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SOAPSTone

Every piece of writing happens inside a specific situation — SOAPSTone is a checklist for reading that situation before you analyze anything else.
  • Speaker: who is writing or speaking, and what do we know about their background, authority, or perspective?
  • Occasion: what event, moment, or context prompted this piece of writing?
  • Audience: who is the writer specifically trying to reach or persuade?
  • Purpose: what does the writer want the audience to think, feel, or do as a result?
  • Subject: what is the piece actually about, stated as specifically as possible?
  • Tone: the writer's attitude toward the subject, revealed through word choice and style.

Exigence

Exigence is the specific problem, need, or urgency that makes a piece of writing necessary right now.
  • Every argument responds to something — a controversy, an event, a gap in public understanding.
  • Identifying the exigence helps explain WHY the writer chose this moment and this approach.
  • Exigence is different from subject: the subject is what the text is about; the exigence is why it needed to be written.

Context and constraints

Writers don't create in a vacuum — the situation itself shapes what choices are even available to them.
  • Context includes the historical moment, medium (speech, essay, ad), and cultural setting a text is produced in.
  • Constraints are limits on the writer: word count, audience expectations, what is considered appropriate for the occasion.
  • A skilled writer works within constraints rather than ignoring them — this is part of what you analyze.

Purpose vs. subject

Confusing what a text is ABOUT with what it is trying to DO is one of the most common early mistakes in rhetorical reading.
  • Subject answers 'what is this about?' Purpose answers 'what does the writer want to happen because of this?'
  • Two texts can share a subject (e.g., climate change) but have completely different purposes (to alarm, to reassure, to mobilize, to inform).
  • Always state purpose as an infinitive verb phrase: 'to persuade,' 'to criticize,' 'to celebrate' — not as a noun.

The rhetorical triangle and kairos

Every text is shaped by the relationship among the writer, the audience, and the subject, at a particular moment.
  • The rhetorical triangle links speaker (ethos), audience (pathos), and message/subject (logos).
  • Kairos is the opportune moment: the right argument delivered at the right time to the right people.
  • A response ignores kairos when it is technically sound but poorly timed or aimed.
  • Exigence supplies the 'why now'; kairos supplies the 'why this approach, at this moment'.
  • On the exam, name the rhetorical situation precisely before analyzing choices.

Audience analysis

Effective writers shape appeals around what a specific audience knows, values, and needs.
  • Identify the audience's likely assumptions, values, and level of prior knowledge.
  • A hostile audience calls for concession and shared premises before disagreement.
  • A sympathetic audience can be moved to action rather than merely persuaded of a position.
  • Diction, examples, and tone should all be calibrated to that audience.
  • Ask: what does this audience need to believe or feel to accept the claim?
Confusing the SUBJECT of a text (what it's about) with its PURPOSE (what it wants to accomplish) — these are always separate questions.
Assuming the audience is 'everyone' — strong rhetorical analysis identifies a SPECIFIC intended audience, even if the text is public.
Describing tone with a vague word like 'negative' instead of a precise one like 'scornful,' 'wistful,' or 'indignant.'
Treating 'audience' as 'anyone who reads it' — analysis must name the specific intended audience.
SOAPSTone: Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject, Tone
Exigence = the urgent problem that makes the writing necessary now
Purpose is always a verb phrase: 'to ___'
Rhetorical triangle: speaker-audience-subject; kairos = the right message at the right moment.

Ethos, pathos, logos

Aristotle's three appeals are the foundation of persuasion — almost every argument leans on some combination of the three.
  • Ethos appeals to credibility and character — why should we trust this speaker? Built through expertise, fairness, or shared values.
  • Pathos appeals to emotion — the writer wants the audience to FEEL something (fear, hope, anger, sympathy) that moves them toward the writer's position.
  • Logos appeals to logic and reason — facts, statistics, examples, and clear chains of reasoning.

Building ethos

Ethos isn't just 'the writer is famous' — it's actively constructed within the text itself.
  • Citing credentials or firsthand experience builds ethos by establishing authority.
  • Acknowledging the opposing side fairly builds ethos by showing the writer is reasonable, not one-sided.
  • Using precise, careful language (rather than sloppy or inflammatory language) builds ethos through demonstrated competence.

Common logical fallacies

A fallacy is a flaw in reasoning that makes an argument persuasive-SOUNDING without actually being logically sound.
  • Ad hominem: attacking the person making an argument instead of the argument itself.
  • Straw man: misrepresenting an opponent's argument as weaker than it really is, then attacking that weak version.
  • False dilemma (either/or): presenting only two options when more actually exist.
  • Slippery slope: claiming one small step will inevitably lead to an extreme, unlikely outcome without justifying the chain.
  • Hasty generalization: drawing a broad conclusion from too small or unrepresentative a sample.

Identifying appeals in a passage

On the exam, you must be able to point to a SPECIFIC line and name which appeal it uses and why it works.
  • Look for statistics, expert citations, and cause-effect reasoning as signals of logos.
  • Look for vivid imagery, personal anecdotes, and charged language as signals of pathos.
  • Look for the writer establishing shared values or referencing their own credibility as signals of ethos.
  • A single passage often blends more than one appeal — strong analysis explains HOW they work together, not just which is present.

Logos: evidence and forms of reasoning

Logical appeal rests on the type and arrangement of evidence and inference.
  • Deductive reasoning moves from a general principle to a specific conclusion.
  • Inductive reasoning builds from specific cases to a general claim (always somewhat provisional).
  • Evidence types: facts and statistics, expert testimony, anecdotes, analogies, hypothetical examples.
  • Analogical reasoning is only as strong as the similarity between the two things compared.
  • Weak logos often shows up as hasty generalization or a false cause (post hoc).

Persona and the projected self

Ethos includes the character a writer constructs on the page, not just real-world credentials.
  • Persona is the version of the writer the text projects (reasonable, outraged, humble, authoritative).
  • Word choice, sentence rhythm, and level of formality all build persona.
  • A shift in persona mid-text is a deliberate rhetorical move worth analyzing.
  • Self-deprecation or admitting limits can strengthen ethos by signaling honesty.
  • Analyze persona by asking how the writer wants to be seen and how the language creates that impression.
Simply LABELING an appeal ('this is pathos') without explaining HOW it functions and WHY it's effective earns little credit — always connect device to effect.
Mistaking emotional language for a fallacy — using pathos is not automatically a logical flaw, it's a legitimate rhetorical strategy.
Confusing ad hominem (attacking the person) with a legitimate ethos critique (questioning a source's actual expertise on THIS topic).
Labeling an appeal (pathos!) without explaining the specific words that create it and the effect on the audience.
Ethos = credibility · Pathos = emotion · Logos = logic
Fallacy = a flaw in reasoning that sounds convincing but isn't valid
Always explain HOW a device works, not just that it's present
Deductive = general to specific; inductive = specific to general; persona = the self the text projects.

Devices of repetition

Repeating words or structures is one of the most common ways writers create emphasis and rhythm.
  • Anaphora: repetition of a word or phrase at the BEGINNING of successive clauses or sentences ('I have a dream that...').
  • Epistrophe: repetition at the END of successive clauses ('of the people, by the people, for the people').
  • Parallelism: repeating a grammatical structure (e.g., a series of matching phrases) to create balance and rhythm.
  • Anadiplosis: repeating the last word of one clause at the start of the next, linking ideas together.

Devices of contrast and balance

Placing ideas in tension with each other is a powerful way to make a point memorable.
  • Antithesis: placing two contrasting ideas in a parallel grammatical structure ('Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country').
  • Juxtaposition: placing two things side by side to highlight their differences.
  • Chiasmus: a reversal of grammatical structure in successive phrases ('ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country' is also chiastic in structure).

Figurative language

Figurative language asks the reader to understand one thing in terms of another, creating a vivid or persuasive image.
  • Metaphor: a direct comparison without 'like' or 'as' (e.g., 'the classroom was a zoo').
  • Simile: a comparison using 'like' or 'as.'
  • Personification: giving human qualities to something nonhuman.
  • Hyperbole: deliberate exaggeration for effect, not meant to be taken literally.
  • Understatement: deliberately downplaying something for ironic or persuasive effect.

Rhetorical questions and irony

Some devices work by NOT stating things directly, forcing the reader to fill in the meaning themselves.
  • A rhetorical question is asked for effect, not to get a literal answer — it leads the reader to a conclusion the writer wants them to reach.
  • Verbal irony says one thing but means another, often to criticize or add wit.
  • Sarcasm is a sharp, often mocking form of verbal irony.
  • Understanding irony requires paying attention to CONTEXT — the same sentence can be sincere or ironic depending on the situation.

Sound, rhythm, and syntactic pacing

How language sounds and moves shapes emphasis and emotion.
  • Alliteration and assonance bind phrases and make lines memorable.
  • Asyndeton (omitting conjunctions) speeds a list and can feel urgent or overwhelming.
  • Polysyndeton (repeating conjunctions) slows a list and can feel weighty or exhausting.
  • Cadence and sentence length create a rhythm that reinforces tone.
  • Analyze the effect of the sound, not just its name.

Allusion, analogy, and extended metaphor

Comparisons and references import meaning and feeling from elsewhere.
  • Allusion is a brief reference to a shared text, event, or figure, relying on the audience to recognize it.
  • An effective allusion transfers the authority or emotion of its source to the present argument.
  • An extended metaphor develops a single comparison across a passage, structuring the reader's understanding.
  • Analogy argues that because two situations are alike in some ways, they are alike in another.
  • Always connect the comparison to the writer's purpose.
Naming a device correctly but never explaining its EFFECT on the reader or argument — the AP exam always wants function, not just identification.
Confusing a simile (uses 'like'/'as') with a metaphor (no comparison word) — a small distinction graders check for.
Missing irony because a statement is being read only at face value — always check whether the surrounding context contradicts the literal words.
Identifying a device (anaphora, antithesis) and stopping there, without analyzing what it accomplishes.
Anaphora = repetition at the START of clauses · Epistrophe = repetition at the END
Antithesis = contrasting ideas in parallel structure
Metaphor = direct comparison (no 'like/as') · Simile = comparison WITH 'like/as'
Asyndeton speeds a list; polysyndeton slows it; allusion borrows authority or emotion from a source.

Diction

Diction is a writer's specific word choice — and word choice is never neutral; every word carries connotation.
  • Denotation is a word's literal dictionary definition; connotation is the emotional association attached to it.
  • 'Slender' and 'skinny' can denote the same thing but carry very different connotations (positive vs. negative).
  • Formal diction uses elevated, precise vocabulary; colloquial diction uses casual, everyday language — the choice signals audience and tone.
  • Concrete diction (specific, sensory) creates vivid images; abstract diction (general, conceptual) creates a more analytical or distanced feel.

Syntax

Syntax is how a writer arranges words and constructs sentences — sentence structure itself is a rhetorical choice.
  • Short, simple sentences create emphasis, urgency, or a blunt tone.
  • Long, complex sentences with multiple clauses can build a sense of accumulation, complexity, or breathless momentum.
  • A sentence fragment used deliberately can create dramatic emphasis on a single idea.
  • Sentence variety (mixing short and long sentences) controls pacing and keeps the reader engaged.

Tone and shifts in tone

Tone is the writer's attitude toward the subject — and tone can, and often does, shift over the course of a passage.
  • Tone words must be specific and precise: not just 'angry' but 'indignant,' 'contemptuous,' or 'exasperated.'
  • A tone shift is often signaled by a transition word ('but,' 'however,' 'yet') or a change in sentence structure.
  • Identifying WHERE a tone shift happens and WHY the writer made that choice is a common analysis task.

Point of view and style

Who is telling the story or making the argument, and how, shapes the entire piece.
  • First person ('I') creates intimacy and personal authority; third person creates distance and can seem more objective.
  • An author's overall 'voice' — the combination of diction, syntax, and tone that makes their writing recognizable — is called style.
  • Register refers to how formal or informal the language is relative to the occasion.

Detail, imagery, and figurative diction

Concrete detail and sensory language work together to shape the reader's experience and judgment.
  • Imagery is language that appeals to the senses; it makes an abstraction vivid and felt.
  • Selection of detail is itself an argument: what a writer chooses to show reveals a stance.
  • Figurative diction (metaphor woven into word choice) colors a subject positively or negatively.
  • Juxtaposing images can imply a comparison or contrast without stating it.
  • Ask what impression the accumulated details create and why the writer wants it.

Periodic and cumulative (loose) sentences

Where a writer places the main clause changes emphasis and suspense.
  • A periodic sentence delays the main idea until the end, building suspense and emphasis.
  • A cumulative (loose) sentence states the main idea first, then adds modifying detail.
  • Long, complex sentences can suggest careful reasoning; short sentences land with force.
  • A single short sentence after several long ones creates emphasis by contrast.
  • Analyze syntax by describing the pattern and its effect on pace and emphasis.
Using a vague, overused tone word like 'happy' or 'sad' instead of a precise word that matches the passage's actual nuance.
Assuming short sentences always mean 'simple' ideas — short sentences are often used for emphasis on a COMPLEX or weighty idea.
Forgetting that diction and syntax are TOOLS for creating tone — don't discuss them as separate, unconnected observations.
Calling a passage's tone 'negative' or 'positive' instead of naming a precise attitude (wry, indignant, elegiac, admiring).
Denotation = literal meaning · Connotation = emotional association
Short syntax = emphasis/urgency · Long syntax = accumulation/complexity
Tone = the writer's ATTITUDE toward the subject, and it can shift
Periodic sentence delays the main clause for emphasis; cumulative sentence leads with it and adds detail.

Types of claims

Every argument is built on a claim — but not all claims are the same kind.
  • A claim of fact asserts something is true or false and can be verified.
  • A claim of value argues something is good, bad, right, or wrong.
  • A claim of policy argues that something should or should not be done.
  • A strong thesis usually combines these — it takes a clear, specific, arguable position, not just a statement of topic.

Types of evidence

Evidence is what makes a claim more than just an opinion — different kinds of evidence serve different purposes.
  • Statistical evidence (data, numbers, studies) supports logos-based arguments.
  • Anecdotal evidence (a specific story or example) supports pathos and makes an abstract point concrete.
  • Expert testimony borrows credibility (ethos) from an authority on the subject.
  • Historical or literary evidence draws parallels or precedent to support a claim.

Commentary vs. summary

The single most common weakness in student writing is substituting summary for commentary — commentary is what actually earns credit.
  • Summary restates WHAT the evidence says; commentary explains WHY that evidence matters and HOW it supports the argument.
  • A good ratio is roughly one sentence of evidence to two or more sentences of commentary/analysis.
  • Commentary should answer 'so what?' — why does this evidence prove the claim, and why should the reader care?

Line of reasoning

A line of reasoning is the logical thread that connects a thesis through each piece of evidence to a coherent overall argument.
  • Each body paragraph should advance a DIFFERENT piece of the argument, not repeat the same point with new evidence.
  • Reasoning should flow logically: claim → evidence → commentary that connects the evidence back to the claim.
  • A strong essay's paragraphs build on each other in a deliberate order, not just a random list of separate points.

Qualifying a claim

Strong arguments limit their claims to what the evidence can actually support.
  • Qualifiers (often, in most cases, under these conditions) make a claim more defensible.
  • A concession acknowledges a limit or an opposing point without abandoning the thesis.
  • Overstated claims ('this proves', 'everyone knows') invite easy refutation.
  • Scope words (all, some, many) should match the strength of the evidence.
  • On the exam, a qualified, precise thesis usually earns more than a sweeping one.

Sufficiency and relevance of evidence

Evidence must be both on-point and adequate in amount and kind to support the claim.
  • Relevant evidence bears directly on the specific claim, not a loosely related one.
  • Sufficient evidence is enough, and varied enough, to make the claim credible.
  • One vivid anecdote is rarely sufficient for a broad claim.
  • Cherry-picked data is relevant but insufficient (and misleading).
  • Evaluate a source by asking: does this actually support the point, and is it enough?
Writing paragraphs that are mostly SUMMARY of the evidence with little or no commentary explaining its significance.
Presenting evidence without ever explicitly connecting it back to the thesis — the reader should never have to guess why a piece of evidence was included.
Repeating the same underlying point in multiple body paragraphs instead of building a genuine line of reasoning.
Summarizing what the evidence says and calling it commentary — commentary explains HOW the evidence proves the claim.
Claim types: fact, value, policy
Summary = restates WHAT evidence says · Commentary = explains WHY it matters
Line of reasoning = claim → evidence → commentary, building logically paragraph to paragraph
Good evidence is relevant AND sufficient; a qualifier narrows a claim to what the evidence supports.

Introduction and thesis

A strong introduction orients the reader and stakes out a clear, defensible position.
  • An effective thesis is specific and arguable — someone could reasonably disagree with it.
  • Avoid a thesis that simply restates the prompt or announces intent ('In this essay I will discuss...').
  • The introduction should establish context briefly before arriving at the thesis — it doesn't need to be long.

Body paragraph structure

Each body paragraph should function as a self-contained argument that supports the overall thesis.
  • A topic sentence should state the paragraph's specific claim, not just announce a topic.
  • Evidence should be integrated smoothly, not simply dropped in as an unexplained quotation.
  • Commentary should close the paragraph by tying the evidence explicitly back to the thesis.

Counterargument and concession

Addressing the other side of an argument — rather than ignoring it — actually strengthens a writer's credibility and position.
  • A concession acknowledges a valid point on the opposing side before pivoting back to your own argument.
  • A rebuttal directly refutes an opposing point, explaining why it's flawed or less compelling.
  • Ignoring the strongest counterarguments makes an essay seem one-sided or naive, weakening ethos.

Conclusions and transitions

Transitions and conclusions are what make an essay feel unified rather than like a list of disconnected paragraphs.
  • Transitions should show the LOGICAL relationship between ideas (contrast, cause-effect, addition), not just be a filler word.
  • An effective conclusion does more than restate the thesis — it can broaden the argument's significance or implications.
  • A conclusion that introduces a brand-new, unsupported argument is a structural weakness, not a strength.

Modes of arrangement

Writers organize material in patterns that fit their purpose.
  • Chronological / narrative order suits process, history, or personal experience.
  • Cause and effect traces why something happened or what it will produce.
  • Problem-solution names a problem, then argues for a response.
  • Comparison-contrast sets two things side by side to clarify or evaluate.
  • Order of importance (climactic) builds to the strongest point.

Coherence and cohesion

Well-organized prose guides the reader from one idea to the next without gaps.
  • The 'given-new' principle: start sentences with familiar information, end with the new point.
  • Repeating key terms (rather than elegant variation) keeps a thread visible.
  • Pointing words (this, that, such, these) must have a clear referent.
  • Transitions should name the logical relationship (however, therefore, for instance), not just decorate.
  • Paragraph breaks signal a shift in subtopic or stage of the argument.
Writing a thesis that is simply a factual statement or announces the essay's topic instead of taking an arguable position.
Including a counterargument only to dismiss it in one weak sentence instead of genuinely engaging with and rebutting it.
Using transition words ('also,' 'another thing') that show ADDITION but not actual logical relationship between ideas.
Using transition words that mislabel the relationship (writing 'however' where there is no contrast).
Effective thesis = specific + arguable, not just a topic announcement
Concession = acknowledge opposing point · Rebuttal = explain why it's less compelling
Transitions should show logical relationship, not just list ideas
Given-new: open with the known, close with the new; transitions must name the logical relationship.

What the synthesis essay requires

The synthesis essay asks you to develop your OWN argument on a topic, using multiple provided sources as support.
  • You must take and defend a clear position on the prompt's issue — the sources are tools for YOUR argument, not the point of the essay.
  • You must cite at least three of the provided sources to support your line of reasoning.
  • The essay is not a summary of what each source says — that earns little credit on its own.

Selecting and using sources

Choosing which sources to use — and how to use them — is a strategic part of the synthesis essay.
  • Pick sources that best support the specific argument you're making, not just the first three in the packet.
  • You can use a source to support your point, or strategically use one to acknowledge and rebut a counterargument.
  • Cite sources by their letter (e.g., 'Source B') or a clear paraphrase — don't just quote at length without analysis.

Avoiding the summary trap

The most common way to lose points on the synthesis essay is turning it into a source-by-source book report.
  • Never organize the essay source-by-source ('Source A says... Source B says...') — organize it by YOUR own points, drawing on sources as needed within each.
  • Every citation needs commentary explaining how it supports YOUR specific claim.
  • A strong synthesis essay could be outlined using only the writer's own claims — the sources fill in the support.

Building a defensible position

Because the synthesis prompt is often a genuinely debatable issue, a defensible, specific position is essential.
  • A qualified position (agreeing with conditions or nuance) is completely acceptable and often stronger than an all-or-nothing stance.
  • Avoid a wishy-washy thesis that doesn't actually commit to anything — pick a specific, defensible lane.
  • Anticipate the strongest counterargument to your position and address it using one of the sources.

Synthesis vs. summary vs. compare-contrast

The synthesis essay asks you to build your own argument using sources, not to report on them.
  • Summary reports what each source says; synthesis uses sources as evidence for your claims.
  • Compare-contrast weighs sources against each other; synthesis subordinates them to your line of reasoning.
  • Organize body paragraphs around your sub-claims, bringing in whichever sources support each.
  • Sources that disagree are useful: use one to complicate or answer another.
  • Every citation should be doing a job in your argument.

Attribution and citation conventions

Sources must be integrated smoothly and credited clearly.
  • A signal phrase names the source in the sentence ('Source A argues that ...').
  • A parenthetical citation places the reference at the end ((Source A)).
  • Quote sparingly and only when the wording matters; otherwise paraphrase.
  • Introduce a quotation; never drop it in without framing.
  • The AP synthesis prompt requires citing at least three of the provided sources.
Summarizing each source in order instead of organizing the essay around your OWN claims with sources woven in as support.
Using fewer than three sources, or using sources without explaining how they support your specific argument.
Writing a thesis so vague or two-sided that it doesn't actually take a defensible position.
Walking through the sources one by one (Source A says..., Source B says...) instead of organizing by your own claims.
Minimum 3 sources cited, used to support YOUR argument (not summarized in order)
Organize by YOUR claims, not source-by-source
A qualified, specific thesis beats a vague, all-sides-equally thesis
Synthesis organizes by YOUR claims; cite at least three sources; signal phrase names the source in the sentence.

What rhetorical analysis requires

This essay asks you to explain HOW a writer builds their argument, not whether you agree with it.
  • You are analyzing the WRITER'S choices (rhetorical strategies) and their effect on the intended audience — not arguing the topic yourself.
  • Start by identifying the rhetorical situation: speaker, audience, purpose, occasion.
  • A strong thesis identifies the writer's overall purpose AND previews the strategies you'll analyze to achieve it.

Selecting strategies to analyze

You can't analyze everything in a passage — choosing a few strong, well-supported strategies is more effective than a shallow list.
  • Choose 2–3 rhetorical strategies (appeals, devices, structure, diction/syntax) that are clearly present and significant.
  • Pick strategies you can trace across MULTIPLE parts of the passage, not just a single isolated line.
  • Organize by strategy or by the passage's structure (chronological) — either is valid if the reasoning is clear.

Connecting device to effect

The core skill of rhetorical analysis is always the same move: identify a specific choice, then explain its effect on the audience.
  • Never just quote a line and label a device — always follow with 'this creates the effect of...' or 'this persuades the audience to...'
  • Effects should tie back to the writer's overall purpose established in your thesis.
  • Strong analysis explains WHY a specific word or structure was chosen over alternatives, not just that it exists.

Common structural approaches

There's no single required structure, but successful essays usually follow one of two reliable patterns.
  • Strategy-based structure: one body paragraph per rhetorical strategy, tracing it through the whole passage.
  • Chronological structure: body paragraphs follow the passage's own organization (beginning, middle, end), analyzing shifts in strategy along the way.
  • Whichever structure you choose, each paragraph needs its own clear claim about a specific strategy's effect.

Building the analytical thesis

A rhetorical analysis thesis makes a defensible claim about the writer's choices and their purpose.
  • A weak thesis lists devices ('the author uses ethos, pathos, and logos').
  • A strong thesis states what the writer is doing and to what end ('to build urgency, the writer...').
  • It should be arguable: someone could reasonably read the choices differently.
  • It previews a line of reasoning, not a checklist.
  • The body then shows HOW specific choices create the effect the thesis names.

Analyzing tone and tonal shifts

Tone is the writer's attitude; changes in tone are deliberate and meaningful.
  • Name tone precisely (measured, scornful, wistful, urgent), not just 'serious' or 'emotional'.
  • Diction, syntax, imagery, and figurative language together create tone.
  • A shift in tone (marked by 'but', a new paragraph, a change in sentence length) signals a turn in the argument.
  • Explain what the shift accomplishes for the writer's purpose.
  • Track tone across the passage rather than assigning one label to the whole.
Arguing FOR OR AGAINST the passage's topic instead of analyzing HOW the writer builds their argument — this is the single most common rhetorical analysis error.
Quote-dropping: including a quotation from the passage without explaining the specific effect it creates.
Choosing too many strategies to discuss shallowly instead of a few strategies discussed in real depth.
Device-dropping: naming a strategy and quoting a line without explaining the effect on the audience.
Rhetorical analysis = HOW the writer argues, not whether you agree
Always follow device identification with its EFFECT on the audience
2–3 well-developed strategies beat 5+ shallow ones
Analytical thesis = what the writer does + to what end; a tonal shift marks a turn in the argument.

What the argument essay requires

The argument essay gives you a general claim or issue and asks YOU to develop and defend your own position using evidence from your own knowledge.
  • Unlike synthesis, there are no provided sources — evidence comes from your own reading, knowledge, and experience.
  • You may agree, disagree, or agree with qualifications — any defensible position is acceptable if well-supported.
  • The evidence you choose should be specific and relevant, not vague generalities.

Choosing strong evidence

Specific, well-explained evidence is far more persuasive than a long list of vague examples.
  • Historical examples, current events, literature, and personal experience are all valid evidence sources.
  • One or two well-developed examples with real commentary beat five examples mentioned in passing.
  • Evidence should be verifiably true or at least reasonably plausible — invented 'facts' undermine credibility.

Structuring the argument

A clear structure with acknowledged complexity signals sophisticated, college-level thinking.
  • State a clear, specific, defensible thesis early — avoid restating the prompt as your thesis.
  • Address a counterargument to show you've considered the issue's complexity, then explain why your position still holds.
  • A qualified thesis ('X is true, except when...') often demonstrates more sophisticated thinking than an absolute claim.

Sophistication of thought

The highest-scoring argument essays go beyond a basic thesis-evidence-conclusion structure to show real intellectual engagement.
  • Explaining the broader implications or stakes of your argument demonstrates sophistication.
  • Making nuanced distinctions (this is true in some contexts but not others) shows sophistication over an all-or-nothing stance.
  • A vivid, effective writing style alone does not equal sophistication — it must be paired with genuinely complex reasoning.

Line of reasoning, refutation, and concession

An argument essay needs a clear through-line and an honest treatment of opposing views.
  • The line of reasoning is the logical sequence connecting thesis, sub-claims, and evidence.
  • Refutation directly answers an opposing argument and shows why it fails.
  • Concession grants that an opposing point has some merit, then limits its importance.
  • Concede-then-counter ('while X is true, it does not follow that Y') strengthens ethos.
  • Every body paragraph should visibly advance the thesis.

Sophistication of thought

The highest scores reward complexity, not just competence.
  • Sophistication can come from situating the argument in a broader context.
  • It can come from acknowledging tensions or complications in your own position.
  • A qualified, nuanced claim ('this holds in most cases, but...') often reads as more sophisticated.
  • Vivid, purposeful style contributes to the impression of sophistication.
  • End by answering 'so what?' — why the argument matters.
Restating the prompt itself as your thesis instead of taking your own specific, arguable position.
Using vague, unverifiable 'evidence' ('studies show...') without any specific, concrete example.
Ignoring the counterargument entirely, which makes the essay's reasoning seem incomplete or naive.
Listing many shallow examples; two well-developed examples that are analyzed usually score higher.
Argument essay = YOUR position, YOUR evidence (no provided sources)
1-2 well-developed examples beat 5 shallow ones
Sophistication = nuance and qualification, not just vivid language
Concede-then-counter to build ethos; sophistication = nuance, context, and answering 'so what?'.

Common sentence errors

The multiple-choice section tests your ability to spot and fix grammar and structure problems in real writing.
  • A comma splice joins two independent clauses with only a comma — fix with a period, semicolon, or coordinating conjunction.
  • A sentence fragment is missing a subject, verb, or complete thought and cannot stand alone.
  • A run-on sentence joins independent clauses with no punctuation or connector at all.

Parallel structure and agreement

Consistency in grammatical form is tested constantly — mismatched structures are one of the most common 'fix this' question types.
  • Items in a list or series must share the same grammatical form ('to run, to jump, and to swim' — not 'to run, jumping, and swim').
  • Subject-verb agreement: a singular subject takes a singular verb, even when other words come between them.
  • Pronoun-antecedent agreement: a pronoun must match its antecedent in number ('everyone' is singular, so it takes 'his or her,' not 'their' in the strictest formal usage tested).

Multiple-choice reading questions

Reading-based multiple choice questions test close reading of nonfiction passages, similar to the skills used in rhetorical analysis.
  • Questions ask you to identify a passage's main claim, a specific rhetorical strategy's function, or how a paragraph relates to the whole.
  • Always go back to the passage to verify an answer choice rather than relying on memory or general impression.
  • Wrong answer choices are often 'half-right' — true in general but not actually supported by THIS specific passage.

Multiple-choice writing questions

Writing-based multiple choice questions ask you to improve a student-written passage, testing revision skills directly.
  • Questions may ask you to choose the best transition, the most effective word choice, or where to place a sentence for better organization.
  • 'Which choice best maintains the tone established in the passage?' questions require checking the surrounding sentences' tone, not just grammar.
  • Some questions ask which revision would be LEAST effective or should be deleted — read the question direction carefully before answering.

Punctuation for effect

Beyond correctness, punctuation shapes emphasis and rhythm.
  • A colon introduces an explanation, list, or appositive that completes the preceding clause.
  • A dash sets off an interruption or emphatic addition, more informal than parentheses.
  • A semicolon joins two closely related independent clauses without a conjunction.
  • Overusing dashes weakens their emphatic force.
  • On MC 'writing' questions, choose the punctuation that best serves clarity and the intended emphasis.

Revising for concision and precision

Multiple-choice writing questions and your essays reward economical, exact language.
  • Cut redundancy ('past history', 'end result', 'in order to' when 'to' works).
  • Replace vague words ('things', 'stuff', 'a lot') with specific nouns.
  • Prefer active voice unless the actor is unknown or unimportant.
  • Remove filler ('it is important to note that', 'the fact that').
  • In an MC revision item, the best answer is usually the clearest, not the longest.
Missing that a question asks for the LEAST effective option or which sentence should be DELETED — always read the question stem carefully.
Choosing an answer that is grammatically correct but doesn't match the passage's established tone or purpose.
Fixing a comma splice by just removing the comma entirely, which creates a run-on instead of a correct sentence.
On MC questions, picking the most elaborate or formal-sounding option instead of the clearest and most concise.
Comma splice: two independent clauses joined by ONLY a comma — needs period, semicolon, or conjunction
Parallel structure: matching items must share the same grammatical form
Always verify MC answers against the actual passage text, not general impression
Colon = the clause before it is complete; semicolon joins two independent clauses; cut redundancy and filler.

"Rip Van Winkle" (Irving, 1819)

A comic folk tale from The Sketch Book, framed as papers left by the fictional historian Diedrich Knickerbocker. A lazy, good-natured villager sleeps for twenty years and wakes up in a new country.
  • Intro: Before the American Revolution, in an old Dutch village at the foot of the Kaatskill (Catskill) Mountains on the Hudson River, the colony still belongs to Great Britain. Rip Van Winkle, a descendant of brave Dutch settlers, is "a simple, good-natured fellow": he plays with the village children, tells them stories, helps any neighbor with any job, and is loved by every wife and dog in town. But he has "an insuperable aversion to all kinds of profitable labor", so his own farm is "the most pestilent little piece of ground", his fences fall down, his cow wanders off, his land shrinks, and his children run wild (his son Rip is a ragged "urchin"). His wife, Dame Van Winkle, nags him morning, noon and night. Rip escapes to the club of idle men who sit on a bench outside the village inn, under a portrait of King George the Third, where schoolmaster Derrick Van Brummel reads old newspapers aloud and silent landlord Nicholas Vedder shows his opinion with puffs of his pipe. When Dame Van Winkle breaks up even that, Rip's only escape is to take his gun and his dog Wolf, who is as henpecked as he is, into the woods.
  • Middle: One autumn day Rip goes squirrel shooting high in the Kaatskills. Late in the afternoon, tired and dreading going home to his wife, he rests on a green knoll overlooking the Hudson. A voice calls "Rip Van Winkle! Rip Van Winkle!" and Wolf bristles and growls. A short, square-built old man with a grizzled beard, dressed in old-fashioned Dutch clothes, climbs toward him carrying a heavy keg and signals for help. Rip helps him carry it up a ravine, hearing rolling noises like distant thunder, to a hollow shaped like an amphitheater. There a company of odd-looking men in old Dutch outfits, with long beards and strange faces, is silently playing ninepins; the rolling balls are the "thunder". No one speaks. They stare at Rip, and the stranger makes him serve drinks from the keg. When they aren't looking, Rip tastes the liquor (Hollands), likes it, drinks again and again, and finally falls into a deep sleep. The sleep lasts TWENTY YEARS, and during it the American Revolution happens.
  • End: Rip wakes on the same green knoll on a bright, sunny morning, thinking he slept only one night and dreading what his wife will say. His gun is rusted and falling apart, his joints are stiff, Wolf is gone, and the ravine he climbed is now a rushing mountain stream with no way through. In the village he knows no one, and his beard has grown a foot long. People stare and stroke their chins, children hoot at him, and dogs bark. His house is decayed, the roof has fallen in, and it is empty. The old inn has become "The Union Hotel, by Jonathan Doolittle", with a flagpole flying the stars and stripes, and King George's portrait has been repainted as "GENERAL WASHINGTON". A busy crowd argues about "rights of citizens", elections, Congress, liberty and Bunker's Hill. When asked whether he is "Federal or Democrat", Rip says he is "a loyal subject of the King" and is almost mobbed as "A tory! a spy!" He asks for his friends: Nicholas Vedder has been dead eighteen years, Brom Dutcher went to war and died at Stony Point, and Van Brummel became a general and is now in Congress. Someone points out a lazy young man leaning against a tree: Rip's son, the image of his father, and Rip is so confused he says "I'm not myself". A young woman with a baby turns out to be his daughter Judith Gardenier; she says her mother died recently, bursting a blood vessel while yelling at a peddler. An old woman recognizes him ("where have you been these twenty long years?"). Old Peter Vanderdonk confirms the legend: Hendrick Hudson and the crew of the Halfmoon return to the mountains every twenty years to play ninepins. Rip moves in with Judith and her farmer husband, goes back to idling at the inn, and becomes a respected elder who tells his story to every stranger. Freed from "petticoat government", he is happy. The old Dutch villagers still say thunder in the Kaatskills is Hudson's crew at ninepins, and henpecked husbands wish for "a quieting draught out of Rip Van Winkle's flagon". In the closing Note, Knickerbocker insists the tale is true.
  • Character: Rip Van Winkle: Protagonist. Simple, good-natured, henpecked and lazy about his own work. Mostly static: he is the same man after twenty years. Importance: he stands for the old, easygoing colonial past sleeping through the Revolution.
  • Character: Dame Van Winkle: Rip's wife, called a "termagant" and "virago"; her tongue is "the only edged tool that grows keener with constant use". Importance: the domestic "tyranny" Rip escapes, paralleling the political tyranny (King George) the colonies escaped. Irving's language clearly takes Rip's side.
  • Character: Judith Gardenier: Rip's grown daughter, who takes him in. Importance: she confirms his identity and gives him a home in the new world.
  • Character: Rip Jr.: Rip's son, a ragged copy of his father. Importance: when old Rip sees him lounging by the tree, he doubts his own identity ("Does nobody here know Rip Van Winkle?").
  • Characters: Nicholas Vedder, Derrick Van Brummel, Brom Dutcher: The silent innkeeper who ran the idlers' club, the schoolmaster who read old newspapers, and Rip's friend. After twenty years Vedder is dead, Van Brummel is in Congress and Dutcher died in the war, which shows how much has changed.
  • Characters: Hendrick Hudson's crew: The ghostly ninepin players of the Halfmoon, said to return every twenty years. Importance: the supernatural (Romantic) cause of the sleep.
  • Point of view: Third person, told by a narrator inside a frame: Geoffrey Crayon presents the tale as found among the papers of Diedrich Knickerbocker. The frame and the closing Note (claiming the story is fact) add humor and irony.
  • Themes: Change vs. tradition; freedom vs. duty; the birth of an American identity (King George to George Washington); nostalgia for the past; Irving's gentle satire of village politics and marriage.
  • Other important factors: Romantic elements: wild mountains, the supernatural, nostalgia. Irving's tone is humorous and urbane. The Introduction calls it an orderly tale of linked incidents told in time order, the opposite of Poe's tale of single effect.

"The Eve of St. Agnes" (Keats, 1819)

A Romantic narrative poem of 42 Spenserian stanzas (nine lines, rhyme ABABBCBCC, last line longer). Written 1819, published 1820.
  • Intro: "St. Agnes' Eve - Ah, bitter chill it was! The owl, for all his feathers, was a-cold." On the freezing night of January 20, an old Beadsman (a man paid to pray for others) says his rosary in the castle chapel with numb fingers, his breath rising "like pious incense". He walks past cold stone statues of the dead, hears music from the feast, and goes back to sit in ashes and pray. The Baron's castle is full of noisy guests at a grand party. Among them is his daughter Madeline, who barely notices the dancing because she is thinking of the St. Agnes legend: if a young woman goes to bed without supper, doesn't look behind her, lies on her back and prays, she will dream of her future husband that night.
  • Middle: Porphyro, a young man from a family that hates Madeline's, has ridden across the moors and sneaks into the castle, where every guest would kill him (Hildebrand and old Lord Maurice are named as enemies). He finds old Angela, Madeline's nurse, who is terrified for him and tells him about Madeline's St. Agnes ritual. Porphyro gets an idea (a "stratagem"): let him hide in Madeline's room. Angela is shocked, but when he swears he means no harm and threatens to call out to his enemies if she refuses, she agrees, hides him in a closet in the room, and brings delicacies. Madeline comes up with her candle, which goes out. Moonlight shines through a stained-glass window onto her as she prays, undresses and falls asleep. Porphyro creeps out, sets a table with candied apple, quince, plum, jellies, dates and spices, and plays an old song on her lute, "La belle dame sans mercy".
  • End: Madeline wakes but still seems to be dreaming. She is upset because the real Porphyro looks pale and sad compared to the one in her dream. Porphyro says "Awake! arise! my love" and melts into her dream as the storm hits the window; he calls her his bride and promises to take her home with him across the moors. They slip down through the castle past drunken, sleeping guests and a porter; the bloodhound recognizes Madeline and lets them pass, and they flee "into the storm". The poem then says it all happened "ages long ago": that night the Baron and his warriors had nightmares, Angela died soon after, her face twisted, and the Beadsman died unnoticed among his cold ashes.
  • Character: Madeline: The Baron's daughter. Pure, dreamy, devoted to the ritual. Importance: the romance and the dream-vs-reality idea center on her.
  • Character: Porphyro: The young lover from the enemy family. Bold and romantic. Importance: his risky entry drives the plot.
  • Character: Angela: Madeline's old nurse. Fearful but helps Porphyro. Importance: the helper who makes the meeting possible; her death darkens the ending.
  • Character: the Beadsman: An old man paid to pray for others. Importance: frames the poem at both ends with cold, age and death, in contrast to the young lovers' warmth.
  • Point of view: Third-person narrator telling a story in verse.
  • Themes: Love vs. family hatred (like Romeo and Juliet); dream vs. reality; youth and warmth vs. age, cold and death; the holy vs. the sensual.
  • Other important factors: Rich sensory imagery, contrast (cold outside, warm inside), alliteration, personification and allusion. Compare it with Poe's Usher and "The Haunted Palace": romance, dreams and the fall of a great house.

