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. Direct contrast or opposite






2. Scholarly - academic writing that is difficult to understand






3. The answer to a question






4. A mistake in reasoning






5. Technical - specialized language






6. An overused expression






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






8. A moment of great revelation






9. A sermon or moralistic lecture






10. A comic imitation that ridicules the original. It can be mocking or gently humorous






11. The manipulation of words for a specific purpose






12. Events that take place before the story begins






13. A formal - often pompous - speech






14. A particularly clever extended metaphor






15. Saying one thing but meaning the opposite






16. Time and place of a story






17. Meaning or emotion underneath the words






18. When the story begins






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






20. Unexpected outcome in the plot






21. Repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of consecutive lines or sentences






22. Sound words - imitative harmony






23. Repetition of vowel sounds






24. Clues that tip the reader off as to What is to come later in the work






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






26. Deliberately unclear - having multiple meanings






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






28. A comparison between two dissimilar ideas or things






29. Words that create mental pictures






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






31. Writing whose purpose is to instruct or teach






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






33. Same beginning sound






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






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






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






37. A question that does not expect an explicit answer






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






39. Dictionary definition of a word






40. Same ending sounds






41. Exaggeration






42. The recreation of regional spoken language






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






44. An inscription on a tombstone






45. A metaphor which changes and grows throughout the story






46. A formal speech praising one who has died






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






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






49. Where the audience knows more than the character






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