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AP Language Vocabulary 2.7 Flashcards

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5490754985Labyrinthine(adj.) irregular, twisting, characterized by twists or turns0
5490758748Erasure(n.) the act or instance of erasing1
5490773974Niggling(v.) cause slight but persistent annoyance, discomfort, or anxiety; to annoy2
5490773975Effigies(n.) a crude representation of something or someone that is hated or loathed3
5490780135Imposture(n.) an instance of pretending to be someone else4
5490781363Oligarchies(n.) a small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution5
5490782871Obliquely(adv.) indirectly6
5490795471Melancholy(n.) a feeling of sadness7
5490795472Palatial(adj.) spacious or splendid8
5490805357Incipient(adj.) pertaining to the undeveloped initial stages9
5490805358Pundit(n.) a learned person who has expertise in a certain area; one who gives authoritative opinions10
5490807420Furtive(adj.) done slyly or stealthily, sneaky, secret, shifty11
5490808967Interminable(adj.) endless12
5490826719Perilously(adv.) involving or full of grave risk or peril; hazardous; dangerous13
5490829308Execrate(v.) to feel or express great loathing for14
5490829309Dislocate(v.) to put out of proper place or order.15
5490831407Disquieting(adj.) causing uneasiness or worry16
5490838290Panegyric(n.) lofty writing or writing in praise for someone17
5490839894Tachycardia(n.) abnormally fast heartbeat18
5490841740Gale(n.) very strong wind19
5490841741Muckraker(n.) Journalists who attempted to find corruption or wrongdoing and expose it to the public (negative connotation)20
5490848429Witch-Hunt(n.) an act of trying to expose corruption, malfeasance, ethics, or moral violations usually with severe bias21

AP Language Vocabulary Flashcards

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5816698055AnimateBring to life0
5816701828AnalogousComparable, bringing reason to two things compared1
5816708315EnjoinInstruct or urge someone to do something2
5816709868RouseTo bring out of sleep3
5816714692EpochA period of time in history that marks something important.4
5816720030OracularHard to interpret5
5816722024WiryLean and tough6
5816724997AptitudeNatural tendency7
5816727054UnassailableUnable to be attacked or harmed8
5816730607IndignantShowing annoyance to unfair treatment9
5816732948ConciliatoryIntended to pacify10
5816734979WaverTo be indecisive of two opinions11
5816738398IncredulityUnwilling to believe something12
5816740075AdeptVery skilled or proficient at something13
5816746861Self-revelatoryInadvertently revealing your own character14
5816750102FrazzleThe cause of being extremely exhausted15
5816753586SynergyThe cooperation of two or more substances combined to produce a greater effect shared than their separate effects.16
5816755487EmpiricalBased on observation instead of pure logic17
5816760793FunicularRelating to a rope and its tension18
5816762921LariatA rope used as a lasso or for tethering19

AP Literature Flashcards

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3681705158ProtagonistThe central character in a conflict, whether sympathetic or unsympathetic as a person. +central character.0
3681706542AntagonistAny force arranged against the protagonist's own character traits.1
3681711330DilemmaA position in which he or she must choose between two courses of action, both undesirable.2
3681712988Artistic UnityThere must be nothing in the story that is irrelevant, that does not contribute to the meaning; there should be nothing there for its own sake or its own excitement.3
3681713751Deus ex machine(Latin for "god from a machine") Having a god descend from heaven at the last minute to rescue the protagonist from some impossible situation.4
3681717115Direct PresentationAuthors present their characters straight out, by exposition or analysis, what the characters are like, or they have another character in the story describe them.5
3681729827Indirect PresentationAuthor shows us the characters through their actions; we determine what they are like by what they say or what they do.6
3681731176Denotation7
3681733071Connotation8
3681733072FlatUsually have one or two predominant traits; they can be summed up in a sentence or two.9
3681733943RoundAre complex and many-sided; they have the 3-D quality of a real person.10
3681734941StockStereotyped figures who have recurred so often in fiction that we recognize them at once.11
3681736000StaticRemains the same person from the beginning of story to the end.12
3681737440DynamicUndergoes some distinct change of character, personality, or outlook. The change may be a large or a small one; it may be positive or negative; but it is something significant and basic, not some minor change of habit or opinion.13
3682898301EpiphanyA moment of spiritual insight into life or into the character's own circumstances.14
3682932234ThemeA piece of fiction is it's controlling idea or its central insight.15

