Context Clues
Diction and Synonyms
Effects and Meaning
Figurative Language
100
"Jim wanted to ask Janet to the dance, but he felt it a universally acknowledged truth that popular girls like her didn’t go with unpopular guys like him." What does the word "universally" mean in this passage? A. Known by everyone B. Everything in the universe C. One verse D. One galaxy
A. Known by everyone
100
The book of logic contained many conundrums - mind-exercising puzzles. Using the synonym clue, the word conundrums in this sentence means A pictures B stories C answers D puzzles
D puzzles
100
from "Chicago" by Carl Sandburg Under the smoke, dust all over his mouth, laughing with white teeth, Under the terrible burden of destiny laughing as a young man laughs, Laughing even as an ignorant fighter laughs who has never lost a battle, Bragging and laughing that under his wrist is the pulse, and under his ribs the heart of the people, Laughing! What is the effect of these lines? A. They convey a sense of pride in the narrator's city. B. They describe the city as young and rash. C. They convey a sense of fear about the future. D. They convey a feeling of disappointment.
A. They convey a sense of pride in the narrator's city.
100
"My puppy punched me in the eye, My rabbit whacked my ear." What is this an example of? A. Alliteration B. Assonance C. Onomatopoeia D. Symbolism
B. Assonance
200
"Jake asked his mother for permission to go to his friend Rodney’s dance party, stating that his grades had improved, and he was quite pleased when she consented." What does the word "consented" mean in this passage? A. Did not agree B. Gave permission C. Smiled happily D. Agreed
B. Gave permission
200
Jackie was filled with mortification because of her careless remark. Using the synonym clue, the word mortification in this sentence means A proud B shame C confident D happy
B shame
200
"I, Too" by Langston Hughes "I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong. Tomorrow, I'll be at the table When company comes. Nobody'll dare Say to me, "Eat in the kitchen," Then. Besides, They'll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed-- I, too, am America." What does the narrator mean in the second stanza? A. He is going to get back at people who were mean to him. B. He will rise up, and he will be recognized as an equal man and not just a lower class citizen. C. He is mad that his mother will not let him sit at the table. D. He will invite his enemies to dinner and sit with them at the table.
B. He will rise up, and he will be recognized as an equal man and not just a lower class citizen.
200
Which of the following is an example of assonance? A. "I must confess that in my quest I felt depressed and restless." B. "My love is like a red, red rose." C. "The sun for sorrow will not show his head." D. "One-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people-eater."
A. "I must confess that in my quest I felt depressed and restless."
300
"Stanley tried to determine the meaning of the vocabulary word, but there were so few clues in the sentence all he could do was hopelessly conjecture as to what the word might mean." What does the word "conjecture" mean in this passage? A. Guess B. Know C. Forget D. Combine
A. Guess
300
"In time of silver rain The butterflies lift silken wings To catch a rainbow cry, And trees put forth new leaves to sing In joy beneath the sky As down the roadway Passing boys and girls Go singing, too," Why did the author use the word "silken" to describe butterfly wings? A. To create a feeling of warmth for the reader. B. To create a soft image that contrasts with the rest of the stanza. C. To create an image of graceful, new wings that complements the images in the stanza. D. To make the reader think about a rainbow.
C. To create an image of graceful, new wings that complements the images in the stanza.
300
From "My Papa's Waltz" by Theodore Roethke "We romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf; My mother's countenance Could not unfrown itself." How does the rhythm effect the tone of this stanza? A. It sounds playful and light, making the reader think they are playing. B. It sounds harsh, making the reader think the narrator is not safe. C. It sounds very peaceful, making the reader think the narrator is relaxed. D. It sounds like an even march, making the reader think it is serious.
