Show:
Miscellaneous
Thesis Statements
Figurative Language
Rhetorical Devices
Rhetorical Fallacies
100
This is the penalty for a wrong answer.
What is "a quarter point?"
100
"It is dangerous to be right in matters about which the established authorities are wrong." --Voltaire Write a thesis statement in which you agree with Voltaire's claim.
What is "History offers many examples of men and women who have suffered because they were right when the established authorities were wrong?" or something similar
100
"Her eyes were pools of liquid light."
What is a "metaphor?"
100
Can poverty ever be eradicated?
What is a "Rhetorical Question?"
100
"Of course that writer supports gun control; she is a Democrat!"
What is an "ad hominem argument?"
200
This is the definition for dénouement.
What is "a french term meaning "unraveling" or "unknotting," used to describe the resolution of a plot following the climax?"
200
From the MATRIX to 2001 to I, ROBOT, images of a machine-controlled world dominate the imagery of the future. In a well-written essay, develop a position that disagrees with Bill Joy's argument that human beings could become irrelevant in an increasingly complex world.
What is "Human beings will never become irrelevant...?" or something similar
200
The presence of two or more possible meanings in any passage.
What is "Ambiguity?"
200
"Lampooned figures in the past . . . were, from time to time, enveloped in crises every bit as damaging as those that confront Mr Brown. But never were they subjected to such woundingly __________ attacks." (M. Linklater, "The Age of Personal Vitriolic Abuse," The Times, May 16, 2008)
What is "ad hominem?"
200
This is a statement that does not relate logically to what comes before it.
What is "a non sequitur?"
300
These are four types of Rhetorical Modes.
What are "Description, Narration, Argument, Classification, Cause-Effect, etc."
300
Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant. —Horace After considering this quotation about adversity from the Roman poet Horace, write a thesis statement that defends Horace’s assertion about the role that adversity.
What is "Adversity often brings forth positive results?" or something similar
300
Pre-owned for used or second-hand; enhanced interrogation for torture; wind for belch or fart; convenience fee for surcharge.
What is a "euphemism?"
300
"That’ll cost you an arm and a leg."
What is a "Cliché?"
300
"Ralph Nader and Pat Buchanan are banging at the doors, and the political establishment, consisting of both politicians and the media, seems determined not to let them in on the grounds that they have no public support. This is a __________ argument; one of the reasons they have so little support is that they are generally ignored by the press and will most likely be barred from the presidential debates, which require a base support of 15 percent of the electorate." (Lars-Erik Nelson, "Party Going." The New York Review of Books, Aug. 10, 2000)
What is "Begging the Question."
400
These are four variations of syntax that a writer may use.
What are "short sentences, long sentences, parallelism and repetition?"
400
"A coward is much more exposed to quarrels than a man of spirit." -Thomas Jefferson Write a thesis statement that qualifies Jefferson's claim regarding cowards.
What is "While Jefferson's quote may hold true in many situations, Julius Caesar discovered that while 'cowards die many times before their death,' that death is certain and could have been avoided if he had not had so much spirit?" or something similar
400
"You have a lot of work to do, so I'll lend you a hand."
What is a "synechdoche?"
400
[Said to a mean boss]: “You’ve been so kind to me.”
What is "Irony?"
400
"Some environmentalists argue that the interests of nonhuman species should be given consideration in decisions about economic development. Every time there is an advance in industry, some animals may be harmed. But if we halt all economic growth and technological development, human beings will be forced to have far greater impacts on the environment that otherwise."
What is "strawman fallacy?" Clearly "halting all development" implies something quite different than does "given consideration."
500
These words make up the acronym SOAPS.
What are "Subject, Occasion, Audience, Purpose and Speaker?"
500
"I'm against this huge globalisation on the basis of economic advantage." --David Attenborough Write a thesis statement in which you qualify Attenborough's claim regarding globalization.
What is "It is utopian to think that economic advantage will not be a primary factor for globalization, so organizations like the United Nations should establish guidelines so that all parties involved will benefit in the process?" or something similar
500
"We talked with each other about each other Though neither of us spoke —" (Emily Dickinson)
What is "paradox?"
500
"Never let a fool kiss you--or a kiss fool you." (anonymous)
What is "chiasmus?"
500
This is shifting the attention away from an important issue by introducing an issue that has no logical connection to the discussion at hand.
What is a "red herring?"