ELAR Exam 231 Comprehensive Review
UPDATED Exam Questions and
CORRECT Answers
Abstract Expressionism - CORRECT ANSWER- On of the most important movements in
American art, began in the 40's with artist such as Koonin, Rothko, and Gorky; the paintings
are usually large and nonrepresentational
Active Voice - CORRECT ANSWER- A sentence style which the subject performs the action
--->Harry ate six shrimp at dinner. (active)
--->At dinner, six shrimp were eaten by Harry. (passive)
Allegory - CORRECT ANSWER- A symbolic narrative in which the surface details imply a
secondary meaning. It often takes the form of a story in which the characters represent moral
qualities
--->"Animal Farm", written by George Orwell, is an allegory that uses animals on a farm to
describe the overthrow of the last of the Russian Tsar Nicholas II and the Communist
Revolution of Russia before WW I. The actions of the animals on the farm are used to expose
the greed and corruption of the revolution. It also describes how powerful people can change
the ideology of a society.
Alliteration - CORRECT ANSWER- The repetition of initial consonant sounds in two or
more words in a line of writing; Based on sound, not spelling
--->Alice's aunt ate apples
Allusion - CORRECT ANSWER- Reference to a well-known person, place, object, event or
literary work or work of art
--->The rise in poverty will unlock the Pandora's box of crimes. - This is an allusion to one of
Greek Mythology's origin myth, "Pandora's box".
Anachronism - CORRECT ANSWER- Placing an event, person or object out of its proper
chronological place
--->An example of anachronism can be traced in John Keats' poem "Ode on a Grecian Urn":
"Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard
,Are sweeter: therefore, ye soft pipes play on"
Notice the use of formal and a century old "ye" instead of informal and more appropriate to
Keats' time "you". It is an anachronism but its use here is intentional as it is used to show the
respect that the urn inspires in Keats; hence, produces an artistic effect.
Analogy - CORRECT ANSWER- A comparison used to show the similarities between two or
more objects
--->Just as a sword is the weapon of a warrior, a pen is the weapon of a writer.
--->How a doctor diagnoses diseases is like how a detective investigates crimes.
Antagonist - CORRECT ANSWER- A character or force in conflict with the main character
--->Professor Snap and Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter
--->Roger Chillingworth in "The Scarlet Letter"
Antithesis - CORRECT ANSWER- A thought is balanced with a contrasting thought in
parallel arrangements of words and phrases
--->Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.
--->Patience is bitter, but it has a sweet fruit.
Aphorism - CORRECT ANSWER- An observation that contains a general truth, such as, "if it
ain't broke, don't fix it."
--->The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. [William
Faulkner]
--->Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind. [Rudyard Kipling]
Apostrophe - CORRECT ANSWER- When a character turns away from the audience and
directly addresses an absent person or a personified quality. Allows the character the
opportunity to think aloud.
--->In "Death Be Not Proud" when John Dunne directly addresses Death, he is using an
apostrophe
--->William Shakespeare makes use of an apostrophe in his play "Macbeth":
"Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand?
Come, let me clutch thee!
, I have thee not, and yet I see thee still."
In his mental conflict before murdering King Duncan, Macbeth has a strange vision of a
dagger and talks to it as if it were another person.
Argumentative - CORRECT ANSWER- Defends or convinces about a topic
Aside - CORRECT ANSWER- Lines spoken directly to the audience by an actor
Assonance - CORRECT ANSWER- The repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words
--->Try as I might, the kite did not fly (Repetition of the long "i" sound)
Ballad - CORRECT ANSWER- A song that tells a story. Generally passed down through the
generations
Caesura - CORRECT ANSWER- A pause, usually signaled by punctuation, in a line of poetry
Casual Register - CORRECT ANSWER- Informal language used by peers and friends. Lang,
vulgarities and colloquialisms are normal
--->Buddies
--->Teammates
--->Chats and emails
Catastrophe - CORRECT ANSWER- The final action that completes the unraveling of the
plot
Catharsis - CORRECT ANSWER- The reader or audience feels compassion with the
protagonist and experiences a sense of relief when watching a protagonist overcome great
odds
Character - CORRECT ANSWER- A person in a story, poem or play. Even if the character is
an animal or a god, the character will have human characteristics.
