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Literary And Rhetorical Vocab

Subject : english
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. The quickness of intellect and the power and talent for saying brilliant things that surprise and delight by their unexpectedness; the power to comment subtly and pointedly on the foibles of the passing scene






2. A sentence that departs from the usual word order of english sentences by expressing its main thought only at the end. in other words - the particulars in the sentence are presented before the idea they support






3. The anglo-saxon language spoken in what is now england from approximately 450 to 1150 AD






4. A circumstance in which the audience or reader knows more about a situation than a character






5. Pleasing - harmonious sounds






6. A novel in which supernatural horrors and an atmosphere of unknown terrors pervades the action






7. A sentence with two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses






8. A version of a text put into simpler - everyday words






9. The relation in which a narrator or speaker stands to the story or subject matter of a poem






10. A parody of traditional epic form






11. One independent clause and no dependent clause






12. A person - scene - event - or other element in literature that fails to correspond with the time or era in which the work is set






13. A latin term for a narrative that starts not at the beginning of events but at some other critical point






14. A forceful sermon - lecture or tirade






15. One in which two parallel elements are set off against each other like equal weights on a scale.






16. A complex sentence in which the main clause comes first and the subordinate clause follows






17. The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables found in poetry






18. A comparison that points out similarities between two dissimilar things






19. A character or force in a work of literature that - by opposing the protagonist produces tension or conflict






20. A piece of writing that reveals weaknesses - faults - frailties - or other shortcomings






21. An abbreviated synopsis of a longer work of scholarship or research






22. A form of verse or prose that tells a story






23. An episodic novel about a roguelike wanderer who lives off his wits






24. The works considered most important in a national literature or period; works widely read and studied






25. A figurative comparison using the words like or as






26. Providing hints of things to come in a story or play






27. Ordinary or familiar - used to describe diction






28. The choice of words in oral and written discourse






29. A novel focusing on and describing social customs and habits of a particular social group






30. French for a novel in which historical events and actual people appear under the guise of fiction






31. A figure of speech that compares unlike objects - without using like or as






32. A german word referring to a novel structured as a series of events that take place as the hero travels in quest of a goal






33. The interrelationship among the events in a story; the plot line is the pattern of events - including exposition - rising action - climax - falling action and resolution






34. The language spoken in England roughly between 1150 and 1500 AD






35. The resolution that occurs at the end of a play or work of fiction






36. An eight-line rhyming stanza of a poem






37. An extended narrative about improbable events and extraordinary people in exotic places






38. A concise but ingenious - witty - and thoughtful statement






39. The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that make up a line of poetry






40. The background and events that lead to the presentation of the main idea or purpose of a work of literature






41. The dictionary definition of a word. contrast with connotation






42. A term often used as a synonym for realism; also a view of experience that is generally characterized as bleak and pessimistic






43. A style of writing in which the author tries to reproduce the random flow of thoughts in the human mind






44. As opposed to concrete language it represents thoughts






45. Faulty reasoning that inappropriately ascribes human feelings to nature or non-human objects






46. A cleansing of the spirit brought about by the pity and terror of a dramatic tragedy






47. The manner in which an author uses and arranges words - shapes ideas - forms sentences and creates a structure to convey ideas






48. A humorous play on words - using similar sounding or identical words to suggest different meanings






49. Word choice characterized by simple - often one or two syllable nouns - adjectives - and adverbs






50. Grating - inharmonious sounds