"The Fall of the House of Usher" (Poe, 1839)

A Gothic short story built for Poe's "single effect": dread. The Introduction calls it Poe at his best.
  • Intro: On a dull, dark, soundless autumn day, the unnamed narrator rides alone to the House of Usher. At the sight of it he feels "an insufferable gloom": bleak walls, "vacant eye-like windows", rotting tree trunks, and fungus hanging from the stones. Looking at its upside-down reflection in the black tarn (small lake) beside it only makes his dread worse. He notices a thin crack (fissure) running zigzag from the roof down the front wall into the tarn. He has come because his boyhood friend Roderick Usher sent a desperate letter saying he is ill in body and mind and begging for company. A valet leads him through dark halls; he passes the family doctor on the stairs.
  • Middle: Roderick is shockingly changed: pale as a corpse, with huge shining eyes, thin lips and wild, silky hair. He is extremely nervous and says he suffers from a family illness: every sense is painfully sharp, so he can eat only bland food, wear only certain clothes, stand no flowers, bright light or sounds except stringed instruments. He says he is not afraid of danger but of FEAR itself, and believes the house itself (its stones, fungi and tarn) has a strange, living influence over him. His twin sister Madeline, his only relative, is dying of a mysterious illness that makes her waste away and go into trances. She passes through the room without seeing the narrator, and the next evening she collapses. For days the narrator tries to cheer Roderick with painting, reading and music. Roderick paints weird pictures, including a long, bright tunnel with no light source, and sings "The Haunted Palace", a poem about a fair palace ruled by "Thought" that is overrun by "evil things", which mirrors his own mind. One evening Roderick announces that Madeline is "no more". He decides to keep her body for two weeks in a vault inside the house before burial, saying it's because of her strange illness and the doctors' curiosity. The narrator helps carry her to a copper-lined vault deep under his own bedroom. He notices how alike the twins are, and that Madeline still has a faint blush on her face and a lingering smile. Over the next week Roderick gets worse: pacing, staring, listening to something no one else hears.
  • End: On the seventh or eighth night a wild storm hits, and the house glows with a strange light. Roderick comes to the narrator's room in hysteria, and to calm him the narrator reads aloud the "Mad Trist" by Sir Launcelot Canning. Each time something happens in the story, it is echoed by real sounds in the house: when the hero Ethelred smashes the hermit's door, a cracking sound; when he kills the dragon, a horrible shriek; when a brass shield falls, a metal clang. Roderick, rocking in his chair, confesses they buried Madeline alive: he has heard her moving in the coffin for days and was too afraid to say so. "Madman! I tell you that she now stands without the door!" The doors blow open and Madeline stands there in her white burial robes, bloody from struggling out of the vault. She falls on her brother, and both die, Roderick of the terror he expected. The narrator runs out into the storm. Looking back, he sees a blood-red moon shining through the crack, which widens until the walls fall apart and the tarn closes silently over the remains of the House of Usher.
  • Character: the narrator: Unnamed friend of Roderick. Rational at first, gradually infected by the house's gloom. Importance: the reader's eyes; his growing fear builds the effect.
  • Character: Roderick Usher: The last male Usher. Hypersensitive, artistic, terrified, decaying like his house. Importance: his mind and the house fall together; he entombs Madeline prematurely.
  • Character: Madeline Usher: Roderick's twin. Silent, ghostly, wasting away. Importance: her return from the tomb causes the climax and both deaths.
  • Character: the house: Almost a character itself (personification): its "eye-like" windows and crack mirror the family's decline. "House" means both the building and the Usher family line.
  • Point of view: First person, told by the narrator, so we only know what he sees and fears.
  • Themes: Madness and fear; decay of a family and a mind; isolation; the link between a place and the people in it.
  • Other important factors: Inserted texts: "The Haunted Palace" (a fair palace ruled by Thought taken over by "evil things", an allegory of Roderick's mind) and the "Mad Trist" (foreshadowing that blurs fiction and reality). Heavy imagery, elevated diction and a controlled mood of dread from start to finish.

"Baker's Bluejay Yarn" (Twain, 1880)

A humorous yarn (tall tale) by Mark Twain, from A Tramp Abroad (1880), anthology pp. 136-141. A miner tells how a bluejay tried to fill a whole house with acorns through a knot-hole.
  • Intro (pp. 136-138): The frame narrator opens: "Animals talk to each other, of course. There can be no question about that; but I suppose there are very few people who can understand them." He knew only one man who could, and knew it "because he told me so himself": Jim Baker, "a middle-aged, simple-hearted miner" who lived for years "in a lonely corner of California, among the woods and mountains", studying "his only neighbors, the beasts and the birds" until he believed he could translate anything they said. Baker says some animals have "only a limited education" and simple words, while others have a big vocabulary, love to talk and enjoy "showing off". After long observation he decided bluejays are the best talkers of all birds and beasts.
  • Baker's case that jays are human (pp. 137-138): "There's more to a bluejay than any other creature." A jay has "more moods, and more different kinds of feelings" and can put any feeling into language: not commonplace talk but "out-and-out book-talk—and bristling with metaphor"; words "just boil out of him". No creature "uses as good grammar as a bluejay". A cat claims good grammar, but get two cats fighting on a shed at night "and you'll hear grammar that will give you the lockjaw"; the noise isn't what's annoying, "it's the sickening grammar they use". When a jay does use bad grammar, he is "as ashamed as a human". A jay is a bird only because "he's got feathers on him, and don't belong to no church"; otherwise he is "just as much a human as you be". "A jay hasn't got any more principle than a Congressman. A jay will lie, a jay will steal, a jay will deceive, a jay will betray; and four times out of five, a jay will go back on his solemnest promise." A jay "can outswear any gentleman in the mines". "A jay can cry, a jay can laugh, a jay can feel shame, a jay can reason and plan and discuss, a jay likes gossip and scandal, a jay has got a sense of humor, a jay knows when he is an ass just as well as you do—maybe better. If a jay ain't human, he better take in his sign, that's all." Then: "Now I'm going to tell you a perfectly true fact about some bluejays."
  • Middle, part 1: the hole (p. 138): Seven years ago "the last man in this region but me moved away", leaving his house empty: "a log house, with a plank roof—just one big room, and no more; no ceiling—nothing between the rafters and the floor." One Sunday morning Baker sits in front of his cabin with his cat, "taking the sun", looking at the blue hills, listening to the lonely leaves and thinking of his home back in the states, which he "hadn't heard from in thirteen years". A bluejay lands on the empty house with an acorn in his mouth and says, "Hello, I reckon I've struck something." The acorn falls out and rolls off the roof, but he doesn't care: he's found a knot-hole in the roof. He cocks his head, shuts one eye and looks in "like a 'possum looking down a jug", winks his wings ("which signifies gratification") and says, "It looks like a hole, it's located like a hole,—blamed if I don't believe it is a hole!" He looks again, "perfectly joyful", and says, "Oh, no, this ain't no fat thing, I reckon! If I ain't in luck!—why it's a perfectly elegant hole!"
  • Middle, part 2: the jay gets obsessed (pp. 138-140): He fetches the acorn, drops it in, and is tilting back "with the heavenliest smile on his face" when he freezes in a listening position; the smile fades "like breath off'n a razor". "Why, I didn't hear it fall!" He looks from every side, walks "round and round the hole", scratches his head with his right foot, and decides it must be "a mighty long hole" but he has business to tend to: "chance it, anyway." He drops a second acorn and tries to get his eye to the hole fast enough to see it land, but he's "too late". A third: "Well, I never struck no such a hole as this before; I'm of the opinion it's a totally new kind of a hole." Now he gets mad: he paces the roof ridge muttering, then "broke loose and cussed himself black in the face". He vows: "Well, you're a long hole, and a deep hole, and a mighty singular hole altogether—but I've started in to fill you, and I'm d—d if I don't fill you, if it takes a hundred years!" For about two and a half hours he hurls acorns in without stopping to look, "one of the most exciting and astonishing spectacles" Baker ever saw, until he can hardly flap his wings and is "sweating like an ice-pitcher". He drops one more ("Now I guess I've got the bulge on you by this time!"), looks, and comes up "pale with rage": "I've shoveled acorns enough in there to keep the family thirty years, and if I can see a sign of one of 'em I wish I may land in a museum with a belly full of sawdust in two minutes!" He crawls up to lean against the chimney and "free his mind", and Baker realizes the swearing he'd heard in the mines "was only just the rudiments".
  • End (pp. 140-141): Another jay passing by hears him "doing his devotions" and asks what's up. The "sufferer" tells the whole story: "yonder's the hole, and if you don't believe me, go and look for yourself." The second jay looks and asks how many he put in. "Not any less than two tons." The second jay can't figure it out either and yells; three more jays come, examine it, make the sufferer tell it again, and give "as many leather-headed opinions about it as an average crowd of humans could have done". They call more and more jays until the region has "a blue flush about it": about five thousand of them, "jawing and disputing and ripping and cussing", each putting his eye to the hole and giving a "more chuckle-headed opinion" than the last. They examine the whole house. The door is half open, and finally "one old jay happened to go and light on it and look in". That knocks the mystery "galley-west in a second": acorns are scattered all over the floor. He whoops: "Come here, everybody; hang'd if this fool hasn't been trying to fill up a house with acorns!" They swoop down "like a blue cloud", and as each one looks in, "the whole absurdity of the contract that that first jay had tackled hit him home and he fell over backwards suffocating with laughter". They roost on the rooftop and trees for an hour and "guffawed over that thing like human beings". Baker: "It ain't any use to tell me a bluejay hasn't got a sense of humor, because I know better. And memory, too." For three summers jays came from all over the United States to look down the hole, and other birds too. They could all see the point "except an owl that come from Nova Scotia to visit the Yo Semite"; he said he couldn't see anything funny in it. "But then he was a good deal disappointed about Yo Semite, too."
  • Order of events (chronology): 1) Narrator introduces Baker. 2) Baker ranks animal talkers and praises jays. 3) Baker's list of human traits. 4) Sunday morning, jay lands with an acorn. 5) Finds the knot-hole; the first acorn rolls off the roof. 6) Drops an acorn in; doesn't hear it fall. 7) Second and third acorns; decides it's a "totally new kind of a hole". 8) Swears and vows to fill it "if it takes a hundred years". 9) Two and a half hours of work; "thirty years" of acorns. 10) Second jay arrives; "two tons". 11) Three more jays, then about 5,000. 12) Old jay looks through the door and solves it. 13) The laughing, an hour of guffawing. 14) Three summers of visitors; the owl.
  • Character: Jim Baker: The storyteller. Middle-aged, "simple-hearted", lonely (no one else in the region; hasn't heard from home in thirteen years), observant, sincere, and prone to exaggeration. He tells an absurd story with complete seriousness and swears it is a "perfectly true fact". Twain characterizes him indirectly through his speech (dialect, grammar mistakes like "I never see a bird take on so", "begun", "come"). Importance: his deadpan telling is where the humor comes from, and his loneliness explains why the jays are his "neighbors".
  • Character: the first jay ("the sufferer"): Proud, stubborn, excitable and foolish. Goes from delight ("perfectly elegant hole") to confusion to rage to exhaustion. Refuses to give up or to investigate the obvious. Importance: the main joke and a mirror of human stubbornness: he works hardest on a job that can never be finished.
  • Character: the second jay and the crowd: The passer-by who asks "How many did you say you put in there?", then three more, then about 5,000. They gossip, argue and give "leather-headed" and "chuckle-headed" opinions without solving anything. Importance: satire of human crowds and experts who talk a lot but don't look at the obvious.
  • Character: the old jay: The one who lands on the half-open door and simply looks inside. Importance: common sense solves in a second what the crowd argued about; age and experience win.
  • Character: the owl from Nova Scotia: The only bird who doesn't find it funny; he was also "disappointed about Yo Semite". Importance: the final punchline, poking fun at a humorless, hard-to-impress outsider.
  • Point of view: Frame narrative. The outer frame is first person, told by Twain's narrator, who introduces Baker with dry irony ("because he told me so himself"). The inner story is Baker's first-person account in Western miner's dialect, reporting the jays' dialogue as if he understood every word. Because Baker is the only witness, he is an unreliable narrator, which is part of the joke.
  • Setting: A lonely, deserted mining region in the woods and mountains of California, near Yosemite; a Sunday morning; Baker's cabin and the empty neighbor's log house (one room, plank roof, no ceiling, door half open).
  • Themes: Human foolishness and stubbornness (refusing to quit a pointless task); pride; the crowd's noisy, useless opinions vs. one sensible look; humor and laughter as part of being "human"; loneliness of the frontier; satire of human behavior (Congressmen with no principle, miners' swearing, gossip).
  • Devices: Anthropomorphism: the jays talk, swear, reason, feel shame, laugh and gossip. Frame story. Dialect and colloquial diction ("ain't", "reckon", "blamed", "struck"). Hyperbole ("two tons", "thirty years", "five thousand", "a hundred years"). Similes ("like a 'possum looking down a jug", "like breath off'n a razor", "sweating like an ice-pitcher", "like a blue cloud"). Verbal irony and satire ("more principle than a Congressman"). Juxtaposition of Baker's serious tone with a ridiculous story. Situational irony (the harder he works, the less he gets done). Characterization through speech (STEAL).
  • Interpretation: The jay and the knot-hole can be read as a metaphor for human life: a creature wastes enormous effort on something it doesn't understand, and others laugh when they see the whole picture. By making the jays act exactly like people, Twain turns the joke on the reader: if the jays are this human, humans are this foolish. The story also shows Twain's rhetorical skill: the humor, dialect and deadpan delivery make Baker (and Twain) likable and believable, even while telling an impossible story.
  • Other important factors: From A Tramp Abroad (1880); Mark Twain, 1835-1910. A yarn is a long, exaggerated tale told as true; a tall tale and beast fable. The anthology's Introduction says Twain mastered the frontier humorous sketch and the fable rather than the short story, and calls "Bluejay Yarn" superb of its kind, linked to the Uncle Remus stories and later Thurber's fables. It bridges Romanticism and Regionalism / local color (setting-specific dialect and customs).

"Young Goodman Brown" (Hawthorne, 1835)

A dark Romantic allegory set in Puritan Salem Village. Hawthorne's own ancestors took part in the Salem witch trials.
  • Intro: At sunset in Salem Village, Puritan Massachusetts, young Goodman Brown is leaving on a one-night "errand". His wife of three months, Faith, with pink ribbons in her cap, begs him to stay: "A lone woman is troubled with such dreams". He refuses and asks if she already doubts him. As he walks off he feels guilty ("what a wretch am I to leave her on such an errand!") and hints that the trip is evil, but promises himself that after this night he will cling to her skirts and follow her to heaven.
  • Middle: Deep in the dark forest he meets a traveler of about fifty, simply dressed and looking a lot like Brown, who says "You are late, Goodman Brown" ("Faith kept me back a while"). The man's staff looks like a great black snake that seems to twist like a living serpent. Brown wants to turn back, saying his family were honest Christians, but the traveler says he knew them well: he helped Brown's grandfather, a constable, whip a Quaker woman through Salem's streets, and gave Brown's father a torch to burn an Indian village in King Philip's War. He adds that deacons, selectmen and the governor's court are his friends. They see Goody Cloyse, the pious old woman who taught Brown his catechism. Brown hides, and she greets the traveler as "your worship", talks of witch ointments and a flying broomstick, and says a young man is to join their meeting tonight; the traveler lends her his staff and she vanishes. Brown sits down and refuses to go further, and the traveler leaves him the staff and disappears. Then Brown hears the minister and Deacon Gookin riding past, talking eagerly about the meeting and a young woman to be taken into communion. Brown looks up to heaven, but a dark cloud passes overhead carrying voices of townspeople, including Faith's, and a pink ribbon flutters down onto a branch. "My Faith is gone!" he cries. "There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come, devil! for to thee is this world given." Laughing madly, he grabs the staff and races through the howling forest to the meeting: a rock altar in a clearing, lit by four burning pines, where the town's most respected people sit beside criminals and Indian priests. A dark figure calls the converts forward. Goody Cloyse and Martha Carrier lead in a veiled woman: Faith. The figure says "Welcome, my children, to the communion of your race" and "Evil is the nature of mankind", promising to reveal everyone's secret sins, and prepares to baptize them from a basin of what looks like blood.
  • End: Brown cries "Faith! Faith! look up to heaven, and resist the wicked one!" Instantly he is alone in the calm, silent forest, the rock cold and a twig dripping cold dew on his cheek. The next morning he walks into Salem Village. The minister blesses him, Deacon Gookin is praying, and Goody Cloyse is teaching a little girl her catechism, which Brown snatches the child away from. Faith runs out joyfully to meet him, pink ribbons and all, but he looks at her sternly and passes without a word. Hawthorne asks whether Brown only fell asleep and "dreamed a wild dream of a witch-meeting", and answers "Be it so if you will". Either way, Brown becomes "a stern, a sad, a darkly meditative, a distrustful, if not a desperate man". He can't stand to hear hymns or sermons, shrinks from Faith at night, and sees hypocrisy everywhere. When he dies an old man, followed to the grave by Faith, children, grandchildren and neighbors, they carve no hopeful verse on his tombstone, "for his dying hour was gloom".
  • Character: Goodman Brown: Protagonist. Young, naive, curious about evil, then bitter. Dynamic: he returns changed forever. Importance: every man who loses his faith in others.
  • Character: Faith: Brown's wife, with her pink ribbons. Importance: both a person and a symbol of his religious faith; "My Faith is gone!" works both ways.
  • Character: the traveler / the devil: Older man resembling Brown, with a serpent staff. Importance: the tempter; his claims make Brown doubt his family and church.
  • Characters: Goody Cloyse, the minister, Deacon Gookin: Respected Puritan leaders seen serving the devil. Importance: they expose the town's hypocrisy (Goody Cloyse and Martha Carrier are real Salem-trial names).
  • Point of view: Third person, limited mostly to Brown, so the reader shares his uncertainty about what is real.
  • Themes: Loss of innocence and faith; hypocrisy of the Puritans; the idea that evil lives in everyone; doubt that poisons a whole life.
  • Other important factors: Allegory and symbols (Faith; the pink ribbons for innocence; the forest for the moral wilderness; the serpent staff for evil); Biblical allusion (Eden, baptism and communion parodies); foreshadowing; deliberate ambiguity. The Introduction says Hawthorne added moral "specific gravity" and describes the story as a journey from light into darkness and back.

"The Custom House" (Hawthorne, 1850)

Hawthorne's long autobiographical essay that introduces The Scarlet Letter. It is nonfiction blended with one big literary trick: Hawthorne claims the novel that follows is a true story he found, not one he invented.
  • Intro: Hawthorne describes his job as Surveyor of the Custom House in Salem, Massachusetts, where he inspects incoming ships' cargo and collects duties for the federal government. He is openly unimpressed with his co-workers: a crew of old, half-asleep political appointees who got their jobs through favoritism and do almost no real work. The most dignified is the elderly "Collector," a Revolutionary War veteran (based on General James Miller) who naps through most of the day but still commands respect.
  • Middle: Poking around in the building's dusty upper story, Hawthorne says he discovers a small bundle left by a former Surveyor named Jonathan Pue: old documents and a faded, moth-eaten scrap of scarlet cloth shaped like a capital letter "A," with gold embroidery. Pue's papers tell the story of a woman named Hester Prynne, who lived generations earlier. When Hawthorne holds the letter to his chest, he claims to feel it burn, "as if the letter were not of red cloth, but red-hot iron." He frames The Scarlet Letter as simply his retelling of Pue's manuscript, not his own invention. He also reflects at length on his Puritan ancestors, especially a stern early judge who persecuted Quakers and a witch-trial judge, and says he feels a kind of inherited guilt that his writing might be paying off.
  • End: Hawthorne loses his customs job when a change in presidential administration brings in a new political appointee to replace him — he jokes that he has been "guillotined," though, unlike a real beheaded victim, he survives it and can write about it afterward. Being pushed out of the practical, unimaginative world of the Custom House is what frees him to finally become a writer and finish the novel.
  • Character: Hawthorne (the narrator): The essay's first-person voice, blending the real Nathaniel Hawthorne with a partly invented persona. Importance: he sets up why the reader should trust the story that follows, and explains his own conflicted identity as both a Custom House officer and a writer.
  • Character: the Collector (based on General James Miller): An elderly, dignified Revolutionary War veteran who nominally runs the Custom House but naps through most of his duties. Importance: represents a fading, honorable past next to Hawthorne's more cynical, satirical view of the other officers.
  • Character: Jonathan Pue: A former Surveyor of the Custom House, long dead, whose old manuscript and the scarlet letter "A" Hawthorne claims to discover. Importance: the whole "found manuscript" conceit depends on him; he is Hawthorne's fictional source for Hester Prynne's story.
  • Character: Hawthorne's Puritan ancestors: Unnamed but based on real ancestors, including a judge who persecuted Quakers and a judge from the Salem witch trials. Importance: Hawthorne says he feels their harshness as a kind of family curse, and sees his writing as a way of answering for it.
  • Point of view: First person. Hawthorne writes as himself, an autobiographical essayist, though he mixes in the invented discovery of Pue's manuscript as if it were also true.
  • Themes: The tension between practical, commercial life (the Custom House) and the imaginative life of an artist; the weight of inherited guilt from Puritan ancestors; using a "found document" to make fiction feel authentic; gentle satire of government patronage jobs.
  • Other important factors: Genre: nonfiction essay, but built around an invented frame device (the discovered manuscript), a technique used to make an invented story feel like a rediscovered true one. Extended metaphor: losing his job as a political "guillotining." The scarlet letter "A" is introduced here as already strange and almost magical (it burns him) before the novel proper even begins. Hawthorne also describes his parlor at night, moonlight mixed with firelight, as the ideal condition for his imagination -- the mindset he needed to finally write the novel.
  • Important lines — Key passages from the essay, in order, for close-reading and presentation prep.
  • Lines 5-25 "It is a little… or his own.": Opening paragraph -- Hawthorne explains why he's writing another autobiographical sketch (he did one before, in "The Old Manse") and sets the ground rules for how personal an author may get without "violating either the reader's rights or his own."
  • Lines 26-55 "It will be…barbed arrows": Explains this sketch's real purpose (to explain how he got the manuscript and prove it's authentic), then describes the actual Custom-House building in Salem, including the American eagle over the door -- federal symbol, warns everyone off, "has no great tenderness."
  • Lines 56-86 "The pavement… Custom-House officers": Describes the mostly-empty, grass-grown Custom-House, the occasional busy morning when ships arrive, and introduces the row of old, half-asleep officers sitting around -- "Custom-House officers."
  • Lines 87-123 "Furthermore…to know": Describes his own office and desk, notes he's since been swept out of the job by political "reform," and begins reflecting on his strange, deep attachment to plain, unglamorous Salem.
  • Lines 124-153 "But the sentiment… with mine": Introduces his Puritan ancestor (persecuted Quakers) and that ancestor's son (a Salem witch-trial judge) -- his sense of inherited family guilt, and his ancestors' imagined scorn at him being "a writer of story-books."
  • Lines 154-181 "Planted… earth": Traces his family's generations in Salem (mostly sea captains) and how deeply the family became rooted -- literally buried -- in the town's soil.
  • Lines 182-214 "On emerging… to Paradise": Explains how he actually got the Surveyor job (a political appointment, "the President's commission"), meets his new staff of very old officers, and jokes that neither door of the Custom-House "opens on the road to Paradise."
  • Lines 215-248 "The greater part…any remedy": Most of his officers are Whigs, but he -- not a political operator -- doesn't fire them; describes their comic incompetence (missing real smuggling, over-fussing small things) with dry irony.
  • Lines 249-302 "Unless people… of the two": He grows genuinely fond of the old officers despite everything, then introduces the ancient, cheerful permanent Inspector -- pure appetite, "no soul, no heart, no mind" beyond his stomach.
  • Lines 303-333 "I used to… axe and handsaw": Continues the Inspector's portrait: he remembers old dinners in vivid detail but nothing else; the "chief tragic event" of his life was a famously tough goose he once tried to carve.
  • Lines 334-364 "But it is… alien weeds": Moves on to the Collector (General Miller) -- a once-great, now-frail soldier, described as hard to read as the ruined fortress of Ticonderoga, "overgrown... with grass and alien weeds."
  • Lines 365-413 "Nevertheless… desk": Gives the Collector real dignity -- a quiet, massive inner strength ("a deep, red glow, as of iron in a furnace") -- and pictures him as an old sword out of place among the office's inkstands and paper-folders.
  • Lines 414-458 "There was one… the change": Gives the Collector's famous battle motto, "I'll try, sir!," then introduces a totally different figure: the sharp, efficient "man of business" clerk who actually keeps the whole Custom-House running.
  • Lines 459-500 "Literature.. now writing": Hawthorne says he stopped caring about literature entirely while working there, valued only as "a tolerably good Surveyor of the Customs," and realizes how little his writing means to the people around him.
  • Lines 501-550 "In the second… skull itself": The key discovery scene: his own name is now famous only as a customs stamp on cargo; poking through attic barrels he finds an old parchment package -- Surveyor Jonathan Pue's actual royal commission and papers (Pue's exhumed remains, he notes, were basically just a skeleton and a well-preserved wig).
  • Lines 551-586 "They were documents… upon the floor": Describes Pue's private antiquarian notes, then the discovery of the scarlet cloth letter "A" itself -- and the famous moment Hawthorne holds it to his chest, feels it burn "as if the letter were not of red cloth, but red-hot iron," and drops it in shock.
  • Lines 587-609 "In the absorbing… the outline": He opens the roll of paper wrapped around the letter and finds Pue's manuscript telling Hester Prynne's story -- the passage where Hawthorne explicitly claims the novel is "authenticated" by a real document, while admitting he invented plenty of the details himself.
  • Lines 610-625 "This incident… I will": The whimsical ghost-of-Surveyor-Pue scene -- Hawthorne imagines Pue's ghost formally commissioning him to write up Hester Prynne's story. "Do this," says the ghost, "and the profit shall be all your own!" Hawthorne answers: "I will!"
  • Lines 626-654 "On Hester… many-hued description": Hawthorne obsessively paces the Custom-House halls thinking about Hester Prynne's story, annoying the old Inspector -- but his imagination stays dead. Says if he'd stayed in the job "through ten Presidencies," the novel never would have been written.
  • Lines 655-685 "If the imaginative… from me": The famous moonlight passage -- moonlight in a familiar room is the ideal condition for a writer's imagination, turning ordinary objects into "things of intellect." None of it worked on him: "An entire class of susceptibilities... was gone from me."
  • Lines 686-716 "It is my belief… of mankind": He reflects he might have written something better by capturing the old sea-captain Inspector's storytelling gift instead. Ends with his verdict on Custom-House work: it doesn't let a man "share in the united effort of mankind."
  • Lines 717-740 "An effect… manly character": The passage on leaning on "the mighty arm of the Republic" -- his theory that public office slowly destroys a man's self-reliance, comparing a government salary to "the Devil's wages."
  • Lines 741-777 "Here was… struck off": His fear of becoming like the old Inspector, then the political guillotine section -- Taylor's election, the Whigs sweeping Democrats from office. "My head was the first that fell!"
  • Lines 778-804 "In short… that fell / The moment… friendly one": Losing his job actually suits him -- he compares it to a man who wanted to commit suicide and got the "good hap to be murdered" instead.
  • Lines 806-828 "Meanwhile… literary man / Now it was… of quiet": Newspapers mock him as Irving's Headless Horseman; freed from the job, he becomes a writer again. Pue's old papers "came into play" -- this is where he actually starts writing the novel. Ends: "For I am in the realm of quiet!"
  • Lines 829-849 "The life of… without me / It may be… town pump": Final farewell to the Custom-House and Salem, naming the real merchants he worked among and saying the town won't miss him. Closes on the ironic Town Pump joke as his one hoped-for legacy.

Background and reference

Everything around the six stories: devices and terms, the anthology intro, Romanticism, Emerson, the American Dream, how to answer analysis questions, the authors cheat sheet, handouts and the periods timeline. Each block starts with its own bold heading.
  • Words and tools (devices, terms and settings) — Every literary device and term for the unit in one place, followed by each story's setting.
  • Anthropomorphism: giving animals or living things human traits (the bluejays).
  • Personification: giving nonliving objects human traits (the House of Usher's "eye-like" windows).
  • Imagery: language that appeals to the senses.
  • Mood / Tone: mood is the feeling created for the reader; tone is the author's attitude toward the subject.
  • Setting: time and place.
  • Characterization: how the author reveals a character. Direct: the narrator tells you. Indirect (STEAL): Speech, Thoughts, Effect on others, Actions, Looks.
  • Round / flat, static / dynamic: round characters are complex, flat have one or two traits; static characters don't change, dynamic ones do (Goodman Brown).
  • Point of view: who narrates: first person, third limited, omniscient. A frame narrative is a story that holds another story.
  • Allusion: an indirect reference to a well-known person, place, text or event (the serpent staff and Eden).
  • Foreshadowing: hints about what comes next (the Mad Trist sounds).
  • Symbolism / Allegory: a symbol stands for a bigger idea; an allegory is a whole story whose characters and events stand for moral or political meanings.
  • Irony: verbal (saying the opposite of what you mean), situational (the opposite of what is expected), dramatic (the reader knows more than the character).
  • Juxtaposition: putting things side by side for effect (Baker's serious tone vs. an absurd story).
  • Metaphor / Simile / Hyperbole: direct comparison; comparison with like or as; exaggeration ("two tons" of acorns).
  • Diction / Syntax: word choice; sentence structure.
  • Dialect: speech showing a region or class (Jim Baker).
  • Ambiguity: an ending or event left open to more than one reading (Brown's dream).
  • Tall tale / Yarn / Fable: exaggerated story told as true; a beast fable uses animals to teach a point.
  • Gothic: horror plus romance in gloomy old buildings (Poe).
  • Spenserian stanza: nine lines, ABABBCBCC, last line longer (Keats).
  • Rhetorical appeals: ethos (credibility), logos (logic), pathos (emotion).
  • SOAPSTone: Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject, Tone.
  • Setting: "Rip Van Winkle": a Dutch village and the Kaatskill (Catskill) Mountains on the Hudson, before and after the American Revolution (about 1770s to 1790s).
  • Setting: "The Eve of St. Agnes": a medieval castle on a freezing St. Agnes' Eve, January 20, during a loud feast; the lovers escape into a storm.
  • Setting: "The Fall of the House of Usher": the decaying Usher mansion beside a black tarn on a dull, soundless autumn day, ending on a stormy night.
  • Setting: "Baker's Bluejay Yarn": a lonely, empty log cabin in the woods of California (near Yosemite), told by a miner.
  • Setting: "Young Goodman Brown": Puritan Salem Village, Massachusetts, in the late 1600s; the dark forest at night, then the village next morning.
  • Introduction to Great American Short Stories (Stegner) — Written by Wallace and Mary Stegner (the anthology is dated 1957); know its main claims and connect them to each story.
  • Poe published "Metzengerstein" in the Philadelphia Saturday Courier on January 14, 1832, using for the first time the technique of the single effect on which the modern short story is built. The short story is called an American invention and specialty; Poe and Hawthorne "together created the short story as a form".
  • Irving vs. Poe: "Rip Van Winkle" is an example of the orderly tale of linked incidents chronologically treated, graceful, humorous and urbane. Poe substituted the concentrated tale of effect: one preconceived impression, action focused on the climactic moment, mood controlled from first to last, improbabilities made plausible by concreteness.
  • The editors call Poe's terror "not of Germany but of the soul" (Poe's own phrase) yet judge his effects closer to "gooseflesh", and say his "madness" is more literary than observed. They name "The Fall of the House of Usher" Poe at his best, with its doomed mansion and the "deadly inverted image of the fateful house reflected in the tarn". Poe also fathered the tale of ratiocination, the parent of the detective story.
  • Hawthorne added moral or intellectual weight, Henry Seidel Canby's "specific gravity". The typical American story asks to be taken seriously as a reflection of life, manners, morals or national character. Hawthorne's contribution is the story that probes a situation rather than linking incidents or contriving effects.
  • Usher and "Young Goodman Brown" are both built on a journey and a return, moving from light into darkness and back to light. Poe's darkness is the theatrical dark of the horror tale; Hawthorne's is the darkness of the soul, the forest of sin. Brown's initiation shows "conviction that virtue is a mask and all men are guilty".
  • Twain: the Introduction says he never wrote a good short story; his mastered forms were the humorous frontier sketch (his essay "How to Tell a Story") and the fable. "Bluejay Yarn" is not a short story by Matthews' definition but superb in its kind, linked to Harris's Uncle Remus stories and, later, Thurber's fables. The beast story is among the oldest forms of fiction.
  • Irving's "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" are named as his best and best known. The editors' criteria for selection were the excellence of each story in itself and its representativeness in the story's development in the United States.
  • Later sections trace local color (Bret Harte's "The Luck of Roaring Camp", 1868), Henry James, Stephen Crane, Sherwood Anderson, Hemingway and Faulkner. Only the material connected to your six texts is likely to be tested, but the local-color and beast-fable paragraphs support Twain.
  • Romanticism and Washington Irving — Romanticism is the frame for the whole unit. Irving's packet content is on the exam, so know the movement's vocabulary as well as the man.
  • Romanticism (late 18th to mid 19th century, per the Britannica handout) rejects the order, calm, harmony, balance and rationality of Classicism and late-18th-century Neoclassicism, and reacts against the Enlightenment, rationalism and physical materialism.
  • Romanticism emphasizes the individual, the subjective, the irrational, the imaginative, the emotional and the transcendental; it loves nature, exalts emotion over reason and the senses over intellect, and has a predilection for the exotic, mysterious, occult, monstrous and even satanic.
  • Classicism and Neoclassicism prized order, reason and restraint; Rationalism trusted reason above feeling. Romantic writers push back with intuition, mystery and the sublime.
  • Washington Irving (1783-1859) is often called the first American author to win international fame. "Rip Van Winkle" appeared in The Sketch Book (1819-20) under the pen name Geoffrey Crayon.
  • Irving frames the tale as papers left by the fictional historian Diedrich Knickerbocker, a playful fake-history frame (historiography: how history gets written).
  • Romantic markers to spot in the stories: dreamlike or supernatural events, wild nature, nostalgia for the past, a lone individual against society, and strong emotion.
  • Packet vocabulary to know: Classicism, Neoclassicism, Enlightenment, Rationalism, Transcendental, exaltation, predilection, occult, satanic, historiography.
  • English Romanticism began in the 1790s with Wordsworth and Coleridge's Lyrical Ballads; Wordsworth's 1800 Preface called poetry "the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings". Blake was a third early poet; Keats, Byron and Shelley are the later high point; Scott is credited with the historical novel.
  • Gothic fiction combines horror and romance. Its origin is credited to Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto (1764, subtitled "A Gothic Story"); later examples include Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Poe, and Stoker's Dracula. "Gothic" refers to the pseudo-medieval buildings where many of the stories take place.
  • Emerson and Transcendentalism — The Emerson handout (Lesson #5) is an excerpt from "The Transcendentalist". Bullet-point summary of the argument is on your notes.
  • Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) was the leading voice of American Transcendentalism, a Romantic movement that trusts intuition, individual conscience and nature over institutions and tradition.
  • From the excerpt: the materialist "takes his departure from the external world" and esteems a man as one product of it, respecting society, government, social art, luxury and "every mass". The idealist "takes his departure from his consciousness, and reckons the world an appearance".
  • The idealist's measure is metaphysical: the rank things take in his consciousness, not their size or appearance. "Mind is the only reality, of which men and all other natures are better or worse reflectors." Nature, literature and history are "subjective phenomena".
  • The idealist does not respect government, church, charities, property or the arts for themselves, only as symbols of the laws of being, and sees facts flowing outward "from an invisible, unsounded centre in himself". His thought "is the Universe".
  • Use the handout: quote how Emerson defines each side, then say what he means and how you know from his diction.
  • Connect to the unit: Rip resists social duties (individual vs. society); Goodman Brown loses faith in his community; Poe's Roderick lives inside his own mind; Keats prizes imagination.
  • Emerson is nonfiction (an essay/lecture), so you can also discuss purpose, audience, tone and ethos, logos and pathos in it.
  • The American Dream (James Truslow Adams) — How can we critically interpret the American Dream? Start with James Truslow Adams' definition.
  • James Truslow Adams popularized the phrase in The Epic of America (1931): a dream of a land where life is better, richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each person according to ability or achievement.
  • Adams stresses that it is not just cars and high wages but a social order where each person can reach their fullest stature. Notice how diction like "better and richer and fuller" makes it about more than money.
  • Handout details: Adams wrote it in The Epic of America (1931, pp. 214-215); the dream is "for the European upper classes" hard to interpret, many Americans had "grown weary and mistrustful of it", and each person should be "recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position".
  • The handout also quotes the Declaration of Independence (life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness), asks whether homesteaders, immigrants and World War II veterans pursued the same dream, and notes critics who say it became material prosperity or is out of reach for the working poor. Thomas Wolfe is quoted on "his shining, golden opportunity".
  • Ask of each story: whose version of the dream is shown, and who is left out or disillusioned?
  • Rip Van Winkle: freedom from duty and the birth of a new nation. Goodman Brown: the Puritan ideal of a godly community, undone by hypocrisy. Baker's yarn: folksy Western tall tale that pokes fun at human effort.
  • Definition is a moving target: consider how the dream has evolved and what it is not.
  • How to write and answer analysis questions — Most analysis questions ask how an author uses a device to convey a message.
  • Use direct text evidence and cite it (author, title, page or line). Explain how the exact words create the effect.
  • For multi-part questions, write ONE cohesive response that covers every part, using transitions to link them to your claim.
  • Effective paragraph basic structure: claim, evidence, commentary, and a link back to the claim. Use the template on the Effective Paragraph handout for multiple quotes.
  • Mood-of-the-text (MOT) routine: underline evidence, circle the key word that creates the feeling, label the mood, then explain how the words work together.
  • Pivotal questions are open-ended and text-based, not hunt-and-fetch: To what extent... In what ways... For what reasons... How is/does... and why is it significant?
  • SOAPSTone (Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject, Tone) works on fiction and nonfiction; state purpose as a verb phrase (to warn, to satirize, to mourn).
  • Authors, dates and forms cheat sheet — A fast-recall table for the recognition questions. Dates are the standard publication years; check any date on your packet.
  • Irving (1783-1859): "Rip Van Winkle" (The Sketch Book, 1819-20). Romantic, satirical, folk-legend tone.
  • Keats (1795-1821): "The Eve of St. Agnes" (written 1819, published 1820). Narrative poem, Spenserian stanza.
  • Poe (1809-1849): "The Fall of the House of Usher" (1839). Gothic; contains "The Haunted Palace" and the "Mad Trist" of Ethelred.
  • Twain (1835-1910): "Baker's Bluejay Yarn" (1880). Humorous frame plus tall tale; anthropomorphism and dialect.
  • Hawthorne (1804-1864): "Young Goodman Brown" (1835). Dark Romanticism / Puritan allegory.
  • Emerson (1803-1882): "The Transcendentalist" (essay/lecture). Nonfiction; idealism vs. materialism.
  • Hawthorne (1804-1864): "The Custom House" (1850), the introductory essay to The Scarlet Letter. Nonfiction with an invented "found manuscript" frame.
  • Irving's life and impact (Lesson #1 handout) — The Irving handout is a Wikipedia biography with discussion questions. Expect accuracy-of-information and historical-context questions from it.
  • Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 - November 28, 1859) was born in Manhattan the same week New Yorkers learned of the British ceasefire that ended the Revolution. His mother named him for George Washington, whom he met at age six.
  • Boyhood trips up the Hudson, including the Catskill region (the setting of "Rip Van Winkle"), shaped him: he wrote that the Kaatskill Mountains had "the most witching effect on my boyish imagination". Tarrytown gave him Sleepy Hollow's Dutch customs and ghost stories.
  • Early writing: letters to the Morning Chronicle (1802) as Jonathan Oldstyle; the magazine Salmagundi (1807), which nicknamed New York "Gotham"; then A History of New-York by Diedrich Knickerbocker (1809), promoted with a hoax about the missing historian.
  • "Rip Van Winkle" is in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. Irving wrote it overnight in Birmingham, England, staying with his sister Sarah and her husband Henry van Wart. He lived abroad for 17 years (1815-1832).
  • He served as U.S. Minister to Spain (1842-1846), lived at Sunnyside, and is buried in Sleepy Hollow cemetery (Dec 1, 1859). He encouraged writers such as Hawthorne, Melville, Longfellow and Poe, though Poe called him "much over-rated".
  • Legacy: called the first American man of letters and the first to earn a living by his pen; he advocated copyright protection, popularized "Gotham", is credited with the phrase "the almighty dollar", and helped shape the American image of St. Nicholas and Christmas. His Columbus biography also spread the flat-Earth myth.
  • Literary periods timeline (Literary Devices packet) — The last page of your Literary Terms packet gives a timeline and movement definitions. Historical-context questions can ask you to place a work in its period.
  • Puritanism 1620-1770s (plain style; obedience to God; journals, sermons, poems). Neoclassic 1770s to early 1800s (rationalism, the Age of Reason).
  • Romanticism early 1800s-1870s: a revolt against Rationalism. Realism 1850s-early 1900s. Regionalism 1884-early 1900s. Naturalism late 1800s-mid 1900s. Modernism 1920s-1945. Post-Modernism 1945 on.
  • Transcendentalism: a 19th-century movement in the Romantic tradition holding that every individual can reach ultimate truths through spiritual intuition, which transcends reason and sensory experience.
  • Rationalism: truth reached by reason instead of the authority of the past, the Church or an institution (also called Neoclassicism or the Age of Reason).
  • Plain style: writing that stresses simplicity and clarity, the main form of the Puritan writers. Regionalism / local color: emphasis on a specific setting's speech, customs and landscape, as in Twain's dialect.
  • Place the texts: Hawthorne's Puritan Salem is set in the 1600s but written in the 1830s Romantic period; Irving, Keats, Poe, Hawthorne and Emerson are Romantic-era writers; Twain (1880) bridges toward Realism and Regionalism.
  • A. A. Rubin's Poe-style poems (Lesson #2 handout) — Rubin, a former teacher turned professional poet, wrote these poems to imitate Edgar Allan Poe.
  • "Night Walkers" won first place in a Poe-style contest: a speaker whistling through a graveyard walks all night with a ghost until daybreak, when "all ghosts must go away".
  • "The Widow's Walk" (first published July 29, 2021 in Love Letters to Poe) uses the refrain "round and round she goes" and repeated end lines to create a haunting, hypnotic sound; children invent stories about the widow, and the dead husband follows her without knowing he is dead.
  • "The Widow's Walk (1849)" is set at Cold Spring Harbor: a widow paces the roof waiting for a husband whose ship sank; his ghost returns at night and leaves at dawn. The year 1849 is the year Poe died.
  • Recurring Poe-like elements: ghosts, graveyards, the pale moon, night's "dark inky gloom", refrain and repetition, and a supernatural companion. These echo Poe's Gothic style and mood.
  • Use for practice: identify allusion, refrain, imagery and mood in short poems, then connect them to Poe's Gothic style in "The Fall of the House of Usher".
Mixing up anthropomorphism (animals or living things given human traits) with personification (nonliving objects given human traits). The bluejays are anthropomorphism; the House of Usher's "eyes" are personification.
Retelling the plot instead of analyzing how the author's language creates the effect. Always tie a specific word or device to a purpose.
Treating "Young Goodman Brown" as clearly a dream or clearly real; the story's power comes from the ambiguity.
Reading the pronoun or the speaker too quickly: check who is talking and who is being addressed (Roderick to the narrator; Rip to the villagers; Angela to Porphyro).
Using dictionary meanings instead of the meaning that fits the line. For vocabulary in context, test each choice back in the sentence.
Putting events in the wrong order. For chronology questions, run a quick timeline in your head for each story before choosing.
Choosing an interpretation that is true in general but not supported by the quote. Pick the answer the quote itself supports.
Seven texts: Rip Van Winkle (Irving), Eve of St. Agnes (Keats), Fall of the House of Usher (Poe), Baker's Bluejay Yarn (Twain), Young Goodman Brown (Hawthorne), The Custom House (Hawthorne), Emerson handout.
Anthropomorphism = animals/living things with human traits; personification = objects.
Answer = claim + text evidence + how the words create the effect + purpose.
STEAL: Speech, Thoughts, Effect on others, Actions, Looks (indirect characterization).
Practice Question Bank — 542 questions
Unit 1: The Rhetorical Situation (30)

  1. In SOAPSTone, what does the 'P' stand for?

    • Purpose
    • Persuasion
    • Position
    • Perspective

    P stands for Purpose — what the writer wants the audience to think, feel, or do.