AP Language Rhetorical Devices Flashcards

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5956740654Antithesis(n.) the direct opposite, a sharp contrast0
5956745299IsocolonParallel structure in which the parallel elements are similar not only in grammatical structure, but also in length1
5956749273JuxtapositionPlacement of two things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts2
5956752292ParallelismSimilarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses3
5956758065AnastropheInversion of the natural or usual word order4
5956761866Appositiona grammar construction in which a noun (or noun phrase) is placed with another as an explanation5
5956763709Parenthesisinsertion of some verbal unit in a position that interrupts the normal syntactical flow of the sentence6
5956767215AsyndetonCommas used (with no conjunction) to separate a series of words, speeds up flow of sentence. X, Y, Z as opposed to X, Y, and Z.7
5957099769Ellipsisin a sentence, the omission of a word or words replaced by three periods8
5957127052AlliterationIt is a stylistic device in which a number of words, having the same first consonant sound, occur close together in a series.9
5957127053Anadiplosisrepetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the following clause10
5957129775AnaphoraA rhetorical figure of repetition in which the same word or phrase is repeated in (and usually at the beginning of) successive lines, clauses, or sentences.11
5957131697AntimetaboleRepetition of words in successive clauses in reverse grammatical order12
5957156544AssonanceRepetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity13
5957156545ChiasmusA statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed ("Susan walked in, and out rushed Mary.")14
5957156694Climaxthe arrangement of words, phrases or clauses in an order of increasing importance15
5957156947Epanalepsisrepetition at the end of a clause of the word that occurred at the beginning of the clause16
5957187430Epistrophethe repetition of a word at the end of successive clauses or sentences17
5957190683PolysyndetonDeliberate use of many conjunctions18
5957190809AntanaclasisRepetition of a word in two different senses.19
5957193532AnthimeriaThe substitution of one part of speech for another20
5957193533ApostropheA figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love.21
5957193797HyperboleA figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor22
5957196085IronyA contrast or discrepancy between what is stated and what is really meant, or between what is expected to happen and what actually does happen.23
5957196086LitotesA form of understatement that involves making an affirmative point by denying its opposite24
5957197616MetaphorA comparison that establishes a figurative identity between objects being compared.25
5957222060MetonomyA figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated (such as "crown" for "royalty").26
5957222061OnomatopoeiaA figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words.27
5957224374OxymoronA figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.28
5957224375ParadoxA statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.29
5957228649Paronomasiause of words alike in sound but different in meaning. "ask for me tomorrow and you will find me a GRAVE man."30
5957228650PersonificationA figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes31
5957230708Rhetorical QuestionA question asked merely for rhetorical effect and not requiring an answer32
5957230709SImileA comparison of two unlike things using "like" or "as"33
5957232464Syllepsisthe use of a word understood differently in relation to two or more other words, which it modifies/governs. "The ink, like our pig, keeps running out of the pen."34
5957234234Synechdochea figure of speech in which a part is used to represent a whole35
5957236503SynethesiaA condition in which two senses are sensed at the same time, where one type of stimulation evokes the sensation of another, as when the hearing of a sound produces the visualization of a color36

