Test your basic knowledge |

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. In poetry - the use of successive lines with no punctuation or pause between them






2. A character whose name appears in the title of the novel or play; also known as the eponymous character






3. A direct verbal assault; a denunciation






4. A story containing unreal - imaginary features






5. A work of literature meant to ridicule a subject; a grotesque imitation






6. The language of a work and its style; words - often highly emotional - used to convince or sway an audience






7. A lyric poem usually marked by serious - respectful and exalted feelings toward the subject






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






9. Similar to the truth; the quality of realism in a work that persuades readers that they are getting a vision of life as it is






10. The organization of language into meaningful structure; every sentence has a particular syntax or pattern of words






11. A four-line poem or a four-line unit of a longer poem






12. A belief that emphasizes faith and optimism in human potential and creativity






13. A term that describes characters' excessive emotional response to experience; also nauseatingly nostalgic and mawkish






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






15. A short tale often with nonhuman characters from which a useful lesson may be drawn






16. An abstract or ideal conception of a type; a perfectly typical example; an original model or form






17. The total environment for the action in a novel or play. it includes time - place - historical milieu and social - political and even spiritual circumstances






18. In contrast to Dionysian - it refers to the most noble - godlike qualities of human nature and behavior






19. A familiar grouping of words - especially words that habitually appear together and thereby convey meaning by association






20. A figure of speech in which a word or phrase can be understood in two ways especially when one meaning is risque






21. A vagueness of meaning; a conscious lack of clarity meant to evoke multiple meanings and interpretations






22. The implied meaning that underlies the main meaning of a work of literature






23. A device employed in anglo-saxon poetry in which the name of a thing is replaced by one of its functions or qualities






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






25. The interpretation or analysis of a text






26. The suggested or implied meaning of a word or phrase. contrast with denotation






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






28. The generic name for a figure of speech such as image - symbol - simile and metaphor






29. The correspondence of a verb with its subject in person and number and of a pronoun with its antecedent in person - number - and gender






30. A figurative comparison using the words like or as






31. A term used to describe literary forms such as novel - play and essay






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






33. A highly regarded work of literature or other art form that has withstood the test of time






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






35. A comedy that contains an extravagant and nonsensical disregard of seriousness - although it may have a serious - scornful purpose






36. A mild or less negative usage for a harsh or blunt term






37. 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






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






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






40. The use of words whose sounds suggest their meaning






41. The origin or derivation of a word






42. A discrepancy between the true meaning of a situation and the literal meaning of the written or spoken words






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






44. The high point - or turning point - of a story or play






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






46. A locution that addresses a person or personified thing not present






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






48. A detailed analysis or interpretation of a work of literature






49. A figure of speech whose effectiveness has been worn out through overuse and excessive familiarity






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