Angelou Weekly Quiz

Question 1

Paradox

Answer 1

A situation in which something may be true but simultaneously contradicts itself

This sentence is false.

Question 2

Pathetic fallacy

Answer 2

A form of personification that attributes (only) feelings to objects, nature, or other non-human things

Pathetic fallacy: The troubled winds beat the windows.

Personification: The wind knocked on the window.

Question 3

Syntax

Answer 3

The order of words in a sentence (not word choice)

To avoid being late, I left the house five minutes earlier than usual.

I left the house five minutes earlier than usual to avoid being late.

Question 4

Diction

Answer 4

An author’s word choice

I left the house five minutes earlier than usual to avoid being late.

I departed five minutes more promptly than usual to avoid being tardy.

Question 5

Syllogism

Answer 5

A (usually) three-part argument in which there are 2 premises and a logical conclusion drawn from those premises (as long as they are true)

Major premise (more general): There is light when the sun has risen.

Minor premise (more specific): There is light outside today.

Conclusion: The sun has risen today.

Question 6

Substantive

Answer 6

Adj; being of great importance, synonym for substantial, real/firm rather than apparent

We had a substantive discussion yesterday.

I have made substantive (substantial) progress.

I’m going to need more substantive evidence.

Question 7

Exposition

Answer 7

The beginning of a story in which the background/context is given; an art display or gallery; a description/explanation of an idea

The exposition was too long because too many characters were introduced at once.

I visited the Monet exposition last week.

I groaned at the thought of hearing another long exposition on philosophy.

Question 8

Trammel

Answer 8

Noun: something that restrains one from making progress/ a certain action

Verb: to constrain or prevent someone from a particular action, unfairly

Can also be to curb, to check, to hamper

I wished to be free of the trammels of my parents’ rules.

The law trammeled women’s rights.

I tried to trammel my anger.

Question 9

Mollified

Answer 9

To mollify (verb) is to appease or placate someone/something

We were about to protest that the teacher had done something wrong, but then he corrected himself. We sat back, mollified.

Question 10

Farcical

Answer 10

Adj; comes from farce and means something that is absurd or ridiculous or laughable

The idea that I would get an A on my math test was farcical.