UPSC CSE PRE ANCIENT HISTORY- Page 7 of 7

In Sanskrit plays written during the Gupta period women and Sudras speak:

(a) Sanskrit
(b) Prakrit
(c) Pali
(d) Sauraseni

Ans: (b) Prakrit

Explanation:In Sanskrit plays of Gupta period women andSudras speak prakrit and Elite class speak Sanskrit.

Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer (using codes given below the lists)

List-I (Eras)	List-II (Reckoned from)
A. Vikrama era	1. 3102 B.C.
B. Saka era	2. 320 A.D.
C. Gupta era	3. 78 A.D.
D. Kali era	4. 58 B.C.
	5. 248 A.D

Codes:
(a) A – 2; B – 4; C – 5; D – 1
(b) A – 1; B – 3; C – 2; D – 4
(c) A – 4; B – 5; C – 2; D – 3
(d) A – 4; B – 3; C – 2; D – 1

Ans: (d) A – 4; B – 3; C – 2; D – 1

Explanation:

List-I (Eras)	List-II (Reckoned from)
A. Vikrama era	4. 58 B.C.
B. Saka era	3. 78 A.D.
C. Gupta era	2. 320 A.D.
D. Kali era	1. 3102 B.C.

Who among the following was a Brahmavadini who composed some hymns of the Vedas?

(a) Lopamudra

(b) Gargi

(d) Savitri

Ans: (a) Lopamudra

Explanation: Other Brahmavadini are Vishwawara, Sikta,Nivavari, Ghosha and Maitreyi.

The word ‘Hindu’ as reference to the people of Hind (India) was first used by

(a) the Greeks

(b) the Romans

(d) the Arabs

Explanation: The name of India is a corruption of the word Sindhu. Sindhu is the name of the Indus River,mentioned in the Rig-Veda. Neighboring Arabs,Iranians uttered ‘s’ as ‘h’ and called this land Hindu.Greeks pronounced this name as Indus.