generate_quiz.py

generate_quiz.py is a python3 script to generate a randomized quiz for sanskrit shlokas in the form of a PDF slide-deck.

Usage:
$   ./generate_quiz.py  <File> [number-of-quiz-questions]

Example

$ ./generate_quiz.py  Texts/Moola-Ramayana-itrans.txt 20

The command above will generate a PDF slide deck containing 20 questions. Each question has three slides

• The first slide containing the word whose shloka needs to be guessed.

• The second slide containing the word and four options. Each option is the first pAda of a shloka from the text file. One of the options corresponds to the shloka containing the word.

• The third slide containing the word, the four options, with the correct option highlighted in a different color. The correct shloka is also presented in its entirety with the pAda containing the word highlighted in a different color.

Dependencies

• The script uses pylatex to generate the PDF with Devanagari fonts from an ITRANS text file consisting of sanskrit shlokas. To install pylatex:

  pip3 install pylatex
  
  

• The script uses devtrans to convert from ITRANS to Devanagari encoding. To install devtrans:

  pip3 install devtrans
  
  

• The script uses the Lohit Devanagari script, polyglossia latex package, xelatex. On Ubuntu,

  sudo apt install fonts-lohit-deva
  sudo apt install texlive-lang-other
  sudo apt install texlive-xetex
  
  

Input File

As mentioned above, the script takes as an input a ITRANS file containing the Sanskrit Shlokas.

The expected format of the ITRANS text file should satisfy the following constraints:

• one shloka per line.
• uses a comma (,) to delimit the pAda-s of the shloka.

Right now, the script assumes 4 pAda-s per shloka.

The Texts directory contains a sample ITRANS file containing the the first chapter of Srimad Valmiki Ramayana known as Moola-Ramayana.

How does the script work

The script picks a set of random 4 shlokas from the file, and then picks one of them, again at random. It then picks a random word from the selected shloka and presents that as the quiz question. The 4 shlokas are presented as options.

This is based on the format of the quiz conducted by Sri. Raghavendra Aithal Acharya of Sri Vishvesha Dhama Gurukula, Bengaluru.