Mixed Deck — All CLT Topics Flashcards

A passage uses the phrase 'the twilight of the old order.' The word 'twilight' here most likely functions as:

Answer: A metaphor for gradual decline and ending

Twilight as metaphor for decline is common in classical and political prose, evoking the fading of light as an analogy for the fading of an era.

What does the narrative technique 'in medias res' mean?

Answer: Beginning the narrative in the middle of the action

'In medias res' is a Latin phrase meaning 'into the middle of things,' describing a narrative that opens mid-action rather than at the beginning.

The rhetorical figure 'chiasmus' in classical writing involves what structural pattern across two clauses?

Answer: An ABBA reversal of grammatical or semantic elements

Chiasmus (named for the Greek letter chi, χ) creates a crossing or X-shaped arrangement: 'Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country' (A-B / B-A).

What is the difference between connotation and denotation?

Answer: Denotation is the literal meaning; connotation is the emotional association

Denotation is a word's literal dictionary definition, while connotation includes the emotional and cultural associations the word carries.

Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' concludes with a sphragis (seal poem) in which the poet makes what bold claim about his work?

Answer: His verse will outlast Jupiter's power and endure forever

In the final lines (Book 15, lines 871-879), Ovid declares that his 'Metamorphoses' will survive even Jupiter's wrath and that he himself ('vivam') will live forever.

Which of the following best describes 'stream of consciousness' as a narrative technique?

Answer: A technique depicting a character's continuous, unfiltered flow of thoughts

Stream of consciousness records the associative, unfiltered flow of a character's inner thoughts, as pioneered by Virginia Woolf and James Joyce.

The Socratic method is best described as:

Answer: Using questions and dialogue to expose contradictions and stimulate critical thinking

The Socratic method uses a series of probing questions to help interlocutors examine their beliefs, expose contradictions, and arrive at deeper understanding.

A researcher wants to determine whether fertilizer type affects plant growth. She grows 30 plants, gives 10 plants Fertilizer A, 10 plants Fertilizer B, and 10 plants no fertilizer. All plants receive identical light and water. What is the control group?

Answer: Plants given no fertilizer

The control group receives no treatment (no fertilizer), serving as the baseline for comparison.

A train travels at 60 mph. How many minutes does it take to travel 25 miles?

Answer: 25

25 miles ÷ 60 mph = 5/12 hour = 25 minutes.

As a literary device, 'apostrophe' refers to:

Answer: Directly addressing an absent person, abstract quality, or non-human entity

Literary apostrophe directly addresses someone or something that cannot literally respond, such as death, a muse, or a deceased ancestor.

Which word is closest in meaning to 'perspicacious' as used in classical rhetoric?

Answer: Shrewd and perceptive

'Perspicacious' describes someone with keen insight and the ability to see things clearly.

The Latin legal term 'paterfamilias' referred to what specific role in Roman society?

Answer: The male head of a household holding legal authority over all family members

The 'paterfamilias' held 'patria potestas' (paternal power)—legal authority over his children, grandchildren, and slaves, including control over their property and legal status.

John Locke's concept of the mind as a 'tabula rasa' (blank slate) opposes which position?

Answer: Rationalism's claim that humans possess innate ideas

Locke argued against Descartes and others who held that certain ideas (like God or mathematical truths) are innate, insisting all knowledge derives from sense experience.

What is natural law theory in ethics?

Answer: The view that moral truths are discoverable through human reason and are universal

Natural law theory holds that certain moral principles are inherent in human nature and can be discovered through reason, forming a universal moral framework.

What was the significance of the printing press?

Answer: It democratized knowledge by making books affordable and widely available

Gutenberg's printing press (c. 1440) revolutionized information dissemination, enabling the spread of ideas that fueled the Reformation, Renaissance, and Scientific Revolution.

What was the significance of the Magna Carta (1215)?

Answer: It established the principle that the king was subject to law, laying groundwork for constitutional governance

The Magna Carta established that even the monarch was bound by law, establishing principles of due process and limiting arbitrary royal power.

In classical rhetoric, 'kairos' refers to:

Answer: The opportune moment for making an argument

Kairos refers to the right or opportune moment, emphasizing that timing and context are critical to persuasive effectiveness.

A rectangle has a perimeter of 36 cm and a length of 10 cm. What is its width?

Answer: 8

2(10) + 2w = 36 → 2w = 16 → w = 8 cm.

What is the value of 2¹⁰?

Answer: 1024

2¹⁰ = 1024.

Which sentence uses 'imply' and 'infer' correctly?

Answer: The speaker implied that taxes would rise; the audience inferred as much from his words.

Speakers imply (hint) and listeners infer (conclude) — the distinction is between the sender and receiver of meaning.