  2. A politician gives a eulogy at a colleague's funeral. What is the OCCASION?

    • The colleague's death and the funeral service
    • The politician's career
    • The audience's grief
    • The politician's political party

    Occasion is the event that prompts the writing — here, the death and funeral.

  3. Which best states a text's PURPOSE?

    • To persuade parents to limit screen time
    • Screen time in children
    • A blog post about parenting
    • Technology and childhood

    Purpose must be phrased as an infinitive verb phrase describing the intended effect on the audience.

  4. What is exigence?

    • The urgent problem or need that makes a piece of writing necessary
    • The writer's tone
    • The audience's education level
    • The essay's word count

    Exigence is the specific urgency or problem prompting the writing.

  5. A textbook chapter and a passionate op-ed can share the same subject but differ in what?

    • Purpose and tone
    • Subject matter
    • Font size
    • Publication date only

    Two texts can share a subject but differ completely in purpose and tone.

  6. Which is a CONSTRAINT on a writer?

    • A strict word limit for a newspaper column
    • The writer's opinion
    • The reader's mood
    • The topic's popularity

    Constraints are limits like word count, format, or audience expectations.

  7. 'Skeptical, yet hopeful' is an example of what SOAPSTone element?

    • Tone
    • Subject
    • Speaker
    • Occasion

    This describes the writer's attitude — tone.

  8. Identifying a speech's specific intended audience (rather than 'everyone') is important because:

    • Rhetorical choices are tailored to a specific audience's values and knowledge
    • All audiences respond identically
    • Audience never affects rhetoric
    • Only written texts have audiences

    Writers tailor their rhetorical choices to a specific audience, not a generic one.

  9. A company's product recall letter is an example of what shaping the occasion?

    • A specific real-world event requiring a response
    • A general essay assignment
    • An unrelated news story
    • The writer's personal preference

    The recall itself is the event/occasion prompting the letter.

  10. Which correctly separates SUBJECT from PURPOSE?

    • Subject: climate change. Purpose: to mobilize young voters.
    • Subject: to persuade. Purpose: climate change.
    • Subject and purpose are always identical.
    • Subject is the audience; purpose is the tone.

    Subject is the topic; purpose is the intended effect — they must be stated separately.

  11. A CEO's shareholder letter written just after a scandal is shaped mostly by what exigence?

    • The need to respond to and address the scandal
    • The company's holiday schedule
    • Unrelated industry trends
    • The CEO's personal hobbies

    The scandal creates the urgent need (exigence) prompting this specific letter.

  12. Which SOAPSTone element asks 'who is writing or speaking?'

    • Speaker
    • Subject
    • Purpose
    • Tone

    Speaker identifies who is behind the text and what we know about them.

  13. A formal court filing versus a casual text message about the same event differ mainly in what?

    • Register and constraints appropriate to the occasion
    • Subject matter
    • The event itself
    • Whether English is used

    The occasion and its constraints shape register/formality even when the underlying subject is the same.

  14. Why is 'the audience is everyone' usually a weak rhetorical analysis claim?

    • Effective rhetoric is normally shaped for a specific, identifiable audience
    • All texts are legally required to target one group
    • Writers cannot choose their audience
    • Audience never matters

    Strong analysis identifies a specific intended audience the rhetorical choices are shaped for.

  15. Which is the best description of TONE, not just a single word?

    • Wry and gently mocking, shifting to sincere in the final paragraph
    • Bad
    • The writer's job title
    • The essay's length

    Tone should be described precisely, and can shift across a passage.

  16. A letter to the editor responding to a specific recent news event best illustrates:

    • Exigence driving the occasion for writing
    • A purely abstract, timeless subject
    • The absence of an audience
    • A lack of constraints

    The recent news event is the exigence prompting the letter.

  17. Which best distinguishes SPEAKER from the actual author in some rhetorical texts (e.g., a persona)?

    • The speaker is the voice/persona presented in the text, which may differ from the biographical author
    • They are always exactly identical
    • Speaker refers only to spoken speeches
    • Speaker means the audience

    In some texts a constructed persona speaks, distinct from the historical author.

  18. Which SOAPSTone element would you use to analyze WHY a writer chose formal academic language?

    • Audience and occasion
    • Subject only
    • Tone only, unrelated to audience
    • None of these

    Register often reflects choices shaped by both intended audience and occasion.

  19. A graduation speech given right after a school tragedy would have its content most shaped by:

    • The specific exigence of the tragedy
    • Generic graduation traditions only
    • The weather
    • Random chance

    The tragedy is the driving exigence shaping the speech's content and tone.

  20. Which correctly identifies constraints in an opinion column limited to 800 words for a general newspaper audience?

    • Word count and audience expectations for the publication
    • The writer's personal beliefs
    • The topic itself
    • The publication date

    Word limits and audience/publication norms are classic constraints.

  21. In the SOAPSTone framework, the 'S' that refers to the argument's central idea or message is:

    • Subject
    • Speaker
    • Syntax
    • Setting

    SOAPSTone: Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject, Tone.

  22. 'Exigence' in a rhetorical situation is best defined as:

    • the urgent problem or issue that prompts the writer to respond
    • the writer's credentials
    • the tone of the passage
    • the intended audience

    Exigence is the 'why now' - the situation that calls for discourse.

  23. A speech delivered the day after a natural disaster, urging immediate aid, is a strong example of using:

    • kairos
    • hyperbole
    • anaphora
    • litotes

    Kairos is choosing the opportune moment and fitting the message to it.

  24. Which is the best phrasing of a rhetorical PURPOSE?

    • to persuade skeptical voters that the policy will lower costs
    • the high cost of the policy
    • voters who are skeptical
    • an urgent and serious tone

    Purpose is a verb phrase: what the writer wants the audience to think, feel, or do.

  25. 'Constraints' in a rhetorical situation refers to:

    • factors that limit how the writer can respond (beliefs, conventions, prior events)
    • the length limit of the essay
    • grammatical rules
    • the writer's word choice

    Constraints shape and restrict the available means of persuasion.

  26. Analyzing 'audience' well on the exam means identifying:

    • the specific intended readers and their likely values and knowledge
    • anyone who might read the text
    • the general public
    • the writer's friends

    Audience analysis names the particular readers and what they need to be persuaded.

  27. The rhetorical triangle connects the speaker, the audience, and the:

    • subject or message
    • occasion
    • tone
    • publisher

    The three points correspond roughly to ethos, pathos, and logos.

  28. A well-reasoned op-ed published years after the relevant debate has ended most clearly fails at:

    • kairos
    • logos
    • organization
    • citation

    It may be logically sound but misses the opportune moment and audience.

  29. Occasion, in SOAPSTone, refers to:

    • the time, place, and circumstances that give rise to the text
    • the writer's occupation
    • the genre of the text
    • the thesis statement

    Occasion is the immediate and larger context prompting the writing.

  30. Which question best begins an audience analysis?

    • What does this audience already believe, and what would it take to move them?
    • How long is the passage?
    • What devices does the writer use?
    • When was the text published?

    Effective analysis starts from the audience's assumptions, values, and needs.

Unit 2: Rhetorical Appeals & Logical Fallacies (30)

  1. An appeal based on the speaker's credentials and trustworthiness is:

    • Ethos
    • Pathos
    • Logos
    • Kairos

    Ethos is the appeal to the speaker's credibility and character.

  2. A charity ad showing images of hungry children to evoke sympathy relies primarily on:

    • Pathos
    • Logos
    • Ethos
    • A straw man fallacy

    Vivid, emotional imagery designed to evoke sympathy is a pathos appeal.

  3. A doctor citing peer-reviewed studies to support a health claim uses primarily:

    • Logos, supported by ethos from expertise
    • Pathos only
    • A slippery slope fallacy
    • No appeal at all

    Data/studies are logos; the doctor's expertise also lends ethos.

  4. 'If we allow students one retake, soon no test will ever count' is an example of:

    • Slippery slope fallacy
    • Valid logical reasoning
    • Ethos appeal
    • Antithesis

    This claims an extreme, unjustified chain reaction from one small step — a slippery slope.

  5. 'My opponent wants to cut this program, so he clearly hates poor families' misrepresents the opponent's actual position. This is:

    • A straw man fallacy
    • A valid rebuttal
    • An example of logos
    • Antithesis

    This exaggerates/distorts the opponent's real position to attack a weaker version — a straw man.

  6. 'Either we ban the product entirely, or we do nothing at all' ignores middle-ground options. This is:

    • A false dilemma
    • A hasty generalization
    • Ethos
    • Pathos

    Presenting only two extreme options when others exist is a false dilemma.

  7. Attacking a scientist's argument by mocking their appearance instead of their data is:

    • Ad hominem
    • Logos
    • A valid ethos critique
    • Antithesis

    Attacking the person rather than the argument is ad hominem.

  8. 'I met three rude tourists from that city, so everyone from there must be rude' is a:

    • Hasty generalization
    • Slippery slope
    • False dilemma
    • Appeal to logos

    Drawing a broad conclusion from too small a sample is a hasty generalization.

  9. A speaker who fairly acknowledges the opposing view before responding builds:

    • Ethos, by appearing reasonable and fair
    • Pathos only
    • A logical fallacy
    • Nothing rhetorically significant

    Fair acknowledgment of opposing views builds credibility/ethos.

  10. Which is the best full analysis, not just labeling?

    • The statistic builds logos, making the argument feel objective and hard to dispute
    • This is logos
    • Logos is used here
    • Numbers were used

    Strong analysis explains the effect of the device, not just names it.

  11. A veteran discussing the human cost of war through a personal story primarily appeals to:

    • Pathos, and secondarily ethos from firsthand experience
    • Only logos
    • A hasty generalization
    • Antithesis

    Personal storytelling evokes emotion (pathos) while firsthand experience also builds ethos.

  12. Which is NOT one of Aristotle's three appeals?

    • Kairos
    • Ethos
    • Pathos
    • Logos

    The three classical appeals are ethos, pathos, and logos; kairos (timing) is a related but separate rhetorical concept.

  13. Using vivid, charged language ('this catastrophe will devastate families') primarily builds:

    • Pathos
    • Only logos
    • Only ethos
    • No appeal

    Emotionally charged language is designed to evoke feeling — pathos.

  14. 'You can't trust her tax plan, she's not even an economist' dismisses her plan based only on her credentials rather than its content. This mixes:

    • Ad hominem-style dismissal disguised as an ethos critique
    • A valid logos critique
    • Antithesis
    • Parallelism

    Dismissing an argument based only on the person's background, without engaging the actual plan, echoes ad hominem reasoning.

  15. A well-supported ethos appeal is generally built through:

    • Demonstrated expertise, fairness, and careful language
    • Volume and repetition alone
    • Ignoring the audience
    • Random claims

    Ethos is built through expertise, fairness, and precise, careful language.

  16. Which best explains why using pathos is NOT automatically a logical fallacy?

    • Emotional appeals can be a legitimate, valid rhetorical strategy alongside logic
    • All emotional appeals are inherently dishonest
    • Only logos can be valid
    • Pathos always signals weak evidence

    Pathos is a legitimate classical appeal; it becomes a fallacy only when it replaces valid reasoning deceptively.

  17. 'Studies from three major universities all found the same result' primarily supports:

    • Logos, through convergent evidence
    • Pathos alone
    • A straw man
    • A false dilemma

    Multiple corroborating studies is evidence-based reasoning — logos.

  18. Identify the fallacy: 'We must ban video games entirely, or violence will completely destroy society.'

    • False dilemma combined with slippery slope
    • Valid logos
    • Ethos appeal
    • Antithesis

    This presents only two extremes (false dilemma) and an unjustified extreme chain (slippery slope).

  19. On the exam, why is simply writing 'this is pathos' insufficient?

    • It doesn't explain HOW the appeal functions or its effect on the audience
    • Pathos is never tested
    • Labeling devices is always sufficient
    • Ethos is the only appeal that matters

    Analysis must connect the device to its specific effect, not just name it.

  20. A speaker who cites their own years of firsthand field experience is primarily building:

    • Ethos
    • Pathos
    • A slippery slope fallacy
    • Antithesis

    Firsthand experience/credentials build credibility — ethos.

  21. An appeal based on the speaker's character, expertise, and trustworthiness is:

    • ethos
    • pathos
    • logos
    • kairos

    Ethos is the appeal to credibility.

  22. 'You can't trust her argument about the budget; she failed a math class in college' is an example of:

    • ad hominem
    • straw man
    • false dilemma
    • slippery slope

    Ad hominem attacks the person rather than the argument.

  23. Presenting only two options when more exist is the fallacy of:

    • false dilemma (either/or)
    • hasty generalization
    • circular reasoning
    • red herring

    A false dilemma forces a choice between two extremes.

  24. Misrepresenting an opponent's position to make it easier to attack is:

    • a straw man
    • begging the question
    • an appeal to authority
    • post hoc

    The straw man refutes a distorted version of the argument.

  25. Reasoning that moves from specific observations to a general conclusion is:

    • inductive
    • deductive
    • circular
    • analogical

    Induction builds a general claim from particular cases and is always provisional.

  26. Which best completes strong rhetorical analysis of an emotional appeal?

    • name the words used, then explain the feeling they create and its effect on the audience
    • state that the author uses pathos
    • quote a sad sentence
    • list three emotions

    Always connect the specific language to the effect on the reader and the writer's purpose.

  27. 'This policy must work; the senator who wrote it is very experienced' relies on:

    • an appeal to authority (which is weak if the authority is not relevant or is the only support)
    • logos
    • a concession
    • an analogy

    Authority can support a claim, but it is a fallacy when the authority is irrelevant or offered as sole proof.

  28. A writer who admits a personal mistake early in an essay is most likely trying to:

    • strengthen ethos by appearing honest
    • weaken the argument
    • introduce a fallacy
    • establish kairos

    Acknowledging limits can build trust with the audience.

  29. 'Post hoc, ergo propter hoc' is the fallacy of assuming that:

    • because one event followed another, the first caused the second
    • the majority opinion must be correct
    • a claim is true because it has not been disproven
    • an argument is sound because it is popular

    It confuses sequence with causation.

  30. The 'persona' a writer projects is:

    • the character the text creates through its language, tone, and stance
    • the writer's real biography
    • the intended audience
    • the genre

    Persona is the version of the writer the reader perceives from the words on the page.

Unit 3: Rhetorical Devices & Figurative Language (30)

  1. 'I have a dream... I have a dream... I have a dream' at the start of successive sentences is:

    • Anaphora
    • Epistrophe
    • Antithesis
    • Simile

    Repetition at the BEGINNING of successive clauses is anaphora.

  2. '...government of the people, by the people, for the people' repeats a phrase at the END of clauses. This is:

    • Epistrophe
    • Anaphora
    • Chiasmus
    • Hyperbole

    Repetition at the END of successive clauses/phrases is epistrophe.

  3. 'Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country' reverses grammatical structure. This is:

    • Chiasmus
    • Simile
    • Personification
    • Hyperbole

    A reversal of grammatical structure across clauses is chiasmus.

  4. 'The classroom was a zoo' is an example of:

    • Metaphor
    • Simile
    • Personification
    • Understatement

    A direct comparison without 'like' or 'as' is a metaphor.

  5. 'The wind whispered through the trees' gives human qualities to wind. This is:

    • Personification
    • Simile
    • Antithesis
    • Epistrophe

    Giving human qualities to something nonhuman is personification.

  6. 'Brave as a lion' uses which figure of speech?

    • Simile
    • Metaphor
    • Chiasmus
    • Hyperbole

    A comparison using 'as' (or 'like') is a simile.

  7. 'I've told you a million times' is:

    • Hyperbole
    • Understatement
    • Antithesis
    • Anaphora

    Deliberate exaggeration for effect is hyperbole.

  8. Calling a disastrous storm 'a bit of bad weather' is an example of:

    • Understatement
    • Hyperbole
    • Personification
    • Chiasmus

    Deliberately downplaying something for effect is understatement.

  9. 'Do you really think that plan will work?' asked with no expectation of a literal answer is a:

    • Rhetorical question
    • Simile
    • Antithesis
    • Epistrophe

    A question asked for effect, not a literal answer, is rhetorical.

  10. Saying 'Great job' sarcastically after someone makes a mistake is an example of:

    • Verbal irony
    • Personification
    • Anaphora
    • A simile

    Saying the opposite of what is meant, often to criticize, is verbal irony.

  11. 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times' places two contrasting ideas in parallel structure. This is:

    • Antithesis
    • Chiasmus
    • Personification
    • Understatement

    Placing contrasting ideas in parallel grammatical structure is antithesis.

  12. Placing a description of extreme wealth directly next to a description of extreme poverty to highlight the contrast is:

    • Juxtaposition
    • Anaphora
    • Hyperbole
    • Simile

    Placing two things side by side to highlight contrast is juxtaposition.

  13. 'She has a heart of stone' is:

    • Metaphor
    • Simile
    • Epistrophe
    • Understatement

    A direct comparison ('heart' equated with 'stone') without 'like/as' is a metaphor.

  14. Repeating the last word of one clause at the start of the next ('Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate.') is:

    • Anadiplosis
    • Chiasmus
    • Antithesis
    • Personification

    Repeating the final word of one clause at the start of the next is anadiplosis.

  15. Naming 'anaphora' correctly but never explaining its effect earns:

    • Little credit — effect must always be explained
    • Full credit automatically
    • More credit than analyzing effect
    • No credit is ever given for identifying devices

    Identification alone is insufficient; effect on the reader/argument must be explained.

  16. Which requires attention to CONTEXT to correctly identify?

    • Verbal irony
    • A simile
    • Anaphora
    • A metaphor

    Irony depends on context contradicting the literal words, unlike devices identifiable from wording alone.

  17. 'Fair is foul, and foul is fair' from Macbeth is an example of:

    • Antithesis (and chiasmus-like reversal)
    • Simile
    • Hyperbole
    • Understatement

    This places contrasting ideas ('fair'/'foul') in a balanced, reversed structure.

  18. A list of parallel infinitive phrases ('to run, to jump, to swim') used for rhythm and balance is:

    • Parallelism
    • Antithesis
    • Personification
    • Hyperbole

    Repeating a grammatical structure across a series is parallelism.

  19. Which distinguishes simile from metaphor?

    • Simile uses 'like' or 'as'; metaphor makes a direct comparison without them
    • They are identical devices
    • Metaphor always uses 'as'
    • Simile never compares two things

    The comparison word 'like'/'as' is present in a simile but absent in a metaphor.

  20. 'The stars danced in the night sky' is:

    • Personification
    • A simile
    • Antithesis
    • Epistrophe

    Giving stars the human action of dancing is personification.

  21. Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses is:

    • anaphora
    • epistrophe
    • chiasmus
    • asyndeton

    Anaphora repeats at the START of clauses; epistrophe repeats at the end.

  22. Placing contrasting ideas in parallel grammatical structure is:

    • antithesis
    • hyperbole
    • understatement
    • allusion

    'Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country' is antithesis.

  23. A direct comparison that does NOT use 'like' or 'as' is a:

    • metaphor
    • simile
    • personification
    • synecdoche

    A simile uses 'like' or 'as'; a metaphor states the comparison directly.

  24. Deliberately omitting conjunctions from a list ('I came, I saw, I conquered') is:

    • asyndeton
    • polysyndeton
    • parallelism
    • anaphora

    Asyndeton speeds a list and can create urgency or breathlessness.

  25. Repeating conjunctions in a series ('and this and this and this') is:

    • polysyndeton
    • asyndeton
    • zeugma
    • litotes

    Polysyndeton slows a list and can add weight or a sense of accumulation.

  26. A brief reference to a well-known person, event, or text is:

    • an allusion
    • an analogy
    • an anecdote
    • an aphorism

    An allusion borrows meaning and feeling from a source the audience recognizes.

  27. An extended metaphor is best described as:

    • a single comparison developed across several sentences or a whole passage
    • a metaphor used once
    • a comparison using 'like' or 'as'
    • two metaphors in one sentence

    It structures a stretch of text around one governing comparison.

  28. A rhetorical question is asked mainly to:

    • make a point or provoke thought rather than to get an answer
    • gather information from the audience
    • introduce a counterargument formally
    • cite a source

    The answer is implied; the device engages the reader in the reasoning.

  29. Verbal irony occurs when a writer:

    • says the opposite of what is meant, expecting the audience to catch the gap
    • describes a sensory image
    • repeats a phrase for emphasis
    • uses a formal citation

    Sarcasm is a common, pointed form of verbal irony.

  30. After identifying anaphora in a passage, the next step in analysis is to:

    • explain the emphasis or momentum it builds and how that serves the purpose
    • name two more devices
    • quote the whole paragraph
    • identify the audience

    Analysis must move from naming the device to explaining its effect.

Unit 4: Style: Diction, Syntax & Tone (30)

  1. 'Slender' and 'skinny' can share a denotation but differ in:

    • Connotation
    • Syntax
    • Tone only, unrelated to word choice
    • Grammar

    They describe the same literal quality but carry different emotional associations — connotation.

  2. A word's literal, dictionary meaning is its:

    • Denotation
    • Connotation
    • Syntax
    • Register

    Denotation is a word's literal definition.

  3. Choosing elevated, precise vocabulary over casual everyday words reflects:

    • Formal diction
    • Colloquial diction
    • Syntax only
    • Tone shift

    Elevated, precise word choice is formal diction.

  4. A string of short, blunt sentences in a row typically creates:

    • Emphasis or urgency
    • Confusion only
    • A relaxed, meandering feel
    • No rhetorical effect

    Short sentences often create emphasis, bluntness, or urgency.

  5. A single long sentence with many clauses piling on top of each other can create a sense of:

    • Accumulation or breathless momentum
    • Simplicity
    • Blunt emphasis
    • Silence

    Long, complex sentences can build accumulation or momentum.

  6. A deliberate sentence fragment used for effect creates:

    • Dramatic emphasis on a single idea
    • Grammatical correctness only
    • A shift to a new subject
    • No rhetorical impact

    Fragments used deliberately draw sharp emphasis to an isolated idea.

  7. Mixing short and long sentences throughout a passage primarily controls:

    • Pacing and reader engagement
    • Grammar rules only
    • The essay's word count
    • The thesis statement

    Sentence variety controls pacing and keeps the reader engaged.

  8. A transition word like 'however' appearing mid-passage most likely signals:

    • A tone or idea shift
    • The end of the essay
    • A grammar error
    • A repeated claim

    Contrast transitions often mark a shift in tone or idea.

  9. Which is the more precise tone word?

    • Indignant
    • Bad
    • Negative
    • Not happy

    PrecisStudye tone words like 'indignant' are stronger than vague words like 'bad' or 'negative.'

  10. Writing in first person ('I believe...') primarily creates:

    • Intimacy and personal authority
    • Objective distance
    • Grammatical errors
    • No rhetorical effect

    First person creates a personal, intimate connection and speaker authority.

  11. Writing in third person, avoiding 'I,' typically creates a sense of:

    • Distance and apparent objectivity
    • Intimacy
    • Confusion
    • Humor only

    Third person tends to create distance and an impression of objectivity.

  12. The combination of a writer's characteristic diction, syntax, and tone is called their:

    • Style
    • Subject
    • Occasion
    • Constraint

    Style is the recognizable combination of diction, syntax, and tone across a writer's work.

  13. Concrete, sensory diction ('the acrid smell of smoke') mainly creates:

    • Vivid, specific imagery
    • Abstract analysis
    • Formal register only
    • No effect

    Concrete, sensory words create vivid images for the reader.

  14. Abstract diction ('justice,' 'freedom,' 'progress') tends to create a more:

    • Analytical or conceptual feel
    • Vivid sensory feel
    • Casual feel
    • Humorous feel

    Abstract, conceptual words create a more analytical, less sensory tone.

  15. How formal or informal language is, relative to the occasion, is called:

    • Register
    • Denotation
    • Anaphora
    • Exigence

    Register describes the formality level of language relative to context.

  16. A passage that starts admiring and shifts to critical midway shows:

    • A tone shift
    • Consistent tone throughout
    • No tone at all
    • A change in subject only

    This is a clear example of a tone shift within a single passage.

  17. Which is a mistake to avoid when discussing syntax and diction?

    • Discussing them as separate observations unconnected to tone
    • Connecting diction choices to tone
    • Explaining syntax's effect on pacing
    • Analyzing tone shifts

    Diction and syntax should be discussed as tools that build tone, not in isolation.

  18. Assuming short sentences always signal 'simple ideas' is a mistake because:

    • Short sentences are often used to emphasize complex or weighty ideas
    • Short sentences are never used for emphasis
    • Long sentences always signal simplicity
    • Sentence length never matters

    Short sentences frequently emphasize complex or weighty points, not just simple ones.

  19. 'The committee shall convene' vs. 'let's get together' differ mainly in:

    • Diction and register
    • Subject matter
    • Punctuation only
    • Length only

    These phrases describe the same action with very different formal vs. casual diction/register.

  20. 'The negotiations collapsed. Talks failed. Trust was gone.' uses short syntax primarily to create:

    • A blunt, emphatic sense of finality
    • A relaxed, meandering tone
    • Confusion about the sequence of events
    • No rhetorical effect

    The clipped, short sentences create emphasis and a sense of blunt finality.

  21. 'Diction' refers to a writer's:

    • word choice
    • sentence structure
    • overall attitude
    • use of evidence

    Diction is the specific words a writer selects, including their connotations.

  22. The literal dictionary meaning of a word is its:

    • denotation
    • connotation
    • etymology
    • tone

    Connotation is the emotional or cultural association a word carries beyond its denotation.

  23. 'Syntax' is:

    • the arrangement of words and phrases into sentences
    • the choice of individual words
    • the writer's tone
    • the main claim

    Syntax includes sentence length, order, and structure.

  24. Tone is best defined as:

    • the writer's attitude toward the subject or audience
    • the mood the reader feels
    • the main idea
    • the genre of the piece

    Tone is the writer's stance; mood is the atmosphere the reader experiences.

  25. A sudden shift from long, complex sentences to a short, blunt one usually functions to:

    • create emphasis by contrast
    • confuse the reader
    • signal a citation
    • establish the audience

    The abrupt change in rhythm draws attention to the short sentence's content.

  26. Which is the most precise description of tone?

    • measured and skeptical
    • emotional
    • serious
    • interesting

    Precise tone words name a specific attitude rather than a vague quality.

  27. A periodic sentence is one that:

    • withholds the main clause until the end
    • states the main clause first, then adds detail
    • contains no subordinate clauses
    • is very short

    Delaying the main idea builds suspense and emphasis.

  28. Imagery is language that:

    • appeals to the senses
    • states an argument directly
    • repeats key terms
    • cites evidence

    Imagery makes an idea vivid by engaging sight, sound, touch, taste, or smell.

  29. A writer's selection of details is rhetorically significant because:

    • what a writer chooses to include or omit reveals a stance
    • details make writing longer
    • details are always neutral
    • readers ignore details

    Selection of detail is itself a form of argument.

  30. A cumulative (loose) sentence:

    • begins with the main clause and adds modifying phrases after it
    • ends with the main clause
    • has two independent clauses joined by a semicolon
    • omits all punctuation

    It leads with the core idea, then piles on detail.

Unit 5: Claims, Evidence & Commentary (30)

  1. An argument claiming something is TRUE or FALSE and can be verified is a claim of:

    • Fact
    • Value
    • Policy
    • Style

    A claim of fact asserts something verifiable as true or false.

  2. 'The school should ban cell phones during class' is a claim of:

    • Policy
    • Fact
    • Value
    • Tone

    Arguing something SHOULD or should NOT be done is a claim of policy.

  3. 'Cheating is morally wrong' is a claim of:

    • Value
    • Fact
    • Policy
    • Register

    Arguing something is good, bad, right, or wrong is a claim of value.

  4. A specific personal story used to make an abstract point concrete is:

    • Anecdotal evidence
    • Statistical evidence
    • Expert testimony
    • Historical evidence

    A specific story/example is anecdotal evidence.

  5. Citing a peer-reviewed study's data supports an argument primarily through:

    • Statistical evidence
    • Anecdotal evidence
    • Personification
    • Antithesis

    Numerical/data-based evidence is statistical evidence.

  6. Quoting a leading scientist's opinion on climate change borrows credibility through:

    • Expert testimony
    • Anecdotal evidence only
    • A logical fallacy
    • Antithesis

    Citing an authority's opinion is expert testimony, which lends ethos.

  7. Restating what evidence says without explaining its significance is:

    • Summary
    • Commentary
    • A thesis
    • A rebuttal

    Restating WHAT evidence says, without explanation, is summary.

  8. Explaining WHY a piece of evidence supports the thesis is:

    • Commentary
    • Summary
    • A claim of fact
    • Antithesis

    Analysis explaining why evidence matters is commentary.

  9. A recommended ratio of evidence to commentary in a strong paragraph is roughly:

    • One sentence of evidence to two or more of commentary
    • Five sentences of evidence to one of commentary
    • Only evidence, no commentary needed
    • Only commentary, no evidence needed

    Strong paragraphs favor more commentary/analysis than raw evidence.

  10. The logical thread connecting a thesis through evidence to a coherent argument is called the:

    • Line of reasoning
    • Rhetorical situation
    • Exigence
    • Register

    This is the definition of a line of reasoning.

  11. Each body paragraph in a strong essay should:

    • Advance a different part of the argument
    • Repeat the same point with new evidence
    • Ignore the thesis
    • Summarize the introduction

    Paragraphs should build the argument forward, not repeat the same point.

  12. Evidence presented without ever connecting back to the thesis is a weakness because:

    • The reader shouldn't have to guess why the evidence was included
    • Evidence never needs justification
    • All evidence is self-explanatory
    • Thesis connections are optional

    Every piece of evidence needs explicit commentary connecting it to the thesis.

  13. A strong thesis usually combines which claim types?

    • Elements of fact, value, and/or policy as needed for a specific position
    • Only claims of fact
    • Only claims of policy
    • No claim type at all

    Strong theses often blend claim types into one specific, arguable position.

  14. Which is the best example of commentary, not summary?

    • This statistic reveals how widespread the problem truly is, undermining the claim that it's rare
    • The study found a 40% increase
    • The article discusses pollution
    • Data was presented

    This explains the significance of the evidence rather than just restating it.

  15. A paragraph that only restates evidence in different words, without analysis, is best described as:

    • Mostly summary
    • Strong commentary
    • A rebuttal
    • A synthesis

    Restating evidence without analysis is summary, not commentary.

  16. Why is repeating the same underlying point across multiple paragraphs a weakness?

    • It fails to build a genuine line of reasoning that advances the argument
    • It strengthens the thesis through repetition
    • It is required by AP graders
    • It always improves organization

    Genuine line of reasoning requires each paragraph to add something new.

  17. Which type of evidence draws a parallel to a past event to support a claim?

    • Historical evidence
    • Anecdotal evidence about the present
    • Statistical evidence
    • Ethos appeal only

    Referencing a past event or precedent is historical evidence.

  18. 'So what?' is the question that commentary should answer because it:

    • Explains why the evidence proves the claim and matters to the reader
    • Is only relevant to conclusions
    • Applies only to statistics
    • Should never be asked in an essay

    Commentary should always explain the significance ('so what') of the evidence.

  19. A claim asserting 'social media usage has tripled since 2015' is a claim of:

    • Fact
    • Value
    • Policy
    • Tone

    This is a verifiable factual claim.

  20. Which best shows a logical LINE OF REASONING across paragraphs?

    • Paragraph 1 establishes the problem's scope; paragraph 2 explains its cause; paragraph 3 proposes a solution
    • All three paragraphs repeat the same statistic
    • Paragraphs are ordered randomly
    • Only the introduction contains a claim

    Each paragraph builds a distinct, connected part of the overall argument.

  21. A claim of policy argues that:

    • a specific action should or should not be taken
    • something is or is not true
    • something is good or bad
    • a term should be defined a certain way

    Claims of fact, value, and policy answer 'is it so?', 'is it good?', and 'what should we do?'

  22. The difference between summary and commentary is that commentary:

    • explains HOW the evidence supports the claim
    • restates what the evidence says
    • introduces a new source
    • provides a citation

    Commentary does the analytical work of connecting evidence to the argument.

  23. A 'line of reasoning' is:

    • the logical progression connecting thesis, claims, and evidence
    • a single quoted sentence
    • the introduction
    • a list of devices

    It is the through-line that makes an argument coherent.

  24. Adding 'in most cases' to a claim is an example of:

    • qualifying the claim
    • conceding the argument
    • committing a fallacy
    • citing a source

    Qualifiers narrow a claim to what the evidence can support.

  25. Evidence is 'relevant' when it:

    • bears directly on the specific claim being made
    • comes from a famous person
    • is recent
    • is emotionally powerful

    Relevance is about fit with the exact claim, not about vividness or authority.

  26. A single striking anecdote used to support a broad generalization is:

    • relevant but likely insufficient
    • irrelevant
    • sufficient on its own
    • a logical fallacy called 'straw man'

    One story rarely proves a sweeping claim, even if it is on point.

  27. A claim of value asserts that something is:

    • good or bad, better or worse, moral or immoral
    • true or false
    • going to happen
    • required by law

    Value claims involve judgment against a standard.

  28. 'Cherry-picking' data is a problem of:

    • sufficiency and honesty (selecting only supportive evidence)
    • irrelevance
    • citation format
    • tone

    The evidence may be relevant but is incomplete and misleading.

  29. Which sentence is commentary rather than summary?

    • This statistic matters because it shows the policy affects the very group it claims to help.
    • The author states that 40 percent of families were affected.
    • The passage includes several statistics.
    • The author cites a government report.

    Commentary interprets the evidence's significance for the argument.

  30. A concession in an argument:

    • acknowledges that an opposing point has some merit
    • abandons the thesis
    • restates the claim
    • adds a citation

    Concession builds credibility before the writer counters the point.

Unit 6: Organization, Structure & Counterargument (30)

  1. An effective thesis should be:

    • Specific and arguable
    • Vague and safe
    • A restatement of the prompt
    • A simple factual statement

    An effective thesis takes a specific, defensible position someone could disagree with.

  2. 'In this essay, I will discuss climate change' is a weak thesis because it:

    • Announces intent instead of taking an arguable position
    • Is too specific
    • Is too controversial
    • Uses too much evidence

    This merely announces the topic rather than making a claim.

  3. A topic sentence should:

    • State the paragraph's specific claim, not just announce a topic
    • Only name the topic
    • Be identical to the thesis
    • Contain no claim at all

    A strong topic sentence makes a specific claim, guiding the paragraph's argument.

  4. Acknowledging a valid point on the opposing side before returning to your own argument is called:

    • A concession
    • A rebuttal
    • A thesis
    • Anaphora

    Acknowledging a fair opposing point is a concession.

