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






2. A conclusion drawn from presented details






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






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






5. Saying one thing but meaning the opposite






6. A short witty statement






7. A moment of great revelation






8. Words that create mental pictures






9. An inscription on a tombstone






10. When the story begins






11. A direct comparison






12. Word choice






13. A metaphor which changes and grows throughout the story






14. Emotional definition of a word






15. The answer to a question






16. Sound words - imitative harmony






17. Direct contrast or opposite






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






19. A numbered list






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






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






22. Literary - historical - artistic reference






23. Meaning or emotion underneath the words






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






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






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






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






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






29. An unexpected outcome






30. The manipulation of words for a specific purpose






31. The use of slang in writing






32. Unexpected outcome in the plot






33. Time and place of a story






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






35. A political comment through the use of humor






36. Events that take place before the story begins






37. Exaggeration






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






39. Deliberately unclear - having multiple meanings






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






41. A metaphor around which the entire story revolves






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






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






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






45. A formal - often pompous - speech






46. A question that does not expect an explicit answer






47. Same ending sounds






48. Dictionary definition of a word






49. Pattern; repeated image - symbol - idea






50. Where the audience knows more than the character