’s death?
a. Mari Djata
c. the first wife
b. The second wife
d. the king’s griot
8. What injustice occurs after the king’s death?
a. Mari Djata and his mother are persecuted and
ridiculed.
b. Mari Djata and his mother are imprisoned.
c. All of the king’s sons are banished.
d. All of the king’s daughters are banished.
9. What motivates Mari Djata to finally walk?
a. father’s anger
c. sister’s tears
b. brother’s violence
d. mother’s humiliation
10. Why was the iron bar that helps Mari Djata walk made
years in advance?
a. It was a popular item in the village.
b. It was destined that Mari Djata would use it.
c. It was used as a support beam in the palace.
d. It originally belonged to Mari Djata’s brother.
11. How does he demonstrate his heroic qualities?
a. He goes on a long quest to prove his courage.
b. He leads an army into battle to show his loyalty.
c. He kills a lion to save his community.
d. He uproots a tree to defend his mother’s honor.
Rama’s Initiation
1. What des Sage Viswamithra want Rama to do?
a. fight an evil king
c. offer a sacrifice
b. fight demons
d. search for treasure
2. Why will Sage accept help only from Rama?
a. He does not trust anyone else.
b. He wants Rama to repay a favor.
c. Rama has been divinely chosen.
d. Rama is young & can handle the long journey.
3. How did kings treat a sage in ancient India?
a. with honor/respect
c. as an enemy
b. with suspicion/mistrust d. as inferior
4. Before he became a sage, what position did Viswamithra
hold?
a. servant
c. guard
b. hermit
d. king
5. Before Rama’s departure, how does Viswamithra comfort
the king?
a. He allows the king to accompany them.
b. He promises that Rama will be a great hero.
c. He says that every child must leave home and
find his own way.
d. He says that if Rama dies, his brother will make
a fine king in his place.
6. What technique was used in ancient India to overcome
bodily discomfort?
a. herbal medicine
c. sacrificial offerings
b. meditation
d. acupuncture
7. How does Rama prove himself to be an epic hero?
a. by killing an evil monster
b. by crossing a desert without food or water
c. by sacrificing his life for his brother
d. by becoming the sage’s servant
8. What may Thataka be seen as a symbol of?
a. evil/disorder
c. justice/kindness
b. starvation/thirst
d. goodness/harmony
9. What does Rama’s hestitation before attacking Thataka
show?
a. He lacks courage.
b. He lacks faith.
c. He wants to be sure he is acting morally.
d. He wants to be sure he has the right weapons.
10. What does this myth reveal about how evil was viewed in
ancient India?
a. All evil exists inside human beings.
b. All evil is caused by demons.
c. People are powerless in the face of evil.
d. People must overcome evil within themselves
and the world.
11. Which quality of an epic hero is most important to Rama?
a. bravery
c. power
b. strength
d. kindness
12. At the end, what does the appearance of the gods show?
a. that Sage will be punished for his pride
b. that Rama will be punished for his pride
c. that Rama has been divinely chosen as a hero
d. that Sage has died and reached the afterlife