English Language and Composition Exam Ethos Pathos and Logos 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A senator begins a floor speech by saying, 'As the father of three daughters, I know firsthand…' This opening primarily establishes:
- Logos through personal experience
- Pathos through shared parental identity
- Ethos through personal credibility and relatability (Correct answer)
- Kairos through timeliness
Correct answer: Ethos through personal credibility and relatability
Sharing a personal role creates both credibility and relatability, which are central to the ethos appeal.
Question 2: Which logical fallacy involves dismissing an argument by attacking the person making it rather than the argument itself?
- Straw man
- Ad hominem (Correct answer)
- False dichotomy
- Slippery slope
Correct answer: Ad hominem
Ad hominem attacks the speaker's character rather than the substance of their argument, making it a fallacy against logos.
Question 3: An advertiser claims, '9 out of 10 dentists recommend this toothpaste.' This is primarily an appeal to:
- Pathos
- Logos through statistical evidence
- Ethos through expert endorsement
- Both logos and ethos (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Both logos and ethos
The statistic provides a logos-based data point while the dentist endorsement provides ethos through expert authority.
Question 4: The term 'kairos' in AP Lang refers to:
- The speaker's credibility
- The emotional power of an argument
- The opportune moment or context in which an argument is made (Correct answer)
- The logical structure of a claim
Correct answer: The opportune moment or context in which an argument is made
Kairos is the rhetorical concept of timing — making an argument at the most strategically effective moment.
Question 5: When a writer uses a vivid anecdote about one individual to represent a broader population, this technique primarily appeals to:
- Logos
- Ethos
- Pathos (Correct answer)
- Syntax
Correct answer: Pathos
A vivid personal story is designed to create emotional identification and sympathy, which defines the pathos appeal.
Question 6: A scientist publishing a paper in a peer-reviewed journal primarily establishes credibility through which appeal?
- Pathos
- Logos
- Ethos
- Both ethos and logos (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Both ethos and logos
Peer-reviewed publication establishes both credibility (ethos) and logical rigor through evidence and reasoning (logos).
English Language and Composition Exam Ethos Pathos and Logos 2
A senator begins a floor speech by saying, 'As the father of three daughters, I know firsthand…' This opening primarily establishes: