English II Semester 1 Exam Review

Transcription

1 Class: Date: English II Semester 1 Exam Review Multiple Choice Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. Biography and Autobiography 1. In an autobiography, the writer tells the story of a. another person's life c. his or her own life b. an entire civilization d. a fictional character 2. When we talk about the shock of recognition, we are referring to a. the knowledge that we are ultimately alone b. the feeling of surprise when the writer meets a person from his or her past c. the feeling that no other person shares our problems d. the discovery of our own experiences in another person's life story 3. In the most interesting autobiographies, the writers seek to a. tell the truth c. justify their actions b. glorify their families d. glamorize their careers 4. In terms of absolute facts, a writer s memory of childhood is usually a. perfect c. fairly complete b. usually exact d. faulty 5. The autobiographer s role is to a. argue the rationality of his or her behavior b. explain the importance of selected facts and experiences c. strictly report the facts d. reveal others secrets Characterization 6. Effective characterization a. reveals shocking secrets about characters in a story b. creates believable characters c. tells about a character quickly d. comments on individual behavior 7. Which of the following statements is an example of direct characterization? a. Kevin wears his letter jacket everywhere he goes. b. Carlos always speaks loudly. c. Eva says, I m so clumsy. d. Spot is a happy dog. 8. Indirect methods of characterization are usually more appealing than direct methods because readers a. want a quick read b. prefer simple characters c. want to draw their own conclusions about a character d. like predictable characters more than nonpredictable characters 1

2 9. Which of the following statements is not an example of indirect characterization? a. He is the class maverick. b. His peers admire his nonconformity. c. He goes to the pep rally wearing the other team s colors. d. He says he is proving his individuality by being different. 10. Complex, three-dimensional characters are called a. flat characters c. motivated characters b. stock characters d. round characters 11. Characters with only one or two key personality traits are called a. flat characters c. round characters b. motivated characters d. indirect characters 12. Readers can recognize stock characters because those characters a. are complex c. fit our expectations b. do the unexpected d. are fleshed out 13. Which of the following is an example of a stock character? a. a dog that talks b. a wacky neighbor c. a miner who goes to college d. a wealthy factory owner who treats his employees well 14. Character motivation is considered successful when a. the audience understands why a character does something b. a character is completely predictable c. a character does things for no discernible reason d. the audience cannot believe a character s actions 15. Which of the following sentences provides a clue about why a character behaves in a solemn manner? a. Although the character lives in a nice house and has many friends, she is always crying. b. The character is always sad. c. The character enjoys reading. d. The character lost her son during the war. Essay and History 16. The essay first appeared in France more than four hundred years ago and was developed by a. Michel de Montaigne c. Ralph Waldo Emerson b. Voltaire d. Guy de Maupassant 17. Basically, the essay can be defined as a. a brief discussion of a single topic b. a lengthy analysis of a single topic c. a long article about diverse subjects d. a short piece covering a variety of topics 18. The meaning of the French word essais is a. tries or attempts c. speeches or monologues b. analytical or critical d. opinions or perspectives 19. Montaigne s essays, which were opinions written in the first person and with informal tone, are a. autobiographies c. personal essays b. novels d. formal essays 2