A. It sounds playful and light, making the reader think they are playing.
300
What is the following an example of? "Fly o'er waste fens and windy fields." A. Assonance B. Alliteration C. Onomatopoeia D. Symbolism
B. Alliteration
400
'Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!' Using the stanza above, what might a "frumious Bandersnatch" be? A. A friendly kitten B. An angry monster C. A kind stranger D. A furious warrior
B. An angry monster
400
"A frosty winter night - my love, Chill wind whispers sweet adoration. Binds my body with the finest wool, The darkest of sweet sensations." John Anderson, Night, My Lover Why does the poet use the word "whispers", "wind", "winter", and "wool" in the poem? A. The 'w' sound creates a soothing, peaceful feeling that conveys a more romantic tone. B. He could not think of another way to write it. C. The 'w' sound sounds like wind. D. They all sound like a gusting, blowing wind.
A. The 'w' sound creates a soothing, peaceful feeling that conveys a more romantic tone.
400
"Beat! Beat! Drums" by Walt Whitman "Beat! beat! drums!—blow! bugles! blow! Through the windows—through doors—burst like a ruthless force, Into the solemn church, and scatter the congregation, Into the school where the scholar is studying, Leave not the bridegroom quiet—no happiness must he have now with his bride, Nor the peaceful farmer any peace, ploughing his field or gathering his grain, So fierce you whirr and pound you drums—so shrill you bugles blow." What is the effect of the rhythm of the first line, "Beat! beat! drums!—blow! bugles! blow!"? A. The rhythm is steady like a war march, but demanding as well. B. The rhythm is slow and sounds like a funeral procession. C. The rhythm is fast and upbeat, giving the reader an impression of a party. D. The rhythm is uneven and forces the reader to create images in his or her head.
A. The rhythm is steady like a war march, but demanding as well.
400
Which of the following is an example of alliteration? A."Great, or good, or kind, or fair,/I will ne'er the more despair" B. "As in guys she gently sways at ease." C."Red rock canyon rages with red." D. "Nothing gold can stay."
C."Red rock canyon rages with red."
500
"My favorite room in our house is the solarium. The light can enter from all directions through the windows. It is the warmest room in our house. My dog spends a lot of time lying in there when the sun is shining." Using the context clues in the paragraph, what does the word "solarium" mean? A. A cold, dark room B. A damp, muggy room. C. A dry room. D. A bright, sunny room.
D. A bright, sunny room.
500
"BECAUSE I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me; The carriage held but just ourselves And Immortality. We slowly drove, he knew no haste, 5 And I had put away My labor, and my leisure too, For his civility. We passed the school where children played At wrestling in a ring; 10 We passed the fields of gazing grain, We passed the setting sun. We paused before a house that seemed A swelling of the ground; The roof was scarcely visible, 15 The cornice but a mound. Since then 't is centuries; but each Feels shorter than the day I first surmised the horses' heads Were toward eternity." -Emily Dickinson's "Because I could not stop for Death" In the fourth stanza, Dickinson chooses the words "house" and swelling in the ground" to describe a grave. What is the effect of these words? A. They create a sense of fear. B. They create a feeling of a peaceful resting place. C. They create a feeling of confusion. D. They create a feeling of certainty of death.
B. They create a feeling of a peaceful resting place.
500
from "The Book of Questions" III. "Tell me, is the rose naked or is that her only dress? Why do trees conceal the splendor of their roots? Who hears the regrets of the thieving automobile? Is there anything in the world sadder than a train standing in the rain?" How does the structure of the poem effect the meaning? A. Each stanza is unrelated to the others around it. B. Each two-line stanza is connected to the questions around it, making the reader connect the answers. C. Each stanza has two lines. D. Each two-line stanza makes the reader think about each question individually instead of altogether.
D. Each two-line stanza makes the reader think about each question individually instead of altogether.
500
What are all of the figurative language devices in the following poem? "Pets" Absolutely not! My mother said to me, When I asked her for a dog that was big as a tree, He'll gobble all the food that we have in the house, Why don't you get a smaller pet like a hamster or a mouse. But a mouse ain't quite large enough to get the job done right, He's got to be there by my side when my brother wants to fight! A. Symbolism, alliteration, assonance B. Hyperbole, simile C. Metaphor, symbolism D. Onomatopoeia, hyperbole, assonance
B. Hyperbole, simile
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