  5. Directly refuting an opposing point by explaining its flaw is called:

    • A rebuttal
    • A concession
    • A summary
    • Antithesis

    Explaining why an opposing point is flawed or less compelling is a rebuttal.

  6. Ignoring the strongest counterarguments to your position tends to:

    • Weaken ethos by seeming one-sided or naive
    • Strengthen the essay automatically
    • Have no effect on credibility
    • Improve organization

    Ignoring strong counterarguments makes the writer appear one-sided, weakening credibility.

  7. A transition word should primarily show:

    • The logical relationship between ideas
    • Word count progress
    • The essay's formatting
    • Nothing meaningful

    Transitions should reveal logical relationships like contrast or cause-effect, not just connect sentences.

  8. 'Also' and 'another thing' are often weak transitions because they show:

    • Addition, but not the actual logical relationship between ideas
    • Strong causal relationships
    • Contrast clearly
    • Concession

    These words only signal addition, not deeper logical connections.

  9. An effective conclusion typically:

    • Broadens the argument's significance beyond just restating the thesis
    • Introduces a brand-new unsupported argument
    • Simply repeats the introduction word for word
    • Ignores the thesis entirely

    A strong conclusion extends significance rather than just repeating the thesis.

  10. Introducing a completely new, unsupported argument in the conclusion is considered:

    • A structural weakness
    • A best practice
    • Required by convention
    • Irrelevant to essay quality

    New unsupported arguments in a conclusion weaken structural coherence.

  11. A body paragraph missing commentary that ties evidence back to the thesis is:

    • Structurally incomplete
    • Ideal
    • Required for high scores
    • Impossible to improve

    Every body paragraph needs commentary linking evidence explicitly to the thesis.

  12. Why should an introduction establish context briefly before the thesis?

    • It orients the reader without delaying the argument unnecessarily
    • Context is irrelevant to essays
    • Long introductions always score higher
    • Thesis statements should come first, always

    Brief context orients the reader efficiently before the thesis arrives.

  13. A concession followed immediately by a strong rebuttal demonstrates:

    • Balanced, credible engagement with the opposing view
    • Weakness in the writer's position
    • A logical fallacy
    • Poor organization

    Concession + rebuttal shows fair, credible engagement with opposing views.

  14. Which shows a genuine LOGICAL transition, not just addition?

    • 'Despite this evidence, critics still argue...'
    • 'Also, here is another point.'
    • 'Another thing to mention is...'
    • 'In addition to that...'

    'Despite this' signals a clear logical (concessive/contrastive) relationship.

  15. A thesis that simply restates a factual prompt statement is weak because it:

    • Isn't arguable — no one could reasonably disagree with a plain fact
    • Is too controversial
    • Uses evidence effectively
    • Is too specific

    A thesis must be arguable; a bare fact restatement isn't.

  16. Which paragraph structure element ties the evidence back to the paragraph's claim?

    • Commentary at the paragraph's close
    • The topic sentence alone
    • The transition alone
    • The evidence alone

    Closing commentary should tie the evidence explicitly back to the thesis/claim.

  17. A well-organized essay's paragraphs should:

    • Build on each other in a deliberate order
    • Appear in random order
    • Repeat identical points
    • Avoid any transitions

    Deliberate paragraph order helps build a coherent, logical argument.

  18. Which best represents a genuine counterargument being engaged, not dismissed?

    • Explaining the opposing view's strongest form, then explaining specifically why it falls short
    • Mentioning the opposing view in one dismissive clause
    • Ignoring the opposing view entirely
    • Restating your own thesis instead of the counterargument

    Genuine engagement requires presenting the opposing view fairly before rebutting it.

  19. Which best distinguishes a concession from a rebuttal?

    • A concession acknowledges a valid opposing point; a rebuttal explains why a point is flawed
    • They are the same thing
    • A rebuttal always comes before a concession
    • Concessions are never followed by rebuttals

    Concession = acknowledge; rebuttal = refute — they are distinct, often paired, moves.

  20. A conclusion that only repeats the thesis word-for-word is considered:

    • A missed opportunity to extend the argument's significance
    • The strongest possible conclusion
    • Required for a passing score
    • Impossible to improve upon

    Strong conclusions go beyond simple restatement to broaden significance.

  21. An effective thesis statement is:

    • specific and arguable
    • broad and universally agreed upon
    • a question
    • a summary of the sources

    A thesis someone could dispute, and that previews a line of reasoning, is strongest.

  22. A topic sentence in a body paragraph should:

    • state the paragraph's sub-claim and connect to the thesis
    • introduce a quotation
    • restate the thesis word for word
    • summarize a source

    It orients the reader to the paragraph's job in the argument.

  23. The 'given-new' principle recommends that a sentence:

    • begin with familiar information and end with the new point
    • begin with the new point
    • contain only new information
    • avoid repetition entirely

    Leading with the known creates flow between sentences.

  24. 'Concede-then-counter' means:

    • granting an opposing point, then explaining why it does not defeat the thesis
    • ignoring opposing points
    • agreeing with the opposition
    • restating the opposing view sympathetically and stopping

    It shows fairness, then limits the concession's force.

  25. Transitions such as 'however' and 'therefore' should:

    • name the logical relationship between ideas
    • simply decorate the prose
    • appear in every sentence
    • replace topic sentences

    Misused transitions (e.g. 'however' with no contrast) confuse the reader.

  26. Organizing an essay as problem-then-solution is a mode of:

    • arrangement
    • diction
    • citation
    • tone

    Arrangement is the pattern by which material is ordered.

  27. A conclusion is most effective when it:

    • extends the argument's significance rather than merely restating it
    • introduces a brand-new claim with no support
    • apologizes for the essay's limitations
    • summarizes each source again

    A strong conclusion answers 'so what?' and leaves the reader with the stakes.

  28. 'Pointing words' like 'this' and 'such' require:

    • a clear referent so the reader knows what they refer to
    • no antecedent
    • a citation
    • quotation marks

    Vague 'this' without a noun leaves the reader guessing.

  29. Climactic (order-of-importance) arrangement means:

    • building from weaker points to the strongest
    • putting the strongest point first
    • organizing by time
    • alternating strong and weak points

    Ending on the strongest point leaves the reader with the best case.

  30. Repeating a key term across paragraphs, rather than always finding synonyms, helps:

    • keep the argument's thread visible to the reader
    • pad the word count
    • avoid plagiarism
    • establish tone

    Consistent key terms aid coherence more than 'elegant variation'.

Unit 7: The Synthesis Essay (28)

  1. The synthesis essay primarily requires the writer to:

    • Develop their own argument, supported by at least three provided sources
    • Summarize every source in order
    • Argue against all provided sources
    • Avoid citing any sources

    The synthesis essay is the writer's own argument, using sources as support.

  2. What is the minimum number of sources that must be cited in the synthesis essay?

    • Three
    • One
    • All provided sources
    • Zero

    At least three of the provided sources must be cited.

  3. Organizing a synthesis essay strictly source-by-source ('Source A says... Source B says...') is:

    • A common weakness — it becomes a summary rather than an argument
    • The strongest possible structure
    • Required by the prompt
    • Impossible to avoid

    Source-by-source organization tends to become summary instead of a genuine argument.

  4. A synthesis essay should be organized primarily around:

    • The writer's own claims, with sources woven in as support
    • Each source in the order given
    • The longest source first
    • Random order

    Strong synthesis essays organize by the writer's own points, not by source.

  5. Using a source to acknowledge and then rebut a counterargument is:

    • A valid strategic use of a source
    • Not allowed on the exam
    • Only for the rhetorical analysis essay
    • Irrelevant to synthesis

    Sources can be used strategically to address counterarguments, not just support the main claim.

  6. A 'qualified' thesis on the synthesis prompt (agreeing with conditions/nuance) is:

    • Completely acceptable and often stronger than an all-or-nothing stance
    • Never acceptable
    • Only for the argument essay
    • Automatically a weak thesis

    A specific, qualified position is a legitimate and often strong approach.

  7. A vague thesis that doesn't commit to any real position on the synthesis prompt is:

    • A weakness — it isn't defensible or specific
    • The safest, strongest option
    • Required by the rubric
    • Impossible to avoid

    Vague, noncommittal theses fail to take a defensible position.

  8. Citing a source and then explaining how it supports your specific claim demonstrates:

    • Proper integration of evidence with commentary
    • Improper use of sources
    • A rhetorical fallacy
    • Nothing useful

    Sources need commentary connecting them to the writer's own argument.

  9. Which is the best way to select sources for the synthesis essay?

    • Choose sources that best support the specific argument you're making
    • Always use the first three sources listed
    • Use only the longest sources
    • Avoid sources that could be used for a counterargument

    Sources should be chosen strategically to support the writer's specific line of reasoning.

  10. Citing sources by their letter (e.g., 'Source B') or clear paraphrase, rather than quoting at length, is generally:

    • Preferred, when paired with analysis
    • Never acceptable
    • Required to be verbatim quotes only
    • Irrelevant to scoring

    Concise citation paired with analysis is generally more effective than long unanalyzed quotes.

  11. A synthesis essay that could be outlined using ONLY the writer's own claims (sources filling in support) is:

    • A sign of strong, argument-driven organization
    • A sign of a weak essay
    • Impossible to achieve
    • Only relevant to rhetorical analysis

    This shows the essay is organized by argument, not merely summarizing sources.

  12. Anticipating the strongest counterargument to your synthesis position and addressing it with a source is:

    • A strong strategic move
    • Prohibited by the prompt
    • Irrelevant to the essay's score
    • Only for extended-response history essays

    Addressing the strongest counterargument, supported by a source, strengthens the essay.

  13. Which best distinguishes synthesis from summary?

    • Synthesis develops the writer's OWN argument; summary just restates sources' content
    • They are identical tasks
    • Summary requires more sources
    • Synthesis never uses sources

    Synthesis is argument-driven; summary is restatement without a governing claim.

  14. Why is using FEWER than three sources a problem on the synthesis essay?

    • It fails to meet the minimum sourcing requirement of the task
    • Fewer sources are always preferred
    • There's no source requirement
    • Fewer sources improve organization

    At least three sources must be cited to meet the task's requirements.

  15. A synthesis essay thesis that says 'Some believe X, others believe Y' without taking a position is:

    • Too noncommittal to be defensible
    • An ideal thesis
    • Required by the rubric
    • The safest possible choice

    A thesis must commit to a specific, defensible position, not just describe both sides.

  16. Which best represents strategic sourcing to acknowledge a counterargument?

    • 'While Source C raises a valid concern about cost, the long-term benefits described in Source A outweigh it.'
    • 'Source C says cost is a concern.'
    • Ignoring Source C entirely
    • Quoting Source C at full length with no commentary

    This acknowledges the counterpoint, then explains why the writer's position still holds — using sources purposefully.

  17. Why might a writer use a source they don't fully agree with in a synthesis essay?

    • To acknowledge and then rebut it as part of the argument
    • Sources you disagree with can never be cited
    • To pad the word count
    • It's required to use all sources equally

    Sources can be used to represent and then rebut opposing views.

  18. A synthesis essay entirely organized as 'Source A, then Source B, then Source C' with no unifying claim across paragraphs is:

    • A structural weakness resembling a summary, not an argument
    • An ideal structure
    • Required by the College Board
    • The best way to cite sources

    This organization pattern fails to build a genuine, unified argument.

  19. Which best reflects a synthesis essay's core goal?

    • Using sources as evidence to support the writer's own defensible claim
    • Reporting what each source states, in order
    • Disproving every source provided
    • Avoiding taking any position

    The synthesis essay's core goal is the writer's argument, supported by sources.

  20. Which best shows a synthesis essay citation properly paired with commentary?

    • 'Source A's data on wait times shows the current system is failing patients most in need.'
    • 'Source A discusses wait times.'
    • 'According to Source A...' with no further explanation
    • Quoting Source A in full with no analysis

    This pairs the citation with commentary explaining its significance to the argument.

  21. The AP synthesis essay requires the writer to:

    • develop an argument that uses at least three of the provided sources as support
    • summarize each source in turn
    • compare the sources to one another
    • choose the single best source and analyze it

    Sources are evidence for the writer's own position, cited (at least three).

  22. The 'summary trap' in a synthesis essay is:

    • walking through the sources one by one instead of organizing by your own claims
    • using too many quotations
    • citing fewer than three sources
    • writing too short an essay

    Body paragraphs should be built around sub-claims, drawing in sources as needed.

  23. A 'defensible' thesis for a synthesis prompt is one that:

    • takes a clear, arguable position that the sources can be used to support
    • restates the prompt
    • agrees with every source
    • avoids taking a side

    It should be specific and possible to argue against.

  24. A signal phrase does which of the following?

    • names the source within the sentence introducing its idea
    • places the citation in parentheses at the end
    • quotes the source without comment
    • summarizes all sources at once

    'Source B contends that...' is a signal phrase.

  25. Sources that disagree with each other are:

    • useful, because one can be used to complicate or answer another
    • a problem to be avoided
    • evidence that the prompt is flawed
    • irrelevant to synthesis

    Tension between sources can drive the argument forward.

  26. In a synthesis essay, a quotation should generally be:

    • introduced and then explained, used only when the exact wording matters
    • dropped in without framing
    • the majority of each paragraph
    • avoided entirely

    Frame quotations and keep them short; paraphrase when wording is not the point.

  27. Organizing a synthesis essay 'by your claims' means:

    • each body paragraph advances one of your sub-points, supported by whatever sources fit
    • each paragraph covers one source
    • paragraphs alternate pro and con sources
    • the essay follows the order the sources are printed

    Your argument, not the source list, provides the structure.

  28. A qualified synthesis thesis (e.g. 'Public financing helps in local races but less in national ones') is preferable because it:

    • is more precise and defensible than a sweeping claim
    • is longer
    • cites more sources
    • avoids a position

    Nuance that the sources can support tends to score higher.

Unit 8: The Rhetorical Analysis Essay (28)

  1. The rhetorical analysis essay primarily asks the writer to:

    • Explain HOW a writer builds their argument and its effect on the audience
    • Argue for or against the passage's topic
    • Summarize the passage's content
    • List every device without analysis

    Rhetorical analysis focuses on HOW the argument is built, not whether the reader agrees with it.

  2. The single most common error in rhetorical analysis essays is:

    • Arguing for or against the passage's topic instead of analyzing the writer's choices
    • Using too many quotations
    • Citing too few devices
    • Being too concise

    Students often mistakenly argue the topic itself instead of analyzing HOW the writer argues.

  3. A strong rhetorical analysis thesis should:

    • Identify the writer's purpose and preview the strategies to be analyzed
    • Just restate the passage's topic
    • Avoid mentioning purpose
    • List every device in the passage

    An effective thesis names purpose and previews the specific strategies discussed.

  4. How many rhetorical strategies should a strong essay typically focus on?

    • 2–3, discussed in real depth
    • 10 or more, briefly mentioned
    • Exactly one, in extreme depth
    • None — just summarize

    A few well-developed strategies are stronger than many shallow ones.

  5. 'This metaphor is used' without further explanation is an example of:

    • Quote-dropping without analysis of effect
    • Strong analysis
    • A complete rhetorical analysis paragraph
    • The ideal level of detail

    Quote-dropping — citing a device without explaining its effect — is a common weakness.

  6. Which move should ALWAYS follow identifying a rhetorical device?

    • Explaining its specific effect on the audience
    • Moving to a new paragraph immediately
    • Naming a second device
    • Restating the thesis

    Device identification must be followed by an explanation of its effect.

  7. Strategy-based essay structure means organizing body paragraphs by:

    • Each rhetorical strategy, traced through the whole passage
    • Each paragraph of the original passage, out of order
    • Each individual sentence
    • Random topics

    Strategy-based structure devotes each paragraph to tracing one strategy across the passage.

  8. Chronological essay structure organizes body paragraphs by:

    • The passage's own order: beginning, middle, end
    • Only the strongest evidence, regardless of location
    • Alphabetical order of devices
    • Randomly, for variety

    Chronological structure follows the passage's actual sequence.

  9. Choosing strategies you can trace across MULTIPLE parts of a passage, rather than a single isolated line, is important because:

    • It supports a more developed, well-evidenced analysis
    • Isolated examples are always stronger
    • The exam requires only one example per device
    • Multiple examples are never useful

    Tracing a strategy across the passage allows for deeper, more convincing analysis.

  10. Effects identified in rhetorical analysis should tie back to:

    • The writer's overall purpose established in the thesis
    • A totally unrelated topic
    • The reader's personal opinion of the topic
    • Nothing in particular

    All analyzed effects should connect back to the overall purpose stated in the thesis.

  11. Why should a rhetorical analysis essay start by identifying the rhetorical situation?

    • It grounds the analysis in speaker, audience, purpose, and occasion
    • It's unnecessary busywork
    • Rhetorical situation only matters for synthesis essays
    • It replaces the need for a thesis

    Establishing the rhetorical situation grounds the entire analysis that follows.

  12. A rhetorical analysis essay that spends a whole paragraph arguing the topic is wrong (e.g., disagreeing with the writer's stance) is:

    • Off-task — this isn't what rhetorical analysis asks for
    • The correct approach
    • Required for a high score
    • Optional but encouraged

    Arguing the topic itself, rather than analyzing the writer's rhetoric, is off-task.

  13. Explaining WHY a specific word was chosen over an alternative demonstrates:

    • Strong, precise rhetorical analysis
    • Irrelevant nitpicking
    • A logical fallacy
    • Weak analysis

    Explaining specific word choices over alternatives shows precise, strong analysis.

  14. Which best completes a device-to-effect analysis: 'The anaphora of "we must"...'?

    • '...builds a mounting sense of urgency, compelling the audience toward collective action.'
    • '...is used three times.'
    • '...is a rhetorical device.'
    • '...appears in the second paragraph.'

    This explains the specific effect on the audience, completing the device-to-effect move.

  15. Each body paragraph in a rhetorical analysis essay needs its own:

    • Clear claim about a specific strategy's effect
    • Completely new thesis
    • Summary of the whole passage
    • List of unrelated devices

    Each paragraph should make its own specific claim about a strategy's effect.

  16. Analyzing a persuasive speech, a student instead explains why they personally disagree with the speaker's cause. This essay:

    • Fails to fulfill the rhetorical analysis task
    • Correctly fulfills the task
    • Is the strongest possible approach
    • Doesn't need a thesis

    This confuses rhetorical analysis with an argument essay about the topic itself.

  17. A rhetorical analysis thesis that only restates the passage's topic, without naming strategies or purpose, is:

    • Underdeveloped for this essay type
    • Ideal for rhetorical analysis
    • Required by the rubric
    • Impossible to improve

    A strong thesis must go beyond topic restatement to name purpose and strategies.

  18. Which is a valid organizational approach for rhetorical analysis?

    • Either strategy-based or chronological structure, if reasoning is clear
    • Only strategy-based structure is ever acceptable
    • Only chronological structure is ever acceptable
    • No structure is required

    Both structures are valid as long as the essay's reasoning is clear and well-organized.

  19. Discussing 5+ rhetorical devices shallowly, with one sentence each, compared to 2-3 devices in depth, is generally:

    • A weaker approach than fewer, well-developed strategies
    • A stronger approach
    • Required by the exam
    • Irrelevant to the essay's quality

    A few well-developed strategies produce stronger analysis than many shallow ones.

  20. Which best reflects analyzing a shift in strategy across a passage's structure?

    • The essay opens with logos-heavy statistics before pivoting to pathos-driven anecdotes in the closing paragraphs
    • Only discussing the opening paragraph
    • Ignoring how the passage changes over its length
    • Treating the whole passage as using one unchanging strategy

    Tracking how strategies shift across the passage shows sophisticated structural analysis.

  21. A rhetorical analysis essay asks the writer to explain:

    • HOW a writer makes an argument and to what effect
    • WHETHER the writer's argument is correct
    • WHAT the passage is about
    • the writer's biography

    Analysis focuses on rhetorical choices and their purpose, not on agreeing or disagreeing.

  22. A weak rhetorical analysis thesis:

    • merely lists devices ('the author uses ethos, pathos, and logos')
    • states what the writer does and why
    • previews a line of reasoning
    • makes an arguable claim about the choices

    A device list is not an argument about the passage.

  23. 'Device-dropping' refers to:

    • naming a strategy and quoting a line without explaining its effect
    • using too many quotations
    • citing sources incorrectly
    • writing in the wrong tone

    Every identified choice must be tied to an effect on the audience and the purpose.

  24. When a passage shifts in tone, the analysis should:

    • identify where and how the shift occurs and what it accomplishes
    • ignore it and label the whole passage with one tone
    • treat it as an error
    • only note the first tone

    Tonal shifts usually mark a turn in the argument.

  25. For a timed rhetorical analysis, the best approach to strategies is usually:

    • analyze 2-3 strategies in depth
    • list 5 or more strategies briefly
    • focus on one device only
    • summarize the passage first

    Depth of analysis beats breadth of identification.

  26. A defensible rhetorical analysis thesis should be:

    • arguable - a reasonable reader could interpret the choices differently
    • a statement of fact everyone accepts
    • a summary of the passage
    • a personal opinion about the topic

    It makes a claim about the writer's choices that requires support.

  27. Analyzing the effect of a metaphor means explaining:

    • what understanding or feeling the comparison creates for the audience
    • that a metaphor is present
    • the dictionary definition of the vehicle
    • how many times it appears

    Connect the figurative comparison to the writer's purpose.

  28. A strong body paragraph in a rhetorical analysis essay:

    • identifies a choice, provides textual evidence, and explains the effect on the argument
    • only quotes the passage
    • only names devices
    • restates the thesis

    Claim-evidence-analysis is the core structure.

Unit 9: The Argument Essay (28)

  1. The argument essay primarily asks the writer to:

    • Develop and defend their own position using their own evidence
    • Summarize a provided passage
    • Analyze another writer's rhetorical strategies
    • Cite at least three provided sources

    Unlike synthesis or rhetorical analysis, the argument essay is entirely the writer's own claim and evidence.

  2. Unlike the synthesis essay, the argument essay:

    • Provides no sources — evidence comes from the writer's own knowledge
    • Requires at least five sources
    • Bans personal experience as evidence
    • Requires quoting a provided passage

    The argument essay has no provided sources; the writer supplies their own evidence.

  3. Which is considered valid evidence in an argument essay?

    • Historical examples, current events, literature, or personal experience
    • Only statistics from an official source packet
    • Nothing — the essay must be opinion only
    • Only quotations from famous authors

    A wide range of evidence types are valid, as long as they're specific and relevant.

  4. One or two well-developed examples with real commentary is generally:

    • More persuasive than five examples mentioned only in passing
    • Weaker than a long list of brief examples
    • Against the rules
    • Irrelevant to essay quality

    Depth of development matters more than sheer quantity of examples.

  5. Restating the prompt itself as the thesis in an argument essay is:

    • A weakness — it isn't the writer's own specific, arguable position
    • The strongest possible thesis
    • Required by the rubric
    • Impossible to avoid

    A thesis must be the writer's own specific position, not a restatement of the prompt.

  6. A 'qualified' thesis ('X is true, except when...') in an argument essay often demonstrates:

    • More sophisticated thinking than an absolute, all-or-nothing claim
    • Weak, indecisive reasoning
    • A violation of the task
    • Nothing about sophistication

    Nuanced, qualified positions often show more sophisticated thinking than absolute claims.

  7. Addressing a counterargument in the argument essay, then explaining why your position still holds, primarily demonstrates:

    • Awareness of the issue's complexity
    • A logical fallacy
    • Weakness in your position
    • An unnecessary structural step

    Engaging counterarguments shows awareness of complexity and strengthens the essay.

  8. Which is an example of vague, unverifiable 'evidence' to avoid?

    • 'Studies show...' with no specific study named
    • A specific named historical event with details
    • A personal anecdote with concrete detail
    • A specific statistic with its source

    Vague appeals to unnamed 'studies' lack the specificity of real evidence.

  9. Explaining the broader implications or stakes of an argument is one way to demonstrate:

    • Sophistication of thought
    • Weak reasoning
    • A logical fallacy
    • Poor organization

    Broader implications/stakes are a recognized marker of sophisticated argumentation.

  10. Vivid, effective writing style alone (without complex reasoning) is:

    • Not equivalent to sophistication — reasoning must also be genuinely complex
    • Sufficient by itself for sophistication credit
    • Irrelevant to the essay entirely
    • Required for a passing thesis

    Sophistication requires substantive complexity of reasoning, not just polished prose.

  11. Making nuanced distinctions ('this is true in some contexts but not others') shows:

    • Sophistication over an all-or-nothing stance
    • A weak, indecisive argument
    • A logical fallacy
    • Poor thesis construction

    Nuanced context-dependent claims demonstrate sophisticated thinking.

  12. Ignoring the counterargument entirely in an argument essay tends to make the essay seem:

    • Incomplete or naive in its reasoning
    • More persuasive and complete
    • Required by the rubric
    • Impossible to improve

    Ignoring counterarguments weakens the perceived completeness of the reasoning.

  13. Which best shows specific, well-developed evidence rather than a vague generality?

    • Detailing the 1969 moon landing's effect on public trust in science, with specifics
    • 'Space exploration has helped society in many ways'
    • 'Science is generally good for people'
    • 'History shows progress happens'

    The specific, detailed example is far stronger than the vague general statements.

  14. An argument essay may take which kind of position on the given claim?

    • Agree, disagree, or agree with qualifications — any defensible position
    • Only fully agree
    • Only fully disagree
    • No position is allowed

    Any well-supported, defensible position is acceptable.

  15. Why must argument-essay evidence be 'verifiably true or at least reasonably plausible'?

    • Invented 'facts' undermine the writer's credibility
    • Fabricated evidence is always more persuasive
    • Verifiability doesn't matter for essays
    • Only statistics need to be true

    Invented or implausible 'facts' damage the writer's ethos/credibility.

  16. A basic thesis-evidence-conclusion structure without further nuance is generally scored as:

    • Competent but not necessarily the most sophisticated approach
    • Always the highest-scoring approach
    • Impossible to score
    • Automatically failing

    Basic structure can be competent, but sophistication requires going beyond it with nuance.

  17. Which best reflects addressing complexity in an argument essay?

    • 'While exceptions exist in emergency situations, the general policy remains sound because...'
    • 'This policy is always correct in every case.'
    • Ignoring any possible exceptions
    • Repeating the thesis without elaboration

    Acknowledging exceptions while still defending the general position shows nuanced, complex thinking.

  18. In an argument essay, personal experience as evidence is:

    • A valid evidence source if specific and relevant
    • Never acceptable
    • Only acceptable in the synthesis essay
    • Automatically the strongest evidence type

    Personal experience is valid evidence when specific and relevant to the claim.

  19. Which best distinguishes the argument essay from the synthesis essay?

    • The argument essay uses the writer's own evidence; synthesis requires citing provided sources
    • They are functionally identical tasks
    • Argument essays require three sources, just like synthesis
    • Synthesis essays never require a thesis

    This is the defining structural difference between the two essay types.

  20. Which best demonstrates addressing the 'stakes' of an argument for sophistication credit?

    • Explaining what could go wrong for real communities if the policy is NOT adopted
    • Simply restating the thesis a second time
    • Ignoring consequences entirely
    • Listing more unrelated examples

    Explaining real-world stakes/implications is a recognized way to show sophistication.

  21. The argument essay asks the writer to:

    • take and defend a position using their own reasoning and evidence
    • analyze how a given passage argues
    • synthesize provided sources
    • summarize both sides without choosing

    It is the student's own argument, without provided sources.

  22. For evidence in the argument essay, it is generally best to:

    • develop one or two examples thoroughly
    • list as many examples as possible
    • use only personal anecdotes
    • use only statistics

    Depth of development and analysis matters more than quantity.

  23. 'Sophistication' on the AP argument rubric can be earned by:

    • situating the argument in a broader context or acknowledging complexity
    • using longer words
    • writing a longer essay
    • citing more examples

    Nuance, tension, and a compelling style signal sophisticated thought.

  24. Refutation differs from concession in that refutation:

    • directly answers an opposing argument and shows why it fails
    • grants that the opposing point has merit
    • ignores the opposition
    • restates the thesis

    Concession yields ground; refutation contests it.

  25. A clear 'line of reasoning' in the argument essay means:

    • each paragraph visibly advances the thesis in a logical sequence
    • the essay is exactly five paragraphs
    • every sentence contains a transition
    • the thesis appears in every paragraph

    Readers can follow how the claims build toward the conclusion.

  26. 'Concede-then-counter' phrasing looks like:

    • 'While it is true that X, it does not follow that Y'
    • 'X is simply wrong'
    • 'Everyone agrees that X'
    • 'X, Y, and Z are all true'

    It acknowledges the point, then limits its force.

  27. Ending an argument essay by answering 'so what?' means:

    • explaining why the argument matters beyond the essay
    • apologizing for gaps
    • summarizing each paragraph
    • introducing a new claim

    A strong close conveys the stakes and significance.

  28. A nuanced thesis such as 'Curfews reduce some crimes but at a civic cost' is preferable to a flat one because it:

    • reflects the complexity of the issue and is easier to defend well
    • is safer because it avoids a position
    • uses more sophisticated vocabulary
    • is longer

    Qualified, specific claims tend to support stronger reasoning.

Unit 10: Grammar, Conventions & Multiple-Choice Strategy (30)

  1. 'I went to the store, I bought milk' joined only by a comma is a:

    • Comma splice
    • Sentence fragment
    • Correct sentence
    • Parallel structure error

    Two independent clauses joined only by a comma is a comma splice.

  2. 'Running quickly to the store.' with no subject or complete thought is a:

    • Sentence fragment
    • Comma splice
    • Run-on sentence
    • Correct sentence

    This lacks a complete subject-verb thought and cannot stand alone — a fragment.

  3. 'I went to the store I bought milk' with no punctuation at all connecting the clauses is a:

    • Run-on sentence
    • Sentence fragment
    • Correct sentence
    • Parallel structure

    Independent clauses joined with no punctuation or connector at all form a run-on.

  4. The best fix for a comma splice is:

    • A period, semicolon, or coordinating conjunction
    • Removing the comma entirely with nothing else
    • Adding another comma
    • Changing it to a fragment

    Comma splices are fixed with a period, semicolon, or conjunction — not just removing the comma.

  5. 'To run, jumping, and swim' violates:

    • Parallel structure
    • Subject-verb agreement
    • Comma rules
    • Pronoun agreement

    The list mixes grammatical forms (infinitive, gerund, base verb) instead of matching them.

  6. The corrected parallel version of 'to run, jumping, and swim' is:

    • To run, to jump, and to swim
    • To run, jump, and swimming
    • Running, to jump, and swim
    • To running, jumping, and to swim

    All three items should share the same grammatical form — infinitives here.

  7. 'The list of items are on the table' contains what error?

    • Subject-verb agreement — 'list' (singular) needs 'is'
    • A comma splice
    • A sentence fragment
    • Correct parallel structure

    The singular subject 'list' requires the singular verb 'is,' not 'are.'

  8. Which correctly demonstrates subject-verb agreement despite intervening words?

    • 'The box of old books is heavy.'
    • 'The box of old books are heavy.'
    • 'The boxes of old book is heavy.'
    • 'The box of old book are heavy.'

    'Box' (singular) is the true subject, so it takes 'is,' regardless of the intervening 'of old books.'

  9. A multiple-choice reading question asking for a passage's main claim tests:

    • Close reading of the passage's overall argument
    • Grammar and punctuation only
    • Personal opinion, unrelated to the text
    • Vocabulary memorization only

    Main-claim questions test comprehension of the passage's overall argument.

  10. When answering a reading multiple-choice question, you should always:

    • Go back to the passage to verify the answer
    • Rely only on general impression
    • Choose the longest answer choice
    • Skip re-reading to save time

    Verifying against the actual passage text is the most reliable strategy.

  11. A 'half-right' wrong answer choice is one that is:

    • True in general but not actually supported by this specific passage
    • Completely unrelated to the topic
    • Always the correct choice
    • Grammatically incorrect

    Distractors are often plausible-sounding but not supported by the specific passage.

  12. A writing multiple-choice question asking for the 'best transition' tests:

    • Revision skill — choosing language that fits the passage's logic
    • Only spelling
    • Only historical facts
    • Only vocabulary definitions

    Writing questions test a student's ability to revise for clarity, logic, and fit.

  13. A question asking 'which choice best maintains the established tone' requires:

    • Checking the surrounding sentences' tone, not just grammar
    • Ignoring the rest of the passage
    • Choosing the most formal option automatically
    • Choosing the shortest option automatically

    Tone-matching questions require attention to the surrounding passage's tone.

  14. A question asking which choice would be 'LEAST effective' requires:

    • Reading the question stem carefully — the correct answer is the WORST option
    • Choosing the best-written answer as usual
    • Ignoring the question's direction
    • Picking the first option automatically

    Some questions invert the usual logic and ask for the least effective/worst choice.

  15. 'Everyone must bring their own laptop' mixing a singular antecedent ('everyone') with a plural pronoun ('their') is an example (in the strict formal usage tested) of:

    • A pronoun-antecedent agreement issue
    • A comma splice
    • A run-on sentence
    • Correct parallel structure

    'Everyone' is singular, so strict formal usage pairs it with a singular pronoun form.

  16. Fixing a comma splice by just deleting the comma with nothing else added typically creates:

    • A run-on sentence instead of a correct one
    • A grammatically correct sentence
    • A sentence fragment
    • Correct parallel structure

    Removing only the comma, with no replacement punctuation, creates a run-on.

  17. A question asking where to best place a sentence within a paragraph tests:

    • Organizational logic and flow
    • Only spelling accuracy
    • Only vocabulary knowledge
    • Only the essay's thesis

    Placement questions test understanding of a paragraph's logical organization.

  18. Which sentence demonstrates correct parallel structure?

    • 'She enjoys reading, writing, and hiking.'
    • 'She enjoys reading, to write, and hikes.'
    • 'She enjoys to read, writing, and hike.'
    • 'She enjoys reads, writing, and to hike.'

    All three items share the same gerund ('-ing') form, making the structure parallel.

  19. Why is it important to read the multiple-choice question stem carefully before answering?

    • Some questions ask for the least effective option or a deletion, reversing the usual logic
    • All questions ask for the best option, so stems never matter
    • Question stems are purely decorative
    • Stems only matter for the reading section

    Careful reading prevents missing inverted questions (e.g., 'least effective,' 'should be deleted').

  20. 'Neither the teacher nor the students was ready' should actually use which verb to agree with the nearer subject?

    • 'were,' agreeing with the nearer plural subject 'students'
    • 'was' is already correct
    • 'is,' regardless of context
    • 'be,' regardless of context

    With 'neither...nor,' the verb agrees with the subject closer to it — 'students' (plural) takes 'were.'

  21. Two independent clauses joined only by a comma form a:

    • comma splice
    • fragment
    • parallel structure
    • subordinate clause

    Fix a comma splice with a period, a semicolon, or a coordinating conjunction.

  22. 'She likes hiking, swimming, and to bike' violates:

    • parallel structure
    • subject-verb agreement
    • pronoun-antecedent agreement
    • comma rules

    The items in a series must match in form: 'hiking, swimming, and biking'.

  23. A colon is correctly used when:

    • the clause before it is complete and it introduces an explanation, list, or appositive
    • it joins two independent clauses casually
    • it replaces a comma in a series
    • it ends a question

    'She had one goal: to finish.' The clause before the colon stands alone.

  24. A semicolon between two independent clauses signals that they are:

    • closely related in meaning
    • in contrast only
    • part of a list
    • a quotation

    'The evidence was thin; the conclusion was bold.'

  25. On a multiple-choice 'writing' revision question, the best answer is usually the one that is:

    • clearest and most concise
    • longest and most formal
    • most varied in vocabulary
    • most detailed

    AP MC writing items reward economy and precision.

  26. 'In order to reduce costs' can most often be tightened to:

    • 'To reduce costs'
    • 'For reducing of costs'
    • 'In the interest of cost reduction'
    • 'With the goal that costs are reduced'

    'In order to' is usually padding for 'to'.

  27. On MC reading questions, an answer choice should be:

    • verifiable against the actual text of the passage
    • the most sophisticated-sounding option
    • the longest option
    • the one that matches your opinion

    Always confirm the choice with specific wording in the passage.

  28. 'The committee released their report' has an error in:

    • pronoun-antecedent agreement (committee is singular: 'its report')
    • verb tense
    • parallelism
    • punctuation

    Collective nouns like 'committee' are usually treated as singular in formal American usage.

  29. A dash is best used to:

    • set off an emphatic interruption or addition
    • join items in a series
    • end a sentence
    • introduce a formal list (a colon does that)

    Overusing dashes reduces their emphatic effect.

  30. 'Past history' and 'end result' are examples of:

    • redundancy that should be cut
    • precise diction
    • parallel structure
    • formal register

    History is already past; a result is already an end. Cut the redundant word.

Unit 11: GrAmSS (248)

  1. Which movement values emotion, imagination, nature and the individual over reason and order?

    • Romanticism
    • Neoclassicism
    • Rationalism
    • The Enlightenment

    Romanticism reacted against Enlightenment rationalism and Neoclassical order.

  2. "Rip Van Winkle" was written by:

    • Washington Irving
    • Edgar Allan Poe
    • Nathaniel Hawthorne
    • Mark Twain

    Irving published it in The Sketch Book (1819-20).

  3. In "Rip Van Winkle", Rip's 20-year sleep spans which historical change?

    • British colonial rule to the new American republic
    • The Civil War years to the era of Reconstruction and rebuilding
    • The Puritan era of Salem to the years of the witch trials
    • The Gilded Age of railroads to the Progressive Era reforms

    He falls asleep under King George III and wakes after the American Revolution, when Washington's portrait and the flag have replaced the old symbols.

  4. Irving portrays Dame Van Winkle mainly as:

    • A shrewish, nagging wife who makes Rip's life harder
    • A loving partner who shares Rip's adventures
    • A powerful village leader who commands the men of the community
    • A mysterious spirit of the mountains who guides Rip

    Irving's diction (termagant, virago) casts Dame as a scold and invites sympathy for Rip.

  5. Who is the fictional historian said to have left the papers behind "Rip Van Winkle"?

    • Diedrich Knickerbocker
    • Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.
    • Ichabod Crane of Sleepy Hollow
    • Peter Vanderdonk of the village

    Knickerbocker is the framing historian; Geoffrey Crayon is Irving's pen name for The Sketch Book.

  6. Irving uses Rip's long sleep mainly to:

    • Comment on how the nation and its politics have changed
    • Prove that the Dutch settlers of the valley could be trusted with property
    • Warn readers about the dangers of mountain travel
    • Mock the customs of the Hudson Valley's oldest families

    The time jump lets Irving show Revolution-era change through Rip's confusion, aiming his purpose at the new nation and its identity.

  7. Which appeal does Irving trigger by showing Rip as put-upon and good-natured?

    • Pathos
    • Logos
    • Kairos
    • Ethos of a scientist

    The sympathetic portrait draws emotion (pathos) from readers.

  8. "The Eve of St. Agnes" was written by:

    • John Keats
    • Edgar Allan Poe
    • Ralph Waldo Emerson
    • Washington Irving

    Keats wrote it in 1819; it was published in 1820.

  9. How many stanzas does "The Eve of St. Agnes" have?

    • 42
    • 12
    • 27
    • 60

    The poem runs 42 Spenserian stanzas.

  10. A Spenserian stanza has how many lines and which rhyme scheme?

    • Nine lines, ABABBCBCC
    • Fourteen lines, ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
    • Four lines, AABB
    • Six lines, ABABCC

    Keats uses the nine-line Spenserian stanza.

  11. According to the St. Agnes legend, what might a young woman see if she follows the rituals on St. Agnes' Eve?

    • Her future husband in a dream
    • A ghost of a saint
    • A map to hidden treasure
    • The end of winter

    The legend promises a dream vision of a future husband.

  12. Who sneaks into Madeline's chamber in Keats's poem?

    • Porphyro
    • The Beadsman
    • Roderick
    • Ethelred

    Porphyro, from a hostile family, hides in her room with Angela's help.