AP Literature Vocab Flashcards

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7245286926Allocationn. share set aside for a specific purpose0
7245291032Asceticn. one who is devoted to the practice of self-denial adj; rigorously abstinent1
7245307145Beguilev. to charm, delight or captivate; to deceive or delude2
7245331893Crassadj. course; crude; not refined or sensible; materialistic3
7245335933Defrayv. finance or fund; bear the cost4
7245340119Dintn. force or effort; power; the mark left by a blow5
7245344166Enjoinv. to direct somebody to do something with authority6
7245353722Envoyn. someone sent on a mission to represent the interests of someone else; a representative7
7245358067Interlopern. meddler, intruder; trespasser8
7245361876Vicariousadj. serving in place of something or something else; substituted9
7340537682Admonishv. to caution or advise against something; reprimand10
7340540086Akimboadj. with hands on hip and elbows pointing out11
7340542389Lassituden. laziness; weariness of mind and body12
7340544908Licentiousadj. unrestrained by mortality; promiscuous13
7340548734Musev. to contemplate or consider n. a goddess of any art14
7340554254Pecuniaryadj. forward; bold; audacious; conceited15
7340554971Plightn. situation; predicament (usually uncomfortable)16
7340564176Presumptuousadj. forward; bold; audacious; conceited17
7340564894Subversiven. an insurgent adj. treasonous; inflammatory18
7340569165Vacuousadj. empty-handed; shallow; vacant19
7340571777Disparityn. inadequately; discrepancy20
7340574223Efficacyn. capability; effectiveness; strength21
7340576366Reticentadj. restrained, reluctant; hesitant22
7340578301Impetusn. motivation; stimulus; catalyst23
7340579177Epistlen. a letter or written communication (usually didactic)24
7340581230Moribundadj. near death; doomed; passing25
7340583303Hospicen. a house of shelter or rest for the sick or weary26
7340585061Vacillatev. to waver in mind or opinion; to be indecisive27
7340586032Avocationn. a hobby; a distraction pr amusement28
7340589768Capriciousadj. temperamental; unpredictable; arbitrary29

AP French Language and Culture Exam Prep Set 1 Flashcards

exprimer l'opinion, sans opinion, indiquer une opinion, être d'accord, pas être d'accord

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6890769754à mon avisin my opinion0
6890769755Quel est son avis?What's his/her opinion?1
6890769756Je n'ai vraiment pas d'opinion.I have no feelings about it.2
6890769757Je n'en sais rien.I have no idea.3
6890769758C'est possible.It's possible.4
6890769759Il paraît queIt seems that5
6890769760Je crois queI think that6
6890769761Je trouve queI find that7
6890769762Je suis convaincu queI'm convinced that8
6890769763par contreon the other hand9
6890769764Je suis de votre avis.I feel the same as you.10
6890769765Je suis d'accord.I agree.11
6890769766C'est ce que je pense.That's what I think.12
6890769767Il a raison.He is right.13
6890769768Je ne suis pas d'accord.I disagree.14
6890769769L'auteur a tort.The author is wrong.15
6890769770Il exagère.He is exaggerating.16
6890769771J'en ai assez deI've had enough of17

AP Literature Terminology 1 Flashcards

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7321543068AllegoryA narrative that illustrates an idea or a moral principle in which most objects/characters take on symbolic meaning0
7321543069AlliterationRepetition of initial consonant sounds1
7321543070AllusionA reference in literature to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art2
7321543071Anachronisman inconsistency in some chronological arrangement3
7321543072AnaganoristsTragic realization by the protagonist that comes too late4
7321543073Anapest2 unstressed followed by stressed5
7321543074AnecdoteA short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person6
7321543075AntagonistA person or force which opposes the protagonist in a literary work7
7321543076AntithesisThe placing of a sentence or one of its parts against another to which it is opposed to form a balanced contrast of ideas8
7321543077AphorismA brief statement which expresses a witty observation on life9
7321543078ApostropheOccurs when a speaker references someone who is dead or something that cannot speak back10
7321543079ArchetypeAn original model of a person, ideal example, or a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated; a symbol universally recognized by all11
7321543080AsideWhen an actor speaks to the audience and is not heard by other characters12
7321543081AssonanceRepetition of vowel sounds in unrhyming words13
7321543082AubadeA morning love song or a song or poem about lovers separating at dawn14
7321543083AuditoryImagery that has to do with hearing15
7321543084BalladA story in poetic form, often about tragic love and usually sung16
7321543085BildungsromanA story in which the protagonist undergoes growth throughout the entire narrative, generally starting off by being removed or chased from their home17
7321543086Blank VersePoetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter18
7321543087CacophonyA harsh, grating sound19
7321543088CaesuraA pause in a line of poetry20
7321543089CatharsisA sudden emotional climax that results in restoration, renewal, and revitalization in members of the audience21

