Click on the play button, carefully listen to the passage, and then answer the questions that follow.
1. What aspect of Angkor Wat's design reflects the Hindu cosmology, and what does it symbolize?
The main entrance, indicating the gateway to enlightenment
The moat surrounding the temple, symbolizing the cosmic ocean
The outer wall, representing the edge of the world
The central tower, symbolizing Mount Meru and the axis of the universe
The central tower of Angkor Wat symbolizes Mount Meru, considered the center of the universe in Hindu cosmology, reflecting the temple's architectural embodiment of religious and cosmological concepts.
2. How does the passage metaphorically describe the enduring legacy of Angkor Wat?
As a silent witness to the empire's glory and decline
Describing Angkor Wat as a 'silent witness to the empire's glory and its eventual decline' uses a metaphor to highlight the temple's role in chronicling the history and enduring legacy of the Khmer Empire through its very existence.
As a beacon of hope in the darkness of history
As a ship navigating the ocean of time
As a mirror reflecting the transient nature of power
3. Which simile best captures the transformation of Angkor Wat from a Hindu to a Buddhist site?
Like a chameleon changing its colors
Like a sculptor reshaping clay
Like water flowing from one vessel to another
The simile 'like water flowing from one vessel to another' aptly captures the seamless and fluid transformation of Angkor Wat from a Hindu to a Buddhist site, reflecting the adaptability and continuity of spiritual practices.
Like a tree shedding its leaves in winter
4. What idiom encapsulates the message about humanity's achievements conveyed by Angkor Wat?
Building castles in the air
A drop in the bucket
Fleeting dominion over nature
The phrase 'fleeting dominion over nature' encapsulates the idiom-like message conveyed by Angkor Wat about the transient nature of humanity's achievements and our temporary stewardship of the natural world.
The writing on the wall
5. Reflecting on the passage, what nuanced perspective does Angkor Wat offer on the concept of progress?
Progress is an unbroken march forward in time
True progress is found in abandoning the past
Progress and connectivity can be a double-edged sword, embodying both advancement and the impermanence of human endeavors
Angkor Wat offers a nuanced perspective on progress, suggesting that while human endeavors aim for advancement and connectivity, they also reflect the impermanence of such achievements against the backdrop of time.
Progress is measured by the height of our buildings
