Rhetoric Test

Question 1

Rhetoric

Answer 1

the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional technique

Question 2

Anecdote

Answer 2

a brief, personal story taught by the speaker.

Question 3

Level of Diction

Answer 3

The goal is to choose an effective level or mix of levels while maintaining a speaker’s authenticity and not pandering (or code switching in an inauthentic way) to the audience.

Question 4

colloquialism

Answer 4

ordinary language; the vernacular; informal and conversational.

Question 5

Analogy

Answer 5

comparison of two things that are alike in some respects and can help bring clarity and a sense of logic to your argument.

Question 6

irony

Answer 6

often has an element of humor, quirkiness, or oddity.

most often directed at events or situations, not people.

Question 7

sarcasm

Answer 7

A form of verbal irony in which the speaker means the opposite of what is said to criticize or ridicule someone.

Question 8

self-deprecation

Answer 8

the act of reprimanding oneself by belittling, undervaluing, or disparaging oneself, or being excessively modest. It can be used to create humor or politeness/modesty.

Question 9

metaphor

Answer 9

figurative expression - compares two dissimilar or unexpected things to create a certain effect. Unlike in a simile, “as” and “like” are not used in metaphor.

Question 10

delayed/periodic sentence

Answer 10

a sentence that withholds its main idea until the end. This creates suspense and increases the attention of the audience.

Question 11

apostrophe

Answer 11

a figure of speech in which a person, thing, or abstract quality is addressed as if present. It can add more emotional heft to call out to the thing you’re discussing or that’s related for an effect.

example: Universe, don’t let the teacher call on me!

Question 12

rhetorical question

Answer 12

question without a direct answer - the author / speaker raises a question, but doesn’t answer it directly as he/she sees the answer

Question 13

aphorism

Answer 13

a tersely, memorable phrased statement of a truth or opinion; an adage; has gained credit through long use. It can add a sense of relevancy or wisdom to an idea. It can add relevancy.

example: Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Question 14

appeal to values

Answer 14

rhetorical arguments in which the speaker espouses and plays on values and beliefs (political, moral, religious, etc.) shared by those in the audience

Question 15

didacticism

Answer 15

a type of literature that is written to inform or instruct the reader, especially in moral or political lessons.

example: religious sermon

Question 16

parable

Answer 16

a short narrative illustrating a lesson (usually religious/moral) by comparison or analogy. It can help to clarify an idea with an entertaining component.

example: The Tortoise and the Hare

Question 17

invective

Answer 17

the use of angry, insulting, or inappropriate language.

Question 18

deductive reasoning

Answer 18

the reasoning process by which a general conclusion is drawn from set of premises and smaller facts (top-down reasoning).

All men are mortal. (general statement)
Socrates is a man. (more specific)
Therefore, Socrates is mortal. (most specific)

Question 19

parallel structure

Answer 19

successive clauses or sentences are similarly structured.

Question 20

anaphora *

Answer 20

successive clauses or sentences start with the same word(s); same word or phrase is used to begin successive clauses or sentences.

Question 21

foil

Answer 21

a person or thing that makes another seem better by contrast

Question 22

appeal to logic

Answer 22

rhetorical arguments in which the speaker attempts to persuade the listener through use of deductive reasoning or facts, claims to be an expert, or relies on information provided by experts.

Question 23

slapstick humor

Answer 23

type of hyperbole, involves exaggerated physical activity which exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy.

Question 24

personification

Answer 24

attribution of human characteristics to animals, inanimate objects or abstractions.

Question 25

nostalgia

Answer 25

desire to return in thought or fact to a former time

Question 26

repetition/restatement

Answer 26

repeating a main idea or important statement.

Question 27

hypophora

Answer 27

question raised and answered by the author / speaker.

Why is it better to love than be loved? It is surer.

Question 28

asyndeton

Answer 28

the practice of omitting conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses.

Question 29

metonymy

Answer 29

a “linked term” or associated term used to represent a thing that it’s linked to (kind of like a connotation)

The White House declared … (White House = US government / President)

Question 30

allusion

Answer 30

indirect reference to a person, event or piece of literature

Question 31

parenthesis, commas, em dashes

Answer 31

the normal progression of a sentence is interrupted by extra information or explanations enclosed in commas, brackets or dashes.

Question 32

synecdoche

Answer 32

using an essential part of something to refer to/represent the whole

Turning our long boat round on the last morning required all hands on deck … (hands = people)

Question 33

understatement

Answer 33

to weaken or soften a statement; a statement is deliberately weakened to sound ironical or softened to sound more polite.

Question 34

oxymoron

Answer 34

a figure of speech that combines two apparently contradictory words/contradictory word combination.

example: deafening silence

Question 35

paradox

Answer 35

a statement or concept that seems contradictory, but it is actually true

example: Your enemy’s friend is your enemy.

Question 36

juxtaposition

Answer 36

placing of two items side by side to create a certain effect, reveal an attitude, develop comparisons or contrasts, or accomplish some other purpose.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,

Question 37

chiasmus

Answer 37

figure of speech by which the order of the terms in the first of parallel clause is reversed in the second.

example: You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl.

Question 38

inductive reasoning

Answer 38

conclusion or type of reasoning whereby observation or information about a small part of a class is applied to the class as a whole.

Socrates is mortal. (most specific)

2. Socrates is a man. (less specific specific)
3. Therefore, all men are mortal. (general statement)

Question 39

litotes

Answer 39

form of understatement in which a double negative is used to achieve a modesty/politeness

Ex. She’s not ugly

Question 40

antithesis

Answer 40

contrasting relationship between two ideas - emphasizes the contrast between two ideas.

That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind. (Neil Armstrong)

Question 41

deadpan or dry humor

Answer 41

describes the act of deliberately displaying a lack of or no emotion, commonly as a form of comedic delivery

Question 42

onomatopoeia

Answer 42

word imitating a sound

Ex. The lion roared

Question 43

Pun

Answer 43

a form of wordplay that suggests two or more meanings by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect.

example: What do you call a snobbish criminal going downstairs? A con-descending!

Question 44

alliteration

Answer 44

the repetition of initial consonant sounds within a formal grouping, such as a poetic line or stanza, or in close proximity in prose.

Question 45

cliche

Answer 45

refers to an expression that has been overused to the extent that it loses its original meaning or novelty

example: happily ever after
example: lost track of time
example: at the speed of light

Question 46

propaganda

Answer 46

information or rumors deliberately spread to help or harm a person, group, or institution.

Question 47

hyperbole

Answer 47

an overstatement characterized by exaggerated language

example: I’m so hungry that I could eat a horse.

Question 48

sardonicism

Answer 48

dark humor

example: Not all men are annoying. Some are dead.

Question 49

euphemism

Answer 49

substitution of a milder or less direct expression for one that is harsh or blunt.

example: using “passed away” for “dead.”