  13. Who is the old woman who helps Porphyro?

    • Angela
    • Madeline
    • Faith
    • Dame

    Angela is the old nurse who lets Porphyro in.

  14. Which device does Keats rely on to make the poem feel rich and sensuous?

    • Detailed sensory imagery
    • Legal jargon
    • Dialect spelling
    • First-person confession

    The feast, colors and warm/cold contrasts are built from imagery.

  15. Who wrote "The Fall of the House of Usher"?

    • Edgar Allan Poe
    • Mark Twain
    • Nathaniel Hawthorne
    • John Keats

    Poe published it in 1839.

  16. How does the narrator first feel about the House of Usher?

    • A sense of insufferable gloom and dread
    • Delighted by its beauty and its old grounds
    • Indifferent to the house after his long trip
    • Curious about its history and its old family

    The opening imagery (dull, dark, soundless day; eye-like windows) creates gloom.

  17. Which words/devices in the opening scene create the gloom of the house?

    • Imagery and diction such as “dull, dark, soundless” and “vacant eye-like windows”
    • Rapid dialogue and sharp humor between two old friends meeting again
    • A list of dates and precise measurements of the whole estate and grounds
    • Exaggerated comparisons that turn the crumbling setting into a joke for readers

    Poe's word choice builds a gloomy mood, and the eye-like windows personify the house.

  18. Which is an example of personification in "The Fall of the House of Usher"?

    • The house's "vacant eye-like windows"
    • Roderick's illness
    • The narrator riding on horseback
    • The autumn season

    Giving the house eyes personifies an inanimate object.

  19. What is Madeline to Roderick?

    • His twin sister
    • His wife
    • His daughter
    • His nurse

    Madeline is Roderick's twin sister, who is wasting away.

  20. What is "The Haunted Palace" in relation to the story?

    • A poem within the story that mirrors Roderick's mind and the house's fall
    • A real palace that the narrator visits before reaching the House of Usher
    • A poem Madeline wrote to be read at her own funeral by the family
    • A book of ghost stories that Roderick keeps in the family library

    It tells how a fair palace of Thought is overrun by evil, echoing the Usher tragedy.

  21. What is the "Mad Trist" in the story?

    • A romance read aloud whose noises seem to echo real sounds in the house
    • A song Roderick sings to soothe himself as the storm rises at midnight
    • A legal document that leaves the house and its estate to the narrator
    • A journal in which Madeline records the progress of her illness

    The narrator reads the tale of Ethelred; the sounds in it match events in the house, foreshadowing Madeline's return.

  22. How does the story end for the House of Usher?

    • The house splits apart and sinks into the tarn
    • The narrator inherits the house and moves in
    • Roderick recovers and restores the family name
    • Madeline leaves the house for a new life in Europe

    The fissure widens and the house collapses into the tarn.

  23. Which genre best describes "The Fall of the House of Usher"?

    • Gothic
    • Western tall tale
    • Romantic comedy
    • Historical epic

    Gloomy setting, decay, madness and death mark it as Gothic.

  24. Who wrote "Baker's Bluejay Yarn"?

    • Mark Twain
    • Washington Irving
    • Ralph Waldo Emerson
    • Edgar Allan Poe

    Twain wrote it in 1880 in A Tramp Abroad.

  25. The bluejays in Baker's story talk and act like people. That is:

    • Anthropomorphism
    • Personification
    • Foreshadowing
    • Onomatopoeia

    Animate beings (animals) with human traits is anthropomorphism.

  26. Which is the best definition of personification?

    • Giving inanimate objects human characteristics
    • Giving animals or other living creatures human characteristics
    • Comparing two unlike things using the words like or as
    • Repeating a beginning sound in words close together

    Personification applies to nonliving things; anthropomorphism to living beings.

  27. What does juxtaposition mean?

    • Putting two things side by side for effect
    • Repeating a key word again and again for emphasis
    • Using exaggeration to make a humorous point
    • Naming a historical event to connect a story to it

    Contrasting elements next to each other highlight their differences.

  28. Who is telling the tale of the bluejay and the knothole?

    • Jim Baker, in his own voice, inside Twain's frame
    • Twain, speaking as an omniscient narrator without a frame
    • The first bluejay, describing his own mistake later
    • An unnamed miner who overheard the jays

    Baker's dialect-rich voice tells the yarn, indirectly characterizing him.

  29. How does Twain indirectly characterize Jim Baker?

    • Through his folksy speech, sincere claims and exaggerated stories
    • Through a direct statement by the narrator that he is a dishonest man
    • Through the opinions of the other miners in the region who know him
    • Through a description of his clothes and his cabin's furniture

    Indirect characterization comes from what a character says and does.

  30. What might the jay's effort to fill the hole in the roof represent?

    • A metaphor for foolish or futile human effort
    • A symbol of the miners' long and hopeless search for buried gold
    • A warning about the danger of leaving empty houses in the mountains
    • An allegory of the terrible costs of the Civil War for ordinary people

    The jay wastes huge effort on a task he doesn't understand, a possible metaphor for human existence.

  31. "Young Goodman Brown" is set in:

    • Puritan Salem, Massachusetts
    • Colonial Virginia, near Jamestown
    • The Catskill Mountains of New York
    • Victorian London during the industrial age

    Brown lives in Salem Village and journeys into the forest.

  32. In "Young Goodman Brown", who or what is Faith?

    • Brown's wife and a symbol of his religious faith
    • Brown's sister, who follows him into the forest
    • The name of the meeting-house where he prays
    • The traveler's nickname for the forest path

    The name works as an allegory, and Faith's pink ribbons appear in the woods.

  33. The traveler's staff that resembles a black serpent is an allusion to:

    • The serpent in the Bible
    • A Greek myth
    • A Native American legend
    • A Shakespeare play

    The serpent staff alludes to the serpent in Eden and marks the traveler as the devil.

  34. Why does Hawthorne include so many Biblical allusions?

    • To deepen the moral and spiritual stakes for readers who recognize the source
    • To prove that the events of the story took place in Biblical times
    • To make the traveler seem like a real historical figure from Salem
    • To show that Brown has memorized the whole Bible and can quote it

    An allusion is a passing reference that depends on the reader's knowledge.

  35. What effect does the story's ending have on Brown?

    • He becomes stern, sad and distrustful for the rest of his life
    • He grows more devout and becomes a respected deacon of the church
    • He forgives his neighbors and finds a lasting peace with Faith
    • He leaves Salem to start a new life elsewhere

    Brown returns from the forest unable to trust anyone.

  36. What is the central ambiguity in "Young Goodman Brown"?

    • Whether the forest events were a dream or real
    • Whether Faith remained loyal to Brown all night
    • Whether the traveler was truly Brown's grandfather
    • Whether Salem was safe for travelers after dark

    Hawthorne leaves it open.

  37. Which is Hawthorne's attitude toward Puritans in this story?

    • Critical of their hypocrisy and rigid gloom
    • Admiring of their piety and strict discipline
    • Neutral, like a historian recording facts
    • Playful, treating their beliefs as a comic subject

    The story exposes hypocrisy in the community's most respected figures.

  38. Which sequence of authors matches the order Rip, Usher, Baker, Goodman Brown?

    • Irving, Poe, Twain, Hawthorne
    • Poe, Irving, Twain, Hawthorne
    • Irving, Twain, Poe, Hawthorne
    • Hawthorne, Poe, Twain, Irving

    Rip Van Winkle: Irving; Usher: Poe; Baker's Bluejay Yarn: Twain; Young Goodman Brown: Hawthorne.

  39. In the Emerson excerpt, the materialist mainly starts from

    • The external world and respect for society and social institutions
    • The mind's own consciousness and its inner intuition about reality
    • Religious visions that override the ordinary evidence of experience
    • The idea that nature, literature and history are only dreams

    The excerpt says the materialist "takes his departure from the external world" and respects society, government, luxury and every mass; the idealist starts from consciousness.

  40. Emerson is best known as a leader of:

    • Transcendentalism
    • Neoclassicism and its ideals
    • Realism in American fiction
    • Naturalism in the late 1800s

    Emerson led American Transcendentalism.

  41. Who popularized the term "American Dream" in The Epic of America (1931)?

    • James Truslow Adams
    • Ralph Waldo Emerson
    • Mark Twain
    • F. Scott Fitzgerald

    Adams defined it as a dream of a better, richer, fuller life for everyone with opportunity by ability.

  42. An allusion is best defined as:

    • A brief, indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance
    • A long, direct retelling of an earlier story inside a new story, with full quotations from the older source and an explanation of it
    • A word whose sound imitates the noise it names, like “buzz” or “crash”, used to give a poem a vivid sound for readers
    • A comparison between two unlike things that uses the words “like” or “as” to show how they are similar in one way

    An allusion relies on the reader's prior knowledge of the person, place, text or event.

  43. How does Washington Irving use characterization to develop a central idea in “Rip Van Winkle”? Which response is best?

    • By pairing a beloved, easygoing Rip with a scolding Dame, Irving builds sympathy for freedom from duty and comments on a changing society
    • By describing Rip as a brave, patriotic soldier whose courage wins the Revolution for the colonies and earns him honor
    • By making Dame Van Winkle the hero and Rip the villain in order to teach a lesson about hard work and duty
    • By giving the reader almost no description of Rip so that the setting alone can carry the theme of the story

    Irving's diction ("termagant", "virago") and Rip's warm reception by children and dogs shape reader sympathy and connect to the story's comment on change.

  44. For what reasons does Hawthorne use allusion in “Young Goodman Brown”? Which response is best?

    • Biblical references such as the serpent-like staff give the forest journey the weight of temptation and sin for readers who recognize them
    • Biblical references prove the story is a true historical record of a real night that happened in Salem village long ago
    • Biblical references are used to entertain readers with a series of comic puns about the Puritans and their ministers
    • Biblical references replace the need for setting, since readers already know what the woods and the road look like

    An allusion is an indirect reference that relies on the reader's knowledge; Hawthorne's Biblical allusions frame Brown's fall.

  45. In what ways is Poe's use of other works (“The Haunted Palace”, Ethelred's story) significant in “The Fall of the House of Usher”? Which response is best?

    • The poem and the romance mirror and foreshadow Roderick's collapse and the house's fall, and they blur story and reality
    • The poem and the romance show that Poe was unable to invent an original plot and had to borrow from other writers to fill his story
    • The poem and the romance explain the full history of the Usher family tree and how the mansion came to be inherited
    • The poem and the romance prove that the narrator is a professional poet and translator who chose these texts to show his taste

    The palace of Thought overrun by evil parallels Roderick, and the noises in the romance echo events in the house.

  46. What is Twain's intent in telling “Baker's Bluejay Yarn”? Which response is best?

    • To use a comic tall tale about human-like jays to laugh at human foolishness, pride and the way a crowd piles on opinions
    • To teach readers scientific facts about how bluejays communicate, gather and behave in the wild, using an entertaining example
    • To argue that the miners of the West are more intelligent and honest than the birds and beasts around them
    • To describe the events of the Civil War from the lighthearted point of view of a talkative animal narrator

    Anthropomorphism, hyperbole and Baker's earnest voice turn a silly story into a mirror of human behavior.

  47. What is the take-away or thesis Hawthorne intends in “Young Goodman Brown”? Which response is best?

    • Suspicion and the discovery of hypocrisy can destroy faith and a person's ability to trust, whether or not the evil was real
    • Nature is full of hidden dangers, so travelers should never leave the safety of the village after sunset for any reason
    • Puritan leaders were models of honesty and courage who deserve the loyalty and trust of every villager in town
    • Newly married men should always stay at home with their wives on important nights, since a single absence can ruin a marriage

    Brown's dying hour is gloom because doubt poisons his relationships, and the story's ambiguity emphasizes that.

  48. In what ways does the Emerson excerpt reflect themes from the Great American Short Stories unit? Which response is best?

    • The idealist trusts individual consciousness over society, as Brown and Rip do in different ways, and Romantic writers prize the individual mind
    • The excerpt argues that social class is the only reality, which matches the main idea of every story in the unit
    • The excerpt agrees with the Puritans that the individual has little value apart from the church community and its authority
    • The excerpt has no connection to the unit at all, because it is a piece of philosophy and not a work of literature

    The idealist begins from consciousness and reckons the world an appearance, echoing the Romantic focus on the individual and inner life.

  49. How did Irving's own life influence his writing? Which response is best supported by the Irving handout?

    • Trips up the Hudson through the Catskills and time in Tarrytown supplied settings, Dutch customs and ghost stories he later used
    • He spent his whole life in Manhattan and wrote only about the city streets and the merchant families that he knew there
    • He wrote from his own experience as a soldier at Bunker Hill during the Revolution and drew every plot from that
    • He avoided real places in his fiction and invented every setting from imagination alone, drawing nothing from his travels

    The handout says the Kaatskill Mountains had "the most witching effect on my boyish imagination" and that Tarrytown introduced him to Sleepy Hollow's ghost stories.

  50. Deconstruct Adams' definition. What does his diction “better and richer and fuller for everyone” suggest?

    • That the dream is about a fuller life and equal opportunity, not only about wealth
    • That the dream is solely about earning as much money as possible during one's lifetime
    • That only Europeans and their descendants can achieve the dream in America
    • That the dream requires a person to be born into a high social position with money

    Adams says it is "not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely" but a social order allowing each person to reach their fullest stature.

  51. Which device is present in: “Like pious incense from a censer old” (Keats)?

    • Simile
    • Onomatopoeia
    • Oxymoron
    • Apostrophe

    "Like" makes an explicit comparison between the Beadsman's frosted breath and incense.

  52. Which device is present in: “A sharp tongue is the only edged tool that grows keener with constant use” (Irving, about Dame Van Winkle)?

    • Metaphor
    • Alliteration only
    • Onomatopoeia
    • Understatement

    The tongue is compared directly, without like or as, to a cutting tool.

  53. Which device is present in: “sweating like an ice-pitcher” (the jay in Baker's yarn)?

    • Simile
    • Personification of an object
    • Allusion
    • Foreshadowing

    The comparison uses "like". The jay also displays human behavior (anthropomorphism).

  54. Which device is present in: “There must have been five thousand of them” (the jays gather at the hole)?

    • Hyperbole
    • Understatement
    • Irony of appearance and reality only
    • Apostrophe

    An exaggeration for humorous effect fits the tall-tale tone.

  55. Which device is present in: “Through which came flowing, flowing, flowing, / And sparkling evermore” (“The Haunted Palace”)?

    • Repetition that creates rhythm and a sense of endless motion
    • Litotes, an understatement created by negating the opposite of what is meant
    • Asyndeton, in which conjunctions are left out of a list of related items
    • Dialect spelling that shows how the different speakers of the poem talk

    Repeating "flowing" three times creates sound and rhythm and emphasizes the constant stream of echoes.

  56. Which device is present in: “round and round she goes” repeated throughout Rubin's “The Widow's Walk”?

    • Refrain
    • Foreshadowing
    • Personification of the moon
    • Oxymoron

    A refrain is a line repeated for effect, here evoking the widow's endless pacing.

  57. Which device(s) are present in: “a staff, which bore the likeness of a great black snake, so curiously wrought that it might almost be seen to twist and wriggle itself like a living serpent”?

    • Simile and a Biblical allusion (the serpent)
    • Hyperbole and dialect, showing an exaggerated claim in a regional voice
    • Onomatopoeia and irony, imitating sounds while saying the opposite of the truth
    • Apostrophe and epistrophe, addressing an absent person and repeating an ending

    "like a living serpent" is a simile and the snake alludes to the serpent in the Genesis story of temptation.

  58. Which device is present in: “the vacant eye-like windows” (Poe)?

    • Personification and imagery
    • Anthropomorphism of an animal and hyperbole
    • Onomatopoeia
    • Rhetorical question

    The house is given eyes, which is personification, and the words create a strong visual image.

  59. Which device is present in the name Faith for Brown's wife, who leaves him at the door and appears again at the end?

    • Allegory / symbolism
    • Onomatopoeia and rhyme
    • Understatement and irony
    • Antimetabole and chiasmus

    Faith stands both for a person and for his religious faith.

  60. Which device is present in: “The red coat was changed for one of blue and buff, and underneath was painted GENERAL WASHINGTON” (paraphrase of the inn sign in Rip)?

    • Symbolism of the change from British to American rule
    • Onomatopoeia that imitates the sounds of a tavern
    • A pun on the words “red” and “blue”
    • Epistrophe, repeating the last words of successive clauses

    The sign's change of uniform and name symbolizes the shift from monarchy to republic that Rip slept through.

  61. In “Rip Van Winkle”, the word “termagant” (describing Dame Van Winkle) most closely means

    • A violent, overbearing, quarrelsome woman
    • A kind and patient neighbor who helps others in need
    • A fearful, shy person who avoids other people
    • A traveling merchant who sells goods door to door

    Termagant is used with virago for Dame's scolding temper.

  62. “Virago” most closely means

    • A domineering, ill-tempered woman
    • A cheerful storyteller at the inn
    • A young soldier in the militia
    • A skilled cook in a Dutch kitchen

    Irving pairs it with termagant to characterize Dame.

  63. Rip's “insuperable aversion to all kinds of profitable labor”: “insuperable aversion” most nearly means

    • An impossible-to-overcome strong dislike
    • A slight and passing preference against a task
    • A temporary illness that prevents work
    • A legal duty to serve a neighbor

    Insuperable means unable to be overcome; aversion is strong dislike.

  64. Which word matches this definition: “a small group that acts together for a shared, often political, purpose”?

    • Junto
    • Urchin
    • Jerkin
    • Flagon

    A junto is a faction or cabal. An urchin is a mischievous child, a jerkin a short jacket, a flagon a drink container.

  65. Which word matches this definition: “a short, close-fitting, sleeveless jacket”?

    • Jerkin
    • Junto
    • Alacrity
    • Flagon

    A jerkin is a jacket; flagons are containers for drink.

  66. Which word matches: “noisy, boisterous revelers”?

    • Roysterers
    • Adherents
    • Burghers
    • Urchins

    Roysterers party loudly. Adherents are followers; burghers are prosperous townspeople; urchins are mischievous children.

  67. In Keats's poem, “Beadsman” means

    • A man paid or bound to pray for others' souls
    • A tax collector who serves the Baron's household
    • A jeweler who makes rosaries for the chapel
    • A soldier who guards the castle gates at night

    The Beadsman counts his beads (rosary) and prays through the cold night.

  68. In “The Haunted Palace”, the word “pinion” (“Never seraph spread a pinion”) most closely means

    • A wing or flight feather
    • A small tower on a palace wall
    • A ceremonial robe worn by a king
    • A jeweled crown set with rubies

    A seraph is an angelic being; a pinion is a wing.

  69. In “The Haunted Palace”, “discordant” (“a discordant melody”) most nearly means

    • Harsh, out of tune, disagreeing
    • Peaceful and harmonious, like a lullaby
    • Ancient and worn, like old stone
    • Quiet and hushed, as if silent

    Discordant is the opposite of harmonious, and it marks the change from the palace's earlier music.

  70. In “Baker's Bluejay Yarn”, “yarn” means

    • A long tale of adventure or incredible happenings, often exaggerated
    • A type of thread that miners use to mend their heavy equipment and clothing
    • A written contract between a miner and the buyer of his claim
    • A scientific study of the behavior of birds in the wild

    A yarn is a long, exaggerated tale told as true, like Baker's story of the jay.

  71. Identify the speaker of: “I am a poor quiet man, a native of the place, and a loyal subject of the King, God bless him!”

    • Rip Van Winkle
    • Peter Vanderdonk
    • Diedrich Knickerbocker
    • Judith Gardenier

    Rip says this on his return, not knowing the Revolution has happened, and the crowd shouts "A Tory!"

  72. Identify the person being spoken to in Rip's line above (“I am a poor quiet man ... a loyal subject of the King”).

    • The villagers who crowd around him
    • Dame Van Winkle, who has come out to the village square to find him
    • General Washington, who happens to be passing through the village
    • The strange man with the keg, whom Rip meets again in the village

    Rip answers the suspicious crowd that asks whether he is Federal or Democrat.

  73. Identify the speaker of: “Madman! I tell you that she now stands without the door!”

    • Roderick Usher
    • The narrator
    • Ethelred
    • Sir Launcelot

    Roderick shrieks this as Madeline appears; the narrator has been reading the Mad Trist.

  74. Identify the person being spoken to in: “Madman! I tell you that she now stands without the door!”

    • The narrator
    • Madeline
    • A servant
    • The physician

    Roderick speaks to his friend the narrator.

  75. Identify the speaker of: “Prithee, put off your journey until sunrise.”

    • Faith
    • Goody Cloyse
    • The traveler
    • Deacon Gookin

    Faith begs her husband not to leave on the night's errand.

  76. Identify the speaker of: “Faith kept me back a while.”

    • Young Goodman Brown
    • The traveler with the staff
    • Goody Cloyse, on the path
    • The minister of the village

    Brown explains why he is late to the traveler he meets in the forest.

  77. In “Come, devil! for to thee is this world given,” who is “thee”?

    • The devil (the dark figure)
    • Faith, whom Brown has just lost
    • Goody Cloyse, the old catechism teacher
    • Deacon Gookin, on his way to the meeting

    Brown, having declared "My Faith is gone!", surrenders to evil.

  78. Identify the speaker of: “Confound it, I don't seem to understand this thing, no way.” (p. 139)

    • The bluejay, as reported by Jim Baker
    • Mark Twain speaking as himself
    • An owl visiting from Nova Scotia
    • A miner named Jones from the camp

    Baker quotes the jay's speech while telling the yarn.

  79. In “...he believed he could accurately translate any remark which they made,” the pronoun “they” refers to

    • The beasts and the birds
    • The miners of the camp
    • Twain and Baker together
    • The mountains and the woods

    Twain writes that Baker had studied "his only neighbors, the beasts and the birds".

  80. In Angela's warning to Porphyro (“He curs'd thee and thine, both house and land”), “thee” refers to

    • Porphyro
    • Madeline
    • The Beadsman
    • The Baron

    Angela tells Porphyro that Hildebrand, in a fever, cursed him and his family.

  81. The best interpretation of “a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit” (Poe's narrator) is that

    • The house instantly fills him with dread he cannot fully explain
    • He is happy to see his friend's home again after so many years
    • He is bored by the long ride and wants to reach the house
    • He has already seen Madeline's ghost and is afraid of her

    Poe builds mood by having the narrator feel gloom before any explicit cause.

  82. The best interpretation of “There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name” (Brown) is that

    • Brown has lost his faith in goodness after the forest revelations
    • Brown has decided to give up his errand and become a minister
    • Brown is joking with the traveler to show that he is not afraid
    • Brown is describing Salem's law code and the punishments it gives

    He cries this after "My Faith is gone!" and it foreshadows his later distrust.

  83. The best interpretation of “Mind is the only reality, of which men and all other natures are better or worse reflectors” (Emerson) is that

    • For the idealist, consciousness is the primary reality and the world merely reflects it
    • Only physical objects are real, and the mind is simply one more object
    • Society is more real than thought, since it is made of many people
    • Nature is worthless because the mind can never understand it

    The idealist starts from consciousness and reckons the world an appearance.

  84. The best interpretation of “not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely” (Adams) is that

    • The American Dream is meant to be more than material wealth
    • Cars and high wages are forbidden under the terms of the dream
    • Only the wealthy can afford to dream in the modern world
    • The dream is really about the customs of European aristocrats

    Adams describes a social order where each person reaches their fullest stature.

  85. The best interpretation of “But evil things, in robes of sorrow, / Assailed the monarch's high estate” (“The Haunted Palace”) is that

    • Forces of decay and misfortune overthrow the ruler and the palace's beauty
    • The monarch is celebrating a victory over evil forces in his realm
    • Travelers arrive in robes of sorrow to bring gifts to the palace
    • A new king takes the throne peacefully in place of the old ruler

    The fall of the palace (Thought's dominion) mirrors Roderick's mental collapse.

  86. The best interpretation of “I never see a bird take on so about a little thing” (Baker) is that

    • Baker is humorously observing the jay's human-like temper
    • Baker is describing an eagle's strength and its power to hunt
    • Baker is warning listeners about a real danger in the woods
    • Baker is criticizing bird watchers who disturb the animals

    The comment comes as the jay swears over the hole, a comic anthropomorphic moment.

  87. The best interpretation of the new sign, “GENERAL WASHINGTON”, replacing the king's portrait at the inn in “Rip Van Winkle” is that

    • The old monarchy has been replaced by the American republic while Rip slept
    • Rip has been carried across the ocean to a village somewhere in Europe
    • The inn's new owner is a retired soldier who admires Washington greatly
    • Rip has founded a political party named after the general in his absence

    The changed sign, flag and political talk show the Revolution has occurred.

  88. The best interpretation of Brown's final gloom, “his dying hour was gloom,” is that

    • The forest experience left him unable to feel hope or trust for the rest of his life
    • He died happily among family and friends who remembered his goodness and faith
    • He wrote a cheerful epitaph to comfort the family he was leaving behind
    • He became a wealthy merchant who forgot the events of that night in the woods

    The ending shows the lasting damage of doubt.

  89. The speaker of the Emerson excerpt would most likely AGREE with which statement?

    • Thought and consciousness are more fundamental than material objects or social institutions
    • Government and society are the highest measure of a person's value and worth
    • Labor and property are valuable in themselves, apart from any symbolic meaning
    • Facts and physical evidence alone tell us what is real about the world

    Emerson's idealist "does not respect labor ... property" except as symbols of laws of being.

  90. The speaker of the Emerson excerpt would most likely DISAGREE with which statement?

    • A person's value is fixed by the mass of their possessions and social rank
    • The mind is the source of all experience and gives meaning to the world
    • The world can be seen as a reflection of the consciousness that perceives it
    • Institutions are important mainly as symbols of larger truths about existence

    The idealist judges by the rank things take in consciousness, not size or appearance.

  91. Jim Baker would most likely AGREE with which statement?

    • Bluejays can reason, plan, gossip and feel shame like people
    • Animals cannot communicate any ideas to one another in any language
    • Cats are the best talkers among all the birds and beasts of the woods
    • Jays never swear, however excited they become

    Baker says bluejays are the best talkers and have more moods and expressions than other creatures.

  92. Jim Baker would most likely DISAGREE with which statement?

    • Bluejays have no sense of humor or memory
    • Bluejays can outswear even the roughest miner in the whole mining camp
    • Bluejays remember a good joke and repeat it for years afterward
    • Bluejays can put every feeling they have into rich, metaphorical language

    Baker insists bluejays have humor and memory (jays returned for three years).

  93. The speaker of Adams' passage would most likely AGREE that

    • Everyone should have the opportunity to rise according to ability, regardless of birth
    • Opportunity should depend mainly on the wealth and family position of the person seeking it
    • Money and cars are the whole point of the American Dream and its promise
    • The dream is meant only for people who belong to European upper-class families

    Adams says each person should be recognized "regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position".

  94. The Goodman Brown who returns from the forest would most likely AGREE with which statement?

    • No one, not even the most respected people, can be trusted
    • Everyone in Salem is honest and faithful to their vows
    • The devil is a friend to those who seek his company
    • Faith is always right, so her judgment should be obeyed

    Brown becomes a "distrustful" man who turns from his neighbors and wife.

  95. All of the following are true about “Rip Van Winkle” EXCEPT

    • Rip is a strict, hard-working village leader who supports the Revolution
    • Rip has an insuperable aversion to any kind of profitable labor
    • Rip sleeps for twenty years in the mountains before he wakes
    • Rip returns to find his wife dead and his daughter grown

    Rip is an idle, good-natured man; he sleeps through the Revolution and is mistaken for a Tory.

  96. All of the following are true about “The Fall of the House of Usher” EXCEPT

    • Madeline dies of an illness and stays permanently in her tomb
    • Roderick is unusually sensitive to light and sound
    • The narrator is called to the house by a letter
    • The house cracks along the fissure and collapses into the tarn

    Madeline is entombed but later returns to the door and dies with Roderick.

  97. All of the following are true about “Young Goodman Brown” EXCEPT

    • Brown remains cheerful and trusting for the rest of his life
    • The story is set in Puritan Salem village in Massachusetts
    • Brown leaves Faith for an errand in the forest at sunset
    • Ambiguity remains about whether the forest events were a dream

    He becomes "a stern, a sad, a darkly meditative", distrustful man.

  98. Which statement about “Baker's Bluejay Yarn” is TRUE?

    • Jim Baker says jays can reason and swear like people
    • The jay finds a hole in the floor of a mansion in town
    • The jay understands at once where the acorns must be going
    • The other jays are silent and serious about the hole

    The other choices contradict the text: the hole is in a cabin roof, the jay is baffled, and the crowd argues and laughs.

  99. All of the following are true about “The Eve of St. Agnes” EXCEPT

    • Madeline and Porphyro come from the same friendly family
    • The poem opens on a bitterly cold night in the winter
    • The old nurse Angela helps Porphyro reach Madeline's chamber
    • The lovers flee together into a storm at the end of the poem

    Porphyro's family is hostile to Madeline's.

  100. All of the following are true about Washington Irving (Lesson #1 handout) EXCEPT

    • He was born in Boston and never lived abroad
    • He wrote under the pen name Geoffrey Crayon
    • He served as United States Minister to Spain in the 1840s
    • He lived abroad for about seventeen years

    Irving was born in Manhattan and spent 17 years in Europe.

  101. All of the following are true about Romanticism (Britannica handout) EXCEPT

    • It stressed order, calm, balance and rationality above emotion
    • It emphasized the individual, the subjective and the imagination
    • It reacted against the Enlightenment and eighteenth-century rationalism
    • It showed a predilection for the exotic, the mysterious and the occult

    The handout says Romanticism rejected Classicism's order, calm, harmony, balance and rationality.

  102. All of the following describe direct characterization EXCEPT

    • A character's actions reveal that he is brave
    • A narrator states, "the patient boy and quiet girl"
    • A narrator calls a man "sneaky"
    • A narrator says the woman was "generous"

    Actions, speech, thoughts, looks and effect on others are indirect (STEAL).

  103. Which sequence of events in “Rip Van Winkle” is in the correct order?

    • Rip escapes to the mountains; meets the men with the keg; sleeps; wakes to a rusty gun; finds the village changed; meets his daughter
    • Rip is called a Tory; meets the men with the keg; sleeps; escapes to the mountains; wakes to a rusty gun; meets his daughter
    • Rip wakes to a rusty gun; escapes to the mountains; meets the men with the keg; sleeps; is called a Tory; meets his daughter
    • Rip meets his daughter; sleeps; finds the village changed; meets the men with the keg; escapes to the mountains; wakes to a rusty gun

    The order follows the plot: mountains, keg, sleep, rusty gun, village, daughter.

  104. Which sequence in “Young Goodman Brown” is correct?

    • Brown leaves Faith at sunset; meets the traveler; sees Goody Cloyse; finds Faith's pink ribbon; attends the forest ceremony; wakes alone
    • Brown wakes alone; meets the traveler; leaves Faith at sunset; sees Goody Cloyse; finds Faith's pink ribbon; attends the forest ceremony
    • Brown finds Faith's pink ribbon; leaves Faith at sunset; meets the traveler; wakes alone; sees Goody Cloyse; attends the forest ceremony
    • Brown attends the forest ceremony; leaves Faith at sunset; meets Goody Cloyse; wakes alone; meets the traveler; finds Faith's pink ribbon

    The story moves from Salem street to forest to the morning after.

  105. Which sequence in “The Fall of the House of Usher” is correct?

    • The narrator arrives; Madeline is entombed; a storm rises; the narrator reads the Mad Trist; Madeline appears; the house collapses
    • The house collapses; Madeline appears; the narrator arrives; a storm rises; Madeline is entombed; the narrator reads the Mad Trist
    • Madeline appears; the narrator arrives; the Mad Trist is read; a storm rises; Madeline is entombed; the house collapses
    • The narrator reads the Mad Trist; the narrator arrives; the house collapses; a storm rises; Madeline is entombed; Madeline appears

    Poe builds from arrival to entombment to the climax.

  106. Which sequence in “Baker's Bluejay Yarn” is correct?

    • The jay finds the knot-hole; he drops acorns and grows angry; other jays gather; one lands on the open door and sees the acorns; the jays laugh; jays return for three summers
    • The jays laugh; the jay finds the knot-hole; the crowd gathers; the door is seen open; the jay grows angry; jays return for three summers
    • The crowd gathers; the jay finds the knot-hole; one jay lands on the door; the first jay laughs; the jay grows angry; jays return for three summers
    • One jay sees the acorns on the floor; the jay finds the knot-hole; the crowd gathers; the jay grows angry; the jays laugh; jays return for three summers

    The discovery of the open door comes after the crowd gathers.

  107. Which sequence of events in “The Eve of St. Agnes” is correct?

    • Porphyro persuades Angela; hides in Madeline's closet; Madeline sleeps; Porphyro sets the feast and plays the lute; she wakes; they flee
    • The lovers flee; Porphyro hides in the closet; Madeline sleeps; Angela is persuaded; the feast is set; Madeline wakes
    • Madeline wakes; Angela persuades Porphyro; the feast is prepared; Porphyro hides in the closet; Madeline sleeps; they flee
    • The lovers flee; Madeline wakes; Porphyro persuades Angela; Porphyro plays the lute; Madeline sleeps; the feast is set

    The flight is the poem's climax and comes near the end.

  108. Which order of Irving's life events (Lesson #1 handout) is correct?

    • Born 1783; Salmagundi 1807; History of New-York 1809; Sketch Book 1819-20; Minister to Spain 1842; died 1859
    • Sketch Book 1819-20; born 1783; Minister to Spain 1842; History of New-York 1809; Salmagundi 1807; died 1859
    • Born 1783; Minister to Spain 1842; History of New-York 1809; Salmagundi 1807; Sketch Book 1819-20; died 1859
    • Died 1859; born 1783; Sketch Book 1819-20; Salmagundi 1807; History of New-York 1809; Minister to Spain 1842

    The handout gives these dates in this order.

  109. Which order of literary periods from the packet's timeline is correct?

    • Puritanism, Neoclassic, Romanticism, Realism
    • Romanticism, Puritanism, Realism, Neoclassic
    • Realism, Romanticism, Neoclassic, Puritanism
    • Neoclassic, Realism, Puritanism, Romanticism

    1620, 1770s, early 1800s, 1850s.

  110. Which statement about Rip's return is accurate?

    • The village has a new inn sign and flag, and villagers ask whether he is Federal or Democrat
    • The village looks exactly as he left it, with the same old men on the bench at the inn
    • Rip is greeted as a war hero because he fought bravely at Bunker Hill
    • His wife welcomes him home at the door with a hot meal and a warm kiss

    Irving shows the Revolution's effects on the village through signs, flags and political talk.

  111. Which statement about Dame Van Winkle at the end of the story is accurate?

    • She had died, and Rip learns he is free of her scolding
    • She became the village postmistress and later the schoolteacher
    • She waits at the door for him with a warm meal
    • She fled to New England with Judith after a quarrel

    Rip's wife had died of a fit of passion at a peddler, and Rip resumes idle habits.

  112. Which statement about the ninepins players in “Rip Van Winkle” is accurate according to the villagers?

    • They are the ghostly crew of Hendrick Hudson, whose bowling causes the thunder
    • They are Revolutionary soldiers hiding in the mountains from the British army
    • They are Dame Van Winkle's relatives, who meet each year on the mountain
    • They are the village militia, practicing their drills at an old site

    Peter Vanderdonk says Hendrick Hudson and his crew of the Halfmoon keep a vigil in the mountains every twenty years (p. 49).

  113. Which statement about Poe's Roderick Usher is accurate?

    • He is unusually sensitive to light, sound and touch and believes the house is somehow sentient
    • He is a robust athlete who enjoys hunting and other outdoor sports every day
    • He is a stranger to the narrator and has never before met him in person
    • He is the narrator's servant, sent ahead to open the mansion for him

    Poe emphasizes Roderick's acute senses and nervous condition.

  114. Which statement about the traveler in “Young Goodman Brown” is accurate?

    • He carries a staff like a black snake and claims familiarity with Brown's ancestors
    • He is Brown's brother, who has come from Boston to bring him home before dark
    • He carries a cross and a rosary and prays quietly as he walks along the road
    • He warns Brown to return to Faith and to abandon the errand before it is too late

    He says he helped Brown's grandfather and father in acts of Puritan cruelty.

  115. Which statement about Baker's yarn is accurate?

    • Jim Baker is a California miner who says bluejays are the best talkers among birds and beasts
    • Jim Baker is a Boston scientist who studies birds for a university in the East
    • Baker says cats are the most intelligent talkers of all the animals he has observed
    • Baker says animals cannot understand one another and speak only in simple sounds

    Twain describes him as a middle-aged, simple-hearted miner.

  116. Which statement about Keats's poem is accurate?

    • The Beadsman prays in the cold at the opening and sleeps “among his ashes cold” at the end
    • The Beadsman is Porphyro's father and helps him reach Madeline's chamber that night
    • The poem opens on a summer feast in the Baron's garden, with music and dancing
    • Madeline is the Beadsman's daughter and lives with him in the cold castle chapel

    The Beadsman frames the poem in cold and death.

  117. Which statement about the Emerson excerpt is accurate?

    • It contrasts the materialist, who starts from the external world, with the idealist, who starts from consciousness
    • It argues for strict Puritan obedience to church and state, above any personal thought or conscience
    • It praises industry, property and society above thought, intuition and the life of the mind itself
    • It is a short story about a hunter who wanders alone in the woods at night and meets a stranger

    The excerpt is from Emerson's "The Transcendentalist".

  118. What is the effect of Poe's opening description ("dull, dark, and soundless day ... clouds hung oppressively low")?

    • It establishes a gloomy mood and an atmosphere of dread before the house appears
    • It reveals the ending of the story before the plot has properly begun
    • It introduces a comic scene to lighten the tone of the whole story
    • It describes a joyful autumn festival in the countryside near the house

    The imagery and diction set the mood.

  119. What does the jay's behavior at the hole show about human nature, according to the yarn?

    • People, like the jay, may stubbornly keep doing something absurd until someone shows them the whole picture
    • Humans always act logically as soon as they have gathered enough information to decide
    • Animals are more foolish than humans in almost every situation they face
    • Hard work is always rewarded in the end, however silly the task may be

    The story's humor comes from seeing human faults in animals.

  120. Why does Irving mention that children shout with joy when Rip approaches?

    • It is indirect characterization showing Rip is kind and approachable
    • It proves that Rip is the village schoolteacher and is paid to teach them
    • It shows that Rip is a wealthy landowner who gives the children money
    • It foreshadows his death in the mountains, since the children will mourn him

    Effect on others is an indirect characterization technique (STEAL).

  121. What does the pink ribbon Brown sees in the forest suggest?

    • Faith may have been drawn into the evil gathering, threatening his belief in her goodness
    • The traveler is Brown's father, who has come from the grave to guide him
    • The forest is safe, since a friendly ribbon shows the way through the dark
    • Faith left him a small gift to carry with him on his long journey

    The ribbon triggers Brown's cry "My Faith is gone!".

  122. Why does the narrator's flight from the house at the end matter to the story's effect?

    • He escapes as the house splits, leaving the image of the tarn closing over the ruins
    • He inherits the house and its hidden treasure once the last Usher is gone
    • He confirms that Madeline is alive and well in a village nearby
    • He returns later to marry Madeline and to restore the ruined estate

    The vivid final image completes Poe's unified effect of dread.

  123. What does the swap of the red coat for blue and buff on the inn sign show?

    • That the political world Rip left has changed
    • That the inn was sold recently to a tailor from the city
    • That fashion changes quickly in a growing village
    • That Rip has become rich enough to buy the inn

    The symbol reflects the shift from king to Washington.