UPDATED Exam Questions and
CORRECT Answers
Abstract Expressionism - CORRECT ANSWER- On of the most important movements in
American art, began in the 40's with artist such as Koonin, Rothko, and Gorky; the paintings
are usually large and nonrepresentational
Active Voice - CORRECT ANSWER- A sentence style which the subject performs the action
--->Harry ate six shrimp at dinner. (active)
--->At dinner, six shrimp were eaten by Harry. (passive)
Allegory - CORRECT ANSWER- A symbolic narrative in which the surface details imply a
secondary meaning. It often takes the form of a story in which the characters represent moral
qualities
--->"Animal Farm", written by George Orwell, is an allegory that uses animals on a farm to
describe the overthrow of the last of the Russian Tsar Nicholas II and the Communist
Revolution of Russia before WW I. The actions of the animals on the farm are used to expose
the greed and corruption of the revolution. It also describes how powerful people can change
the ideology of a society.
Alliteration - CORRECT ANSWER- The repetition of initial consonant sounds in two or
more words in a line of writing; Based on sound, not spelling
--->Alice's aunt ate apples
Allusion - CORRECT ANSWER- Reference to a well-known person, place, object, event or
literary work or work of art
--->The rise in poverty will unlock the Pandora's box of crimes. - This is an allusion to one of
Greek Mythology's origin myth, "Pandora's box".
Anachronism - CORRECT ANSWER- Placing an event, person or object out of its proper
chronological place
--->An example of anachronism can be traced in John Keats' poem "Ode on a Grecian Urn":
"Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard
,Are sweeter: therefore, ye soft pipes play on"
Notice the use of formal and a century old "ye" instead of informal and more appropriate to
Keats' time "you". It is an anachronism but its use here is intentional as it is used to show the
respect that the urn inspires in Keats; hence, produces an artistic effect.
Analogy - CORRECT ANSWER- A comparison used to show the similarities between two or
more objects
--->Just as a sword is the weapon of a warrior, a pen is the weapon of a writer.
--->How a doctor diagnoses diseases is like how a detective investigates crimes.
Antagonist - CORRECT ANSWER- A character or force in conflict with the main character
--->Professor Snap and Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter
--->Roger Chillingworth in "The Scarlet Letter"
Antithesis - CORRECT ANSWER- A thought is balanced with a contrasting thought in
parallel arrangements of words and phrases
--->Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.
--->Patience is bitter, but it has a sweet fruit.
Aphorism - CORRECT ANSWER- An observation that contains a general truth, such as, "if it
ain't broke, don't fix it."
--->The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. [William
Faulkner]
--->Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind. [Rudyard Kipling]
Apostrophe - CORRECT ANSWER- When a character turns away from the audience and
directly addresses an absent person or a personified quality. Allows the character the
opportunity to think aloud.
--->In "Death Be Not Proud" when John Dunne directly addresses Death, he is using an
apostrophe
--->William Shakespeare makes use of an apostrophe in his play "Macbeth":
"Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand?
Come, let me clutch thee!
, I have thee not, and yet I see thee still."
In his mental conflict before murdering King Duncan, Macbeth has a strange vision of a
dagger and talks to it as if it were another person.
Argumentative - CORRECT ANSWER- Defends or convinces about a topic
Aside - CORRECT ANSWER- Lines spoken directly to the audience by an actor
Assonance - CORRECT ANSWER- The repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words
--->Try as I might, the kite did not fly (Repetition of the long "i" sound)
Ballad - CORRECT ANSWER- A song that tells a story. Generally passed down through the
generations
Caesura - CORRECT ANSWER- A pause, usually signaled by punctuation, in a line of poetry
Casual Register - CORRECT ANSWER- Informal language used by peers and friends. Lang,
vulgarities and colloquialisms are normal
--->Buddies
--->Teammates
--->Chats and emails
Catastrophe - CORRECT ANSWER- The final action that completes the unraveling of the
plot
Catharsis - CORRECT ANSWER- The reader or audience feels compassion with the
protagonist and experiences a sense of relief when watching a protagonist overcome great
odds
Character - CORRECT ANSWER- A person in a story, poem or play. Even if the character is
an animal or a god, the character will have human characteristics.
