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English 11a - Unit Five: Everybody Talks

Terms in this set (50)

Read this sentence.
A restive horse is _[blank]_.
Which word most accurately completes the sentence?
high-spirited
Read this sentence from a news report.
US military forces today obliterated a weapons factory inside a terrorist stronghold.
What happened to the weapons factory?
It was destroyed completely.
Which answer describes the rhetorical device of rhetorical question?
a question posed to an audience without the expectation of a reply to get it thinking about a specific topic, issue, or idea
Read this passage from a student's editorial posted in a school paper.
Three words come to mind when describing the school cafeteria experience. Packaged. Unhealthy. Boring. How long before we start using these same words to apply to the educational experience? How close is the connection?
How does the use of rhetorical fragments and questions in the passage affect the audience?
The rhetorical devices express strong dissatisfaction and develop the concern that students' negative perceptions may extend beyond school lunch.
Read this passage from "We Shall Overcome."
Above the pyramid on the great seal of the United States it says in Latin: "God has favored our undertaking." God will not favor everything that we do. It is rather our duty to divine His will.
The Great Seal of the United States symbolizes the founding beliefs and values of our nation.
Why does Lyndon Johnson allude to the Great Seal in his speech?
to suggest that by denying equal rights to all citizens, Americans are not living up to their religious and patriotic duties
Read this sentence.
Every four years, America _[blank]_ a president at a ceremony in Washington, DC.
Which word correctly completes this sentence?
inaugurates
In "We Shall Overcome," President Johnson speaks of his first job as a teacher in a small school on the border of Mexico and America. Johnson says, "... students were poor and ... often came to class without breakfast, hungry. And they knew, even in their youth, the pain of prejudice."
What is the most likely reason that Johnson includes the anecdote in this speech?
The anecdote establishes his credibility because he has direct experience with those affected by inequality.
Read this passage from "We Shall Overcome."
There is no Negro problem. There is no Southern problem. There is no Northern problem. There is only an American problem.
How does Johnson use a rhetorical device in this passage?
Johnson's repetition of the phrase "There is no" creates a sharp contrast with the words "There is only" to emphasize that the issue of equality is the entire nation's concern.
Read this passage from "We Shall Overcome."
We cannot, we must not, refuse to protect the right of every American to vote in every election that he may desire to participate in. And we ought not, and we cannot, and we must not wait another eight months before we get a bill. We have already waited a hundred years and more, and the time for waiting is gone.
How does the parallel structure in the passage contribute to the persuasiveness of the speech?
The passage's rhythm, repetition, and word choice establish a sense of urgency for Americans to support equal-rights legislation immediately.
Read this anecdote from "We Shall Overcome."
The Negro citizen may go to register only to be told that the day is wrong, or the hour is late, or the official in charge is absent. And if he persists, and if he manages to present himself to the registrar, he may be disqualified because he did not spell out his middle name or because he abbreviated a word on the application. And if he manages to fill out an application, he is given a test. The registrar is the sole judge of whether he passes this test. He may be asked to recite the entire Constitution, or explain the most complex provisions of State law. And even a college degree cannot be used to prove that he can read and write.
How does Lyndon Johnson's use of this anecdote reveal a theme of this text?
Select all that apply.
Through the story, Johnson wants the audience to more clearly understand the requirements of the voting process so that they will be more comfortable voting to support the voting rights bill.

By relating what actually happens to blacks when they try to exercise their right to vote, Johnson is explaining to the audience how blacks are routinely denied a basic right guaranteed by the Constitution. (25%)
Read this sentence.
Grandpa Jones is writing his will and intends to _[blank]_ half of his land to a dog-rescue organization as a site for a new shelter.
Which word correctly completes the sentence?
bequeath
Read this passage from "We Shall Overcome."
I want to be the President who helped to feed the hungry and to prepare them to be tax-payers instead of tax-eaters.
I want to be the President who helped the poor to find their own way and who protected the right of every citizen to vote in every election.
I want to be the President who helped to end hatred among his fellow men, and who promoted love among the people of all races and all regions and all parties.
What is the rhetorical purpose of the repetition in this passage?
Select all that apply.
The repetition emphasizes Johnson's frustration with poverty and inequality, and he assures the American people that he will personally assist those experiencing injustice.