  124. Why does Keats contrast the cold outside with the warm chamber?

    • To heighten the lovers' warmth and make their world feel fragile against hostility and time
    • To explain how the Baron's household prepared its rooms for a cold winter night
    • To criticize the heavy winter clothing worn by the guests at the great feast
    • To describe the daily work of a farmer during the harshest part of the season

    Contrast creates mood.

  125. What does Emerson mean that the idealist "does not respect government, except as far as it reiterates the law of his mind"?

    • The idealist respects institutions only when they reflect truths found in his own mind
    • The idealist obeys every law without any thought, as a matter of habit
    • The idealist believes government is the highest truth a person can serve
    • The idealist wants no laws at all, since laws limit freedom

    The excerpt makes consciousness the measure.

  126. A story says, “The old oak groaned and sighed as the wind pushed against it.” This is best labeled

    • Personification
    • Anthropomorphism
    • Allusion
    • Hyperbole only

    An inanimate object (the tree) is given human traits. Anthropomorphism applies to living beings like animals.

  127. A story says, “The fox pouted, folded his arms, and complained to the crows about the unfairness of the fence.” This is best labeled

    • Anthropomorphism
    • Personification
    • Foreshadowing
    • Onomatopoeia

    A living animal is given human characteristics, as with Baker's jays.

  128. A narrator writes, “Marcus slammed the door and muttered under his breath.” This is best labeled as which type of characterization?

    • Indirect (actions and speech)
    • Direct, because the narrator states his mood
    • Symbolic, because the door represents a barrier
    • Allegorical, because Marcus stands for anger itself

    Actions and speech show his mood; the narrator does not simply state his traits.

  129. A narrator writes, “Elena was the most generous person in the village.” This is best labeled as which type of characterization?

    • Direct
    • Indirect (thoughts)
    • Indirect (looks)
    • Indirect (effect on others)

    The narrator tells us her trait directly.

  130. A poem about a lonely sea captain who hears the ocean whisper his dead wife's name uses which Romantic element most clearly?

    • The supernatural and strong emotion connected to nature
    • Rationalism and a calm, orderly view of the world around the speaker
    • Strict classical formality in meter, diction and the arrangement of ideas
    • Scientific detachment and the careful, unemotional observation of nature

    Romanticism values emotion, nature and the mysterious.

  131. A modern writer describes a student who ignores what everyone else thinks and follows her own conscience. Which idea from the unit does this reflect?

    • Transcendentalist individualism
    • Puritan conformity to the church
    • Neoclassic rationalism and order
    • Regionalism and local color

    Transcendentalism holds that individuals reach truth through intuition.

  132. A student writes, “Twain uses a long, silly story about jays to show that humans can be just as foolish.” This is best described as which type of statement?

    • A claim about author's purpose
    • A plot summary of the story
    • A vocabulary definition of a term
    • A quotation with its page citation

    It states how the story's device serves a purpose.

  133. A friend says, “Everyone in this town looks holy on Sunday but I've seen them at night.” Which story theme does this most resemble?

    • Hypocrisy in a community, as in “Young Goodman Brown”
    • Talking animals with human traits, as in Baker's yarn about the jays
    • Time travel through a very long sleep, as in Rip Van Winkle
    • A haunted mansion that collapses at the end, as in Usher

    Brown sees respected townspeople at the forest ceremony.

  134. What does Rip drink before falling asleep?

    • Liquor from the flagons of the strange men
    • Tea brewed by his wife and carried up the mountain in a jug
    • Water from a mountain spring beside the ninepins hollow
    • Cider from the bowl that Wolf drinks from at home

    The keg's liquor, poured into flagons, tastes like "excellent Hollands" (p. 41).

  135. What did Rip's gun look like when he woke?

    • Rusty and decayed
    • Polished and new
    • Broken in half
    • Missing entirely

    The rusty fowling-piece is evidence of his long sleep.

  136. What is the name of Rip's dog?

    • Wolf
    • Rover
    • Knickerbocker
    • Hudson

    Wolf is as henpecked as his master.

  137. Who is Judith Gardenier?

    • Rip's grown daughter
    • Dame Van Winkle's sister
    • The wife of Nicholas Vedder
    • The innkeeper's daughter

    Rip asks her name and learns she is his daughter; he then says, "I am your father!" (p. 48).

  138. What does Roderick Usher do that makes the narrator uneasy about Madeline's death?

    • He decides to entomb her temporarily in a vault within the house
    • He buries her at once in the family cemetery beyond the tarn
    • He has her body cremated on the same night and scatters the ashes
    • He sends her away to a hospital in the nearest town for treatment

    The vault sets up her return.

  139. What object in “Young Goodman Brown” looks like a black snake?

    • The traveler's staff
    • A tree branch
    • Goody Cloyse's cane
    • The minister's book

    The traveler's staff is compared to a living serpent.

  140. In “The Eve of St. Agnes”, how does Porphyro wake Madeline?

    • By playing an old song on her lute after laying out a feast
    • By calling her name softly from the door of the chamber
    • By ringing a chapel bell that echoes through the castle
    • By opening the curtains so the morning light falls on her face

    He plays the ancient ditty "La belle dame sans mercy" on her lute.

  141. In “Baker's Bluejay Yarn”, why do the jays laugh?

    • They see that the jay has been trying to fill a whole house through a hole in the roof
    • A miner arrives and tells a joke that only the jays seem to understand and enjoy
    • An owl performs a trick that makes fun of the first jay's mistake in front of them
    • A cat falls from the roof of the cabin and frightens the whole flock into a wild frenzy

    Discovering the acorns on the floor shows the absurdity.

  142. “Rip Van Winkle” is set around the time of

    • The American Revolution
    • The Civil War
    • The Great Depression
    • World War I

    Rip sleeps from British rule to the new republic.

  143. The Salem setting of “Young Goodman Brown” connects to which historical events?

    • The Puritan era, including the Salem witch trials of 1692
    • The California Gold Rush of the mid-1800s and the mining camps of the West
    • The Boston Tea Party and the American Revolution that followed it
    • Reconstruction and the difficult years after the Civil War

    Hawthorne's ancestors were involved in Puritan persecution and the trials.

  144. Romanticism developed largely as a reaction against

    • The Enlightenment and Neoclassical rationalism
    • The Romantic movement's own excesses of emotion
    • Transcendentalism and its focus on the individual
    • Naturalism and its scientific view of life

    The Britannica handout says Romanticism rejected Classicism and reacted against rationalism.

  145. Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto (1764) is credited with starting which genre?

    • Gothic fiction
    • The historical novel
    • Regionalism
    • Realism

    The handout traces Gothic literature's origin to Walpole.

  146. The Epic of America (1931), where Adams used the phrase "American Dream", was written during which era?

    • The years just after the 1929 stock market crash
    • The years of the American Revolution and the writing of the Constitution
    • The time of the Salem witch trials and the Puritan colonies
    • The years of the Civil War and the debates over slavery

    Adams's book appeared as the Great Depression began.

  147. Which historical war is referenced when the traveler says Brown's father burned an Indian village?

    • King Philip's War
    • The French and Indian War
    • The Mexican-American War
    • The War of 1812

    The reference points to conflict between Puritan colonists and Native peoples in New England (1675-76).

  148. In “Rip Van Winkle” (p. 35), “the most pestilent little piece of ground in the whole country”: the word “pestilent” most closely means

    • Harmful and troublesome; annoying
    • Fertile land that is easy to plow
    • Holy ground set apart for the church
    • Remote and hard to reach from town

    Context: pestilent means harmful and troublesome; annoying.

  149. In “Rip Van Winkle” (p. 35), “his patrimonial estate had dwindled away”: the word “patrimonial” most closely means

    • Inherited from a father or ancestors
    • Purchased only recently from a neighbor
    • Owned by the church of the village
    • Shared among all the neighbors alike

    Context: patrimonial means inherited from a father or ancestors.

  150. In “Rip Van Winkle” (p. 35), “His son Rip, an urchin begotten in his own likeness”: the word “urchin” most closely means

    • A mischievous small child
    • An elderly relative from the city
    • A hired servant on the farm
    • A stern teacher in the school

    Context: urchin means a mischievous small child.

  151. In “Rip Van Winkle” (p. 35), “It could not be from the want of assiduity or perseverance”: the word “assiduity” most closely means

    • Constant, careful diligence
    • Sudden bursts of anger
    • Quiet, shy hesitation
    • Lucky timing and good fortune

    Context: assiduity means constant, careful diligence.

  152. In “Rip Van Winkle” (p. 37), “The opinions of this junto were completely controlled by Nicholas Vedder”: the word “junto” most closely means

    • A small group joined for a shared purpose
    • A single stubborn person who leads a crowd
    • A noisy festival held once a year
    • A legal court that settles village disputes

    Context: junto means a small group joined for a shared purpose.

  153. In “Rip Van Winkle” (p. 37), “His adherents, however (for every great man has his adherents)”: the word “adherents” most closely means

    • Followers or supporters
    • Bitter enemies or rivals
    • Servants or household workers
    • Distant relatives or cousins

    Context: adherents means followers or supporters.

  154. In “Rip Van Winkle” (p. 38), “gravely nod his head in token of perfect approbation”: the word “approbation” most closely means

    • Approval
    • Confusion
    • Sadness
    • Suspicion

    Context: approbation means approval.

  155. In “Rip Van Winkle” (p. 37), “designated by a rubicund portrait of His Majesty George the Third”: the word “rubicund” most closely means

    • Ruddy or reddish
    • Pale and thin
    • Golden and grand
    • Faded and cracked

    Context: rubicund means ruddy or reddish.

  156. In “Rip Van Winkle” (p. 42), “the grave roysterers of the mountain had put a trick upon him”: the word “roysterers” most closely means

    • Noisy, boisterous revelers
    • Silent monks in a chapel
    • Frightened travelers on the road
    • Village magistrates in session

    Context: roysterers means noisy, boisterous revelers.

  157. In “Rip Van Winkle” (p. 44), “This desolateness overcame all his connubial fears”: the word “connubial” most closely means

    • Relating to marriage
    • Relating to money
    • Relating to the mountains
    • Relating to soldiers

    Context: connubial means relating to marriage.

  158. In “Rip Van Winkle” (p. 46), “planting himself before Van Winkle, with one arm akimbo”: the word “akimbo” most closely means

    • Bent with the hand on the hip
    • Raised high in the air to wave
    • Hanging limp at the side, tired
    • Folded behind the back, at ease

    Context: akimbo means bent with the hand on the hip.

  159. In “Rip Van Winkle” (p. 40), “Rip complied with his usual alacrity”: the word “alacrity” most closely means

    • Brisk, cheerful readiness
    • Slow and grudging reluctance
    • Angry refusal to help him
    • Puzzled hesitation about it

    Context: alacrity means brisk, cheerful readiness.

  160. In “Rip Van Winkle” (p. 41), “his heart turned within him, and his knees smote together”: the word “smote” most closely means

    • Struck (past tense of smite)
    • Melted from the sudden heat
    • Froze in the cold mountain air
    • Bent under a heavy weight

    Context: smote means struck (past tense of smite).

  161. In “Rip Van Winkle” (p. 34), “those men are apt to be obsequious and conciliating abroad, who are under the discipline of shrews at home”: the word “obsequious” most closely means

    • Overly eager to please
    • Openly rebellious and bold
    • Physically weak and frail
    • Clever and quietly cruel

    Context: obsequious means overly eager to please.

  162. In “Rip Van Winkle” (p. 45), “a perfect Babylonish jargon to the bewildered Van Winkle”: the word “jargon” most closely means

    • Confusing, hard-to-understand language
    • A song sung by tavern crowds
    • A blessing spoken over a meal
    • A proverb handed down by elders

    Context: jargon means confusing, hard-to-understand language.

  163. In “Rip Van Winkle” (p. 49), “Peter ... corroborated his story in the most satisfactory manner”: the word “corroborated” most closely means

    • Confirmed
    • Disproved
    • Interrupted
    • Translated

    Context: corroborated means confirmed.

  164. In “Rip Van Winkle” (p. 50), “owing to his having so recently awaked ... during his torpor”: the word “torpor” most closely means

    • A state of inactivity or deep sleep
    • A fit of uncontrollable laughter
    • A long and difficult journey
    • A speech given in public

    Context: torpor means a state of inactivity or deep sleep.

  165. In “Young Goodman Brown” (p. 54), “Prithee put off your journey until sunrise”: the word “prithee” most closely means

    • I pray you; please
    • Hurry up, please
    • Never mind that now
    • Listen closely to me

    Context: prithee means i pray you; please.

  166. In “Young Goodman Brown” (p. 54), “she's afeard of herself sometimes”: the word “afeard” most closely means

    • Afraid
    • Ashamed
    • Angry
    • Alone

    Context: afeard means afraid.

  167. In “Young Goodman Brown” (p. 56), “I have scruples touching the matter thou wot'st of”: the word “scruples” most closely means

    • Moral doubts or hesitations
    • Loud complaints about the pace
    • Small coins carried for the journey
    • Rumors spread by neighbors

    Context: scruples means moral doubts or hesitations.

  168. In “Young Goodman Brown” (p. 67), “He shrank from the venerable saint as if to avoid an anathema”: the word “anathema” most closely means

    • A formal curse or denunciation
    • A friendly greeting from a neighbor
    • A blessing spoken over a child
    • A sermon preached on Sunday

    Context: anathema means a formal curse or denunciation.

  169. In “Young Goodman Brown” (p. 63), “all the sounds of the benighted wilderness”: the word “benighted” most closely means

    • In darkness (physical or moral)
    • Peaceful and undisturbed by men
    • Beautiful and inviting to all
    • Famous and well known to travelers

    Context: benighted means in darkness (physical or moral).

  170. In “Young Goodman Brown” (p. 66), “hoary-bearded elders ... have whispered wanton words to the young maids”: the word “wanton” most closely means

    • Immoral or unrestrained
    • Gentle and kind
    • Wise and thoughtful
    • Pious and devout

    Context: wanton means immoral or unrestrained.

  171. In “The Fall of the House of Usher” (p. 88), “its uncouth and unimaginative prolixity”: the word “prolixity” most closely means

    • Tiresome length or wordiness
    • Brevity and compression
    • Elegance and grace
    • Rhyme and meter

    Context: prolixity means tiresome length or wordiness.

  172. In “The Fall of the House of Usher” (p. 72), “a barely discernible fissure”: the word “fissure” most closely means

    • A crack or narrow opening
    • A window set into the wall
    • A doorway leading indoors
    • A shadow cast by the roof

    Context: fissure means a crack or narrow opening.

  173. In “The Fall of the House of Usher” (p. 70), “a black and lurid tarn”: the word “tarn” most closely means

    • A small mountain lake
    • A steep ravine between hills
    • A sudden summer storm
    • A tomb dug into the hillside

    Context: tarn means a small mountain lake.

  174. In “The Fall of the House of Usher” (p. 71), “a cadaverousness of complexion”: the word “cadaverousness” most closely means

    • Corpse-like paleness
    • Rosy, healthy color
    • A deep summer sunburn
    • A flush caused by fever

    Context: cadaverousness means corpse-like paleness.

  175. In “Baker's Bluejay Yarn” (p. 140), “got off as many leather-headed opinions as an average crowd of humans”: the word “leather-headed” most closely means

    • Stupid or thick-headed
    • Well-informed and careful
    • Angry and impatient
    • Formal and polite

    Context: leather-headed means stupid or thick-headed.

  176. Identify the speaker: “Poor Wolf, thy mistress leads thee a dog's life of it; but never mind, my lad, whilst I live thou shalt never want a friend to stand by thee!” (p. 38)

    • Rip Van Winkle
    • Nicholas Vedder
    • Peter Vanderdonk
    • Derrick Van Brummel

    Rip speaks to his dog.

  177. Identify the person being spoken to in the line above (“Poor Wolf ...”).

    • Wolf, his dog
    • Dame Van Winkle
    • The stranger with the keg
    • His son

    Rip shares his wallet with Wolf as a fellow-sufferer.

  178. Identify the speaker: “Nicholas Vedder! Why, he is dead and gone these eighteen years.” (p. 46)

    • An old villager
    • Judith Gardenier
    • Peter Vanderdonk
    • The man in the cocked hat

    An old man answers Rip's question in a thin, piping voice.

  179. Identify the person being spoken to: “Where's Van Brummel, the school-master?” — “He went off to the wars, too; was a great militia general, and is now in Congress.” The person being spoken to in the answer is

    • Rip
    • Nicholas Vedder
    • Judith
    • Wolf

    The villager answers Rip's questions about old friends.

  180. Identify the speaker: “Ah, poor man, Rip Van Winkle was his name, but it's twenty years since he went away from home with his gun.” (p. 48)

    • Judith Gardenier
    • Dame Van Winkle
    • An old woman in the crowd
    • Peter Vanderdonk

    Rip has just asked the woman with a child her name and her father's name.

  181. Identify the speaker: “It is Rip Van Winkle—it is himself. Welcome home again, old neighbor.” (p. 48)

    • An old woman who peers under her hand at his face
    • Judith Gardenier, who has just learned his name
    • Dame Van Winkle, who has somehow come back from the grave to greet him
    • The self-important man in the cocked hat, who had questioned him harshly

    An old woman recognizes him before Peter Vanderdonk arrives.

  182. In Rip's cry “that's me yonder—no—that's somebody else, got into my shoes” (p. 47), the person “yonder” is

    • His son, young Rip, who looks like him
    • Nicholas Vedder, the old landlord
    • The stranger with the keg who led him up the mountain
    • Peter Vanderdonk, the oldest man in the village

    Rip sees a counterpart of himself leaning against the tree.

  183. Identify the speaker: “You are late, Goodman Brown. The clock of the Old South was striking as I came through Boston.” (pp. 54-55)

    • The traveler with the serpent-like staff
    • Deacon Gookin, riding along the road on horseback toward the meeting
    • Goody Cloyse, on her way to the meeting
    • The minister of Salem village, on his way to the forest gathering

    Brown answers, "Faith kept me back a while."

  184. Identify the speaker: “Ah, forsooth, and is it your worship indeed?” (p. 58)

    • Goody Cloyse
    • Faith
    • Martha Carrier
    • Deacon Gookin

    She greets the traveler, whom she calls her old gossip's image.

  185. Identify the person being spoken to: “Ah, forsooth, and is it your worship indeed?”

    • The traveler (the devil)
    • Goodman Brown, hiding in the woods
    • The minister, riding behind them
    • Faith, waiting at home

    Goody Cloyse speaks to the traveler after he touches her neck with the serpent staff.

  186. Identify the speaker: “Welcome, my children, to the communion of your race.” (p. 65)

    • The dark figure in the shape of a grave divine (the devil)
    • The minister of Salem village, leading the forest congregation in prayer
    • Deacon Gookin, leading the ceremony beside the blazing altar-rock
    • Goodman Brown, greeting the converts who stand beside him

    He addresses the converts, Brown and Faith.

  187. Identify the person being spoken to in “Faith! Faith! look up to heaven, and resist the wicked one.” (p. 67)

    • Faith
    • The devil
    • Goody Cloyse
    • The minister

    Brown speaks to his wife at the altar.

  188. Identify the speaker: “What God doth the wizard pray to?” (p. 67)

    • Goodman Brown, about Deacon Gookin
    • Deacon Gookin, at family worship
    • The minister, taking his morning walk
    • Faith, at the window of the house

    Brown hears Gookin's morning prayer and reacts in suspicion.

  189. Identify the speaker: “We have put her living in the tomb!” (p. 90)

    • Roderick Usher
    • The narrator
    • Ethelred
    • The physician

    Roderick confesses that he heard Madeline's movements in the coffin.

  190. Identify the person being spoken to in Roderick's speech “Not hear it?—yes, I hear it, and have heard it.” (p. 90)

    • The narrator
    • Madeline
    • A servant
    • Sir Launcelot

    The narrator bends close to hear the gibbering words.

  191. Identify the speaker: “Hello, I reckon I've struck something.” (p. 138)

    • The bluejay, as quoted by Jim Baker
    • Mark Twain, as the narrator
    • Jim Baker's neighbor from the camp
    • An owl from Nova Scotia

    Baker reports the jay's words as the acorn rolls off the roof.

  192. Identify the speaker: “Come here, everybody; hang'd if this fool hasn't been trying to fill up a house with acorns!” (p. 141)

    • An old jay who lands on the open door
    • Jim Baker, watching from his cabin
    • The first jay, at last understanding his error
    • The owl from Nova Scotia, passing through

    He finds the acorns on the floor.

  193. In Twain's “I knew he could, however, because he told me so himself,” the pronoun “he” refers to

    • Jim Baker
    • A bluejay
    • A cat
    • An owl

    The narrator refers to the miner who says he understands animals (p. 136).

  194. In Twain's “the whole absurdity of the contract that that first jay had tackled hit him home,” “him” refers to

    • Each jay that lands on the door and looks inside
    • The narrator, who tells the story from a distance in time and place
    • Jim Baker, who watches the whole scene from the door of his cabin
    • Only the first jay, who made the original mistake and is embarrassed

    Each new jay understands the joke when he sees the acorns (p. 141).

  195. In Irving's “he had got his neck out of the yoke of matrimony,” “he” refers to

    • Rip
    • Nicholas Vedder
    • Peter Vanderdonk
    • Knickerbocker

    Rip is glad that Dame's government has ended (p. 50).

  196. According to the Introduction, in what year and place did Poe publish “Metzengerstein”, using the technique of the single effect?

    • 1832, in the Philadelphia Saturday Courier
    • 1839, in Burton's Gentleman's Magazine, as a story of the doomed house
    • 1819, in The Sketch Book, as a tale of a gloomy old hall
    • 1880, in A Tramp Abroad, as a tale of a strange animal

    The Introduction (p. 9) dates it to January 14, 1832.

  197. According to the Introduction, who "together created the short story as a form"?

    • Poe and Hawthorne
    • Irving and Twain
    • Emerson and Keats
    • Twain and Crane

    The editors credit Poe and Hawthorne together.

  198. The Introduction contrasts Irving's tale with Poe's. Which description matches Irving's “Rip Van Winkle”?

    • An orderly tale of linked incidents chronologically treated, graceful, humorous and urbane
    • A concentrated tale of a single preconceived effect, aimed at one climactic moment and a controlled mood
    • A tale of ratiocination, in which patient reasoning solves a mystery and reveals the truth of a crime
    • A tale of local color, set in a gold camp with colorful and contradictory characters and rough humor

    Poe's alternative is the concentrated tale of effect (p. 11).

  199. Which term describes Poe's technique in the Introduction?

    • The concentrated tale of a single, preconceived effect
    • A long chronological chronicle of many linked incidents told in order
    • A tale of local color rooted in the speech and customs of a single region
    • An animal fable in which the creatures teach a lesson about human behavior

    The action is focused on the climactic moment and the mood is controlled from first to last.

  200. In the Introduction, what does “specific gravity” (Henry Seidel Canby's phrase) refer to?

    • The moral or intellectual weight Hawthorne added to the American story
    • The physical weight of a printed anthology on a shelf or a classroom desk
    • A measure of how long a story runs from beginning to end in pages
    • The number of villains that a story places against its main character

    The editors say the typical American story asks to be taken seriously.

  201. According to the Introduction, the settings of “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “Young Goodman Brown” are similar because both

    • Move from light into darkness and back into light on a journey and return
    • Take place in the American West among miners, outlaws and desert travelers
    • Are narrated by talking animals with human traits and a sense of humor
    • Take place inside a single room over the course of one long evening

    Both are built on a journey and a return (p. 14).

  202. According to the Introduction, how does Hawthorne's darkness differ from Poe's?

    • Hawthorne's is the darkness of the soul; Poe's is the theatrical dark of the horror tale
    • Hawthorne's is comic and light in tone; Poe's is scientific and detached
    • Hawthorne's is set in daylight scenes; Poe's is set in a dark cave
    • The two kinds of darkness are identical in every important respect

    The editors call Hawthorne's forest the forest of sin and evil.

  203. According to the Introduction, which statement about Twain is accurate?

    • He never wrote a good short story, but mastered the humorous frontier sketch and the fable
    • He is the greatest short story writer in history and stands well above Poe
    • He invented the Gothic tale and taught Poe its most important methods
    • He wrote only poetry and never attempted prose fiction of any length

    The editors say “Bluejay Yarn” is superb in its own kind (p. 19).

  204. The Introduction links “Baker's Bluejay Yarn” to which other work?

    • Joel Chandler Harris's Uncle Remus stories
    • Hawthorne's collection of Twice-Told Tales
    • Emerson's essay The Transcendentalist
    • Keats's odes of 1819 and 1820

    Both are beast stories, and Thurber's fables are named later (pp. 19-20).

  205. The Introduction says Poe's phrase for his terror was

    • “not of Germany but of the soul”
    • “a thing of chains”
    • “the frost of reason”
    • “the nightmare of the sea”

    The editors then judge that his effects seem no deeper than gooseflesh (p. 12).

  206. The Introduction names which Poe story as Poe at his best?

    • “The Fall of the House of Usher”
    • “Metzengerstein”
    • “The Murders in the Rue Morgue”
    • “The Raven”

    The editors point to the doomed mansion and the inverted image of the house in the tarn (p. 13).

  207. The Introduction says Poe's tale of ratiocination is the parent of which genre?

    • The detective story
    • The Western
    • The ghost story
    • The historical novel

    Its example is “The Murders in the Rue Morgue”.

  208. According to the Introduction, which two Irving works are named as his best and best known?

    • “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”
    • “The Sketch Book” and “Astoria”
    • “Salmagundi” and “Tales of a Traveller”
    • “Rip Van Winkle” and “Bartleby the Scrivener”

    The editors say he never bettered them (p. 10).

  209. The editors' criteria for choosing stories were the excellence of each story and its

    • Representativeness in the development of the story in the United States
    • Length, so that each selected story fits on a single spread of pages
    • Popularity in magazines during the writer's own lifetime and afterward
    • Use as a model in classroom writing exercises for young students

    The Introduction says the criteria were double (p. 10).

  210. What kind of story does the Introduction say Hawthorne began writing?

    • A story that probes an exposed situation rather than linking incidents or contriving effects
    • A comic yarn about animals with human traits, told in a folksy voice by a narrator
    • A detective puzzle solved by a clever amateur who follows a trail of reasoning and clues
    • A travelogue that records, in a plain style, a long journey through unfamiliar country

    The Introduction links this to Henry James's idea of a situation revealed (p. 15).

  211. On his return, what does Rip learn about Nicholas Vedder and Van Brummel? (p. 46-47)

    • Vedder died eighteen years ago and Van Brummel became a militia general and a member of Congress
    • Both moved to New York City to start new businesses in trade after the war ended
    • Both became innkeepers in neighboring villages along the river and grew rich
    • Both are still on the bench at the inn, talking about the news of the day as before

    The answers show "enormous lapses of time" and unfamiliar matters like war and Congress.

  212. Why is Rip called “A Tory! A spy! A refugee!” in the village? (p. 46)

    • He says he is a loyal subject of the King when the town has just fought a revolution
    • He carries a British flag through the village square as he asks for old friends
    • He refuses to say how he would vote in the election that day
    • He demands to see the mayor on his very first day back in town

    His loyalty statement is out of date.

  213. What is Irving's tone when he says Rip "had got his neck out of the yoke of matrimony"? (p. 50)

    • Humorous and ironic, celebrating Rip's escape from petticoat government
    • Solemn and tragic, mourning the loss of Rip's long marriage to Dame
    • Enraged, condemning the whole institution of marriage in the village
    • Scientific, recording facts about Rip's life without any comment

    Irving jokes that Rip has escaped the only despotism that troubled him.

  214. What do henpecked husbands in the neighborhood wish for, according to the last paragraph of “Rip Van Winkle”? (p. 51)

    • A quieting draught out of Rip Van Winkle's flagon
    • A new farm far away from their wives and their many duties
    • A trip to England to see the King and his court in person
    • A seat in the new Congress in the young capital of the country

    Irving ends with a comic tribute to the flagon.

  215. Which best states what Peter Vanderdonk tells the crowd? (p. 49)

    • Hendrick Hudson and his crew of the Halfmoon keep a vigil in the Kaatskills every twenty years
    • Rip stole a boat from the harbor many years ago and sailed away to sea and was lost
    • Rip served in the Continental Army under General Washington in the war and was wounded
    • The mountains are safe and free of any legends or strange visitors, and never were haunted

    He corroborates Rip's story.

  216. Identify the sequence in “Young Goodman Brown” from the text (pp. 54-67).

    • Faith asks him to stay; the traveler joins him; Goody Cloyse is touched by the staff; a pink ribbon falls; the altar ceremony; Brown wakes alone
    • The altar ceremony; Faith asks him to stay; the traveler joins him; a pink ribbon falls; Goody Cloyse is touched by the staff; Brown wakes alone
    • The traveler joins him; the altar ceremony; Faith asks him to stay; a pink ribbon falls; Goody Cloyse is touched by the staff; Brown wakes alone
    • A pink ribbon falls; the traveler joins him; Faith asks him to stay; Goody Cloyse is touched by the staff; the altar ceremony; Brown wakes alone

    The order follows the story.

  217. Which claim about the traveler in “Young Goodman Brown” is accurate? (p. 56)

    • He says he helped Brown's grandfather lash a Quaker woman and Brown's father burn an Indian village
    • He says Brown's family never once set foot in the forest or took part in any violence
    • He says the ministers of Salem are his bitter enemies and have driven him from town
    • He says he is Faith's father and has come to fetch her home before the meeting begins

    This challenges Brown's claim that his ancestors were "honest men and good Christians".

  218. What does the traveler do to Goody Cloyse with his staff? (p. 58)

    • Touches her neck with what seems the serpent's tail, and she recognizes him as the devil
    • Strikes her with it to drive her from the path and away from the meeting
    • Gives it to her as a gift so that she can walk more easily
    • Breaks it in half to show that he means no harm to anyone

    Then he throws it at her feet and she disappears.

  219. What does Brown see at the forest meeting? (p. 63-65)

    • A blazing altar-like rock and a congregation including the minister, Deacon Gookin and Goody Cloyse
    • A quiet prayer meeting of unfamiliar travelers who have come from far away to worship in the woods
    • A market where merchants sell their goods by torchlight in a clearing in the forest at night
    • A battlefield where the soldiers of two armies fight through the night beside a burning barn

    He recognizes the pious townspeople among the worshippers.

  220. What does the dark figure say about the townspeople? (p. 65-66)

    • That all whom Brown has revered are in his worshipping assembly and Brown will learn their secret deeds
    • That they are innocent victims of an evil plot that was made against them by their enemies in the woods
    • That they are fleeing the village to escape a plague that has come upon the whole colony this year
    • That they are the ghosts of soldiers who died in a battle long ago and now walk in the dark forest

    The devil promises knowledge of secret sin.

  221. How does Brown treat the townspeople the next morning? (p. 67-68)

    • He shrinks from the minister, suspects Gookin's prayer, snatches a child from Goody Cloyse, and greets Faith sternly
    • He greets everyone warmly and tells them of his strange adventure in the forest during the night before
    • He preaches a sermon in the meeting-house about the need for repentance and a return to the church
    • He confesses everything to Faith and asks her forgiveness for leaving her alone on the night before

    Hawthorne asks whether it was only a dream.

  222. What does the last paragraph of “Young Goodman Brown” say about his tombstone? (p. 68)

    • They carved no hopeful verse upon it, for his dying hour was gloom
    • It bore a portrait of Brown, carved by a friend, and a line of praise
    • It carried the single word “Faith” in large letters over his name
    • It marked the grave of a cheerful and beloved man in the village

    The line stresses the lasting effect of his experience.

  223. What is Roderick Usher's reason, given to the narrator, for wanting to preserve Madeline's body for a fortnight? (p. 82)

    • The worldly reason concerns the nature of her disease and the remote family burying ground, though the narrator doubts it
    • She asked before her death to be buried at sea, according to an old family custom, and he wished to honor her
    • He planned to have her cremated after the fortnight, and had already sent for a priest to bless her ashes
    • He wanted to wait for a distant relative to arrive from across the ocean to attend the family funeral rites

    The narrator distrusts the reason but does not oppose it.

  224. On what night does the storm and the reading of the Mad Trist occur? (p. 85)

    • About the seventh or eighth night after Madeline is placed in the vault
    • On their very first night together in the mansion, after the long ride
    • On the day of Madeline's funeral, as the family gathered in the hall
    • A year after the entombment, when Roderick had grown very ill

    The narrator cannot sleep and Roderick appears with a lamp.

  225. What is the “Mad Trist” by Sir Launcelot Canning described as by the narrator? (p. 88)

    • An antique book with “uncouth and unimaginative prolixity”
    • A new best-selling romance in fashion that season in the capital
    • A collection of hymns sung in the Usher family chapel each week
    • A book of poems written by Roderick himself in his youth

    The narrator reads it only as the only book at hand.

  226. What does the narrator say Usher believed about the stones of the house? (p. 75)

    • That the arrangement of the stones and fungi gave them a kind of sentience
    • That the stones were haunted by the restless ghost of his mother
    • That the stones could be sold to pay off the family's many debts
    • That the stones had been carried from Egypt by an ancient ancestor

    The belief in the sentience of vegetable and even inorganic things is linked to the house.

  227. How does Baker's jay first react when the acorn falls into the hole? (p. 138)

    • He is paralyzed, his smile fades, and he says he didn't hear it fall
    • He flies away at once without looking back at the cabin
    • He laughs out loud at the size of the hole in the roof
    • He calls the other jays to come and see what he has found

    He then studies the hole and drops more acorns.

  228. What does the first jay swear he will do? (p. 139)

    • Fill the hole if it takes a hundred years
    • Destroy the cabin and everything in it, board by board
    • Fly south for the winter and never return to the mountains
    • Ask Baker for help in solving the mystery of the hole

    "I'm d—d if I don't fill you, if it takes a hundred years!"

  229. Why does the owl from Nova Scotia not laugh? (p. 141)

    • He couldn't see anything funny in it, and was disappointed about Yosemite too
    • He was asleep during the whole performance and heard nothing
    • He had never seen acorns and did not understand the joke at all
    • He was afraid of the crowd of jays and stayed quiet

    Twain closes the tale with a dry joke.

  230. What does Baker mean by “If a jay ain't human, he better take in his sign”? (p. 138)

    • Jays are so human-like that no one can deny it
    • Jays should start advertising their skills to the miners
    • Jays are dangerous and should not be trusted around people
    • Jays should leave the mining camps and live elsewhere

    It is a folksy, humorous claim of anthropomorphic likeness.

  231. In “Baker's Bluejay Yarn”, what is Baker doing when the jay lands on the empty house? (p. 138)

    • Sitting in front of his cabin with his cat on a Sunday morning, thinking of home
    • Digging in his mine claim on a hot weekday afternoon with his partner
    • Chopping firewood behind the empty cabin during an early snowstorm
    • Walking to town to buy supplies and mail a letter to his family back East

    He is "taking the sun", looking at the blue hills and thinking of home, which he hadn't heard from in thirteen years.

  232. How long has the neighbor's log house in Baker's yarn been empty? (p. 138)

    • Seven years
    • Thirteen years
    • Three years
    • Twenty years

    "Seven years ago, the last man in this region but me moved away." Thirteen years is how long since Baker heard from home.

  233. Why can't the jay see or hear his acorns land? (p. 138)

    • The log house has no ceiling, so they fall all the way to the floor of one big room
    • The hole leads into a deep well dug under the cabin long ago by the miner
    • The cabin is full of hay that muffles the sound of every acorn
    • Baker is secretly catching the acorns from inside the cabin as a joke

    It is "just one big room" with "no ceiling—nothing between the rafters and the floor".

  234. Which device is present in: the jay looks in the hole “like a 'possum looking down a jug” (p. 138)?

    • Simile
    • Metaphor
    • Onomatopoeia
    • Allusion

    The comparison uses "like"; the homely image also fits Baker's folksy voice.

  235. Which device is present in: the jay's smile “faded gradually out of his countenance like breath off'n a razor” (p. 139)?

    • Simile, in Baker's dialect
    • Personification of the razor
    • Foreshadowing of the owl's visit
    • Alliteration only

    "Like" signals a simile, and "off'n" shows Baker's dialect.

  236. About how long does the first jay spend throwing acorns into the hole? (p. 140)

    • About two and a half hours
    • About ten minutes
    • All summer long
    • Three full years

    He "hove acorns into that hole for about two hours and a half".

  237. When the second jay asks “How many did you say you put in there?”, what does the first jay answer? (p. 140)

    • “Not any less than two tons”
    • “About a hundred acorns”
    • “Enough to keep the family a month”
    • “Just one, and it vanished”

    The hyperbole shows his exhausted pride. Earlier he claimed "enough in there to keep the family thirty years".

  238. The first jay says he has shoveled in enough acorns “to keep the family thirty years”. This is an example of

    • Hyperbole
    • Understatement
    • Allusion
    • Apostrophe

    The exaggeration adds to the tall-tale humor.

  239. Baker says the jays' crowd made the region look like it had “a blue flush about it”. About how many jays gathered? (p. 140)

    • About five thousand
    • About fifty
    • Exactly three
    • About five hundred thousand

    "There must have been five thousand of them" (hyperbole).

  240. In “that knocked the mystery galley-west in a second” (p. 141), “galley-west” most closely means

    • Completely apart; into confusion
    • Slowly and carefully
    • Far out to sea
    • Back to the beginning

    Galley-west is slang for knocked thoroughly apart; the old jay's single look destroys the mystery.

  241. Baker says another jay heard the first one “doing his devotions”. What is the jay actually doing? (p. 140)

    • Swearing furiously
    • Praying quietly
    • Singing a hymn
    • Sleeping on the roof

    Calling his cursing "devotions" is verbal irony.

  242. How does the first jay feel after his last look into the hole? (p. 140)

    • “Just pale with rage”
    • Calm and amused
    • Proud of his hard work
    • Afraid of the cabin

    He comes up "pale with rage" and wishes he may "land in a museum with a belly full of sawdust" if he can see an acorn.

  243. What does Baker say the jays' three summers of visits prove about them? (p. 141)

    • That they have a sense of humor, and memory too
    • That they are lost and cannot find their way home
    • That they are hungry for the acorns on the floor
    • That they are afraid of the owl from Nova Scotia

    "It ain't any use to tell me a bluejay hasn't got a sense of humor, because I know better. And memory, too."

  244. Why is Jim Baker an unreliable narrator?

    • He is the only witness and swears an impossible story about talking jays is a “perfectly true fact”
    • He admits at the end that he invented the whole story to fool the narrator
    • He was asleep during the events and only heard about them later from the owl
    • He tells the story in the third person about events he never saw

    The frame narrator even jokes that he knew Baker understood animals "because he told me so himself".

  245. What does Hawthorne claim to have discovered in the Custom House's upper story?

    • A faded scarlet cloth letter "A" and an old manuscript by a former Surveyor, Jonathan Pue
    • A hidden diary written by his own father during the Revolutionary War
    • A collection of unpublished poems by a local Salem minister
    • A chest of gold coins smuggled in on one of the inspected ships

    He says Pue's bundle contained the letter and the manuscript telling Hester Prynne's story, which Hawthorne presents as his source for the novel.

  246. Why does Hawthorne say he lost his job at the Custom House?

    • A change in presidential administration brought in a new political appointee to replace him
    • He was caught falsifying the duties owed on imported cargo
    • He resigned to spend more time with his Puritan ancestors' old sermons
    • The Custom House itself was shut down by the federal government

    He jokes that he was "guillotined" by the change in administration, though he survives it and can write about it afterward.

  247. What is the effect of Hawthorne claiming The Scarlet Letter comes from a manuscript he found, rather than one he invented?

    • It makes the invented story feel more authentic and true, a classic "found document" device
    • It proves that Hester Prynne was a real historical person who actually lived in Salem
    • It excuses Hawthorne from having to include any literary devices in the novel
    • It shows that Jonathan Pue, not Hawthorne, is the actual author of the book

    The "found manuscript" frame is a literary technique for lending verisimilitude to fiction, not a factual claim.