AP Literature: Historical/Literary Movements Flashcards

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6537856564classicalreferring to ancient Greeks/Romans (~6th C BCE to 5th C CE), especially the art, architecture, and literature of the empires0
6537858180Medieval Period/Middle Agesperiod extending from the end of the Western Roman Empire (5th century) until the Renaissance1
6537859150Renaissancethe period of European history at the close of the Middle Ages and the rise of the modern world; a cultural rebirth from the 14th through the middle of the 17th centuries2
6537861502Elizabethan Agea period associated with the reign of Elizabeth ! of England (1558 - 1603), considered a part of the Renaissance3
6537863261humanisma Renaissance movement emphasizing the importance of human existence and seeking knowledge and understanding of all matters pertaining to earthly, secular life4
6537865101Enlightenment/Age of Reasonan 18th-century philosophical movement that valued reason (progress, science, democracy) and believe that the individual and society could be perfected5
6537866713neoclassical ageEra (18th century) of a revival of art/literature characterized by classical ideals of reason, form, and restraint6
6537869454romanticisman artistic and intellectual movement originating from the late 18th century/early 19th century, characterized by interest in nature, emphasis on emotions and imagination, and departure from the attitudes/techniques of the 18th century7
6537871374gothicworks characterized by a taste for the medieval or morbid; gothic novels (usually from the 19th century) feature elements of horror, supernatural, gloom, and violence8
6537873255realism/naturalism19th century movement advocating the literal, objective portrayal of reality9
6537874434Fin de Sieclea French term meaning "end of century." The term denotes the last decade of the 19th century, a transition when writers/artists abandoned old conventions for new techniques/objectives10
6537876789modernismthe deliberate departure from tradition and the use of innovative forms of expression that distinguish many styles in the art and literature of the 20th century; self-conscious break from previous genres11
6537878948Lost Generationa term used to describe the post-World War I generation of American writers: men and women haunted by a sense of betrayals and emptiness brought about by the destructiveness of the war12
6537881049surrealisma 20th century literary and artistic movement that attempts to express the workings and the subconscious and is characterized by fantastic imagery and incongruous juxtaposition of subject matter13
6537883685Harlem Renaissancetime in American history (1920s to 1930s) when African American literature, art and music, flourished in New York City14
6537885545existentialisma 20th-century philosophy concerned with the nature and perception of human existence. Followers often believe that the individual is alone in a godless universe and that the human conditions is one of suffering and loneliness. Nevertheless, individuals can create their own meaning15
6537891665Theater of the Absurda form of drama that emphasizes the absurdity of human existence by employing disjointed, repetitious, and meaningless dialogue, purposeless and confusing situations, and plots that lack realistic or logical development16
6537893560postmodernismperiod/movement (~1945 to present) which carriers modernist styles or practices toe extremes and/or rejects modernism for new approaches to art and literature17
6537939453Beat Poetsgroup of American writers of the 1950s whose work strongly influenced the cultural transformation of the 60s.18
6537940902magical realisma literary genre in which magical elements appear in an otherwise realist setting also a genre of Latin American literature form the 1960s in which magical themes were combined with realistic subject matter19

