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Praxis Middle School Language Arts

Subjects : praxis, 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. A poem that is a mournful lament for the dead. Examples include William Shakespeare's 'Eligy' from Cymbeline - Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Requiem -' and Alfred Lord Tennysone's 'In Memoriam.'






2. A word which describes or gives more information about a noun or pronoun. Ex. The lazy dog sat on the rug - the word lazy is an ____ which gives more information about the noun dog.






3. A rhythmical pattern in verse that is made up of stressed and unstressed syllables.






4. The study of the sounds of language and their physical properties.






5. The most specific or direct meaning of a word - in contrast to its figurative or associated meanings.






6. The regular or random occurrence of sound in poetry.






7. A text or performance that imitates and mocks an author or work.






8. The multiple use of a word - phrase - or idea for emphasis or rhythmic effect.






9. Meter that is composed of feet that are short - short - long or unaccented - unaccented - accented - usually used in light or whimsical poetry - such as limerick.






10. A short poem - often written by an anonymous author - comprised of short verses intended to be sung or recited.






11. A word that connects other words or groups of words. Ex. In the sentence Bob and Dan are friends - the _____ 'and' connects two nouns and in the sentence.






12. A phrase that consists of two contradictory terms






13. A comparison of objects or ideas that appear to be different but are alike in some important way.






14. Fiction that is intended to frighten - unsettle - or scare the reader. Often overlaps with fantasy and science fiction. Examples include Stephen King's The Shining - Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - and Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes.






15. The flaw that leads to the downfall of a tragic hero; this term comes from the Greek word hybris - which means 'excessive pride.'






16. A brief story that illustrates or makes a point.






17. The repetition of a line or phrase of a poem at regular intervals - particularly at the end of each stanza.






18. An author's choice of words based on their clearness - conciseness - effectiveness - and authenticity.






19. A metric line of poetry. Its name is based on the kind and number of feet composing it ('foot').






20. A variation of a language used by people who live in a particular geographical area.






21. The telling of a story.






22. The use of a word or phrase to mean the exact opposite of its literal or expected meaning. There are three types....Dramatic - Verbal - Situation.






23. A story about a person's life written by another person.






24. The role of context in the interpretation of meaning.






25. A word which shows action or state of being. Ex. In the sentence The dog bit the man - bit is the ____.






26. A division of poetry named for the number of lines it contains...Couplet: Two - lines - Triplet: Three - lines - Quatrain: Four - lines - Quintet: Five - lines - Sestet: Six- lines - Septet: Seven - lines - Octave: Eight - lines.






27. The time and place in which a story occurs.






28. A group of words containing a subject and a predicate and forming part of a compound or complex sentence.






29. A metrical ______ is defined as one stressed syllable and a number of unstressed syllables (from zero to as many as four). Stressed syllables are indicated by the ? symbol. Unstressed syllables are indicated by the ? symbol. There are four possible t






30. Literature - often drama - ending in a catastrophic event for the protagonist(s) after he or she faces several problems or conflicts.






31. The specialized language of a particular group or culture. Ex. in the field of education...rubric - tuning protocol - and deskilling.






32. The overall feeling created by an author's use of words.






33. The feeling a text evokes in the reader - such as sadness - tranquility - or elation.






34. A document organized in paragraph form that can be long or short and can be in the form of a letter - dialogue - or discussion. Examples include Politics and the English Language by George Orwell - The American Scholar by Ralph Waldo Emerson - and Mo






35. A person who opposes or competes with the main character (protagonist); often the villain in the story.






36. Distinctive features of a person's speech and speech patterns.






37. A person or being in a narrative






38. The perspective from which a story is told.






39. Literature that makes fun of social conventions or conditions - usually to evoke change.






40. The use of sound words to suggest meaning - as in buzz - click - or vroom.






41. A narrative that is made up of fantastic characters and creatures - such as witches - goblins - and fairies - and usually begins with the phrase 'Once upon a time...' Examples include Rapunzel - Cinderella - Sleeping Beauty - and Little Red Riding Ho






42. An expository piece written with eloquence that becomes part of the recognized literature of an era. Often reveal historical facts - the social mores of the times - and the thoughts and personality of the author. Some have recorded and influenced the






43. The main character or hero of a written work.






44. Rhyming of the ends of lines of verse.






45. A comparison of two unlike things - usually including the word like or as.






46. A story in which people (or things or actions) represent an idea or a generalization about life. Usually have a strong lesson or moral.






47. A short poem about personal feelings and emotions.






48. A short story or folktale that contains a moral - which may be expressed explicitly at the end as a maxim. Examples include The Country Mouse and the Town Mouse - The Tortoise and the Hare - and The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing.






49. A narrative about human actions that is perceived by both the teller and the listeners to have taken place within human history and that possesses certain qualities that give the tale the appearance of truth or reality. Washington Irvin's The Legend






50. A method by which trained readers evaluate a piece of writing for its overall quality. There is no focus on one aspect of the writing.