ICAS Persuasive and Narrative Writing 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following BEST describes the 'PEEL' paragraph structure used in persuasive writing?
- Plot, Event, Ending, Link
- Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link (Correct answer)
- Purpose, Example, Evaluate, Learn
- Perspective, Emotion, Elaboration, Logic
Correct answer: Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link
PEEL stands for Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link — a framework for structuring persuasive body paragraphs effectively.
Question 2: A student's narrative reads: 'The old house groaned in the wind, its broken windows staring like hollow eyes.' This is an example of:
- Simile and hyperbole
- Personification and simile (Correct answer)
- Alliteration and metaphor
- Onomatopoeia and personification
Correct answer: Personification and simile
The house 'groaning' is personification (giving human qualities to an object), and 'staring like hollow eyes' is a simile (comparison using 'like').
Question 3: What is the 'bandwagon' persuasive technique?
- Using expert testimony to support an argument
- Appealing to logic with detailed statistics
- Persuading people by suggesting everyone else is doing something (Correct answer)
- Creating fear about the consequences of inaction
Correct answer: Persuading people by suggesting everyone else is doing something
The bandwagon technique pressures the audience to conform by implying that most or all people have already adopted a particular view or behavior.
Question 4: In narrative writing, what is the role of the 'resolution' in a plot structure?
- It introduces the main character and setting
- It presents the central problem
- It reveals how the conflict is settled and loose ends are tied up (Correct answer)
- It is the moment of greatest tension
Correct answer: It reveals how the conflict is settled and loose ends are tied up
The resolution (or dénouement) follows the climax and shows how the conflict is resolved and what the aftermath looks like.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of using 'anecdote' in a persuasive essay?
- Citing a government report on pollution levels
- Sharing a brief personal story to illustrate why stricter road safety laws are needed (Correct answer)
- Quoting a scientist's research findings
- Listing statistics about traffic accidents
Correct answer: Sharing a brief personal story to illustrate why stricter road safety laws are needed
An anecdote is a short personal story used in persuasive writing to make abstract arguments concrete and emotionally engaging.
Question 6: In persuasive writing, 'conceding a point' to the opposition is considered:
- A sign of weakness in the argument
- A strategy that shows fairness and strengthens the writer's credibility (Correct answer)
- An error that should be avoided
- A technique only used in formal debates
Correct answer: A strategy that shows fairness and strengthens the writer's credibility
Acknowledging a valid point from the opposition before rebutting it demonstrates intellectual honesty and actually increases the writer's persuasive credibility.
Question 7: A narrative story written with a 'frame narrative' structure means:
- The story is told entirely in flashback
- A story is told within another story, with an outer and inner narrative (Correct answer)
- The story uses multiple first-person narrators
- The events are told in reverse chronological order
Correct answer: A story is told within another story, with an outer and inner narrative
A frame narrative has an outer story that contains or introduces an inner story, such as a character who begins telling a tale within the main narrative.
ICAS Persuasive and Narrative Writing 5
Which of the following BEST describes the 'PEEL' paragraph structure used in persuasive writing?