3 20. The essayist s role is to a. ridicule those who disagree with his or her opinions b. present an accurate account of an event c. put together a believable plot d. study a subject from various points of view 21. In general, the purpose of an essay is to combine information and a. opinion c. entertainment b. statistical data d. humor 22. In collecting information, the chief problem often facing historians and reporters is that there are too few facts or too many a. details c. charts and graphs b. photographs d. opinions 23. Which of the following items is an example of a fact? a. A newspaper reports, Today the Federal Reserve lowered the prime rate one point. b. A politician says, We are approaching a crossroads in our national life. c. A scientist writes, We must stop using nuclear energy for power generation. d. A columnist writes, If you consider the five reasons I ve outlined, you must conclude that voting for the school bond proposal is the right thing to do. 24. Writing historical and informative articles is difficult because a. not many people want to read nonfiction b. the subjects are uninteresting c. the writer must decide which facts are important to include d. nonfiction is based on the imagination rather than fact 25. A nonfiction writer might hook a reader by a. using storytelling techniques b. presenting all of the facts at the beginning c. focusing on the unimportant facts first d. protecting the reader from the reality of unpleasant historical events Irony 26. Pretending ignorance in order to ridicule a person or to expose the truth about a situation describes the original Greek sense of a. parody c. sarcasm b. irony d. satire 27. When someone says one thing but actually means the opposite, that person is using a. satire c. situational irony b. verbal irony d. dramatic irony 28. When the audience knows the fate of a character but the character is unaware of it, the writer is using a. verbal irony c. situational irony b. satire d. dramatic irony 29. When something occurs in a story that is contrary to what is expected, the writer is employing a. satire c. dramatic irony b. situational irony d. verbal irony 30. The literary term for writing that ridicules in order to bring about social change is a. irony c. sarcasm b. verisimilitude d. satire 3

4 31. A form of verbal irony that is used in an intentionally hurtful way is called a. wit c. satire b. parody d. sarcasm 32. Which of the following is an example of sarcasm? a. After he struck out, his best friend rolled his eyes. b. After he struck out, his best friend said, Don t worry about it. We ll get em next time. c. After he struck out, his best friend said, There he is! The world s greatest batting champ! d. After he struck out, his best friend patted him on the back. 33. Which of the following is an example of verbal irony? a. A left-handed person is called Lefty. b. A tall person is called Shorty. c. A bestselling writer s latest novel is a flop. d. An arrogant criminal gets caught. 34. Which of the following is an example of situational irony? a. A rich woman squanders her money and must rely on charity. b. A little girl names her white cat Midnight. c. A tired mother, expecting to find a mess, comes home to a disaster area. d. A father uses particularly harsh and cruel words to ridicule his son. 35. Which of the following is an example of dramatic irony? a. The audience knows a man will see his long-lost son, though he doesn t know his son is even alive. b. A tough teacher compliments the class on its excellent test results when none of the students has passed. c. A woman expects her children to do well in school, and they make the honor roll. d. A little girl can see into the future. Persuasion 36. When you write with a persuasive aim, you are trying to a. introduce the reader to a variety of viewpoints b. ridicule the reader c. appeal to the reader s emotions only d. persuade the reader to think or do as you wish 37. All of the following elements contribute to a logical persuasive argument except a. facts and statistics c. name-calling b. valid reasons d. an expert s statements 38. Which of the following statements is an example of a hasty generalization? a. There are only two choices available: the death penalty or murderers roaming the streets. b. After considering the most recent statistics and the opinions of leading experts, I ve decided we must improve our city s transportation system. c. Teenagers who wear black are troublemakers. d. Dr. Silva, worldwide authority on the depletion of the ozone layer, warns people to wear hats and sunglasses whenever they go outside this summer. 4

5 39. Unlike expert testimony, a testimonial a. relies on the educated opinion of a specialist b. comes from the heart and is reliable c. is an endorsement made by a celebrity d. appeals to the intellect 40. We have a much healthier economy now because we cracked down on juvenile truancy last school year is an example of a. either/or c. circular reasoning b. false cause and effect d. hasty generalization 41. Hurry in before supplies disappear is an example of a. false cause and effect c. statistical evidence b. name-calling d. the bandwagon appeal 42. In a commercial in which a popular television actor says, Give to feed the many for the children s sake, the advertiser is using a. a logical appeal c. a hasty generalization b. expert testimony d. a testimonial 43. When employing emotional appeals, a writer should a. also use circular reasoning b. ignore his or her logical arguments c. ignore facts and statistics and concentrate on the reader s feelings d. be sure that those appeals support his or her logical arguments 44. We should vote for the new city hall because a new city hall is a good idea is an example of a. hasty generalization c. circular reasoning b. false cause and effect d. either/or 45. Which of the following documents most likely would contain a persuasive argument? a. an editorial appearing in a highly respected newspaper b. an audit of a government agency by an outside accounting firm c. a scientific report released by a professional association d. the minutes of a meeting of the Daughters of the American Revolution Plot 46. The plot of a story a. lists the characters c. consists of dialogue b. summarizes the theme d. is a series of related events 47. The basic situation of a story a. presents the main character and the problem b. includes the resolution c. comes after the climax but before the resolution d. describes the setting 48. Which of the following headlines demonstrates external conflict? a. Man Battles Fear of Elevators b. Tenant Fights for Her Rights c. More Students Opt for Honors Courses d. Children Worry About the Future 5