AP Language Literary Terms, AP Language terms Flashcards

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8642512954Cumulative (Loose) Sentencebegins with a main clause that is followed by phrases and/or clauses that modify the main clause. These phrases or clauses add information to the main or independent clause.0
8642512955Periodic Sentencea sentence that, by leaving the completion of its main clause to the end, produces an effect of suspense.1
8642512956Litotes/Understatementa figure of speech in which a negative statement is used to affirm a positive statement.2
8642512957Warrantexpresses the assumption necessarily shared by the speaker and the audience.3
8642512958Ethosan appeal to ethics and it is a means of convincing someone of the character or credibility of the persuader.4
8642512959Pathosan appeal to emotion, and is a way of convincing an audience of an argument by creating an emotional response.5
8642512960Logosan appeal to logic, and is a way of persuading an audience by reason.6
8642512961Concessionan acknowledgement that an opposing argument may be true or reasonable.7
8642512962SyllogismA logical structure that uses the major premise and minor premise to reach a necessary conclusion.8
8642512963Major premisecontains the term that is the predicate of the conclusion.9
8642512964Minor premisecontains the term that is the subject of the conclusion.10
8642512965Inductiona logical process wherein you reason from particulars to universal, using specific cases in order to draw a conclusion, which is also called a generalization.11
8642512966Deductiona logical process wherein you reach a conclusion by starting with a general principle or universal truth (a major premise).12
8642512967Equivocationa fallacy of argument in which a lie is given the appearance of truth, or in which the truth is misrepresented in deceptive language.13
8642512968Refutationa denial of the validity of an opposing argument.14
8642512969Dictiona speaker's choice of words. Analysis of diction looks at these choices and what they add to the speaker's message.15
8642512970Similea figure of speech used to explain or clarify an idea by comparing it explicitly to something else, using words like, as, or as though.16
8642512971Metaphorfigure of speech that compares two unlike things without using like or as.17
8642512972Anaphorathe intentional repetition of beginning clauses in order to create an artistic effect.18
8642512973Rhetoricit is the art of finding ways of persuading an audience.19
8642512974Rhetorical Trianglespeaker-subject-audience20
8642512975Allusionbrief reference to a person, event, or place (real or fictitious) to to a work of art.21
8642512976Hyperboledeliberate exaggeration used for emphasis or to produce a comic or ironic effect; an overstatement to make a point.22
8642512977Personificationattribution of a lifelike quality to an inanimate object or an idea.23
8642512978Asyndetonomission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words.24
8642512979Polysyndetonthe deliberate use of multiple conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses or words.25
8642512980Parallelismsimilarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses.26
8642512981Antithesisopposition, or contrast or ideas or words in a parallel construction.27
8642512982Enumerationto mention separately as if in counting; name one by one; specify, as in list28
8642512983Rhetorical QuestionFigure of speech in the form of a question posed for the rhetorical effect rather than for the purpose of getting an answer. Ex.) Are you stupid?29
8642512984Chiasmusthe reversal in the order of words in two otherwise parallel phrases. Ex.) He went to the country, the country went to him.30
8642512985RebuttalIn the Toulon model, a rebuttal gives voice to possible objections.31
8642512986Fallacy of Argumenta flaw in the structure of an argument that renders its conclusion invalid or suspect.32
8642512987Bandwagon Appeala fallacy of argument in which a course of action is recommended on the grounds that everyone else is following it.33
8642512988Begging the Questiona fallacy of argument in which a claim is based on the very grounds that are in doubt or dispute.34
8642512989Anecdotea brief story used to illustrate a point or claim.35
8642512990Modes of DisclosureExposition- illustrates a point Narration- tells a story Description- creates a sensory image Argumentation- takes a position on an issue and defends it.36
8642512991Examplea specific event, person, or detail of an idea cited and/or developed to support or illustrate a thesis or topic.37
8642512992Contrast/ Comparisona method of presenting similarities and differences between or among at least two persons, places, things, ideas, etc. may be organized by: Subject by subject Point by point Combination38
8642512993Cause and Effectestablishes a relationship: B is the result of A.39
8642512994Classificationseparates items into major categories and details the characteristics of each group is placed within the category.40
8642512995Processsimply "how to" do something is done. It can have one of two purposes. It can either give instructions or inform the reader about how something is done.41
8642512996Definitionidentifies the class to which a specific term belongs and those characteristics which make it different from all the other items in that class.42
8642512997Narrationis nothing more than storytelling. There is a beginning, a middle, and an end.43
8642512998Descriptionwriting that appeals to the senses. It can be objective, which is scientific or clinical, or it can be impressionistic, which tries to involve the reader's emotions or feelings.44
8642512999Dogmatism`a fallacy of argument in which a claim is supported on the grounds that it's the only conclusion acceptable within a given community.45
8642513000False Dilemma or Dichotomya fallacy of argument in which a complicated issue is misrepresented as offering only two possible alternatives, one of which is often made to seem vastly preferable to the other.46
8642513001False authoritya fallacy of argument in which a claim is based on the expertise of someone who lacks appropriate credentials.47
8642513002Faulty causalitya fallacy of argument making the unwarranted assumption that because one event follows another, the first event causes the second. Also called post hoc, ergo propter hoc, this forms the basis of many superstitions.48