  248. How does Hawthorne generally feel about his Puritan ancestors in "The Custom House"?

    • He feels a kind of inherited guilt over their harshness, including persecuting Quakers and judging witch trials
    • He feels enormous pride and wants to imitate their strict religious rule
    • He feels nothing at all, since he says he never learned who they were
    • He feels that they were secretly kind and lenient compared to their reputation

    He describes a stern judge who persecuted Quakers and a witch-trial judge among his ancestors and suggests his writing may be a way of answering for it.

Hard Mode Questions — 145 questions
Unit 1: The Rhetorical Situation (10)

  1. A columnist writes about a proposed law 'while the committee is still taking public comment this week.' The clause most directly establishes:

    • kairos - the timeliness that makes the argument worth making now
    • the writer's ethos
    • a logical fallacy
    • the counterargument

    It signals that the moment is opportune for influence, a kairos appeal.

  2. An essay opens by describing a bridge collapse, then pivots to infrastructure funding. The opening functions primarily as:

    • exigence - the concrete event that makes the argument urgent
    • a concession
    • a definition of terms
    • an appeal to authority

    The collapse is the pressing problem that calls for the discourse.

  3. A writer addressing a skeptical business audience begins with tax data and cost projections rather than moral appeals. This choice best reflects:

    • audience analysis - matching the appeal to what these readers value
    • a shift in tone
    • use of anaphora
    • a rhetorical question

    The writer calibrates evidence to an audience that prizes financial reasoning.

  4. In a letter to constituents, a senator writes 'As someone who grew up in a mill town...' The phrase primarily builds:

    • ethos, by establishing shared background with the audience
    • logos, through statistical evidence
    • pathos, through vivid imagery
    • kairos, through timeliness

    Claiming common ground and lived experience strengthens credibility with that audience.

  5. A speaker at a memorial adopts a slow, formal cadence and elevated diction. The stylistic choice is best explained by:

    • the occasion, which calls for solemnity
    • a logical fallacy
    • a need to cite sources
    • the counterargument

    Occasion shapes appropriate tone and register.

  6. Which revision best states a rhetorical purpose for analysis?

    • 'to convince wary parents that the curriculum change will not lower standards'
    • 'the curriculum change and its effects'
    • 'parents who are wary of the change'
    • 'a reassuring and confident tone'

    Purpose is a verb phrase naming the intended effect on a specific audience.

  7. A writer notes that she must keep her op-ed under 700 words and avoid partisan labels to be published. These are examples of:

    • constraints on the rhetorical response
    • the exigence
    • the subject
    • the persona

    Constraints are the limits within which the writer must work.

  8. A magazine essay assumes readers already accept that climate change is real and argues instead about which policies to adopt. This assumption reflects the writer's judgment about:

    • the audience's existing beliefs
    • the writer's own ethos
    • the genre's word limit
    • the occasion

    The writer builds on shared premises rather than arguing from scratch.

  9. A public health official times a statement about vaccination to coincide with the start of flu season. This is an appeal to:

    • kairos
    • logos
    • ethos
    • antithesis

    Aligning the message with a moment when the audience is receptive is kairos.

  10. An analytical claim that a writer 'establishes urgency in the opening by pairing a specific recent event with a countdown to a vote' is strong mainly because it:

    • names both a choice and its effect rather than just labeling a device
    • uses sophisticated vocabulary
    • is longer than a simple thesis
    • quotes the passage directly

    It identifies the rhetorical move and the purpose it serves.

Unit 2: Rhetorical Appeals & Logical Fallacies (12)

  1. 'Either we ban the app entirely, or we surrender our children's privacy.' This sentence commits which fallacy?

    • false dilemma
    • ad hominem
    • circular reasoning
    • appeal to tradition

    It presents two extremes as the only options.

  2. 'We should keep the policy because it has always been our policy.' This is:

    • an appeal to tradition
    • a hasty generalization
    • a straw man
    • a red herring

    The mere fact of being long-standing is offered as sufficient justification.

  3. A writer restates an opponent's nuanced position as 'they want no rules at all,' then attacks that. This is:

    • a straw man
    • a concession
    • refutation
    • an analogy

    The opponent's actual view is distorted into an easier target.

  4. 'Studies show that students who eat breakfast score higher, so the school should provide free breakfast.' The reasoning is primarily:

    • inductive, moving from data to a policy claim
    • deductive, from a general principle
    • circular
    • an appeal to authority

    It generalizes from evidence to a recommended action.

  5. 'All mammals are warm-blooded; whales are mammals; therefore whales are warm-blooded.' This is:

    • deductive reasoning
    • inductive reasoning
    • a false analogy
    • begging the question

    It applies a general premise to a specific case.

  6. An author argues that regulating social media is like regulating tobacco. The strength of this depends most on:

    • how similar the two cases actually are in the relevant respects
    • how vivid the comparison sounds
    • whether tobacco is still legal
    • the author's credentials

    An analogy is only as strong as the relevant similarity between the cases.

  7. A politician responds to a question about corruption by talking at length about job creation. This is:

    • a red herring - diverting attention from the issue
    • a concession
    • an appeal to logos
    • a periodic sentence

    The response changes the subject rather than addressing the question.

  8. 'This treatment must be safe; no one has proven it dangerous.' This is:

    • an appeal to ignorance
    • a false dilemma
    • circular reasoning
    • an ad hominem

    Absence of disproof is treated as proof.

  9. A writer's tone becomes noticeably more measured and concessive in the paragraph addressing critics. This shift most likely functions to:

    • strengthen ethos by showing fairness before countering
    • concede the entire argument
    • introduce a logical fallacy
    • signal the conclusion

    Appearing reasonable toward the opposition builds credibility.

  10. 'Nine out of ten dentists' is offered with no information about how the dentists were chosen. The appeal to logos is weak because the evidence may be:

    • unrepresentative or cherry-picked
    • irrelevant to dentistry
    • too recent
    • too emotional

    Without sampling detail, the statistic could be selective or biased.

  11. An essayist writes with self-deprecating humor about his early failures before making his case. The persona he constructs is best described as:

    • humble and relatable, which disarms the audience
    • authoritative and distant
    • angry and confrontational
    • neutral and impersonal

    The projected self shapes how the audience receives the argument.

  12. 'Because it is complex, the tax code must be unfair.' This reasoning:

    • is a non sequitur - the conclusion does not follow from the premise
    • is a sound deduction
    • is an effective analogy
    • is a concession

    Complexity does not entail unfairness; the inference is unsupported.

Unit 3: Rhetorical Devices & Figurative Language (11)

  1. 'We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields...' The repeated opening clause is:

    • anaphora, building momentum and resolve
    • epistrophe
    • chiasmus
    • asyndeton

    Anaphora repeats a phrase at the start of successive clauses for cumulative force.

  2. 'Government of the people, by the people, for the people' most clearly uses:

    • parallelism and anaphora-like repetition to emphasize a unified idea
    • antithesis
    • hyperbole
    • litotes

    The matched prepositional phrases stress the people's centrality.

  3. A writer describes a bureaucracy as 'a vast machine that grinds slowly, gears meshing, paper flowing endlessly through its chambers.' This is:

    • an extended metaphor structuring the reader's view of the institution
    • a simple simile
    • understatement
    • a rhetorical question

    The single machine comparison is developed across the sentence to shape perception.

  4. 'I came, I saw, I conquered' omits conjunctions to produce:

    • asyndeton, a clipped, forceful rhythm suggesting swift, decisive action
    • polysyndeton
    • anaphora
    • antithesis

    Dropping 'and' quickens the pace and conveys efficiency.

  5. 'And the rain fell and the river rose and the fields flooded and the roads closed' uses:

    • polysyndeton to create a sense of relentless accumulation
    • asyndeton
    • chiasmus
    • litotes

    Repeated 'and' slows the reader and stacks up the consequences.

  6. A speaker refers to a modern political struggle as 'our generation's Valley Forge.' This allusion works by:

    • transferring the endurance and eventual triumph associated with Valley Forge to the present cause
    • providing statistical support
    • conceding the opposing view
    • defining a key term

    Allusion imports the emotional and historical weight of its source.

  7. A columnist asks, 'How many more reports must we ignore before we act?' The rhetorical question functions to:

    • press the audience toward the conclusion that action is overdue
    • genuinely request a number
    • introduce a source
    • concede a point

    The implied answer ('none more') advances the argument.

  8. 'It was not a small setback' is an example of:

    • litotes - understatement by negation, which can add dry emphasis
    • hyperbole
    • a simile
    • anaphora

    Litotes affirms by denying the contrary, often with an ironic or measured effect.

  9. A writer calls a corporate apology 'a masterclass in saying sorry without meaning it.' The device is:

    • verbal irony (sarcasm), which conveys criticism through apparent praise
    • a straightforward compliment
    • an analogy
    • a concession

    The literal praise signals its opposite to the reader.

  10. 'Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more' uses:

    • antithesis - contrasting ideas in parallel structure
    • anaphora
    • asyndeton
    • allusion

    The balanced clauses set 'loved Caesar less' against 'loved Rome more'.

  11. After naming a passage's use of alliteration, the analysis is incomplete until it explains:

    • how the sound pattern draws attention to those words and supports the tone or point
    • how many times it occurs
    • the dictionary meaning of each word
    • the writer's biography

    Device identification must be followed by analysis of effect.

Unit 4: Style: Diction, Syntax & Tone (10)

  1. A writer describing a politician chooses words like 'shrewd,' 'calculating,' and 'relentless.' The diction primarily conveys:

    • a wary, somewhat critical attitude toward the subject
    • open admiration
    • neutral reporting
    • affectionate humor

    Connotations of the word choices shape the reader's judgment.

  2. A paragraph of long, clause-heavy sentences is followed by: 'It failed.' The syntactic contrast functions to:

    • deliver the conclusion with blunt emphasis after elaborate build-up
    • confuse the reader
    • signal a quotation
    • introduce a counterargument

    The short sentence lands harder because of what precedes it.

  3. A memoirist writes: 'The kitchen, small and yellow, its window fogged with steam, its table scarred by decades of homework and spilled coffee...' This cumulative sentence:

    • leads with the main image, then piles on modifying detail to build a rich impression
    • withholds the main clause for suspense
    • joins two independent clauses
    • omits all conjunctions for speed

    A loose/cumulative sentence states the core first and accumulates description.

  4. 'Only after the votes were counted, the challenges dismissed, and the concession delivered did the result feel real.' This periodic sentence:

    • delays the main clause to build suspense and emphasize the moment of finality
    • states its point immediately
    • contains a comma splice
    • uses no subordination

    The main clause ('did the result feel real') arrives last.

  5. A writer's tone toward a new technology is best labeled:

    • cautiously optimistic
    • good
    • emotional
    • interesting

    Precise tone words name a specific attitude, not a vague quality.

  6. An author describing urban decay lingers on 'boarded windows,' 'weeds in the sidewalk cracks,' and 'a single working streetlight.' The selection of detail:

    • builds an argument about neglect without stating it outright
    • is random and carries no meaning
    • establishes the writer's credentials
    • provides a counterargument

    Choosing what to show is itself persuasive.

  7. A passage shifts from first person ('I remember') to second person ('you would have seen'). The shift in point of view most likely aims to:

    • draw the reader into the scene and generalize the experience
    • cite a source
    • concede a point
    • establish kairos

    Addressing 'you' invites the reader to share the writer's perspective.

  8. A writer repeatedly uses hedging phrases ('perhaps,' 'it may be,' 'one could argue'). The cumulative effect on tone is:

    • tentative and exploratory
    • confident and assertive
    • angry
    • celebratory

    Consistent hedging signals caution and open-endedness.

  9. 'Denotation' and 'connotation' differ in that connotation involves:

    • the associations and emotional coloring a word carries
    • the word's part of speech
    • the sentence's length
    • the paragraph's position

    Two words with the same denotation (e.g. 'thrifty' vs. 'stingy') can carry opposite connotations.

  10. Choosing 'crowd' in one sentence and 'mob' in the next, for the same group, signals:

    • a deliberate shift in the writer's attitude toward the group
    • a grammatical error
    • a citation
    • a concession

    The connotative jump from neutral to threatening is a rhetorical move.

Unit 5: Claims, Evidence & Commentary (10)

  1. 'The city should expand bus service' is a claim of:

    • policy
    • fact
    • value
    • definition

    It advocates a specific action.

  2. 'The current bus system leaves 40 percent of residents more than a mile from a stop' is a claim of:

    • fact
    • value
    • policy
    • cause

    It asserts something verifiably true or false.

  3. Which sentence is commentary, not summary?

    • That gap matters because the underserved areas are exactly where car ownership is lowest.
    • The report says 40 percent of residents live far from a stop.
    • The passage cites a transit study.
    • The author lists three neighborhoods.

    Commentary explains the significance of the evidence for the claim.

  4. A student writes: 'Public libraries are essential. They have books, computers, and meeting rooms.' The main weakness is:

    • the support lists features but never connects them to why libraries are essential
    • the claim is not arguable
    • there is no evidence at all
    • the tone is too formal

    The evidence is not developed into reasoning that proves the claim.

  5. Adding 'in cities with existing rail infrastructure' to a claim about transit funding is an example of:

    • qualifying the claim to fit the evidence
    • conceding the argument
    • a logical fallacy
    • a citation

    The qualifier limits the claim's scope to where support is strong.

  6. A writer supports a broad claim about teen reading habits with one interview of a single student. The evidence is best described as:

    • relevant but insufficient
    • irrelevant
    • sufficient and representative
    • a fallacy of relevance

    One case cannot establish a general trend.

  7. 'This policy is unjust' is a claim of:

    • value
    • fact
    • policy
    • cause and effect

    It renders a moral judgment.

  8. A 'line of reasoning' is visible in an essay when:

    • each paragraph's point clearly follows from the last and builds toward the thesis
    • every paragraph has a quotation
    • the thesis is repeated often
    • transitions appear frequently

    It is the logical spine connecting claims and evidence.

  9. An author presents survey results but omits that the survey was conducted only among the policy's supporters. This is a failure of:

    • sufficiency and fairness (the sample is biased)
    • relevance
    • citation format
    • tone

    The evidence is skewed and therefore inadequate to support a general claim.

  10. Which is the strongest commentary sentence after quoting a statistic about wage growth?

    • The figure undercuts the claim of broad prosperity because it excludes part-time workers, who make up most of the low-wage group.
    • The author provides a statistic about wage growth.
    • Wage growth is an important economic measure.
    • This is the second statistic in the passage.

    It interprets what the statistic means for the argument and notes a limitation.

Unit 6: Organization, Structure & Counterargument (10)

  1. Which is the most effective thesis for an argument about a phone ban in schools?

    • A daytime phone ban improves focus, but schools must pair it with clear emergency procedures to earn parents' trust.
    • Phones are a big issue in schools today.
    • This essay will discuss phones in schools.
    • Everyone knows phones are distracting.

    It is specific, arguable, and previews a qualified line of reasoning.

  2. A body paragraph that opens by restating the thesis verbatim most likely:

    • fails to advance a distinct sub-claim
    • is well organized
    • provides strong evidence
    • uses effective transitions

    Each paragraph should make its own point in service of the thesis.

  3. 'Critics worry about equity. That concern is fair: rural students may lack home internet. But the district's loaner program addresses it directly.' This sequence is:

    • concede-then-counter
    • a straw man
    • circular reasoning
    • an appeal to authority

    It grants the point, then limits its force.

  4. A paragraph begins each sentence with new, unexplained information and never links back to prior sentences. The likely problem is:

    • weak coherence - it violates the given-new pattern
    • a comma splice
    • a false dilemma
    • an inappropriate tone

    Readers lose the thread when sentences do not connect known to new.

  5. An essay is organized: history of the problem, current situation, proposed fix. This is primarily:

    • a problem-solution arrangement with a chronological lead-in
    • comparison-contrast
    • climactic order
    • cause and effect only

    The structure names a problem and argues toward a response.

  6. The transition 'however' is misused when it:

    • connects two statements that do not actually contrast
    • begins a paragraph
    • introduces a concession
    • links a cause to an effect

    Transitions must accurately name the logical relationship.

  7. A conclusion that only restates the introduction in new words:

    • misses the chance to extend the argument's significance
    • is ideal for a timed essay
    • adds necessary evidence
    • introduces the counterargument

    A strong close answers 'so what?' and conveys the stakes.

  8. 'This raises a further question' is unclear if:

    • 'this' has no clear referent in the preceding sentences
    • it appears in the conclusion
    • it is followed by a question
    • the paragraph is short

    Pointing words need an unambiguous antecedent.

  9. Arranging supporting points from least to most persuasive uses:

    • climactic order, so the essay ends on its strongest note
    • chronological order
    • comparison-contrast
    • spatial order

    Building to the strongest point leaves the reader with the best case.

  10. Repeating the phrase 'shared responsibility' in each body paragraph of an argument essay most likely serves to:

    • keep the unifying idea visible and reinforce coherence
    • pad the length
    • vary the vocabulary
    • establish the counterargument

    Consistent key terms thread the argument together.

Unit 7: The Synthesis Essay (8)

  1. A synthesis essay that devotes one paragraph each to summarizing Source A, then B, then C, then states an opinion, has fallen into:

    • the summary trap - it does not organize around the writer's own claims
    • over-quotation
    • citing too few sources
    • an informal tone

    Synthesis must subordinate sources to the writer's line of reasoning.

  2. Two sources on museum funding disagree. The best synthesis move is to:

    • use one source to complicate or answer the other within a paragraph built on your claim
    • pick the source you like and ignore the other
    • summarize both and let the reader decide
    • note that they disagree and move on

    Disagreement between sources can advance your argument.

  3. 'Source C notes that attendance rose 20 percent after admission fees were dropped' is an example of:

    • a signal phrase integrating the source into the sentence
    • a parenthetical citation
    • a dropped quotation
    • a block quotation

    The source is named within the sentence that presents its idea.

  4. A defensible synthesis thesis on a curfew prompt might be:

    • Curfews can reduce certain nighttime offenses, but only when paired with youth programs that address the underlying causes.
    • Curfews are a complicated topic.
    • This essay examines several sources on curfews.
    • Curfews are always wrong.

    It stakes an arguable, qualified position the sources can support.

  5. In a synthesis essay, dropping in a long quotation with no introduction or follow-up analysis:

    • weakens the paragraph because the source is not doing visible work in the argument
    • is acceptable if the quotation is from a strong source
    • improves the essay's sophistication
    • satisfies the citation requirement automatically

    Quotations must be framed and explained.

  6. Organizing a synthesis essay 'by your claims' means each body paragraph:

    • advances one of your sub-points, bringing in whichever sources support it
    • covers exactly one source
    • alternates between two sources
    • follows the order the sources appear in the packet

    Your argument provides the structure; sources are evidence.

  7. The AP synthesis prompt's requirement to cite at least three sources means:

    • at least three of the provided sources must be used as evidence in the argument
    • exactly three quotations are required
    • three sources must be summarized
    • the essay must have three body paragraphs

    Three or more sources must genuinely support the writer's claims.

  8. A synthesis body paragraph that uses Source A for a statistic, then Source D to explain a cause behind it, demonstrates:

    • sources working together to build one of the writer's points
    • the summary trap
    • over-reliance on quotation
    • a lack of a thesis

    Combining sources to support a single claim is effective synthesis.

Unit 8: The Rhetorical Analysis Essay (8)

  1. A rhetorical analysis thesis that reads 'Douglass uses ethos, pathos, and logos to argue against slavery' is weak because it:

    • lists appeals without claiming what Douglass does or to what effect
    • is too specific
    • includes a counterargument
    • names the wrong appeals

    It is a checklist, not an arguable claim about the rhetorical strategy.

  2. A stronger version of that thesis would:

    • state how Douglass builds authority and moral urgency to make complacency untenable for his audience
    • name two more devices
    • summarize the speech's content
    • give Douglass's biography

    It names the moves and the intended effect on the audience.

  3. In analyzing a passage, writing 'The author uses a metaphor: "a river of debt."' and moving on is:

    • device-dropping - it lacks analysis of the metaphor's effect
    • sufficient analysis
    • a thesis statement
    • a concession

    The analysis must explain what the comparison does for the argument.

  4. A passage moves from a somber recounting of losses to a determined call for reform. The best analytical move is to:

    • identify the tonal shift and explain how it repositions the audience from grief toward action
    • label the whole passage 'emotional'
    • note only the first tone
    • ignore the shift as a distraction

    Tonal shifts usually mark a turn in the argument's strategy.

  5. For a 40-minute rhetorical analysis essay, a student who identifies eight devices in the introduction and analyzes none in depth will most likely:

    • score lower than a student who analyzes three choices thoroughly
    • score higher for thoroughness
    • earn full marks for coverage
    • fail to address the prompt entirely

    The rubric rewards developed analysis over lists.

  6. A defensible claim about a writer's choice is one that:

    • a reasonable reader could dispute and that requires textual support
    • restates an obvious fact about the passage
    • expresses the analyst's opinion of the topic
    • summarizes the passage's argument

    Analysis makes an arguable claim about how the text works.

  7. Analyzing the effect of short, declarative sentences in a passage means explaining that they:

    • create emphasis, urgency, or certainty appropriate to the writer's purpose
    • are grammatically correct
    • contain no subordinate clauses
    • appear near the end

    Connect the syntactic pattern to the rhetorical effect.

  8. A body paragraph in a rhetorical analysis that quotes the passage but never explains the quotation's function:

    • provides evidence without analysis, the most common weakness
    • is a model paragraph
    • establishes the thesis
    • concedes a point

    Claim-evidence-analysis all need to be present.

Unit 9: The Argument Essay (8)

  1. An argument essay that offers eight brief historical examples with a sentence each will most likely:

    • score lower than one that develops two examples with analysis
    • score higher for breadth
    • earn sophistication points automatically
    • fail to state a thesis

    Development and reasoning outweigh the number of examples.

  2. The clearest sign of a strong 'line of reasoning' in an argument essay is that:

    • each paragraph visibly advances the thesis in a logical order
    • the essay has an introduction and conclusion
    • every claim has a quotation
    • the prompt is restated in each paragraph

    The reader can trace how the argument builds.

  3. 'While stricter licensing would inconvenience some hobbyists, the safety gains for the public outweigh that cost.' This sentence:

    • concedes a point, then counters it, strengthening the writer's ethos
    • commits a false dilemma
    • is circular
    • avoids taking a position

    Concede-then-counter shows fairness before limiting the concession.

  4. Refutation in an argument essay:

    • directly answers an opposing argument and explains why it fails
    • grants that the opposing view is partly right
    • summarizes the opposing view without responding
    • is the same as a concession

    Refutation contests the opposing claim rather than yielding to it.

  5. A thesis such as 'Standardized tests measure some skills well but distort teaching when overused' is preferable to 'Standardized tests are bad' because it:

    • is nuanced and defensible, supporting a stronger line of reasoning
    • uses more advanced vocabulary
    • is longer
    • avoids controversy

    Qualified, specific claims support better argumentation and can earn sophistication.

  6. 'Sophistication' on the AP rubric is most likely earned by:

    • placing the argument in a broader context or grappling with its complications
    • writing a longer essay
    • using rhetorical questions
    • citing famous authors

    Nuance, tension, and a compelling 'so what' signal sophisticated thought.

  7. Ending an argument essay with 'Ultimately, how we regulate this technology will shape what kind of public square we have' is effective because it:

    • answers 'so what?' by naming the larger stakes
    • introduces a new claim needing support
    • restates the thesis word for word
    • concedes the opposing view

    A strong conclusion conveys why the argument matters.

  8. A writer who anticipates the strongest objection and answers it before the reader raises it is:

    • strengthening the argument by pre-empting refutation
    • committing a straw man
    • conceding the debate
    • padding the essay

    Addressing the best counterargument builds credibility and a tighter case.

Unit 10: Grammar, Conventions & Multiple-Choice Strategy (10)

  1. Which sentence contains a comma splice?

    • The evidence was thin, the conclusion was bold.
    • The evidence was thin, but the conclusion was bold.
    • Although the evidence was thin, the conclusion was bold.
    • The evidence was thin; the conclusion was bold.

    Two independent clauses joined by only a comma is a splice.

  2. Which choice corrects 'She enjoys reading, to write, and painting.'?

    • She enjoys reading, writing, and painting.
    • She enjoys to read, to write, and to paint, all of them.
    • She enjoys reading and to write and painting.
    • She enjoys reading, writing, and to paint.

    Parallel structure requires the items to match in form.

  3. 'The panel published its findings' is correct because 'panel' is:

    • a collective noun treated as singular in formal American usage
    • plural
    • a proper noun
    • an indefinite pronoun

    Collective nouns take singular verbs and pronouns in standard American English when acting as a unit.

  4. Which uses a colon correctly?

    • The recipe needs three things: flour, water, and salt.
    • The recipe needs: flour, water, and salt.
    • The recipe needs three things; flour, water, and salt.
    • The recipe: needs flour, water, and salt.

    A colon follows a complete independent clause and introduces the list.

  5. On an MC revision item, the answer 'in the event that' should usually be replaced with:

    • 'if'
    • 'in cases where it may be that'
    • 'should it come to pass that'
    • 'on the occasion of'

    Concise diction is preferred; 'if' does the work.

  6. Which is the most concise version?

    • The committee will vote tomorrow.
    • The committee is going to be holding a vote tomorrow.
    • A vote will be held by the committee on the day of tomorrow.
    • It is expected that a vote will be conducted tomorrow by the committee.

    The shortest option that preserves meaning is best.

  7. A semicolon is used correctly in:

    • The trial ended; the verdict surprised no one.
    • The trial ended; and the verdict surprised no one.
    • The trial ended; a swift verdict.
    • The trial ended; because the evidence was clear.

    A semicolon joins two independent clauses without a conjunction.

  8. On an MC reading question, if two answers seem plausible, the best tiebreaker is to:

    • check each against the exact wording and context of the passage
    • choose the more general one
    • choose the longer one
    • choose the one that matches common knowledge

    The correct answer must be supported by the text itself.

  9. 'The reason the plan failed is because the funding fell through' should be revised to:

    • The plan failed because the funding fell through.
    • The reason for the plan's failure is because of funding.
    • The plan failed due to the reason that funding fell through.
    • Because of the reason of funding, the plan failed.

    'The reason ... is because' is redundant; use 'because' alone.

  10. Which sentence best fixes the dangling modifier in 'Walking into the room, the tension was obvious.'?

    • Walking into the room, I felt the tension immediately.
    • Walking into the room, the tension that was there was obvious.
    • The tension, walking into the room, was obvious.
    • Obvious was the tension walking into the room.

    The modifier must attach to a person who can walk, not to 'the tension'.

Unit 11: GrAmSS (48)

  1. A student writes: 'Poe's "vacant eye-like windows" show anthropomorphism.' What is the best correction?

    • It is personification, because the house is an inanimate object
    • It is anthropomorphism, because windows are living parts of a house
    • It is a simile, because it compares windows to eyes using the word “like”
    • It is dialect, because it reflects the speech of the region

    Anthropomorphism gives living beings (animals) human traits; personification gives objects human traits.

  2. Which best explains why the "Haunted Palace" poem matters to Usher's plot?

    • It allegorically previews Roderick's mental collapse and the house's fall
    • It proves that the narrator has been lying about what he really saw
    • It moves the story to a new setting that explains the ending
    • It provides a joke that lightens the gloomy mood for the reader

    The palace once ruled by Thought overrun by evil parallels Roderick's mind and the family's ruin.

  3. How does the "Mad Trist" scene function as foreshadowing?

    • The noises described in the romance echo sounds that reveal Madeline's return
    • It states the ending of the story outright before it actually happens
    • It introduces Roderick's parents and the family's dark old secrets
    • It describes the tarn and the fissure in the house's front wall

    Sounds in the tale coincide with real sounds, foreshadowing the climax.

  4. Which claim best states Twain's likely purpose in "Baker's Bluejay Yarn"?

    • To use a comic animal tale to poke fun at human foolishness and pride
    • To teach readers how to train and care for wild birds in the mountains
    • To honor the soldiers of the Union army after the war ended
    • To record the climate and the weather of California mining country

    Anthropomorphized jays mirror human behavior, so the humor works as social commentary.

  5. What makes Baker's dialect an effective indirect characterization?

    • His speech patterns and confident exaggeration reveal a folksy, sincere, tall-tale-telling personality
    • It tells readers his exact age, his birthplace and a good deal about his life before he came to the mines
    • It gives a full biography of his years in the East, before he came west to live alone in the mountains
    • It proves that he is really a bluejay in disguise, telling the story of his own kind in a human voice

    Indirect characterization works through speech and behavior.

  6. Which pairing correctly matches an allusion in "Young Goodman Brown" with its effect?

    • The serpent-like staff alluding to the serpent in Eden; it marks the traveler as the devil and raises the moral stakes
    • The pink ribbons alluding to a Greek myth; it shows the story is set in ancient Athens and long ago and far away
    • The forest alluding to a Shakespeare play; it makes the story a comedy and lightens the mood for the audience
    • The minister alluding to Mark Twain; it shows the year in which the story was actually written and printed

    The staff is a Biblical allusion tied to evil and temptation.

  7. Which statement best captures Hawthorne's take on the Puritans in this story?

    • Their public piety hides hypocrisy and harshness, and doubt can poison a whole life
    • They were the perfect model of virtue for every later generation
    • They were carefree and adventurous people who loved a good story
    • They were concerned mainly with trade and the price of goods in town

    Everyone Brown respects appears at the forest meeting, and Brown's life becomes bleak afterward.

  8. Why is the ambiguity (dream or reality?) important to the theme of "Young Goodman Brown"?

    • It shows that suspicion alone can destroy trust, whether or not the events were real
    • It proves that Brown made everything up in order to win attention
    • It turns the story into a comedy about a foolish and frightened husband
    • It is a printing error that later editors of the story corrected

    Brown's changed life matters more than whether the evidence was real.

  9. Which claim about "Rip Van Winkle" combines characterization and time period effectively?

    • Rip's easygoing idleness and the changed village let Irving suggest the new nation has traded a gentle old order for noisy politics
    • Rip is a scientist who studies the geology of the mountains he climbs, and finds that his research has gone out of date
    • Rip is a soldier who wins a battle in the war and is rewarded with a large farm in the valley for his bravery
    • Rip discovers gold in the mountains and returns to a village that has changed around him, richer than anyone there

    Tie characterization to the time change to state a purpose.

  10. Which is the strongest topic sentence for a paragraph on Irving's characterization of Dame Van Winkle?

    • Irving's harsh diction like "termagant" and "virago" leads readers to sympathize with Rip and to see Dame as an obstacle.
    • Dame Van Winkle is a character who appears often in Irving's story about the mountains and the village below them.
    • In the story, Irving includes a wife for the main character, a man named Rip who lives in the Hudson valley.
    • Irving wrote the story in England in 1819 while he was visiting his relatives there and working on new sketches.

    A strong claim names the device, the language, and the effect on the reader.

  11. A response to "The Eve of St. Agnes" says the cold opening and cold closing make the lovers' warmth feel fragile. This is analysis of:

    • Mood built through imagery and structure
    • Dialect spelling used to show the region of the speakers
    • A rhetorical fallacy that weakens the poem's argument
    • An allusion to a story by Mark Twain

    Cold-to-warm-to-cold framing shapes the reader's feeling.

  12. Emerson's materialist versus transcendentalist contrast is most useful for connecting to which story theme?

    • Individual intuition and imagination versus social facts and circumstances
    • The weather of New England and its effect on the crops of local farmers
    • The history of clocks and their role in the growth of industry
    • The costume design and dress of the Puritan settlers in Salem

    It ties directly to Romantic and Transcendental ideas about the mind.

  13. A student summarizes: 'Poe uses the House of Usher to show...' Which finishes the claim with analysis rather than plot?

    • …how a decaying mansion, described in gloomy imagery, mirrors and magnifies the collapse of Roderick's mind
    • …what happens on each page as the narrator rides up to the house, goes in and meets his friend Roderick
    • …that a man visits an old friend during the autumn and stays with him for some days in a lonely house
    • …that there was a fall of some kind at the end of the story and that the house was badly damaged by it

    Analysis links a device to meaning.

  14. Which pairing of author and dominant tone is most defensible for the GrAmSS selections?

    • Twain: humorous and satirical; Poe: dark and Gothic
    • Twain: solemn and preachy; Poe: light and playful
    • Twain: Gothic and ominous; Poe: comic and cheerful
    • Twain: mournful and grave; Poe: warm and cheerful

    Twain's yarn is comic and mocking; Poe's story is Gothic and ominous.

  15. Which thesis about “Rip Van Winkle” best combines characterization and historical context?

    • Irving's affectionate portrait of an idle, henpecked Rip against a village transformed by the Revolution suggests a nation changing faster than its people can follow
    • Rip Van Winkle is a story about a man who sleeps for a very long time in the woods and wakes up an older man and a bit confused about it
    • Irving wrote about the Revolution because he was born during it and named for Washington, and he wanted to honor the general in his writing
    • Dame Van Winkle is the more admirable and hard-working character in the story, and Irving means for readers to side with her against her husband

    A strong thesis names devices and purpose; the wrong choices are summary or trivia.

  16. Which line from Baker's yarn best supports the claim that the jay behaves like a frustrated human?

    • “Then he begun to get mad ... and he broke loose and cussed himself black in the face.”
    • “Animals talk to each other, of course. There can be no question about that.”
    • “He was a middle-aged, simple-hearted miner who had lived in a lonely corner.”
    • “There stands his house, been empty ever since; a log house with a plank roof.”

    The jay's anger and swearing are the clearest human behavior.

  17. Which explains why Twain's use of Baker's voice makes the tall tale funnier?

    • Baker's earnest, dialect-heavy certainty contrasts with the ridiculous story, so the reader laughs at both the jay and the teller
    • Baker openly announces at the start of his tale that it is only a joke to be enjoyed, so readers know when to laugh at it
    • Baker uses formal academic language that makes the story sound scientific and true, so the humor comes from its careful proof
    • Baker refuses to describe the jay's feelings, leaving the readers to guess what he feels, and so the story is left a mystery

    Juxtaposition of a serious tone and a silly tale creates humor.

  18. In “Young Goodman Brown”, the traveler says the governor and the deacons "have drunk the communion wine with me". This detail most strongly develops which idea?

    • Evil and hypocrisy are hidden within respected Puritan leaders
    • The traveler is a wine merchant who sells to the churches in the region
    • The Puritans of New England have an extensive network of trade and business
    • Brown has a poor memory and cannot recall who his neighbors and friends are

    It suggests the whole community is corrupted.

  19. Brown's wife is named Faith and he cries “My Faith is gone!” This double meaning is an example of

    • Wordplay that turns a person into a symbol of religious belief
    • Onomatopoeia that imitates the sound of a person's voice
    • Foreshadowing of a wedding that will take place later
    • Dialect spelling that shows how Salem villagers spoke

    "Faith" refers to both his wife and his belief.

  20. Which explains how “The Haunted Palace” functions in Usher?

    • It is an allegory in which the palace stands for Roderick's mind, previewing its ruin
    • It is a song about a real castle that once stood beside the tarn
    • It is a comic interlude that lightens the story's gloomy mood for readers
    • It reveals the narrator's own family history and its hidden secrets

    The palace once ruled by Thought overrun by evil parallels Roderick's mental collapse.

  21. Which best explains why Poe includes the Mad Trist read aloud by the narrator?

    • The sounds it describes seem to echo and cause events in the house, heightening suspense and blurring fiction and reality
    • It introduces a new setting that carries the story on to its ending after the storm has passed over the old house
    • It corrects Roderick's mistaken belief about the tarn and the cracked walls of the house that he has feared for years
    • It reveals that the narrator wrote the entire story himself as a private diary of his stay in a lonely house by the tarn

    The inset romance builds the climax.

  22. Which explains the effect of Keats's Spenserian stanza with its longer final line?

    • The extended last line slows the rhythm and gives each stanza a sense of closure or emphasis
    • The extended last line turns the whole poem into a comedy with a comic ending
    • The extended last line removes the need for vivid imagery in each stanza
    • The extended last line shows that the speaker is angry with the lovers

    The final alexandrine adds weight.

  23. A student claims, “Keats uses cold imagery at the beginning and end to show that love is fragile against time and death.” Which evidence best supports this?

    • The Beadsman's frozen breath at the start and his sleeping “among his ashes cold” at the end
    • The names of the lovers, Madeline and Porphyro, and their family feud at the start of the poem
    • The description of the feast's fruits and sweets laid out in the warm chamber for Madeline
    • The lute's Provencal song that wakes Madeline in the middle of the night before the flight

    Cold bookends the warm love story.

  24. Which claim about Emerson's excerpt is best supported by the text?

    • It presents the idealist as valuing consciousness over society, government, labor and property except as symbols of truth
    • It says that government is the highest good that a person can serve in this world, above every other duty and desire
    • It says nothing about consciousness and focuses only on the beauty of nature and the changes of the seasons in the country
    • It praises luxury and social art above every other value that a person can hold, and treats the mind as a lesser thing

    The idealist "does not respect labor ... property" otherwise than as a symbol.

  25. How does Adams' phrase “regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position” shape his definition of the American Dream?

    • It stresses equality of opportunity based on ability, not on family status
    • It makes the dream depend mostly on luck and chance, not on effort
    • It excludes people who lack money or education from the promise of the dream
    • It equates the dream with the special privileges of an aristocracy

    Fortuitous means by chance; birth and position should not decide a person's fate.

  26. Which BEST distinguishes anthropomorphism from personification using two examples from the unit?

    • Baker's talking bluejays are anthropomorphism (living creatures); Usher's “eye-like windows” are personification (an object)
    • Baker's jays are personification (a bird as a person); Usher's windows are anthropomorphism (a thing as a person)
    • Both the jays and the windows are examples of anthropomorphism, as both are given human traits by their authors
    • Both the jays and the windows are examples of personification, as both are things of nature that seem to act like people

    Anthropomorphism is for living beings such as animals; personification is for inanimate objects.

  27. Which best explains the effect of Irving's historical frame (Diedrich Knickerbocker's papers)?

    • It adds a playful, faux-historical authority that invites readers to enjoy the tale while smiling at the idea of history
    • It proves that the story is nonfiction taken from real historical records kept by the Dutch settlers of the valley
    • It removes the need for any narrator to tell the story to the reader, since the papers speak for themselves
    • It warns readers to avoid fantasy and to stay with facts about the past, since fiction cannot teach the truth

    The fake historian frame is part of Irving's satire.

  28. Which sentence best states the purpose of Hawthorne's Salem forest setting?

    • The darkness and unknown woods symbolize moral testing, where hidden sin can be seen and trust is lost
    • The forest is simply a place where the villagers of Salem go to hunt for game and to gather firewood in the fall
    • The forest proves that Brown is an experienced woodsman who knows every path and hidden trail in the whole colony
    • The forest shows the trade routes that the colony used to reach the coast and the towns along the river in those years

    Setting works as symbol in Hawthorne's allegory.

  29. Which set correctly matches title to author to genre or form?

    • “Baker's Bluejay Yarn” - Twain - tall tale
    • “The Eve of St. Agnes” - Irving - short story
    • “Young Goodman Brown” - Poe - narrative poem
    • “The Fall of the House of Usher” - Keats - essay

    Twain's yarn is a tall tale; Keats's is a narrative poem; Poe's Usher is Gothic; Hawthorne's story is allegory.

  30. A student chooses to annotate “A tart temper never mellows with age” in Irving's description of Dame. Which annotation is the strongest?

    • It compares her scolding to something that never softens, reinforcing the sympathetic reading of Rip
    • It rhymes, which makes the line easy to memorize and repeat to a friend when studying
    • It is a complete sentence, which makes it a good quotation to put in a paper and a good sample of Irving's prose
    • It contains a verb, so it shows action in the story, which moves the plot forward and gives the reader something to watch

    Strong annotation names the device or effect and the purpose.