6 49. An internal conflict a. involves only two characters b. occurs when one character reaches out to another character c. takes place within a single character d. happens when one character battles another character 50. A complication in the plot is best described as a. a physical event only b. additional information about the main character c. an event that poses a problem for the main character d. an isolated incident 51. Writers use plot complications in order to a. build the reader s excitement c. confuse the reader b. explain the main character d. resolve the conflict 52. The climax of a story a. always involves the antagonist b. occurs immediately before the complication c. must be a physical event or happening d. is the most exciting part of the story 53. The part of a story in which something happens to determine the outcome of the conflict is the a. basic situation c. resolution b. climax d. complication 54. The resolution of a story a. shows the main character triumphing over evil b. solves the immediate conflict c. must tie up all the loose ends d. must provide a happy ending 55. In modern fiction, the resolution a. often creates new questions c. always neatly ties up loose ends b. is part of the climax d. occurs before the climax Setting 56. The setting of a story a. indicates the location and the time frame b. outlines the traits of the main character c. presents the main problem d. shows how the characters interact 57. The positive or negative feelings associated with a story s place that affect the characters and how they lead their lives constitute the story s a. verisimilitude c. point of view b. contrast d. atmosphere 58. Which of the following elements would help create a cheerful mood? a. a sunny afternoon c. a cemetery at night b. a determined main character d. deserted boardinghouse 6

7 59. The setting pulls the reader into the story by a. offering intriguing tidbits about the main character b. providing clues about the ending c. giving the reader the feeling of being in the situation d. describing the main character s actions 60. Which of the following statements, if used in a story, would reveal the time frame of the story? a. She expected to feel like an outsider. b. Allison, the new girl in town, was nervous. c. When she heard Elvis s latest hit on the radio, she was fine. d. Today was her first day at O. Henry Rural High School. 61. Verisimilitude in a story gives the reader the feeling that a. the story could be true b. such a place could only exist in the reader s imagination c. the main character is ridiculous d. the story is too fantastic to be believable 62. Which of the following details would a writer most likely use to produce the emotional effect of happiness? a. a thick fog c. a field of wildflowers b. a torrential rainstorm d. a dark road at night 63. By showing how individuals affect their environment, a story s setting can also reveal a. plot development c. character b. motivation d. foreshadowing 64. Which of the following statements uses setting to reveal a competitive character? a. Maxine plays basketball every chance she gets. b. Aaron enters an essay contest. c. Susan wants to win every game she plays. d. Todd s room is decorated with posters of race cars and athletes. 65. The setting of a story is also a major character in a story when it a. attempts to mirror reality b. reveals personal details about another character c. provides the major external conflict d. is omitted on purpose Theme 66. The theme, which offers some idea or insight about life, a. can be stated in one word b. is always directly stated c. is not necessary if the plot of a story is good d. gives meaning to the story 67. The theme often reveals a. a story s climax c. the main character s struggles in life b. the writer s philosophy of life d. little about the writer s ideas 68. Reading works by a variety of authors enables the reader to a. become confused about his or her view of the world b. try new ways of living c. lose perspective d. experience new ways of looking at the world 7