8642513003Hasty generalizationa fallacy of argument in which an inference is drawn from insufficient data.49
8642513004Non sequitora fallacy of argument in which claims, reasons, or warrants fail to connect logically; one point doesn't follow from another.50
8642513005AllegoryThe device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning. A story in which each aspect of the story has a symbolic meaning outside the tale itself.51
8642513006AlliterationThe repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words (as in "she sells sea shells").52
8642513007AllusionA direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art.53
8642513008AmbiguityThe multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.54
8642513009AnalogyA similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them.55
8642513010AntecedentThe word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.56
8642513011Antithesisthe opposition or contrast of ideas; the direct opposite.57
8642513012AphorismA terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle. (If the authorship is unknown, the statement is generally considered to be a folk proverb.)58
8642513013ApostropheA prayer like figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. It is an address to someone or something that cannot answer.59
8642513014AtmosphereThe emotional nod created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author's choice of objects that are described.60
8642513015Caricaturea verbal description, the purpose of which is to exaggerate or distort, for comic effect, a person's distinctive physical features or other characteristics.61
8642513016ClauseA grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb.62
8642513017Colloquial/ColloquialismThe use of slang or informalities in speech or writing.63
8642513018Literary ConceitA fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects; displays intellectual cleverness through unusual comparisons that make good sense64
8642513019ConnotationThe non-literal, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning.65
8642513020DenotationThe strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude, or color.66
8642513021DictionRelated to style, diction refers to the writer's word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness.67
8642513022DidacticFrom the Greek, didactic literally means "teaching."68
8642513023EuphemismFrom the Greek for "good speech," euphemisms are a more agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept - POLITICALLY CORRECT69
8642513024Extended MetaphorA metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work.70
8642513025Figurative LanguageWriting or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid71
8642513026Figure of speechA device used to produce figurative language. Many compare dissimilar things. Figures of speech include apotrophe hyperbole irony metaphor oxymoron paradox personification simile syneddoche understatement72
8642513027GenreThe major category into which a literary work fits. The basic divisions of literature are prose, poetry, and drama.73
8642513028HomilyThis term literally means "sermon," but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice.74
8642513029HyperboleA figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement. (The literal Greek meaning is "overshoot.")75
8642513030ImageryThe sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions.76
8642513031Inference/inferTo draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented.77
8642513032Invectivean emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language.78
8642513033Irony/ironicThe contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant, or the difference between what appears to be and what is actually true.79
8642513034Loose sentence/non-periodic sentenceA type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses.80
8642513035MetaphorA figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity.81
8642513036MetonymyA figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it.82
8642513037MoodThe prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a work.83
8642513038NarrativeThe telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events.84
8642513039onomatopoeiaA figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words.85
8642513040OxymoronOxymoron is a figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox.86
8642513041ParadoxA statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity.87
8642513042Parallelismthe use of successive verbal constructions in poetry or prose that correspond in grammatical structure, sound, meter, meaning, etc.88
8642513043ParodyA work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule.89
8642513044PedanticAn adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish (language that might be described as "show-offy"; using big words for the sake of using big words).90
8642513045Periodic sentenceThe opposite of loose sentence, a sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end.91
8642513046PersonificationA figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes or emotions.92
8642513047Point of viewIn literature, the perspective from which a story is told.93
8642513048Prosewritten or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure.94
8642513049RepetitionThe duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern.95
8642513050RhetoricFrom the Greek for "orator," this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively.96
8642513051SarcasmInvolves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something.97
8642513052SatireA work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule.98
8642513053Subordinate clauseLike all clauses, this word group contains both a subject and a verb (plus any accompanying phrases or modifiers), but unlike the independent clause, this clause cannot stand alone; it does not express a complete thought.99
8642513054SyllogismA deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises (the first one called "major" and the second called "minor") that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion.100
8642513055Symbol/symbolismGenerally, anything that represents itself and stands for something else.101
8642513056SyntaxThe way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences.102
8642513057ThemeThe central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life.103
