AP English Language and Composition Rhetorical Analysis Flashcards
7 cards from real English Language and Composition Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
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An author opens an essay with a vivid anecdote about a child dying from a preventable disease before arguing for universal healthcare. What is the primary rhetorical function of this opening?
Answer: To use pathos by making the abstract issue emotionally concrete
The anecdote humanizes a policy debate to evoke emotional engagement from the reader, a classic pathos appeal.
Which of the following best describes the effect of using the second person ('you') in persuasive writing?
Answer: It directly implicates the reader and increases personal engagement
Second-person address draws readers into the argument by making them feel personally addressed, increasing identification.
A politician's speech includes the line: 'We have climbed every mountain, crossed every river, and overcome every obstacle.' What device is primarily at work?
Answer: Anaphora combined with hyperbole
The repetition of 'every' at the start of each phrase is anaphora, while claiming to have conquered all obstacles is hyperbole.
When a rhetor deliberately quotes an opponent's argument accurately before refuting it, this technique is called:
Answer: Steel-manning
Steel-manning presents the strongest version of an opposing argument before countering it, boosting the rhetor's credibility.
In rhetorical analysis, the term 'epideictic rhetoric' refers to discourse that primarily:
Answer: Praises or blames someone, often in ceremonial contexts
Epideictic (ceremonial) rhetoric celebrates virtues or condemns vices, as seen in eulogies, commencement speeches, and tributes.
An author writes: 'The economy is not merely a machine to be tuned but a living ecosystem to be nurtured.' This sentence primarily uses which rhetorical device?
Answer: Antithesis through extended metaphor
The sentence contrasts two metaphors—machine vs. ecosystem—setting them against each other, making it antithesis expressed through extended metaphor.
Which of the following is an example of an appeal to logos in an argumentative essay?
Answer: Presenting peer-reviewed statistics showing a 40% reduction in crime rates
Logos appeals to reason through evidence such as data, statistics, and logical reasoning, making peer-reviewed statistics the clearest example.
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