8 69. The theme must be a statement about the story s a. setting c. plot b. climax d. subject 70. Unlike the moral of a story, a story s theme a. avoids teaching a lesson c. instructs the reader on proper behavior b. can be stated in one sentence d. is always less complex 71. One way to determine the theme is to examine a. the protagonist s occupation c. the writer s life b. the setting d. how the protagonist has changed 72. Which of the following is an example of a theme? a. This movie s main character constantly seeks adventure. b. Teens like music. c. Don t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. d. Someone s greatest weakness may actually become a strength. 73. Attempting to state the theme of a story helps the reader a. predict the outcome of the story c. remember the plot b. better understand the story d. imagine being in the story 74. To determine the theme of a story, you must a. read the opening paragraph c. understand the story s events b. look for a hidden lesson d. analyze the final sentence 75. All of the following statements about a story s theme are true except a. all of a story s elements should contribute to its theme b. a story can have only one theme c. the theme is usually not stated d. there are many ways to state a single theme Point of View 76. The point of view of a story is a. the theme the writer chooses for the story b. the point in the story that represents the climax c. the vantage point from which a writer chooses to tell the story d. the major external conflict in the story 77. When the narrator is part of the action and can reveal only his or her own thoughts and feelings, the point of view is a. omniscient c. second-person b. first-person d. third-person limited 78. When the narrator is not part of the action and conveys the thoughts and feelings of a single character, the point of view is a. omniscient c. second-person b. first-person d. third-person limited 79. When the narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all the characters of a story, the point of view is a. omniscient c. second-person b. first-person d. third-person limited 8

9 80. A third-person narrator a. never refers to himself or herself as I b. is never reliable c. always comments on the story s meaning d. sometimes reveals the thoughts of more than one character 81. Which of the following is told from the omniscient point of view? a. I followed the stranger into the dark library. b. The stranger entered the dark library, unaware that someone was following him. c. I was aware that someone was following me into the dark library, so I took the opportunity to hide. d. She sensed the stranger s presence instantly, but where was he hiding? She looked frantically until she concluded that he had escaped. 82. The reader of a work in the first-person point of view must remember that the narrator a. tells the story as though he or she were standing alongside another character b. knows every thought of the other characters c. never refers to himself or herself as I d. may not be honest about what happens in the story 83. One advantage of the omniscient point of view is that a. the reader can enter the minds of several characters b. the reader can concentrate on knowing only one character intimately c. the writer must tell the reader everything d. the narrator is part of the action 84. In choosing a point of view, the author must consider a. how long the story should be b. how much information the reader needs c. the theme d. the setting 85. In analyzing a story s point of view, the reader should consider all of the following except a. how the story would differ if someone else were telling it b. the narrator s personal knowledge and understanding c. the universal appeal of the theme d. whether the narrator is trustworthy Symbols 86. Crosses, crowns, or other common objects that suggest ideas are called a. public domain c. public works b. public opinion d. public symbols 87. The most accurate definition of a symbol is a. the main character s internal conflict b. the main character s mood c. something that stands for something beyond itself d. the emotional effect of a story on a reader 88. All of the following could serve as a literary symbol except a. the theme c. the setting b. a character d. an object 9

10 89. In literature, a symbol usually stands for something a. concrete c. from the movies or television b. abstract d. from another work of literature 90. In a literary work, a symbol s meaning a. depends in part on the reader c. is usually explicitly stated b. is specified and fixed d. affects the plot 91. Symbols in literature usually have something to do with the a. plot c. resolution b. climax d. theme 92. When looking for a symbol, a reader should pay special attention to all of the following except a. the theme c. the point of view b. the title d. anything that is repeated often 93. A symbol is a type of figurative language because a. it explains one thing in terms of another b. its meaning is confined to the literal level c. its meaning is stated rather than implied d. it is connected to the theme 94. Which of the following statements concerning literary symbols is not true? a. A symbol may reappear several times in a single work. b. All literary works contain symbols. c. Symbols work by association. d. Symbols are usually visual. 95. A symbol, if chosen carefully, should a. focus on the reader s intellect b. avoid provoking the reader s emotions c. require little imagination d. remain memorable 10