8642513058ThesisThe sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or position.104
8642513059ToneDescribes the author's attitude toward his material, the audience, or both.105
8642513060TransitionA word or phrase that links different ideas. Used especially, although not exclusively, in expository and argumentative writing, effectively signal a shift from one idea to another.106
8642513061Understatementthe ironic minimalizing of fact; presents something as less significant than it is.107
8642513062Witin modern usage, intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights.108
8642513063Slippery SlopeThis is the failure to provide evidence to support a claim that one event will lead to a catastrophic chain of events.109
8642513064straw manWhen a writer argues against a claim that nobody actually holds or is universally considered weak.110
8642513065EthosAn appeal to credibility. The writer is seeking to convince you that he or she has the background, history, skills, and/or expertise to speak on the issue.111
8642513066JuxtapositionMaking on idea more dramatic by placing it next to its opposite.112
8642513067LogosAn appeal to reason and logic.113
8642513068PathosAn appeal to emotion.114
8642513069Rhetorical QuestionA question whose answer is assumed.115
8642513070SimileA critical figure of speech in an argument when what is unknown is compared to something that is known using the word "like," "as," or "than" in order to better perceive its importance.116
8642513071rhetorical appealthe persuasive devices by which a writer tries to sway an audience's attention and response to any given work. See logos, ethos, and pathos.117
8642513072descriptive detailWhen an essay uses this phrase, look for the writer's sensory description.118
8642513073devicesThe figures of speech, syntax, diction, and other stylistic elements that collectively produce a particular artistic effect.119
8642513074narrative devicesThis term describes the tools of the storyteller (also used in nonfiction), such as ordering events so that they build to a climactic moment or withholding information until a crucial or appropriate moment when revealing it creates a desired effect. On the essay portion of the exam, this term may also apply to biographical and autobiographical writing.120
8642513075narrative techniquesThe style of telling the "story," even if the passage is nonfiction. Concentrate on the order of events and on their detail in evaluating a writer's technique.121
8642513076Ad hominem argumentAn argument attacking an individual's character rather than his or her position on an issue122
8642513077AnaphoraFigure of repetition that occurs when the first word or set of words in one sentence, clause, or phrase is/are repeated at or very near the beginning of successive sentences, clauses, or phrases; repetition of the initial words over successive phrases or clauses123
8642513078AnecdoteA brief story that illustrates or makes a point124
8642513079Appeal to authorityA fallacy in which a speaker or writer seeks to persuade not by giving evidence but by appealing to the respect people have for a famous person or institution.125
8642513080Argumentationone of the four forms of discourse which uses logic, ethics, and emotional appeals (logos, ethos, pathos) to develop an effective means to convince the reader to think or act in a certain way.126
8642513081AssonanceRepetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity127
8642513082AsyndetonA series of words separated by commas (with no conjunction).128
8642513083toneA speaker's, author's, or character's disposition toward or opinion of a subject.129
8642513084audienceOne's listener or readership; those to whom a speech or piece of writing is addressed.130
8642513085Balanced sentenceA sentence in which words, phrases, or clauses are set off against each other to emphasize a contrast131
8642513086Begging the questionOften called circular reasoning, __ occurs when the believability of the evidence depends on the believability of the claim.132
8642513087understatement"I have to have this operation. It isn't very serious. I have this tiny little tumor on the brain." Holden Caulfield, Catcher in the Rye133
8642513088parallelism"My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." John F. Kennedy134
8642513089allusionThe rise in poverty will unlock the Pandora's box of crimes.135
8642513090hyperbole"I'll love you, dear, I'll love you/Till China and Africa meet,/And the river jumps over the mountain"136
8642513091aphorism"Having nothing, nothing can he lose."137
8642513092metonymy"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears." Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Act I138
8642513093invective"I cannot but conclude the bulk of your natives to be the most pernicious race of little odious vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth." Jonathan Swift Gulliver's Travels139
8642513094antithesis"To err is human; to forgive divine." Alexander Pope "An Essay on Criticism"140
8642513095euphemism"I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs." William Shakespeare Othello141
8642513096periodic sentenceIn spite of heavy snow and cold temperatures, the game continued.142
8642513097paradox"Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it." -Gandhi143
8642513098alliteration"His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead."144
8642513099chiasmus"he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling"145
8642513100oxymoron"Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing. / Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, / That I shall say good night till it be morrow."146
8642513101personification"Pearl Button swung on the little gate in front of the House of Boxes. It was the early afternoon of a sunshiny day with little winds playing hide-and-seek in it."147
8642513102onomatopoeia"He saw nothing and heard nothing but he could feel his heart pounding and then he heard the clack on stone and the leaping, dropping clicks of a small rock falling."148
8642513103inverted syntax"Patience you must have, my young padawan."149
8642513104spatial description"In my pantry, coffee, tea powder, and sugar have been kept in the top shelf. Flour, canned food, and dry pasta are on the second shelf."150

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