English 9–10 (Grades 9–10) Midterm — Units 3–4

Part 1: Multiple Choice

1. Romeo believes Juliet is dead, but the audience knows she took a potion that only makes her appear dead. Which device is this?
   1. A. Verbal irony
   2. B. Comic relief
   3. C. Soliloquy
   4. D. Dramatic irony
2. What is comic relief?
   1. A. A happy ending that resolves every conflict
   2. B. A humorous scene that eases tension in a serious work
   3. C. A speech in which a character mocks the audience
   4. D. A play that is entirely comedic from start to end
3. In a script, what is the dramatis personae?
   1. A. The opening speech of the play
   2. B. The instructions for building the set
   3. C. The final scene of the play
   4. D. The list of characters in the play
4. What is catharsis?
   1. A. The emotional release an audience feels after a tragedy
   2. B. The moment the hero first meets the villain
   3. C. A comic scene placed inside a serious play
   4. D. The final speech that summarizes the plot
5. In theater, what is blocking?
   1. A. The planned movements and positions of actors
   2. B. Lines an actor forgets during a performance
   3. C. A scene cut from the script before opening night
   4. D. The painted backdrop hanging behind the actors
6. In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Mark Antony repeatedly calls Brutus "an honourable man" while showing that Brutus betrayed Caesar. This is an example of
   1. A. verbal irony
   2. B. situational irony
   3. C. foreshadowing
   4. D. an aside
7. What is the antagonist of a play?
   1. A. The main character at the center of the play
   2. B. The character who provides humor in the play
   3. C. The character or force opposing the protagonist
   4. D. The narrator who introduces each act of the play
8. In a typical five-act Shakespearean play, the climax usually occurs in
   1. A. Act III
   2. B. Act V
   3. C. Act II
   4. D. Act I
9. In the prologue of Romeo and Juliet, the Chorus calls the lovers "star-cross'd." This phrase suggests that
   1. A. they first met under the night sky
   2. B. they will escape their families' feud
   3. C. they are destined to become rulers
   4. D. their lives are shaped by fate
10. In classical tragedy, what is the protagonist's fatal flaw or error called?
    1. A. Catharsis
    2. B. Epilogue
    3. C. Chorus
    4. D. Hamartia
11. In rhetorical analysis, diction refers to
    1. A. the length of the writer's sentences
    2. B. the writer's choice of words
    3. C. the writer's use of statistics
    4. D. the order of paragraphs in a text
12. What is a rhetorical question?
    1. A. A question an audience asks after a speech
    2. B. A question asked for effect rather than for an answer
    3. C. A question that opens a formal debate
    4. D. A question that has several correct answers
13. What is antithesis?
    1. A. Pairing contrasting ideas in parallel form
    2. B. Exaggerating a point for emphasis or humor
    3. C. Asking a question that needs no answer
    4. D. Repeating a word at the end of each clause
14. What is a red herring?
    1. A. A statement that repeats the claim as proof
    2. B. An irrelevant point that distracts from the real issue
    3. C. An argument that attacks a person's character
    4. D. A claim supported by too little evidence
15. Read the line: "We will not wait. We will not waver. We will not walk away." Which device is most clearly used?
    1. A. Anaphora
    2. B. Antithesis
    3. C. Understatement
    4. D. Rhetorical question
16. In rhetoric, the audience is
    1. A. the evidence used to support a writer's claim
    2. B. the people a writer or speaker aims to reach
    3. C. the time and place where a speech is given
    4. D. the main argument or claim of a speech
17. Read the sentence: "If we let students use calculators, soon they won't know basic math, and then they'll fail every class." Which fallacy does it show?
    1. A. False dilemma
    2. B. Ad hominem
    3. C. Red herring
    4. D. Slippery slope
18. Read the sentence: "I met two rude people from that town, so everyone there must be rude." Which fallacy does it show?
    1. A. Straw man
    2. B. Bandwagon
    3. C. Hasty generalization
    4. D. Slippery slope
19. Read the sentence: "My opponent wants to reduce homework, so she obviously doesn't care whether students learn." Which fallacy does it show?
    1. A. Straw man
    2. B. Appeal to authority
    3. C. Red herring
    4. D. Hasty generalization
20. In an argument, what is a concession?
    1. A. Repeating the main claim in the conclusion
    2. B. Attacking the character of an opponent
    3. C. Admitting that an opposing point has some merit
    4. D. Providing statistics to support a claim

Part 2: Written Response

21. Write an argument on whether students should have homework on weekends. Include a clear claim, two reasons with evidence, a concession, and a rebuttal. Avoid logical fallacies.