Test your basic knowledge |

Rhetoric Vocab

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. Ashort account of an interesting or humorous incident - intended to illustrate or support some point






2. A play on words that are identical or similar in sounds but differ in meaning






3. An inference that does not follow logically from the premise (literally - does not follow)






4. A rhetorical strategy that attacks the person rather than the idea






5. A metaphor which changes and grows throughout the story






6. An overused expression






7. A mistake in reasoning






8. Word choice






9. Words which evoke sorrow






10. The 'unravelling' or resolution of the story - falling action






11. A statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is reversed ('Susan walked - and in rushed Mary.')






12. A metaphor around which the entire story revolves






13. Making a situation seem less important or serious than it is






14. A formal argument that consists of a major premise - a minor one - and a conclusion






15. A sermon or moralistic lecture






16. Making something sound nicer than it is; candy-coated words






17. Inanimate objects or abstract ideas given human characteristics






18. A conclusion that can be arrived at without any observations of the world - but relies only on logical connections between ideas






19. A part is used to represent the whole (crown=king)






20. A comparison between two dissimilar ideas or things






21. The answer to a question






22. The use of a quotation at the beginning of the work which often hints at a theme






23. Same beginning sound






24. A comparison using like or as






25. Describing something indirectly by referring to things around it






26. Form of personification - speaking to an absent or dead person or object as if it is there






27. A type of pun where the use of a word modifies two or more words - but used for different meanings (On the fishing trip - he caught three trout and a cold.)






28. Using the same word or phrase for emphasis






29. Attitude the narrator wants the reader to take toward a setting - character - or idea






30. The manipulation of words for a specific purpose






31. A form of personification - only it is not a character in the story






32. Direct contrast or opposite






33. A political comment through the use of humor






34. Character whose behavior and values contrast with those of another character






35. A direct comparison






36. Meaning or emotion underneath the words






37. Where the audience knows more than the character






38. A word that represents a larger idea or concept






39. Emotional definition of a word






40. Exaggeration






41. Literary devices that enable an author to operate on levels other than the literal (simile - metaphor - etc)






42. Events that take place before the story begins






43. A moment of great revelation






44. Direct contrast or opposite






45. Technical - specialized language






46. A short witty statement






47. A detail - image - or character type that occurs frequently in myth and literature - thought to appeal to the unconscious






48. Type of irony in which a person seems to be praising something but actually insulting






49. The recreation of regional spoken language






50. The use of slang in writing