Test your basic knowledge |

Classical Literacy

Subject : literacy
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. The golden wool of a ram sought by Jason and the Argonauts






2. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






3. Titan best known for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to humans; He was punished by being chained to a rock and having his liver eaten by a bird everyday






4. Used on documents & coins & monuments & etc. as an official signature of the Roman government






5. A teacher Who is like a parent; comes from the Mentor & Odysseus' old friend & whom he left in charge of his son Telemachus when he went off to the Trojan War






6. One of the 12 Titans & father of Zeus/Jupiter & who swallowed his children in an attempt to keep from being overthrown






7. 'Time flies/flees'






8. 'All-knowing'






9. 'great work'






10. 'I refuse &' used by the president of the US to stop any bill he sees unfit from passing






11. The ninth letter of the Greek alphabet (i); commonly used in the phrase 'not one iota &' meaning 'not one bit'






12. The norms or values of a society






13. Titan best known for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to humans; He was punished by being chained to a rock and having his liver eaten by a bird everyday






14. 'An unwelcome person' - used in diplomacy to indicate a person Who is barred from entering a certain country






15. 'The other way around'






16. Temple in Rome dedicated to all the Roman gods






17. Through & by way of (from via- road & way)






18. 'from the library of' used as an inscription on a bookplate to show the name of the book's owner: ex libris Mark Twain.






19. Figuratively 'secretly.' Aphrodite gave her son Eros a rose. Eros gave it to Harpocrates & the god of silence & to ensure that his mother's love affairs remained a secret.






20. Religion in Which many gods are worshipped (from Greek poly 'many' and theoi 'gods')






21. 'Work conquers all'






22. God of wine and revelry; son of Zeus and Semele






23. 'The end'






24. A material prepared in ancient Egypt from the pithy stem of a water plant & used in sheets throughout the ancient Mediterranean world for writing or painting on






25. 'I refuse &' used by the president of the US to stop any bill he sees unfit from passing






26. 500






27. 'by mouth' - used on prescription medicines that have to be taken orally






28. Reception hall (like the living room) in a Roman house






29. 'one out of many' - found on most US minted coins and the back of the dollar bill






30. A series of three wars between Rome and Carthage & a Phoenician city in Northern Africa & for control of the Mediterranean (264-146 BC)






31. The plebs were the free but non-aristocratic citizens of Rome; today & plebeian means 'of a low class'






32. Goddess of wisdom






33. Volcano which erupted in AD 79 and destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum






34. 'Word for word'






35. A member of one of the original aristocratic families of Rome; 'aristocratic'






36. A serpent-like monster with many heads and poisonous breath; when one head got cut off & it grew two more; killed by Hercules as his second labor






37. 'Word for word'






38. 'Against' & used to show Who is up against who in sports matches & legal battles & etc.






39. The male head of a Roman family






40. Queen of Sparta Who was promised to Paris by Aphrodite for choosing her (Aphrodite) as the fairest goddess; Helen was already married to Menelaus and her kidnapping began the Trojan War






41. 'for the time being' - temporary






42. Market place/business center






43. 'With highest honors' graduating from college in the highest grade scale






44. A polis (city-state) in Greece & center of art and philosophy & named after Athena (its patron goddess); the Acropolis was the hill in Athens where many temples (including the Parthenon & the temple to Athena) were located






45. Challenged Athena to a weaving contest and was turned into a spider for her excessive pride






46. The god of the sky; created the Titans with Gaia & Mother Earth






47. The food of the gods; some believe it kept them immortal






48. A long poem that narrates the deeds of a hero or the history of a nation & e.g. Homer's Iliad and Odyssey






49. Festival of Saturn held on December 17th & during which social roles were temporarily reversed (slaves enjoyed relaxed discipline & etc)






50. Refers to the legal responsibility of a person or organization to take on some of the responsibilities of a parent