The repetition emphasizes Johnson's belief in justice, and he guarantees to the American people that he will do everything in his power to ensure equal rights for all.
Read the sentence.
Susan's pesimistic attitude toward life prevented her from experiencing much fun.
Which answer corrects a misspelled word in this sentence?
pessimistic
Which word is spelled correctly?
retrieve
Read the sentence from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
What rhetorical device is used in this sentence?
alliteration
Which statement describes the rhetorical device of assonance?
a sound-based rhetorical device in which the same vowel sounds occur repeatedly in successive words
Which word is spelled correctly?
intolerable
Read the sentence, which contains a misspelled word.
If you want to earn a good grade in English composition, it is imperative to maintain coherancy in each paragraph.
Which answer corrects the spelling error?
coherency
President Obama uses assonance to emphasize his points in his Second Inaugural Address.
Which passage from the speech uses assonance most effectively to emphasize the point that an enduring component of the American value system is equal opportunity?
We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American; she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of God but also in our own.
What evidence from President Obama's Second Inaugural Address most effectively supports the idea that Americans today have a responsibility to future generations?
We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity.
Read the passage.
Mark's convertable had a nearly imperceptable dent in the back bumper after a fender-bender in the grocery-store parking lot. Though the damage was slight, Mark will have to pay his $500 deductible before insurance will pay any of the costs. He said the maliceous driver who hit his car was at fault.
Which answers correct spelling errors in the passage?
Select all that apply.
convertible
imperceptible
malicious
Read the sentence from President Obama's Second Inaugural Address.
For we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it.
What can the audience infer based on this sentence?
Obama intends to address the gap between the poor and the wealthy during his term as president.
Read the passage from President Obama's Second Inaugural Address.
Together, we determined that a modern economy requires railroads and highways to speed travel and commerce, schools and colleges to train our workers.
Together, we discovered that a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play.
Together, we resolved that a great nation must care for the vulnerable, and protect its people from life's worst hazards and misfortune.
What best describes the intended effect of this passage?
The repetition of the "Together, we..." statements makes the audience feel as if they have played a significant role in creating a great nation.
What is a key point of President Obama's Second Inaugural Address?
America still has work to do to ensure equality for all.
Lesson Twenty-Two
Checkpoint Twenty-Two
Lesson Twenty-One
Checkpoint Twenty-One
Lesson Twenty-Two
Sound-Based Rhetorical Devices
Lesson Twenty-One
Rhetorical Devices
Lesson Twenty-Three
More about Rhetoric
What is the main purpose of a rhetorical appeal?
to target an audience's specific emotions, beliefs, and opinions
Read the passage from "We Shall Overcome" by Lyndon B. Johnson.
I am grateful for this opportunity to come here tonight at the invitation of the leadership to reason with my friends, to give them my views, and to visit with my former colleagues.
President Johnson likely mentions that he is speaking "at the invitation of the leadership" to use which rhetorical appeal?
ethos
Lesson Twenty-Three
Checkpoint Twenty-Three
Read the passage from "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Part 1.
He who could address this audience without a quailing sensation, has stronger nerves than I have. I do not remember ever to have appeared as a speaker before any assembly more shrinkingly, nor with greater distrust of my ability, than I do this day. A feeling has crept over me, quite unfavorable to the exercise of my limited powers of speech. The task before me is one which requires much previous thought and study for its proper performance. I know that apologies of this sort are generally considered flat and unmeaning. I trust, however, that mine will not be so considered. Should I seem at ease, my appearance would much misrepresent me. The little experience I have had in addressing public meetings, in country schoolhouses, avails me nothing on the present occasion.
What effect does the author's use of rhetorical appeals have in this passage?
The author uses pathos to describe the heavy and humbling emotions he feels as he starts his speech. He wants the audience to understand his feelings as he gives his speech.
Read the passage from "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Part 1.
This, for the purpose of this celebration, is the 4th of July. It is the birthday of your National Independence, and of your political freedom. This, to you, is what the Passover was to the emancipated people of God. It carries your minds back to the day, and to the act of your great deliverance; and to the signs, and to the wonders, associated with that act, and that day. This celebration also marks the beginning of another year of your national life; and reminds you that the Republic of America is now 76 years old. I am glad, fellow-citizens, that your nation is so young.
How does Frederick Douglass's repetition of you and your affect the audience's understanding of the passage?
The repetition emphasizes the fundamental difference between Douglass and his listeners by letting them know he does not share the same viewpoints about the importance of the Fourth of July as they do.
What are the purposes for Frederick Douglass writing "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Part 1?
Select all that apply.
to emphasize that the continued existence of slavery contradicts principles expressed in the Constitution

