DSST Introduction to the Modern Middle East Exam

Do you already know a lot about the modern Middle East? Maybe you lived there, or have read numerous books about it during your free time. But you just can 't see yourself spending the money and time to take a college course about the Modern Middle East, because you feel like you 're ready for the next step.

If this describes you, the DSST Introduction to the Modern Middle East exam might be your best option. DSST is a prior learning assessment program designed to help students test out of courses they already understand and earn college credit at the same time. The DSST exam costs far less than a three-hour college course, qualifies as the same credit on your transcript, and will help you graduate faster.

Before registering for the DSST Introduction to the Modern Middle East exam, you should meet with your academic advisor to see whether the exam might be helpful for your individual academic needs and to confirm that your college accepts DSST for college credit.

The DSST Introduction to the Modern Middle East exam covers seven main topics:

1. Physical and Cultural Geography
2. The Ottoman Empire (1500-1800)
3. The Nineteenth Century
4. The First World War and its Effects
5. Building Independent States
6. Social and Cultural Changes
7. The Middle East from 1960 to the present.

For helpful study tips you should check out a DSST Introduction to the Modern Middle East study guide, which also provides sample questions and other helpful study resources.

DSST Introduction to the Modern Middle East Practice Questions

1. Of these food names, which one does not have an Arabic etymology?

A. apricot
B. artichoke
C. asparagus
D. none of these
E. all of these

2. Which of the following statements is not correct about Israel?

A. The majority of the population of Israel is Jewish
B. Israel includes about four million Arabs living there
C. Israel has reigned over the West Bank since 1967
D. Israel governed the Gaza Strip from 2007 to 2009
E. These are all correct statements concerning Israel

3. Approximately what proportion of the people living in the Middle East are Muslims?

A. 90%
B. 80%
C. 70%
D. 60%
E. 50%

4. Of the following Middle Eastern countries, which one is not known for having major oil deposits?

A. Iran
B. Iraq
C. Yemen
D. Kuwait
E. Saudi Arabia

5. Which of the following English vocabulary words related to textiles have Middle Eastern origins?

A. cotton
B. muslin
C. damask
D. all of these
E. none of these

6. Of the following statements, which is not true concerning the Middle East?

A. It has the most recorded history of any place in the world
B. The species of humanity originated there
C. It is the location of the major breakthroughs in civilization
D. Most staple food crops were first cultivated there
E. Most farm animals were first domesticated there

7. Which of these game-related words has etymology in Middle Eastern words?

A. tennis
B. racquet
C. checkmate
D. rook
E. all of these

8. Of the following games, which did not come to Western culture from the Middle East?

A. baseball
B. backgammon
C. card games
D. chess
E. polo

9. Which of these sultans, between 1512 and 1520, turned the Ottoman Empire from a peripheral ghazi state into the greatest empire since the earlier caliphate, and captured Cairo?

A. Mehmet I
B. Mehmet II
C. Bayezid II
D. Selim I
E. Suleyman

10. What does not fit the definition of a millet in the Ottoman Empire?

A. a military organization
B. a political organization
C. a social organization
D. a religious community
E. These all fit the definition

DSST Introduction to the Modern Middle East Practice Questions Answer Key