Let's prepare together for new GRE.: Mar 22, 2010

GRE Vocab; Holograph

Holograph (n): a manuscript handwritten by its author.

1. Agnostic (n): one who is skeptical of the existence of a god or any ultimate reality
2. Atheist: a person who doesn’t believe in god or denies the existence of god
Theist: a person who believes in god
Monotheist: a person who believes in single god
Henotheist: a person who believes in single god but respect others as well
Buddhist are henotheist
Polytheist: believes in many gods e.g. Hindus
3. Blasphemy (n): Blasphemy (n): profane or sacrilegious talk about god or sacred things. Irreverence; sacrilege; cursing

4. Beatitude (n): blessedness; state of bless
5. Beatify (v): ( of the pope) to honor a dead person by stating officially that he/ she is specially holy; bless or sanctify; proclaim someone dead to be one of the blessed.
Use: beatification is the second and next to last step on the path to sainthood.
6. Canonize: to declare saint
Analogy: CANONIZE: SAINT:: humanize: scholar
7. Catechism: a religious book containing question and answer
book for religious instrument; instruction by question and answer
8. Desecrate (v): profane; violate the sanctity of
9. Devout (adj): pious
Use: the devout man prayed daily
10. Heathen: non religious
11. Idolatry: worshipping idols
12. Idolatrous: highly devoted to god
Analogy: SUSPICIOUS: PARANOID:: admiring: idolatrous
: ZEALOUS: ENTHUSIASTIC:: idolatrous: devoted
13. Nirvana (n): in Buddhist teachings, the ideal state in which the individual loses himself in the attainment of an impersonal beatitude
Use: the yogi’s goal is to achieve nirvana through among other things, the overcoming of carnal desires
14. Pagan: a person who does not follow any religion
Must of the Chinese are pagans
15. Pious (adj): devout; religious
16. Profane (adj): violate; desecrate; treat unworthily
17. Sacrilegious (adj): desecrating; profane
Mnemonic: sacrilegious can be spilt as SAC(k)+ RILIGIOUS (religious) beliefs. So one who sacks religious beliefs will commit profane acts. so sacrilegious person lacks piety
Analogy: APOCRYPHAL: CORROBORATION:: sacrilegious: piety (Lack of )
18. Theocracy: ruled by religious leaders
19.Tonsure (n): an act of shaving a monk’s or priest’s head as a preparation for entering a religious order

GRE: HISTORY, History of Nepal “Autocracy in Rana-dom and decline and fall of the Ranas”

Jung bahadur evolved as a founder of the Rana dynasty after 1846 Kot massacre; massacre of fifty high ranking and prominent members of the nobility and military. He successfully annihilated most of the aristocracy, reduced the king and queen to mere puppets by curtailing their movements and activities and assumed absolute power over

Nepal

. To commemorate his accomplishment he took on the title of Rana. In 1858 King Surendra bestowed the honorific title of Rana up on Him. Western sections of Terai that had been ceded through of the Treaty of Sagauli in 1816 were returned to

Nepal

as a reward of his loyalty. Jung bahadur firmly established Nepal as an ally to the British Empire, thus making

Nepal

independent and sovereign nation. Jung Bahadur also promulgated and supported the active recruitment of Gurkhas into British Army. Oppressive social hierarchy of the caste system and the totalitarian rule of upper caste Hindus were prominent in Nepalese history. During Rana regime also, higher castes (e.g Brahmans) exempt form the corporal punishments and heavy fines that lower-caste members incurred for the same crimes. Juddha Shumsher instituted pension system to quell the growing resentment against the Rana regime. The Rana’s institutionalized the “chakari” system to control political dissents. Torture to obtain confessions was abolished during Rana regime. He codified the legal system of nation via Muluki Ain. In contrast to the older system it didn’t allow execution or bodily mutilation for any offense. The Muluki Ain restricted blood vengeance by aggrieved parties.