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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. A mistake in reasoning






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






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






4. Words which evoke sorrow






5. A political comment through the use of humor






6. A direct comparison






7. An unexpected outcome






8. Direct contrast or opposite






9. A sermon or moralistic lecture






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






11. Words that create mental pictures






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






13. Sound words - imitative harmony






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






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






16. Time and place of a story






17. A short witty statement






18. Inanimate objects or abstract ideas given human characteristics






19. An overused expression






20. A word that represents a larger idea or concept






21. The manipulation of words for a specific purpose






22. The recreation of regional spoken language






23. A formal speech praising one who has died






24. Unexpected outcome in the plot






25. Describing something indirectly by referring to things around it






26. Sentences - or parts of a sentence with similar structure






27. Point of understanding or awakening (not necessarily emotional)






28. When the story begins






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






30. Where the audience knows more than the character






31. A form of logic that moves from the general to the specific






32. Saying one thing but meaning the opposite






33. A particularly clever extended metaphor






34. Scholarly - academic writing that is difficult to understand






35. Meaning or emotion underneath the words






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






37. Emotional definition of a word






38. A form a logic that moves from the specific to the general






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






40. A story that functions on the symbolic level






41. When the reader expects a climax to occur and it doesn't happen






42. A question that does not expect an explicit answer






43. A comparison between two dissimilar ideas or things






44. Deliberately unclear - having multiple meanings






45. 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.)






46. Dictionary definition of a word






47. A moment of great revelation






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






49. Events that take place before the story begins






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