  31. All of the following are ways Poe builds mood in Usher's opening paragraph EXCEPT

    • Snappy dialogue between two friends
    • Gloomy weather imagery
    • Dark, heavy diction such as "dreary" and "melancholy"
    • The narrator's dread on first sight of the house

    The opening is descriptive narration, not dialogue.

  32. All of the following are ways Twain characterizes Jim Baker EXCEPT

    • By having the narrator state, "Baker was a coward"
    • Through the folksy dialect of his own speech
    • Through his confident claims about what jays can do
    • Through his stories about acorns and cabin roofs

    Baker is characterized through his speech and stories.

  33. Which best states the relationship between “The Eve of St. Agnes” and “The Fall of the House of Usher”?

    • Both use inset texts, romance and mood to explore love, decay and the power of imagination
    • They share the same characters and settings, but in different years of the story
    • Both are comedies set in a small village and told in a playful, light style
    • Neither is a Romantic work, since both reject emotion, nature and imagination

    Both are Romantic works about love, dreams, decay and the fall of a great house.

  34. Which sequence best shows Brown's changing attitude in “Young Goodman Brown”?

    • Confident resolve to go on his errand; growing doubt; shattering of faith; lifelong distrust
    • Lifelong distrust; confident resolve to go on his errand; growing doubt; a lasting peace
    • A lasting peace; lifelong distrust; confident resolve to go on his errand; growing doubt
    • Growing doubt; a lasting peace; confident resolve to go on his errand; lifelong distrust

    Brown is a dynamic character.

  35. Which best explains why Twain's frame (“Animals talk to each other, of course”) is significant?

    • It sets up the tall-tale premise and lets Twain distance himself while amusing the reader
    • It provides scientific proof that animals can speak to one another in language
    • It replaces the story of the jay with a lecture about the study of biology
    • It corrects Baker's grammar before the story about the jay begins

    The frame creates humor and irony.

  36. A student says the whole crowd of jays who each add a “leather-headed opinion” satirizes human behavior. This claim is best supported by which observation?

    • Twain compares the jays' arguing to “an average crowd of humans”
    • The jays fly south for the winter every year, as many birds do
    • The jays eat acorns and store them in trees for the winter months
    • The jays number five thousand at the cabin on that summer day

    Twain directly likens the jays to people.

  37. Which claim best combines Irving's characterization of Dame and Rip with his purpose? (pp. 34-38, 50)

    • By making Dame a termagant and Rip a beloved idler, Irving invites readers to laugh at domestic tyranny and to enjoy Rip's escape from it
    • Irving argues that all wives are tyrants and that a sensible man should avoid marriage altogether if he wants to be free of care
    • Irving proves that idleness makes Rip a hero of the Revolution and a model for others, who should follow him up into the hills
    • Irving shows that Dame Van Winkle is really a British spy who has been sent to watch Rip and to report on the village's plans

    Irving's ironic tone ("petticoat government") supports a humorous purpose.

  38. Which explains why the villagers call Rip a Tory? (p. 46)

    • His loyalty to the King marks him as out of step with the new republic he slept through
    • He works as an agent for the British army in the village and reports on the town
    • He hides a British flag in his house and refuses to remove it when asked
    • He demanded higher taxes at the inn on election day and made a scene

    The inn sign, flag and Federal/Democrat questions show the change.

  39. Which best explains the effect of the sign changing from George III to General Washington? (p. 45)

    • It symbolizes the shift from monarchy to republic in a single image while keeping the same face and setting
    • It shows that Rip needs glasses to read the new sign over the door of the inn, which has been repainted in blue and buff
    • It proves that the inn's owner was a soldier who fought in the war and has painted the sign himself in honor of his old general
    • It suggests that Rip has changed his own name while he was away on the mountain and no longer answers to the name Van Winkle

    The same portrait is "singularly metamorphosed" (p. 45).

  40. Which best explains why Hawthorne uses the phrase “Had Goodman Brown fallen asleep in the forest and only dreamed a wild dream? Be it so if you will”? (p. 68)

    • It leaves the events ambiguous so the reader focuses on the effects of doubt
    • It states that the forest events were certainly a dream, so nothing in them matters
    • It states that the forest events were certainly real, so the town is truly wicked
    • It reveals that the author himself was asleep while he was writing the story

    The ambiguity emphasizes Brown's changed life.

  41. The traveler says “I have a very general acquaintance here in New England.” This most strongly develops which idea? (p. 56)

    • The devil's reach extends to respected community leaders, suggesting hypocrisy at every level
    • The traveler is the governor of the colony in disguise, making his rounds of the towns to judge the mood of the people
    • The traveler is a merchant who trades with the towns of New England and knows a great many of the leading families there
    • The traveler is only seeking directions to Boston and is a bit lost in the woods, so he asks Brown to help him find the way

    He lists deacons, selectmen and members of the Great and General Court.

  42. Which of the following is the strongest evidence that Twain wants readers to see the jays as human? (pp. 137-138)

    • Baker says a jay can cry, laugh, feel shame, reason and plan, gossip and has a sense of humor
    • The jays build their nests in the tall trees of the forest above the cabin where Baker lives on his own
    • The jays eat acorns that they gather from the oaks around the clearing where the old empty cabin stands
    • The cabin has no ceiling between the rafters and the floor of the room, and one big room is all there is

    The direct list of human traits supports anthropomorphism.

  43. Which explains the comic effect of the jays' opinions about the hole? (p. 140)

    • Twain likens their arguments to an average crowd of humans, mocking human pomposity
    • The jays are completely silent as they look one by one into the hole in the roof
    • The jays disagree politely and take turns speaking in a calm and formal way
    • The jays copy Baker's speech and repeat his words back to him at the cabin

    The narrator compares the jays' "leather-headed opinions" to human opinions.

  44. Which best explains why Poe describes the house's reflection in the tarn as "remodeled and inverted" images? (p. 70)

    • The inverted reflection adds to the uncanny mood and foreshadows the house's fall into the tarn
    • It shows that the house is under construction by workers who are still building it
    • It proves that the tarn is dry in the summer and full of mud
    • It is a weather report about the way the clouds appear on the day

    The editors also call the inverted image in the tarn a deadly fateful image.

  45. Which best explains why the narrator of Usher reads the Mad Trist aloud? (p. 88)

    • He hopes the extremeness of the folly will relieve Roderick's excitement, but the story's noises seem to echo the house
    • He wants to cheer Madeline, who is recovering upstairs in her room, and hopes she will hear the tale through the wall
    • He wants to prove to Roderick that his fears are false and foolish by reading a story full of dragons and wild noise
    • He is practicing a performance that he plans to give at home in the spring, and has taken the old book down for the purpose

    He calls it a vague hope; the noises then match the story.

  46. According to the Introduction, which pairing of Poe and Hawthorne is most accurate?

    • Poe: single theatrical effect; Hawthorne: moral weight and the darkness of the soul
    • Poe: moral weight and depth of soul; Hawthorne: a single theatrical effect
    • Poe: humor and satire; Hawthorne: detective work and clues
    • Poe: local color and dialect; Hawthorne: impressionism and quick images

    The Introduction contrasts their darkness and their gifts.

  47. Which statement best links Twain's yarn to the Introduction's discussion of beast stories?

    • The yarn belongs to the old tradition of the beast fable revived in American local color and humor
    • The yarn is an example of Gothic horror in the style of Poe and his followers, with a ghostly setting and an ominous mood
    • The yarn is a detective story built on clues, reasoning and a final solution that reveals the truth about a crime in a cabin
    • The yarn is a Romantic ode that praises nature in elevated language and calls on the reader to admire the woods of the West

    The Introduction links it to Uncle Remus and Thurber's fables.

  48. Which best explains why Hawthorne opens The Scarlet Letter with "The Custom House" instead of starting the novel directly?

    • The found-manuscript frame lends the invented story authenticity and lets Hawthorne distance himself from it as merely an editor
    • It is required background information about how customs duties were collected in 1850s Massachusetts
    • It proves that Hester Prynne was a real historical figure whose records Hawthorne located
    • It has no real purpose and was added only to make the book physically longer

    Framing fiction as a discovered true document is a classic technique for verisimilitude; Hawthorne presents himself as merely retelling Pue's manuscript.

Term
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Unit 1: The Rhetorical Situation

SOAPSTone
A framework for analyzing a text's rhetorical situation: Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject, Tone.
Exigence
The specific problem, need, or urgency that makes a piece of writing necessary at that moment.
Purpose
What the writer wants the audience to think, feel, or do — always phrased as 'to ___.'
Constraints
Limits on a writer, such as word count, audience expectations, or what's appropriate for the occasion.
Kairos
The opportune moment: fitting the argument to the right time, audience, and circumstances.
Rhetorical triangle
The relationship among speaker (ethos), audience (pathos), and subject/message (logos).
Purpose (phrasing)
Always a verb phrase: 'to convince [specific audience] that/to ___.'
Audience analysis
Identifying the specific readers' values, assumptions, and knowledge so appeals can be aimed at them.

Unit 2: Rhetorical Appeals & Logical Fallacies

Ethos
An appeal to credibility and character — why the audience should trust the speaker.
Pathos
An appeal to emotion, designed to make the audience feel something that moves them toward the writer's position.
Logos
An appeal to logic and reason, using facts, statistics, and clear chains of reasoning.
Ad hominem
A logical fallacy that attacks the person making an argument instead of the argument itself.
Straw man
A logical fallacy that misrepresents an opponent's argument as weaker than it really is, then attacks that weak version.
False dilemma
A logical fallacy presenting only two options when more actually exist.
Ethos / pathos / logos
Appeals to the speaker's credibility, the audience's emotions, and logical reasoning, respectively.
False dilemma (either/or)
Presenting only two options when more exist.
Post hoc, ergo propter hoc
Assuming that because one event followed another, the first caused the second.
Hasty generalization
Drawing a broad conclusion from too little or unrepresentative evidence.
Appeal to authority
Citing an authority as support; a fallacy when the authority is irrelevant or offered as the sole proof.
Deductive vs. inductive reasoning
Deductive: general principle to specific conclusion. Inductive: specific cases to a general (provisional) claim.
Persona
The character a writer projects through language, tone, and stance - not the same as the real author.

Unit 3: Rhetorical Devices & Figurative Language

Anaphora
Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.
Antithesis
Placing two contrasting ideas in a parallel grammatical structure.
Juxtaposition
Placing two things side by side to highlight their differences.
Metaphor
A direct comparison between two unlike things, without using 'like' or 'as.'
Rhetorical question
A question asked for effect rather than to get a literal answer, leading the reader to a conclusion.
Epistrophe
Repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses.
Chiasmus
A reversal of grammatical structure in successive phrases ('ask not what... what you can do...').
Asyndeton
Omitting conjunctions between items in a list, speeding the pace ('I came, I saw, I conquered').
Polysyndeton
Repeating conjunctions between items ('and... and... and'), slowing the pace and adding weight.
Metaphor vs. simile
A metaphor states a comparison directly; a simile uses 'like' or 'as.'
Extended metaphor
A single comparison developed across multiple sentences or an entire passage.
Allusion
A brief reference to a known text, person, or event that imports its authority or emotion.
Litotes
Understatement by negating the opposite ('not a small problem'), often for dry emphasis.
Verbal irony
Saying the opposite of what is meant, expecting the audience to catch the gap; sarcasm is a pointed form.

Unit 4: Style: Diction, Syntax & Tone

Denotation
A word's literal, dictionary definition.
Connotation
The emotional association attached to a word, beyond its literal meaning.
Syntax
How a writer arranges words and constructs sentences — a rhetorical choice in itself.
Tone
The writer's attitude toward the subject, revealed through diction and syntax; it can shift within a passage.
Diction
A writer's word choice, including the connotations those words carry.
Denotation vs. connotation
Denotation is the literal meaning; connotation is the emotional or cultural association.
Tonal shift
A change in attitude within a text, often marked by 'but,' a paragraph break, or a change in sentence length; it signals a turn in the argument.
Periodic sentence
Withholds the main clause until the end, building suspense and emphasis.
Cumulative (loose) sentence
States the main clause first, then adds modifying phrases and detail.
Selection of detail
What a writer chooses to include or omit; itself a form of argument.
Imagery
Language that appeals to the senses, making an abstraction vivid and felt.

Unit 5: Claims, Evidence & Commentary

Claim of value
An argument that something is good, bad, right, or wrong.
Commentary
Analysis that explains WHY evidence matters and HOW it supports the argument — different from summary.
Line of reasoning
The logical thread connecting a thesis through each piece of evidence to a coherent overall argument.
Claim types
Fact (is it true?), value (is it good?), and policy (what should we do?).
Summary vs. commentary
Summary restates what the evidence says; commentary explains HOW it supports the claim.
Qualifying a claim
Narrowing a claim with words like 'often,' 'in most cases,' or a condition, so it fits the evidence.
Relevance vs. sufficiency
Relevant evidence bears on the exact claim; sufficient evidence is enough, and varied enough, to be credible.
Concession
Acknowledging that an opposing point has some merit without abandoning the thesis.

Unit 6: Organization, Structure & Counterargument

Thesis
A specific, arguable claim that someone could reasonably disagree with — the core of an essay's argument.
Concession
Acknowledging a valid point on the opposing side of an argument before pivoting back to your own position.
Rebuttal
Directly refuting an opposing point by explaining why it's flawed or less compelling.
Effective thesis
Specific and arguable; it previews a line of reasoning rather than stating an obvious truth.
Given-new principle
Begin a sentence with familiar information and end with the new point, to create flow.
Concede-then-counter
Grant an opposing point, then explain why it does not defeat the thesis ('While X is true, it does not follow that Y').
Transitions
Words that must name the logical relationship between ideas (however, therefore, for instance), not just decorate.
Modes of arrangement
Chronological, cause-effect, problem-solution, comparison-contrast, and climactic (order of importance).
Coherence
The quality of prose that guides the reader from idea to idea without gaps; aided by repeated key terms and clear referents.

Unit 7: The Synthesis Essay

Synthesis essay
An essay that develops the writer's own argument using at least three provided sources as support.
Source-by-source trap
Organizing a synthesis essay by summarizing each source in turn instead of by the writer's own claims — a major weakness.
Synthesis essay requirement
Build an argument using at least three of the provided sources as evidence, cited clearly.
The summary trap
Walking through sources one by one instead of organizing body paragraphs around your own claims.
Signal phrase vs. parenthetical citation
A signal phrase names the source in the sentence ('Source B argues'); a parenthetical puts it at the end ((Source B)).
Defensible thesis
A clear, arguable, often qualified position that the sources can be used to support.
Using disagreeing sources
Use one source to complicate or answer another within a paragraph built on your claim.

Unit 8: The Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Rhetorical analysis essay
An essay explaining HOW a writer builds their argument and its effect on the audience, not whether the reader agrees.
Device-to-effect move
The core rhetorical analysis skill: identify a specific choice, then explain its effect on the audience.
Rhetorical analysis focus
Explain HOW a writer argues and to what effect - not whether you agree with the argument.
Weak vs. strong analysis thesis
Weak: lists devices ('uses ethos, pathos, logos'). Strong: names what the writer does and to what end.
Device-dropping
Naming a strategy and quoting a line without explaining its effect on the audience and purpose.
Depth over breadth
On a timed essay, analyze 2-3 strategies thoroughly rather than listing many.
Claim-evidence-analysis
The core structure of a body paragraph: identify a choice, quote the text, explain the effect.

Unit 9: The Argument Essay

Argument essay
An essay defending the writer's own position on an issue using the writer's own knowledge, with no provided sources.
Sophistication
Demonstrating nuance, qualification, or broader implications in an argument — beyond a simple thesis-evidence structure.
Refutation vs. concession
Refutation directly answers an opposing argument and shows why it fails; concession grants it partial merit.
Evidence depth
One or two well-developed, analyzed examples usually score higher than many shallow ones.

Unit 10: Grammar, Conventions & Multiple-Choice Strategy

Comma splice
An error joining two independent clauses with only a comma; fix with a period, semicolon, or conjunction.
Sentence fragment
A group of words missing a subject, verb, or complete thought, unable to stand alone as a sentence.
Parallel structure
Items in a list or series sharing the same grammatical form.
Run-on sentence
Independent clauses joined with no punctuation or connector at all.
Colon vs. semicolon
A colon follows a complete clause and introduces an explanation or list; a semicolon joins two independent clauses.
MC writing questions
Usually reward the clearest and most concise option, not the longest or most formal.
Redundancy to cut
'past history,' 'end result,' 'the reason ... is because,' 'in order to' when 'to' works.
MC reading questions
Verify every answer choice against the exact wording and context of the passage.

Unit 11: GrAmSS

Unit 1 exam date and scope
Tuesday 10/6. Great American Short Stories, Literary Devices packet, nonfiction and handouts; only Hawthorne text is "Young Goodman Brown".
Romanticism
A movement reacting against Enlightenment rationalism that values emotion, imagination, nature, the individual, the past and the supernatural.
Neoclassicism / Enlightenment
The order-and-reason outlook (rationalism, restraint, science) that Romanticism pushed against.
Washington Irving
American Romantic author (1783-1859) of "Rip Van Winkle", first published in The Sketch Book under the pen name Geoffrey Crayon.
Diedrich Knickerbocker
The fictional historian whose papers frame "Rip Van Winkle" (Irving's playful fake-history device).
Rip Van Winkle: setting and time frame
A Dutch village in the Catskills; Rip sleeps 20 years from British rule under George III into the new American republic.
Dame Van Winkle
Rip's wife, characterized as a shrewish "termagant"/"virago"; Irving's language invites sympathy for Rip.
Wolf
Rip's dog and loyal companion, part of the sympathetic characterization of Rip as easygoing.
What Irving comments on through Rip's sleep
The changes from colony to independent nation: new flag, political arguing, and a village that no longer recognizes him.
The Eve of St. Agnes: legend
On St. Agnes' Eve (Jan 20), a young woman who follows the rituals may dream of her future husband.
The Eve of St. Agnes: main characters
Madeline (the dreamer), Porphyro (her lover from a hostile family), Angela (the old nurse), the Beadsman (opens and closes the poem).
Spenserian stanza
Nine-line stanza rhymed ABABBCBCC, eight lines of iambic pentameter then a longer last line; used throughout Keats's poem.
John Keats
English Romantic poet (1795-1821); wrote "The Eve of St. Agnes" in 1819 (published 1820).
Edgar Allan Poe
American Gothic and Romantic writer (1809-1849); "The Fall of the House of Usher" (1839).
Roderick Usher
The ill, hypersensitive host whose nerves and mind mirror the decaying house.
Madeline Usher
Roderick's twin sister; entombed while appearing dead; her return precedes the collapse.
House of Usher (double meaning)
Both the physical mansion and the family line; the fissure and collapse show the family's end.
"The Haunted Palace"
Poem inside Usher: a once-fair palace of Thought overrun by "evil things"; it mirrors Roderick's mind.
"Mad Trist" and Ethelred
The romance the narrator reads to Roderick; sounds in it echo real noises, foreshadowing Madeline's return.
Unity of effect
Poe's idea that every detail in a story should build one single emotional impact (in Usher, dread).
Gothic
Genre with gloomy settings, decay, madness, death and the supernatural; strong mood.
Mark Twain
Samuel Clemens (1835-1910); wrote "Baker's Bluejay Yarn" (1880), a humorous tall tale.
Yarn
A tale, especially a long story of adventure or incredible happenings, often exaggerated.
Jim Baker
A middle-aged, simple-hearted California miner who tells Twain that bluejays are the most human and best-talking animals.
Anthropomorphism
Giving animate (living) beings human characteristics, like Baker's talking, swearing bluejays.
Personification
Giving inanimate (nonliving) objects human characteristics, like the house's "eye-like windows".
Juxtaposition
Putting two things side by side for effect, such as Baker's earnest tone against a ridiculous tale.
The bluejay and the knothole
Baker's centerpiece: a jay drops acorns into a hole in a cabin roof that leads into an empty house; five thousand jays laugh when they see the acorns on the floor. Possible metaphor for foolish human effort.
Dialect
Writing that captures a region or group's speech; builds Baker's characterization and humor.
Nathaniel Hawthorne
American Dark Romantic (1804-1864); "Young Goodman Brown" (1835) is his only work on Unit 1.
Setting of "Young Goodman Brown"
Puritan Salem Village, Massachusetts; the story moves from town to the dark forest and back.
Faith (in "Young Goodman Brown")
Brown's wife and the loss of his religious faith; the pink ribbons are her symbol of innocence.
The traveler's staff
A staff shaped like a black serpent; a Biblical allusion to the serpent in Eden, marking the traveler as the devil.
Ambiguity in "Young Goodman Brown"
Hawthorne never confirms whether the forest meeting was a dream or real, leaving the theme of doubt and hypocrisy open.
Allusion
A brief, indirect reference to a person, place, text or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance; relies on the reader's knowledge.
Foreshadowing
Hints or clues about events that come later.
Symbol
An object, person or action that stands for a larger idea, like Faith's pink ribbons.
Allegory
A story in which characters, settings and events stand for moral, spiritual or political ideas.
Characterization: direct vs. indirect
Direct: the narrator states traits. Indirect: traits shown through actions, speech, thoughts, appearance and others' reactions.
Point of view
Who tells the story (first person, third limited, omniscient); shapes what we know and trust.
Mood vs. tone
Mood: the feeling created in the reader. Tone: the author's attitude toward the subject.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Leading Transcendentalist (1803-1882); the handout is from "The Transcendentalist".
Materialist vs. transcendentalist (Emerson)
Emerson excerpt: the materialist starts from the external world and respects society and social institutions; the idealist (transcendentalist) starts from consciousness and holds that "Mind is the only reality".
James Truslow Adams and the American Dream
Popularized the phrase in The Epic of America (1931): opportunity for each person according to ability, a fuller life for everyone, more than material wealth.
Pivotal question
An open-ended, text-based question that prompts discussion, not a recall question. Start: To what extent, In what ways, For what reasons, How is/does and why is it significant?
MOT routine
Underline evidence, circle the key word, label the mood, and annotate how the words work together.
Termagant
A violent, overbearing, quarrelsome woman; Irving's word for Dame Van Winkle.
Virago
A domineering, ill-tempered woman; another word Irving uses for Dame.
Insuperable aversion
An impossible-to-overcome strong dislike; Rip's attitude toward profitable labor.
Obsequious / conciliating
Obsequious: fawning, overly eager to please. Conciliating: trying to win over or calm.
Alacrity
Brisk, cheerful readiness or eagerness.
Rubicund
Ruddy; having a healthy reddish color.
Junto
A small group or faction, often political, that joins together in secret or for a shared aim.
Approbation
Approval or praise.
Akimbo
With hands on hips and elbows turned out.
Patrimonial
Inherited from one's father or ancestors.
Connubial
Relating to marriage.
Roysterers
Noisy, boisterous revelers.
Beadsman
A man paid or bound to pray for others' souls; the cold, praying old man in Keats's poem.
Seraph / pinion / ramparts
Seraph: an angelic being of the highest order. Pinion: a wing or flight feather. Ramparts: protective earthen or stone walls of a fortress.
Discordant / throng
Discordant: harsh, disagreeing, out of tune. Throng: a large crowd.
STEAL
Five methods of indirect characterization: Speech, Thoughts, Effect on others, Actions, Looks.
Static vs. dynamic character
Static: does not change much in the story. Dynamic: changes in an important way because of the story's action.
Flat vs. round character
Flat: one or two traits, one-dimensional. Round: complex, with many dimensions like real people.
Literary period order
Puritanism (1620-1770s), Neoclassic (1770s-early 1800s), Romanticism (early 1800s-1870s), Realism (1850s-early 1900s).
Transcendentalism (packet definition)
A 19th-century movement in the Romantic tradition holding that every individual can reach ultimate truths through spiritual intuition, which transcends reason and sensory experience.
Horace Walpole
Credited with founding Gothic fiction with The Castle of Otranto (1764), subtitled "A Gothic Story".
Lyrical Ballads
Wordsworth and Coleridge's 1790s collection that began English Romanticism; Wordsworth's Preface called poetry "the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings".
Jonathan Oldstyle / Salmagundi
Irving's first pen name (1802 letters) and the 1807 magazine that nicknamed New York "Gotham".
Irving's Sketch Book
The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. (1819-20), the collection containing "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow".
Sunnyside
Irving's home on the Hudson where he lived after returning from Spain; he is buried at Sleepy Hollow cemetery nearby.
Hendrick Hudson (in Rip)
The explorer whose crew, per the villagers, still haunt the Catskills and bowl ninepins, explaining the thunder.
Judith Gardenier
Rip's grown daughter; Rip tells her he is her father, and she takes him in to live with her family.
Peter Vanderdonk
The most ancient inhabitant, descended from a historian of the province, who recognizes Rip and corroborates the legend of Hendrick Hudson's crew.
Union Hotel and the sign of General Washington
The changed inn and sign in Rip's village show the switch from King George III to the new republic.
Federal or Democrat?
The question Rip is asked on his return; he does not understand the new political parties and answers as a loyal subject of the King.
Two tons (Baker's jay)
The jay's exaggerated claim of how many acorns he dropped in the hole; hyperbole that fuels the yarn's humor.
Open door in Baker's yarn
The hole led into a cabin; the door is open and acorns are scattered on the floor, revealing the jay's absurd task.
King Philip's War (in YGB)
The 1675-76 New England conflict alluded to when the traveler says Brown's father burned an Indian village.
Salem witch trials (1692)
The Puritan-era events behind Hawthorne's Salem setting; his ancestor John Hathorne was a judge.
Puritan plain style
Simple, clear writing stressing obedience to God; the main form of Puritan writers per the packet.
Refrain
A word, phrase or line repeated for effect, like "round and round she goes" in Rubin's "The Widow's Walk".
Tall tale
An outrageously exaggerated, humorous story that is obviously unbelievable, like Baker's yarn.
Verbal, situational, dramatic irony
Verbal: says one thing, means another. Situational: outcome differs from what is expected. Dramatic: the reader knows more than the character.
Ambiguity
Deliberately suggesting two or more different, sometimes conflicting, meanings; on purpose it is a device, not vagueness.
Metzengerstein (1832)
Poe's story in the Philadelphia Saturday Courier (Jan 14, 1832) where he first used the single-effect technique on which the modern short story is built.
Single effect (Poe)
The technique of building every detail toward one preconceived impression, with the action focused on the climactic moment and the mood controlled from first to last.
Specific gravity (Canby)
Henry Seidel Canby's phrase for the moral or intellectual weight Hawthorne added to the American short story.
Tale of ratiocination
Poe's detective-style tale of reasoning, the parent of the detective story ("The Murders in the Rue Morgue").
Irving vs. Poe (Introduction)
Irving: an orderly tale of linked incidents in chronological order, graceful, humorous, urbane. Poe: a concentrated tale of a single, preconceived effect.
Journey and return (Intro)
The Introduction says Usher and "Young Goodman Brown" both move from light into darkness and back into light; Poe's darkness is theatrical, Hawthorne's is the darkness of the soul.
Situation revealed
Henry James's phrase for the probing story that Hawthorne began: less a complication resolved than an exposed situation.
Twain and the beast fable (Intro)
The Introduction says Twain mastered the humorous frontier sketch and the fable; "Bluejay Yarn" is superb in its own kind and links to Uncle Remus and Thurber.
Local color
Writing that emphasizes a specific place's speech, customs and landscape; the Introduction credits Bret Harte's "The Luck of Roaring Camp" (1868) with popularizing the short story.
Pestilent / patrimonial / urchin
Pestilent: harmful, troublesome. Patrimonial: inherited from a father. Urchin: a mischievous small child (all describing Rip's farm and son).
Assiduity
Steady, careful diligence (Rip has plenty of it, but only for idle pursuits like fishing).
Jargon (Babylonish jargon)
Confusing, hard-to-understand language; Rip cannot follow the election talk.
Torpor
A state of inactivity or deep sleep; Irving's word for Rip's twenty-year sleep.
Corroborate
To confirm; Peter Vanderdonk corroborates Rip's story.
Prithee / afeard / tarry
I pray thee; afraid; stay or wait (from Faith's plea in "Young Goodman Brown").
Scruples / anathema
Scruples: moral doubts. Anathema: a formal curse or denunciation.
Benighted / wanton
Benighted: in darkness, physical or moral. Wanton: immoral, reckless, unrestrained.
Prolixity / fissure / tarn / cadaverousness
Wordiness; a crack; a small mountain lake; corpse-like paleness (Poe's Usher vocabulary).
Leather-headed
Twain's term for stupid or thick-headed, describing the jays' opinions about the hole.
Nicholas Vedder and the junto
The silent landlord whose opinions control the idle bench-sitters at the inn; he has died eighteen years before Rip's return.
Hendrick Hudson and the Halfmoon
Per Peter Vanderdonk, the explorer and his crew keep a vigil in the Kaatskills every twenty years; the thunder is their ninepins.
Rip's last comic line
Henpecked husbands wish for "a quieting draught out of Rip Van Winkle's flagon" (p. 51).
Goody Cloyse and Deacon Gookin
Respected Salem figures Brown sees in the forest; Cloyse taught him his catechism.
Martha Carrier
A woman at the forest ceremony who "received the devil's promise to be queen of hell"; her name is that of an actual Salem witch-trial defendant.
Quotation: "My Faith is gone!"
Brown's cry when the pink ribbon falls; followed by "There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come, devil!"
Quotation: "We have put her living in the tomb!"
Roderick's confession to the narrator that he heard Madeline moving in the coffin (p. 90).
Quotation: "a perfectly elegant hole!"
The jay's first delighted reaction to the knot-hole in the cabin roof (Baker's yarn).
Two tons
The jay's boast of how many acorns he dropped; hyperbole in Baker's yarn.
"The Custom House" — the found-manuscript device
Hawthorne claims The Scarlet Letter comes from a manuscript and a scarlet "A" left by former Surveyor Jonathan Pue, making the invented novel feel like a rediscovered true story.
"The Custom House" — losing his job
A change in presidential administration replaces Hawthorne as Surveyor; he jokes he was "guillotined," but surviving it frees him to finally write the novel.
Press 1–4 to answer · Enter for next
Try each problem on your own first — then reveal the solution one step at a time. Mark “Got it” to track your progress.

Unit 1: The Rhetorical Situation

Identifying the Rhetorical Situation
A retired general publishes an op-ed in a national newspaper the week after a controversial military budget vote, urging Congress to reconsider. Identify SOAPSTone.
Map the rhetorical situation with SOAPSTone
A retired general publishes an op-ed the week Congress debates the defense budget, urging lawmakers to fund veterans' health care before new weapons systems. Break down the rhetorical situation.

Unit 2: Rhetorical Appeals & Logical Fallacies

Naming and Explaining an Appeal
A nonprofit's ad says: 'Dr. Elena Ruiz, a pediatric surgeon with 20 years of experience, warns that delaying this legislation will cost children's lives.' Identify the appeals at work and their effect.
Analyze an appeal, not just label it
A passage reads: 'I have buried men I trained. I have written the letters home. When I tell you this policy costs lives, I am not speculating.' Identify and analyze the appeal.

Unit 3: Rhetorical Devices & Figurative Language

Analyzing a Repetition Device
'We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills.' Identify the device and its effect.
Explain the effect of syntax and repetition
A passage: 'They took the land. They took the language. They took the names of the children and gave them new ones.' Analyze the rhetorical effect.

Unit 4: Style: Diction, Syntax & Tone

Analyzing Diction and Syntax Together
Compare: (A) 'The company terminated 200 employees.' (B) 'Two hundred families lost their livelihoods overnight.' Explain the rhetorical effect of the difference.
Name a precise tone and track a shift
A passage begins with wry, detached observations about a city council meeting ('another Tuesday, another three-hour debate about parking'), then shifts to: 'But behind the tedium, a family was about to lose its home.' Analyze the tone.

Unit 5: Claims, Evidence & Commentary

Turning Evidence into Commentary
Evidence: 'A 2023 study found that students who read 20 minutes daily scored 15% higher on reading assessments.' Write one sentence of commentary (not summary) using this evidence to support the claim that schools should mandate daily reading time.
Turn summary into commentary
A student writes: 'The author notes that 60 percent of the town's water pipes are over a century old.' Add commentary that connects this evidence to a claim that the town has under-invested in basic infrastructure.

Unit 6: Organization, Structure & Counterargument

Writing a Concession and Rebuttal
Claim: schools should eliminate final exams. Write a one-sentence concession followed by a one-sentence rebuttal.
Build a qualified thesis and outline the reasoning
Prompt: Should high schools start later in the morning? Draft a defensible, qualified thesis and a three-part line of reasoning.

Unit 7: The Synthesis Essay

Synthesizing Two Sources into One Point
Source A: 'Remote work increased reported employee satisfaction by 22%.' Source B: 'Companies with remote policies saw a 30% drop in office lease costs.' Write one synthesis sentence using both sources to support the claim that companies should adopt permanent remote work.
Organize a synthesis paragraph by your claim
Synthesis prompt on whether cities should offer free public transit. You have Source A (ridership data), Source C (a budget analysis), and Source E (an equity argument). Draft one body paragraph organized around your claim.

Unit 8: The Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Writing a Device-to-Effect Sentence
A passage uses short, fragmented sentences ('No warning. No time. Just silence.') to describe a disaster's onset. Write a full rhetorical analysis sentence connecting this syntax to its effect.
Write a strong rhetorical analysis thesis
You are analyzing a commencement speech in which the speaker repeatedly contrasts 'the job you take' with 'the person you become,' uses self-deprecating anecdotes, and ends with a direct charge to the graduates. Draft a thesis.

Unit 9: The Argument Essay

Building a Nuanced Thesis
Prompt: 'Is competition beneficial to society?' Write a qualified, sophisticated thesis (not a simple yes/no).
Use concede-then-counter in an argument
You are arguing that public libraries should expand evening hours. A reader objects that staffing costs are already strained. Write a concede-then-counter passage.

Unit 10: Grammar, Conventions & Multiple-Choice Strategy

Fixing a Comma Splice and Checking Parallelism
Revise: 'The committee reviewed the proposal, they approved it unanimously, and are moving to sign, seal, and finalizing the contract.'
Revise a wordy sentence for the MC 'writing' skill
Revise: 'Due to the fact that the committee was not able to reach a consensus decision, it was decided that the vote would be postponed until a later date.'

Unit 11: GrAmSS

Analyzing Twain's anthropomorphism in "Baker's Bluejay Yarn"
In a well-developed paragraph, explain how Twain uses anthropomorphism and Jim Baker's point of view to advance a theme in "Baker's Bluejay Yarn".
Allusion and setting in "Young Goodman Brown"
In what ways is Hawthorne's use of setting and allusion in "Young Goodman Brown" significant? Answer in one cohesive response with evidence.
Which device? Answering a “which is present” question
Which literary device is present in: “A tart temper never mellows with age, and a sharp tongue is the only edged tool that grows keener with constant use”?
Word in context: vocabulary from Rip Van Winkle
In “Rip Van Winkle”, Irving describes Dame Van Winkle as a “termagant.” What does the word most nearly mean, and how do you know?
Chronology: ordering events in Usher
Put these Usher events in order: the house collapses; the narrator arrives; the narrator reads the Mad Trist; Madeline is entombed; Madeline appears at the door.
Speaker and addressee: “Madman! I tell you that she now stands without the door!”
Identify the speaker and the person being spoken to, and explain what the line shows.

SOAPSTone & the Rhetorical Situation

Speaker
Who is writing/speaking, and what do we know about them?
Occasion
What event or context prompted this text?
Audience
Who is the writer specifically trying to reach?
Purpose
Always phrased as 'to ___' — the intended effect
Subject
What the text is specifically about
Tone
The writer's attitude toward the subject
Exigence
The urgent problem making the writing necessary now

The Three Appeals

AppealTargetsBuilt through
EthosCredibilityCredentials, fairness, careful language
PathosEmotionVivid imagery, anecdotes, charged language
LogosLogicStatistics, data, clear reasoning

Common Rhetorical Devices

Anaphora
Repetition at the START of successive clauses
Epistrophe
Repetition at the END of successive clauses
Antithesis
Contrasting ideas in parallel structure
Chiasmus
Reversed grammatical structure across clauses
Juxtaposition
Placing two things side by side to highlight contrast
Metaphor
Direct comparison, no 'like/as'
Simile
Comparison using 'like' or 'as'
Hyperbole
Deliberate exaggeration for effect
Understatement
Deliberately downplaying for effect
Anadiplosis
Repeating a clause's last word to start the next

Common Logical Fallacies

FallacyWhat it does
Ad hominemAttacks the person, not the argument
Straw manMisrepresents an argument as weaker to attack it
False dilemmaPresents only two options when more exist
Slippery slopeClaims one step inevitably leads to an extreme end
Hasty generalizationDraws a broad conclusion from too small a sample

The Three Essay Types

EssayCore task
SynthesisYour argument, using ≥3 provided sources as support
Rhetorical AnalysisHOW a writer builds their argument, not whether you agree
ArgumentYour position, defended with your own evidence — no provided sources

Fast Facts

  • Always follow "device identified" with "here's its effect" — labeling alone earns little credit.
  • Subject is what a text is about; purpose is what it wants to accomplish — never confuse the two.
  • Commentary explains WHY evidence matters; summary just restates WHAT it says.
  • A comma splice needs a period, semicolon, or conjunction — not just a deleted comma.
  • Parallel structure means every item in a list shares the same grammatical form.
  • On MC questions, always verify your answer against the actual passage text.
Quick ways to lock in the facts you keep forgetting. Read the big trick, then the small note tells you what it unlocks. Say them out loud — silly is memorable.

Rhetorical Situation

Purpose is a verb, not a noun
Never write "the purpose is technology" — write "to warn readers about..." If it's not phrased as "to ___," it isn't purpose yet.
Subject ≠ Purpose
Subject is WHAT it's about. Purpose is what the writer wants to happen because of it. Two totally different questions, always answer both.

Appeals & Fallacies

E-P-L: Ethics, Passion, Logic
Ethos=credibility (think "ethics"). Pathos=emotion (think "passion" or "sympathy"). Logos=logic (think "logical").
Name it, then explain it
"This is pathos" earns nothing alone. Always finish the sentence: "...which makes the audience feel ___, moving them to ___."
Attack the argument, not the arguer
If the criticism is about the PERSON instead of their actual claim, it's probably ad hominem, not real logos.

Devices

Anaphora starts, epistrophe ends
Anaphora repeats at the BEGINNING of clauses. Epistrophe repeats at the END. Both start with vowels near the front of the alphabet — 'a' comes before 'e,' just like 'anaphora' comes at the start.
Simile has the 'like/as' sibling
'Simile' sounds like 'similar' — it's a comparison, and it always keeps the word 'like' or 'as' as a visible sibling.

Style

Short = sharp, long = layered
Short sentences hit hard and fast. Long sentences build, accumulate, and layer ideas on top of each other.
Ban vague tone words
If your tone word could describe a hundred different passages ('good,' 'bad,' 'interesting'), it's too vague — get specific.

Argument Building

"So what?" after every quote
Every time you cite evidence, silently ask yourself "so what?" — the answer to that question IS your commentary.
Concede, then pivot
"Sure, X has a point, BUT..." is the whole shape of a concession-rebuttal — acknowledge fairly, then turn back to your claim.

The Three Essays

Synthesis = your argument + their sources
Never summarize sources in order. Build YOUR claims first, then drop sources in as support — like citations in a research paper, not a book report.
Rhetorical analysis = HOW, not IF
You are never arguing whether the writer is right. You are only explaining how they built their case and why it works.
Argument = your evidence, no packet
No sources are given — dig into history, current events, or your own experience for real, specific proof.

Grammar

A comma alone can't join two sentences
Two complete sentences need a period, a semicolon, or a comma PLUS a conjunction (and/but/so) — a lone comma creates a splice.
Match the list's grammar
If one item in a series ends in '-ing,' they all should. Mismatched forms in a list is a parallel structure error.