Regents English Argument and Research Skills 2

Question 1

What are 'rhetorical appeals' as tested on the Regents English exam?

Accepted Answer

Strategies — logos, ethos, and pathos — used to persuade an audience

Answer

Rhetorical appeals — logos (logic), ethos (credibility), and pathos (emotion) — are persuasive strategies used to influence an audience's thinking.

Question 2

Which rhetorical appeal relies on logic, data, and reasoned arguments?

Accepted Answer

Logos

Answer

Logos is the rhetorical appeal to logic, using facts, statistics, and reasoned arguments to persuade the audience.

Question 3

On the Regents English exam, 'ethos' in an argument refers to an appeal to:

Accepted Answer

The credibility and authority of the author or source

Answer

Ethos is a rhetorical appeal to the credibility, trustworthiness, and expertise of the author or the sources they cite.

Question 4

What is 'pathos' as a rhetorical strategy on the Regents English exam?

Accepted Answer

An appeal to the audience's emotions to persuade them

Answer

Pathos is the rhetorical appeal to the audience's emotions — such as fear, sympathy, or hope — to persuade or move them.

Question 5

On the Regents English exam, what is a 'counterclaim'?

Accepted Answer

An opposing argument that challenges the author's central claim

Answer

A counterclaim is an argument that opposes or challenges the author's main claim, which a strong argument must acknowledge and refute.

Regents English Practice Test