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#1. Literary sources for Sri Lankan history are broadly categorized into local sources and _________ sources.
The text begins by stating that literary sources are “Categorized into: Local Literary Sources” and “Foreign Literary Sources.” Archaeological and oral sources are different categories of historical evidence altogether.
#2. The Deepawamsa, the oldest local chronicle, covers Sri Lankan history up to the reign of King _________.
The source material explicitly states that the Deepawamsa “Covers history up to King Mahasen’s rule”. The other kings listed are prominent figures from different periods of Sri Lankan history covered in various chronicles.
#3. A key limitation of the Deepawamsa as a historical source is that it contains brief accounts and many _________.
The text points out the weaknesses of the oldest chronicle, stating its “Limitations: Brief accounts, repetitions.” This specific critique contrasts it with the more detailed and better-organized Mahawamsa.
#4. The Mahawamsa is considered more detailed and accurate than the Deepawamsa and covers the period from Lord Buddha’s arrival to the rule of King _________.
The text specifies the endpoint of the original Mahawamsa written by Mahanama Thero: “Covers history from Lord Buddha’s arrival to King Mahasen’s rule.” This deliberately mirrors the endpoint of the Deepawamsa, but with greater detail.
#5. The similarity in content between the Deepawamsa and the early Mahawamsa is attributed to their shared reliance on earlier texts like the _________.
The text explains the connection between the two chronicles: “Similarity to Deepawamsa due to influence of earlier texts (Seehala Attakatha Mahawamsa, Uttara Vihara Attakatha, Vinaya Attakatha)”. The other options are later, unrelated texts.
#6. The historical credibility of the Mahawamsa is strengthened because its accounts are often _________ by inscriptions and other sources.
The text highlights a key strength of the Mahawamsa: “Credibility: Corroborated by inscriptions and other sources.” Corroboration means to confirm or give support to a statement, which is crucial for establishing historical accuracy.
#7. The Mahawamsa Tika, also known as Wansattappakasini, serves as an _________ to the Mahawamsa, providing additional information.
The text clearly defines this work as an “Annotation of Mahawamsa (~4 centuries later)”. An annotation is a note of explanation or comment added to a text, which perfectly describes the function of the Mahawamsa Tika.
#8. Local literary works such as Bodhiwamsa, Thupawamsa, and Saddharmalankaraya are considered particularly important for studying the _________ civilization.
The text groups these religious texts (Bodhiwamsa, Thupawamsa, Dhatuwamsa, Poojawaliya, Saddharmalankaraya) and explicitly states they are “(important for Rajarata civilization)”. This refers to the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa periods.
#9. The Nikaya Sangraha is a specialized local text that provides a history of the _________.
The source material provides a clear definition for this text: “Nikaya Sangraha: History of the Buddhist order.” This distinguishes its subject matter from political histories like the Rajawaliya or other specialized topics.
#10. The Rajawaliya is a significant local chronicle that focuses on the political history of the period from _________.
The text specifically states that the Rajawaliya covers the “Political history (Gampola to Kotte period)”. This is a distinct timeframe compared to the earlier chronicles like Mahawamsa or later Kandyan period texts.
#11. Poetic works such as Mayura Sandesha and Selalihini Sandesha are categorized as _________ and are valuable sources for the Kotte and Kandy periods.
The text provides examples for each category of poetry, listing “Mayura Sandesha, Thisara Sandesha, Selalihini Sandesha” under the heading “Sandesha Kawya”. These are “message poems.”
#12. When analyzing a literary source, it is important to consider the author, their objectives, and the _________.
The text lists key considerations for critical analysis: “Time of writing. Author and their objectives. How facts were obtained.” The time of writing is a crucial factor in determining if the account is contemporary or written much later.
#13. The text warns that many early local texts (Anuradhapura to early Kotte era) often had _________ objectives.
The source text offers a critical note on using early sources: “Early local texts… often had religious objectives and might be written centuries after the events they describe.” This highlights the need for careful analysis of the author’s purpose.
#14. Sri Lanka’s involvement in the _________ trade during the Anuradhapura era led to it being known by foreign nations.
The text explains the context for foreign awareness of the island: “Anuradhapura era, Indian Ocean trade, foreign awareness.” Sri Lanka’s strategic location made it a key hub in this maritime trade network.
#15. Dedicated books about Sri Lanka by foreign authors became more common after the arrival of the _________ in the 16th century.
The text marks a turning point in foreign documentation: “Post-Portuguese Era (16th C): Dedicated Sri Lanka books.” The arrival of the first European colonial power led to more intensive study and writing about the island.
