Lesson-1 Power Sharing Test

The majority of Sinhala speaking people in Sri Lanka are Buddhists. This can be attributed to the fact that Buddhism is the largest religion in Sri Lanka and has a strong influence on the Sinhalese culture and identity. Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BCE and has since become deeply rooted in the country. The teachings of Buddha, such as the pursuit of enlightenment and the practice of mindfulness, resonate with many Sinhala people and shape their religious beliefs and practices.

The principle of majoritarianism in Sri Lanka led to a civil war due to the tensions between the majority Sinhalese population and the minority Tamil population. The Sinhalese-dominated government implemented policies that discriminated against the Tamils, leading to widespread unrest and demands for greater autonomy. The conflict escalated into a full-scale civil war between the government forces and the Tamil Tigers, a militant group fighting for Tamil independence. The war lasted for nearly three decades and resulted in significant loss of life and destruction before it finally ended in 2009.

The correct answer is Sri Lankan Tamils because Tamil natives of Sri Lanka are commonly referred to as Sri Lankan Tamils. This term distinguishes them from Indian Tamils, who are Tamil-speaking people from India, and Muslim Tamils, who are Tamil-speaking Muslims in Sri Lanka. "None of these" is not the correct answer because Sri Lankan Tamils is the specific term used for Tamil natives of Sri Lanka.

After gaining independence, Sri Lanka recognized Sinhala as its official language. This decision was made to reflect the majority Sinhalese population in the country. Tamil, Hindi, and Telugu are not recognized as official languages in Sri Lanka.

The two major ethnic groups of Belgium are Dutch and French. This is because Belgium is a bilingual country with Dutch-speaking Flemish people and French-speaking Walloons. These two groups have distinct cultural and linguistic identities, and their languages are recognized as official languages in Belgium.

Brussels was chosen as the headquarters of the European Union because it is centrally located within Europe and has a strong infrastructure. Additionally, Belgium, the country in which Brussels is located, has a long history of hosting international organizations and has a reputation for being politically neutral. Brussels also offers a multilingual environment, which is important for an organization like the European Union that represents multiple countries and languages.

The new Constitution of Sri Lanka shall protect and foster Buddhism. This means that the constitution will ensure the rights and privileges of Buddhists in Sri Lanka, as well as promote the growth and development of Buddhism in the country. It signifies the importance of Buddhism in the cultural and religious fabric of Sri Lanka and highlights the government's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the interests of the Buddhist community.

Ireland is the correct answer because it does not border Belgium. Germany, France, and the Netherlands all share a border with Belgium. However, Ireland is located to the northwest of Belgium and is separated by the North Sea.

In 1948, Sri Lanka gained independence from British colonial rule. This marked the end of nearly 150 years of British control over the island nation. The year 1948 is significant in Sri Lankan history as it paved the way for the country to establish its own government and determine its own destiny. After independence, Sri Lanka went on to become a democratic republic and has since undergone various political and social changes.

In Belgium, the third kind of government apart from the central and state governments is known as the Community government. This government is responsible for handling matters related to cultural, educational, and language policies in the different linguistic communities of Belgium, namely the Dutch-speaking community, the French-speaking community, and the German-speaking community. Each community government has its own executive and legislative bodies to govern and make decisions regarding their respective communities.

The linguistic composition of Belgium is such that 59% of the population speaks Dutch, 40% speaks French, and 1% speaks German. This means that the majority of the population in Belgium speaks Dutch, followed by French and then German.

In 1956, an act was passed to recognize Sinhala as the only official language. This means that Sinhala was given the sole status of being the official language of the country, implying that all official communication, documents, and government functions would be conducted in Sinhala. This decision could have had significant implications for language minorities and communities who did not speak Sinhala as their first language, as it might have limited their access to government services and opportunities.

The correct answer is "Division of power between people". This is not a form of power sharing because power sharing involves the distribution of power among different institutions or groups, rather than between individuals. Horizontal division of power refers to the separation of powers among different branches of government, while vertical division of power refers to the sharing of power between different levels of government. Vertical division of power among social groups involves the inclusion of marginalized or minority groups in decision-making processes.

The statement "All political parties get their expected share" is not a benefit of power-sharing. Power-sharing is about distributing power among different social and political groups to ensure inclusivity and prevent conflicts. It is not solely focused on satisfying the expectations of political parties.

Tamil eelam refers to "Tamil estate." This term is commonly used to describe the proposed independent state that Tamil nationalists have sought to establish in Sri Lanka. The term "estate" implies a defined territory or land, which aligns with the aspirations of Tamil nationalists to have their own separate homeland.