The Western Arabic numerals are mostly used in a. Arabic b. Indian languages c. European languages
The Italian mathematician Fibonacci learned the Western Arabic number system in a. Bugia b. India c. Spain
The numbers that most Arabic-speaking countries use today are closer to a. Roman numerals b. Indian numerals c. Chinese numerals
Discussion/essay questions
Does your first language use Western Arabic numerals, or does it use a different system?
Do you prefer numbers and math or words and languages? Why?
Transcript
Numerals are the set of symbols a language uses to represent numbers. European languages like English count with a set of numerals called Western Arabic numerals. These are different from the numerals actually used in Arabic. Europe became familiar with the Western Arabic number system in the 12th century. The Italian mathematician Fibonacci learned the system from merchants in Bugia, or modern-day Algeria. These numbers spread because they made complex calculations easier. Before, Europeans were using Roman numerals, which were tedious. The Arabic system was useful because it used place value to show large numbers. That meant it only needed ten symbols. The mathematicians in North Africa who developed the symbols learned the system from Indian mathematicians and astronomers, who first invented a digit to represent the number zero. The numerals that most Arabic-speaking countries use today are much more similar to the Indian numerals.
The earliest ancestor of chess was played in 7th-century a. Persia b. India c. Spain
The first game pieces represented four divisions of a. the military b. the government c. the religious order
Early European chess was won by a. checkmating the king b. capturing the king c. capturing all pieces except for the king
Discussion/essay questions
Today, computers can play chess better than any human. Why do you think people still play? Do you think people will continue to make art, music, and poetry if AI creativity improves?
Transcript
The earliest ancestor of chess is a game called chaturanga. Chaturanga was played in northern India during the 7th century. It was a military strategy game, and the pieces represented different divisions of the Indian army. Over time, chaturanga spread to the Middle East and northern Africa. A new version of the game, called shatranj, became popular in Persia. After the Islamic conquest of Persia, the game also gained favour with Muslim leaders. They often hired shatranj masters to help them develop their skills. Modern chess pieces and rules developed in medieval Spain and Italy. Early European chess was rarely played to checkmate, because the pieces had very restricted movement. Instead, a player could win a game of chess by capturing all pieces except for the king. The introduction of the queen in the late 15th century changed the rules and strategies. The first recorded modern chess game took place in Valencia, Spain, in 1475.
The “Midnight’s Children” all have a. secret languages b. magical powers c. hidden identities
Saleem and Shiva are a. best friends b. siblings c. rivals
In 1981, Midnight’s Children a. became a movie b. was banned c. won the Booker Prize
Discussion/essay questions
Salman Rushdie’s work has often been controversial. Rushdie was sued by Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi for content in Midnight’s Children. His 1988 novel, The Satanic Verses, was so controversial that it caused serious threats against his life. What are the consequences of censoring writers? Do you think there is ever a good reason to ban a book? Why or why not?
Transcript
Midnight’s Children is a 1981 novel by Indian-British author Salman Rushdie. It tells the story of a boy named Saleem, who is one of 1,001 children born around midnight on the first day of India’s independence from Britain. Each of these children was born with a magical power. Saleem has the power of telepathy, as well as a very strong sense of smell. He was switched at birth with another boy named Shiva, who becomes his rival later in life. Midnight’s Children won the 1981 Booker Prize. It is famous for its unique use of language and its allegorical elements. Saleem’s character is often interpreted as an allegory for India itself.
