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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. Saying one thing but meaning the opposite






2. Exaggeration






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






4. Words which evoke sorrow






5. When the story begins






6. A question that does not expect an explicit answer






7. A metaphor which changes and grows throughout the story






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






9. Scholarly - academic writing that is difficult to understand






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






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






12. A moment of great revelation






13. A formal - often pompous - speech






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






15. A political comment through the use of humor






16. Reaching for the sublime - the tone results in the absurd






17. An overused expression






18. Word order or organization






19. Meaning or emotion underneath the words






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






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






22. Words - phrases - ideas placed side by side for effect






23. Dictionary definition of a word






24. A sermon or moralistic lecture






25. A particularly clever extended metaphor






26. Word choice






27. A numbered list






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






29. A device that enables a writer to refer to past thoughts - events - episodes






30. Meaning or emotion underneath the words






31. 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.)






32. Unexpected outcome in the plot






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






34. Emotional definition of a word






35. The answer to a question






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






37. Emotional response of the reader






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






39. A comparison using like or as






40. A story that operates on the symbolic level and teaches a lesson or moral






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






42. Statement that contradicts itself - "the more you learn the less you know"






43. Contrasting words placed together for effect






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






45. Technical - specialized language






46. A comparison between two dissimilar ideas or things






47. Time and place of a story






48. Events that take place before the story begins






49. The underlying message






50. Sound words - imitative harmony