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. The recreation of regional spoken language






2. Meaning or emotion underneath the words






3. Meaning or emotion underneath the words






4. A political comment through the use of humor






5. The manipulation of words for a specific purpose






6. Writing whose purpose is to instruct or teach






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






8. A mistake in reasoning






9. Change and growth of the character






10. A formal speech praising one who has died






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






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






13. A formal - often pompous - speech






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






15. The use of slang in writing






16. Time and place of a story






17. A particularly clever extended metaphor






18. The underlying message






19. Where the audience knows more than the character






20. Scholarly - academic writing that is difficult to understand






21. A word that represents a larger idea or concept






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






23. Same beginning sound






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






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






26. A question that does not expect an explicit answer






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






28. Inanimate objects or abstract ideas given human characteristics






29. An inscription on a tombstone






30. Sound words - imitative harmony






31. Dictionary definition of a word






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






33. Exaggeration






34. Word choice






35. Deliberately unclear - having multiple meanings






36. Emotional definition of a word






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






38. An unexpected outcome






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






40. A moment of great revelation






41. Using the same word or phrase for emphasis






42. A direct comparison






43. A story that functions on the symbolic level






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






45. Unexpected outcome in the plot






46. Literary - historical - artistic reference






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






48. Emotional response of the reader






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






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