#16. Foreign writers can be categorized into those who provided first-hand accounts as visitors and those who wrote based on _________ accounts.
The text makes a crucial distinction between types of foreign sources: “Writer Types: Visitors/First-hand vs. Second-hand accounts.” This helps in assessing the reliability of the information provided.
#17. A primary use of literary sources in history is to establish _________, which helps in building a structured timeline of events.
The source text lists “Chronology: Building historical timelines” as a key use of literary sources. Chronicles, by their nature, present events in a sequence, which is the foundation of chronology.
#18. The Chinese Buddhist monk who wrote “Buddhist Kingdom,” providing a valuable first-hand foreign account, was _________.
The text identifies key authors and their works, explicitly listing “Chinese: Fa-Hsien Thero (Buddhist Kingdom)”. Hsuan-Tsang is another Chinese traveler mentioned, but he is noted as a second-hand source in this context, while Ibn Battuta was Arabian.
#19. The famous Arabian traveler who documented his journeys to Sri Lanka was _________.
The provided text lists key first-hand accounts by foreign writers, specifying “Arabian: Ibn Battuta (Travels)”. Pliny and Ptolemy were Roman writers who used second-hand information, and Ribeiro was a Portuguese writer.
#20. Robert Knox, an Englishman, wrote a famous book about his time in 17th-century Sri Lanka, which is known in Sinhala as _________.
The text provides both the English and Sinhala titles for Robert Knox’s work: “Robert Knox (Historical Relation/Eda Heladiva)”. This shows the book’s deep integration into Sri Lankan historical study.
#21. The Roman author Pliny wrote about Sri Lanka based on second-hand information in his comprehensive work titled _________.
The source text lists “Naturalis Historia (Pliny)” under the “Roman Sources” that were based on second-hand information. Geography was written by Ptolemy, while Demundo and Indica were Greek sources.
#22. The Greek text Demundo is attributed to the philosopher _________.
The text lists specific Greek sources based on second-hand information, including “Demundo (Aristotle)”. This connects the famous philosopher to the early foreign knowledge about Sri Lanka.
#23. Onesicritus, a Greek writer who recorded information about Sri Lanka, is another example of a source based on _________.
The text groups Onesicritus with other Greek and Roman writers under the heading “Foreign Sources (Based on Second-hand Info)”, indicating that his knowledge was not derived from a personal visit.
#24. The Chinese traveler _________, whose famous “Travels” are mentioned, is noted as a source based on second-hand information regarding Sri Lanka.
The text lists “Hsuan-Tsang Thero (Travels)” under the category of “Chinese Sources” based on second-hand info. This contrasts him with Fa-Hsien Thero, who is listed as a first-hand visitor.
#25. The Portuguese writer _________ is listed as an author whose book on Sri Lanka was compiled from second-hand information.
The text specifically places “Fernão de Queiroz (Sri Lanka book)” in the category of sources based on second-hand information, distinguishing him from Ribeiro, who is listed as a first-hand source.
#26. Poetic works written in praise of kings, such as the Perakumba Siritha, fall into the category of _________.
The source text provides examples for different poetic genres, listing “Perakumba Siritha” under the category “Prashasthi Kawya”. Sandesha Kawya are message poems, and Hatan Kawya are war poems.
#27. War poems like Seethawaka Hatana and Ingirisi Hatana are categorized as _________ and provide insights into military conflicts of their time.
The text classifies these works, which describe battles, as “Hatan Kawya”. It gives “Seethawaka Hatana, Constantinu Hatana, Ingirisi Hatana” as specific examples of this genre.
#28. The Dutch writer who authored the “Sri Lankan Chronicle,” providing a European perspective on the island’s history, was _________.
The text identifies key foreign writers by their nationality and work, stating “Dutch: Phillippus Baldaeus (Sri Lankan Chronicle)”. Knox was English, Ibn Battuta was Arabian, and de Queiroz was Portuguese.
#29. The famous early map of Sri Lanka was created by the Roman geographer _________, based on accounts from traders and travelers.
The text specifically credits Ptolemy under “Roman Sources” for his “Geography” and the “Sri Lankan Map”. Pliny was another Roman writer, but he is known for Naturalis Historia, while Megasthinis and Aristotle were Greek.
#30. According to the text, a crucial step when using any literary source is to _________ the information critically.
The text repeatedly emphasizes a critical approach. The instruction “Be critical when using sources” and the need to consider the author, time, and objectives all point to the necessity of analyzing, not just accepting, the information presented.
