PSAT/NMSQT Essay Writing & Analysis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When analyzing an author's argument, what does an appeal to ethos primarily rely on?
- The speaker's credibility and trustworthiness (Correct answer)
- Statistical data and evidence
- Emotional language and vivid imagery
- Logical chains of reasoning
Correct answer: The speaker's credibility and trustworthiness
Ethos is a rhetorical appeal based on the author's credibility, character, or authority.
Question 2: An author writes, "Imagine your child drinking water laced with lead." Which appeal is being used?
- Pathos (Correct answer)
- Logos
- Ethos
- Kairos
Correct answer: Pathos
Appealing to the reader's emotions, such as fear for a child, is pathos.
Question 3: In a rhetorical analysis essay, what should the thesis statement do?
- State how the author builds the argument (Correct answer)
- Agree or disagree with the author's claim
- Summarize the passage's main events
- List every rhetorical device used
Correct answer: State how the author builds the argument
A rhetorical analysis thesis explains how the author constructs the argument, not whether you agree.
Question 4: Which of these is the BEST evidence to cite in a rhetorical analysis?
- A direct quotation from the passage (Correct answer)
- Your personal opinion on the topic
- A fact from outside the passage
- A general impression of the tone
Correct answer: A direct quotation from the passage
Strong analysis is grounded in specific textual evidence from the passage itself.
Question 5: What is the function of a counterargument acknowledgment in persuasive writing?
- It strengthens credibility by addressing opposing views (Correct answer)
- It weakens the author's main point
- It replaces the need for evidence
- It signals the conclusion
Correct answer: It strengthens credibility by addressing opposing views
Acknowledging counterarguments shows fairness and makes the author appear more credible.
Question 6: An author repeats the phrase "We can do better" three times in a speech. This device is called:
- Repetition (Correct answer)
- Allusion
- Juxtaposition
- Hyperbole
Correct answer: Repetition
Deliberately repeating a phrase for emphasis is the device of repetition.
Question 7: Which transition would best introduce a contrasting idea in an analytical essay?
- However (Correct answer)
- Furthermore
- For example
- Therefore
Correct answer: However
"However" signals a contrast or shift away from the previous idea.
PSAT/NMSQT Essay Writing & Analysis 2
When analyzing an author's argument, what does an appeal to ethos primarily rely on?