Literary Terms Review

Literary Terms Review CAHSEE Preparation January 12, 2012 37 Days to CAHSEE

Question 1 • After reading the story “Contents of a Dead Man’s Pocket,” we read several articles that expanded upon some of the ideas and issues presented by the author. When discussing these articles, we related them back to the original story in order to better understand the author’s intent. What were we doing with all of this information?

Answer 1 Synthesize

Question 2 • When writing a research paper it is often helpful to use your primary and secondary sources as resources for furthering your investigation. Consulting the __________ or __________ is one way to find out where to look for more information.

Answer 2 Bibliography, Works Cited

Question 3 • If a character seems real or alive to us as readers we can assume that the author has created a __________ character. These characters are usually the ones who learn lessons or grow in some way throughout the course of the story.

Answer 3 Round Character

Question 4 • “She didn’t never let nobody touch her quilts.” • “I was thinkin’ ‘bout marryin’ him. These statements are both examples of:

Answer 4 Dialect

Question 5 • “It was an ominous day, a bank of dark clouds loomed in the distance threatening to invade the city and unleash their fury.” An author might use this sentence as a technique called:

Answer 5 Foreshadowing

Question 6 • “He saw a dark woman—in her twenties, perhaps—who was slender and shy. Her dress was simple, one of her stockings drooped at the ankle, but her voice was soft and he was willing to give her a chance at the job.” The description of this character is an example of:

Answer 6 Indirect Characterization

Question 7 • A short story written by Isaac Bashevis Singer begins with the sentence, “I am Gimpel the fool.” This is an example of:

Answer 7 Direct Characterization

Question 8 • A __________ character usually has only one or two defining characteristics. “The mysterious outsider who dressed in black” might be one example of this character type.

Answer 8 Flat Character

Question 9 • “Pardon me, ma’am, but I’ve been seein’ you out here ever’day for weeks and I jest got up my nerve to come over and speak to you…” The underlined words are examples of __________, or local expressions.

Answer 9 Colloquialisms

Question 10 • In a newspaper article titled, “Stunned Homeowners Hope to Rebuild in Scripps Ranch,” journalists Dave McKibben and Ann M. Simmons write, “Fire Department officials said at least 150 homes, most of them in the million dollar range, were destroyed in Scripps Ranch.” This kind of information is considered to be a:

Answer 10 Secondary Source

Question 11 • The article “The Day the Clowns Cried” is an account of the worst circus tragedy in history. In order for the reader to understand the significance of this event it is important for the author to use words that will influence the reader’s reaction in a certain way. The author’s use of words contributes to the overall _____________ of the article.

Answer 11 Tone

Question 12 • David Letterman, Jay Leno, and Conan O’Brien all begin their shows with these. A __________ occurs when a character (in this case a host) speaks directly to the audience.

Answer 12 Dramatic Monologue

Question 13 • In the fairy tale “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves,” the queen gives Snow White a poisoned apple. After eating the apple, Snow White falls into a deep sleep. This is an example of:

Answer 13 Complication

Question 14 • Many actors love to perform William Shakespeare’s works because he uses the __________ in his plays, a literary device that allows an actor to be alone on stage as he speaks directly to the audience.

Answer 14 Soliloquy

Question 15 • In the novel A Christmas Carol, Ebeneezer Scrooge is visited by three ghosts. One of these ghosts shows Mr. Scrooge what will become of him if he refuses to change his ways. This ghost is used to illustrate the literary device termed:

Answer 15 Flashforward

Question 16 • “In the day time the street was dusty, but at night the dew settled the dust and the old man liked to sit late because he was deaf and now at night it was quiet and he felt the difference.” The old man is noticing a change in:

Answer 16 Atmosphere (mood)

Question 17 • “I saw the fire come up and over the ridge; all I could think was that my dog Lucy was still in the house. I was stuck behind the police ‘Do Not Cross’ line, powerless to save her. I hoped that I would be one of the lucky ones, and that my house would be saved,” Mary tells her friend Sally at school the next day. This is an example of a:

Answer 17 Primary Source

Question 18 “Last week he tried to commit suicide,” one waiter said. “Why?” “He was in despair.” “What about?” “Nothing.” “How do you know it was about nothing?” “He has plenty of money.” • This passage, taken from Ernest Hemingway’s short story “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” is an example of:

Answer 18 Dialogue

Question 19 • “He understood fully that he might actually be going to die; his arms, maintaining his balance on the ledge were trembling steadily now. And it occurred to him then with all the force of a revelation that, if he fell, all he was ever going to have out of life he would then, abruptly, have had.” In the short story “Content’s of the Dead Man’s Pocket,” Tom’s thoughts reveal:

Answer 19 Cause/ Effect

Question 20 • The narrator in the short story “Everyday Use” describes herself for the reader: “In real life I am a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands.” From this sentence we make a few guesses about the narrator’s appearance and lifestyle. What is the literary term for these “guesses”?

Answer 20 Inferences

Question 21 • I am working on an outline for writing my autobiography. I am planning on devoting one chapter to each year of my life. Chapter One will chronicle the first year of my life, Chapter Two will be an account of my second, and so on. Which of these terms best describes my approach to this writing?

Answer 21 Chronological Order

Question 22 • “Everything went on in the tomblike houses at night now. . . . The tombs, ill-lit by television light, where the people sat like the dead, the gray or multicolored lights touching their faces, but never really touching them.” The author’s use of these words was not accidental. What was he trying to convey?

Answer 22 Mood

Question 23 • “I remember my tenth birthday like it was yesterday…” If I were to begin my autobiographical narrative with this phrase you might assume that I was planning to use this literary device to tell my story:

Answer 23

Question 24 • A strong commitment to family, a lazy eye, a love of dark chocolate, a willingness to work hard. These are examples of:

Answer 24 Character Traits

Question 25 • These characters are usually known by their character “type”: Prince Charming in fairy tales, the mad scientist of horror movies, the loyal sidekick in comedy films.

Literary Terms Review