to highlight the irony of recognizing the Fourth of July as a celebration of equality
What key point does Frederick Douglass make in "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Part 1?
The Fourth of July is not a time of celebration for all Americans.
Read the passage from "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Part 1.
The eye of the reformer is met with angry flashes, portending disastrous times; but his heart may well beat lighter at the thought that America is young, and that she is still in the impressible stage of her existence. May he not hope that high lessons of wisdom, of justice and of truth, will yet give direction to her destiny? Were the nation older, the patriot's heart might be sadder, and the reformer's brow heavier.
To whom is Douglass most likely referring when he speaks of the reformer?
the abolitionist
In "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Part 1, Frederick Douglass repeatedly addresses his audience as "fellow-citizens."
Which option best states how this repetition supports Douglass's purpose?
The repetition emphasizes Douglass's purpose: to express the idea that every American has the right to be called a citizen, regardless of skin color.
Read the passage from "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Part 1.
Great streams are not easily turned from channels, worn deep in the course of ages. They may sometimes rise in quiet and stately majesty, and inundate the land, refreshing and fertilizing the earth with their mysterious properties. They may also rise in wrath and fury, and bear away, on their angry waves, the accumulated wealth of years of toil and hardship. They, however, gradually flow back to the same old channel, and flow on as serenely as ever. But, while the river may not be turned aside, it may dry up, and leave nothing behind but the withered branch, and the unsightly rock, to howl in the abyss-sweeping wind, the sad tale of departed glory. As with rivers so with nations.
How does the author's use of a rhetorical device in this passage contribute to the power of the text?
The author uses a metaphor to compare nations and streams, emphasizing the sometimes-violent changes that occur while continuing forward.
Lesson Twenty-Four
Rhetoric and Structure
Which answer best defines the rhetorical device allusion?
a short reference to a historical event, well-known literary work, or a person, event, or object that the audience would be familiar with
Which passage from Part 1 of "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" demonstrates Douglass's intent to establish his credibility to the audience?
... for it is true that I have often had the privilege to speak in this beautiful Hall, and to address many who now honor me with their presence.
Lesson Twenty-Four
Checkpoint Twenty-Four
What best describes a key point expressed in "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Part 2?
In supporting slavery, America falsely represents itself as a nation that stands for freedom and equality.
Read the passage from "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Part 2.
For the present, it is enough to affirm the equal manhood of the Negro race. Is it not astonishing that, while we are ploughing, planting and reaping, using all kinds of mechanical tools, erecting houses, constructing bridges, building ships, working in metals of brass, iron, copper, silver and gold; that, while we are reading, writing and cyphering, acting as clerks, merchants and secretaries, having among us lawyers, doctors, ministers, poets, authors, editors, orators and teachers; that, while we are engaged in all manner of enterprises common to other men, digging gold in California, capturing the whale in the Pacific, feeding sheep and cattle on the hill-side, living, moving, acting, thinking, planning, living in families as husbands, wives and children, and, above all, confessing and worshipping the Christian's God, and looking hopefully for life and immortality beyond the grave, we are called upon to prove that we are men!
What does Douglass do in this passage to support his argument that blacks should not have to prove they are equal to whites in order to abolish slavery?
Douglass uses parallel structure in a single, lengthy sentence to clearly demonstrate that blacks and whites are equal in actions, in deeds, and in beliefs.
Read the passage from "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Part 2.
But I fancy I hear some one of my audience say, it is just in this circumstance that you and your brother abolitionists fail to make a favorable impression on the public mind. Would you argue more, and denounce less, would you persuade more, and rebuke less, your cause would be much more likely to succeed.
Which type of rhetorical device does Douglass employ in this passage?
parallel structure
Read the passage from "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Part 2.
I hear the doleful wail of fettered humanity, on the way to slave-markets where the victims are to be sold like horses, sheep, and swine knocked off to the highest bidder.
What types of figurative language are used in this passage?
Select all that apply.
personification
simile
Read the passage from "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Part 2.
Fellow-citizens, pardon me, allow me to ask, why am I called upon to speak here to-day? What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence? Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us? and am I, therefore, called upon to bring our humble offering to the national altar, and to confess the benefits and express devout gratitude for the blessings resulting from your independence to us?
What is the effect of Douglass's use of rhetoric in this passage?
Because Douglass knows the audience cannot provide reasonable responses to his questions, he clarifies how illogical and hypocritical it is to ask a black man, to whom equal rights and freedom are not extended, to celebrate independence with them.
What is the main purpose of "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Part 2?
to persuade the Northern audience to insist on the abolition of slavery across the nation, not just to stop slavery from spreading
Read the passage from "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Part 2.
You have no right to enjoy a child's share in the labor of your fathers, unless your children are to be blest by your labors. You have no right to wear out and waste the hard-earned fame of your fathers to cover your indolence. ... It was fashionable, hundreds of years ago, for the children of Jacob to boast, we have "Abraham to our father," when they had long lost Abraham's faith and spirit. That people contented themselves under the shadow of Abraham's great name, while they repudiated the deeds which made his name great. Need I remind you that a similar thing is being done all over this country to-day?
Why does Douglass use the rhetorical devices of allusion and alliteration in this passage?
Select all that apply.
He uses them to support his argument that the audience is celebrating freedom and justice while remaining silent about the existence of slavery. This demonstrates they have abandoned the fight for equality that their forefathers worked so hard to obtain for them.

He uses them to support his argument that, since the holiday is intended as an acknowledgment of national pride, it is ironic that members of the current generation feel that their apathy about working for equality is something to celebrate.
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