Tone, Dialogue And Allusion

17 Questions | By Sequaumalone | Last updated: Oct 4, 2014 | Total Attempts: 220

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Carefully read each passage and decide which answer best describe the tone, correct dialogue, or alludes to a historical event, the bible, or a mythological figure.

Questions and Answers

1.

Passage #1 “I shall throw you on a black ship and send you to the mainland, To King Echetos, destroyer of all mortal men, Who will cut off your nostrils with a sharp bronze sword; He will tear of your private parts and give them to the dogs to eat raw.” --Homer, The Odyssey Which word best describes the tone? In other words, how does the speaker feel about/toward the subject?
- A.
  
  A) Threatening
- B.
  
  B) Amused
- C.
  
  C) Proud
- D.
  
  D) Unsatisfied
2.

Passage #2 “There were always children there, and I spent all my time with the children, only with the children. They were the children of the village where I lived, a whole gang of them who went to the local school. I was simply with them mostly, and I spent all my four years like that. I did not want anything else.” --Dostoyevsky, The Idiot Which word best describes the tone? In other words, how does the speaker feel about/toward the subject?
- A.
  
  A) Amused
- B.
  
  B) Reflective
- C.
  
  C) Reverent
- D.
  
  D) Remorseful
3.

Passage #3 “They showered me this morning at the courthouse and last night at the jail. And I swear I believe they'd of washed my ears for me on the taxi over if they coulda found the facilities. Hoo boy, seems like every time they ship me someplace I gotta get scrubbed down before, after, and during the operation--and get back away from me with that thermometer, Sam.” --Ken Kesey, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Which word best describes the tone? In other words, how does the speaker feel about/toward the subject?
- A.
  
  A) disappointed
- B.
  
  B) condescending
- C.
  
  C) amused
- D.
  
  D) annoyed
4.

Passage #4 “Afterwards we will be as one animal of the forest and be so close that neither one can tell that one of us is one and not the other. Can you not feel my heart be your heart?” --Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls Which word best describes the tone? In other words, how does the speaker feel about/toward the subject?
- A.
  
  A) somber
- B.
  
  B) intimate
- C.
  
  C) urgent
- D.
  
  D) factual
5.

Passage #5 “But I felt after the novelty had worn off the Americans didn't really understand our music or our culture. Coming from a country where having central heating was considered posh and a refrigerator a luxury, Americans seemed to me to be strangely spoiled and 'old-fashioned.' They seemed to be lost in the forties and fifties. I expected to find Americans more forward and progressive but I was surprised to find many very set in their ways, just like their English counterparts.” --Davies, Kink Which word best describes the tone? In other words, how does the speaker feel about/toward the subject?
- A.
  
  A) hopeless
- B.
  
  B) remorseful
- C.
  
  C) disappointed
- D.
  
  D) sardonic
6.

Passage #6 “Henri the painter was not French and his name was not Henri. Henri had so steeped himself in stories of the Left Bank in Paris that he lived there although he had never been there. Feverishly he followed in periodicals the Dadaist movements and schisms, the strangely feminine jealousies and religiousness, the obscurantisms of the forming and breaking schools. Regularly he revolted against outworn techniques and materials. “One season he threw out perspective. Another year he abandoned red, even as the mother of purple. Finally he gave up paint entirely. It was not known whether Henri was a good painter or not for he threw himself so violently into movements that he had little time left for painting of any kind.” --Steinbeck, Cannery Row Which word best describes the tone? In other words, how does the speaker feel about/toward the subject?
- A.
  
  A) reverent
- B.
  
  B) apprehensive
- C.
  
  C) regretful
- D.
  
  D) amused
7.

Passage #7 “My heart is like a singing bird Whose nest is a weathered shoot; My heart is like an apple-tree Whose boughs are bent with thick-set fruit; My heart is like a rainbow shell That paddles in a halcyon [peaceful] sea; My heart is gladder than all these Because my love is come to me.” -Rossetti, “A Birthday” Which word best describes the tone? In other words, how does the speaker feel about/toward the subject?
- A.
  
  A) Sorrow
- B.
  
  B) Happiness
- C.
  
  C) Excitement
- D.
  
  D) Nervousness
8.

Read the following passage carefully. Select the option that best describes the tone of this excerpt. That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man -- when I could get it -- and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen them most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman? -- from "Ain't I a Woman" by Sojourner Truth (1851)
- A.
  
  Accusatory
- B.
  
  Dispassionate
- C.
  
  Nostalgic
- D.
  
  Objective
- E.
  
  Witty
9.

The North Wind boasted of great strength . The Sun argued that there was great powers in gentleness. "We shall have a contest," said the Sun.Far below, a man traveled a winding road. He was wearing a warm winter coat."As a test of strength," said the Sun, "let us see which of us can take the coat off the man.""It will be quite simple for me to remove his coat," bragged the Wind.The Wind blew so hard, the birds clung to the trees. The world was filled with dust and leaves. But the harder the wind blew, the tighter the shivering man clung to his coat.Then the Sun came out from behind the cloud. The sun warmed the air and the frosty ground. The man on the road unbuttoned his coat.The Sun grew slowly brighter and brighter.Son the man felt so hot, he took off his coat and sat down in a shady spot."How did you do that?" said the Wind."It was easy," said the Sun. I lit the day. Through gentleness I got my way."From the dialogue above what do we learn about the Wind's character?
- A.
  
  Frightened
- B.
  
  Cautious
- C.
  
  Overconfident
- D.
  
  Scary
10.

Which of the following is NOT a purpose of dialogue?
- A.
  
  Reveal characters' relationships to one another
- B.
  
  Move the story forward
- C.
  
  Increase the tension
- D.
  
  To hear the accent of the character
11.

What's the capital of Spain?" Jerry asked, pausing over his crossword puzzle.Susan looked up from her book and rolled her eyes. "Madrid, duh.""Why are you so sarcastic all the time?”Jerry slammed his pencil on table. He looked like he was going to cry. “I don't think I can take much more of this."The dialogue in the scene does which of the following?
- A.
  
  That Susan and Jerry have known each other for awhile
- B.
  
  Jerry has been putting up with Susan's attitude for awhile
- C.
  
  Susan treats Jerry with disrespect
- D.
  
  None of the above
- E.
  
  All of the above
12.

The phone rang, and Jerry picked it up. "Hello?"There was a moment of silence on the other end."Is this Jerry Simmons?" a male voice asked."Yeah. Who is this?"The man paused. Jerry could hear him take a deep breath."Jerry, my name is Dave. I’m your brother.”"If this is a prank, it isn’t funny,” Jerrysaid. “My family died a long time ago." “Not your whole family,” Dave said.Jerry hung up the phone.This scene is a perfect example of which purpose for dialogue?
- A.
  
  Moving the story forward
- B.
  
  Relationship between characters
- C.
  
  Increasing tension
- D.
  
  A prank call
13.

"Dave!" Jerry shouted. "We've got to get away from here! The building's gonna blow!""We've got to go back!" Dave screamed. "Why?"Dave pointed at the roof. "Susan's still up there!"This scene is the perfect example for which purpose of dialogue?
- A.
  
  The relationship between characters
- B.
  
  Increasing tension
- C.
  
  Moving the story forward
- D.
  
  Showing thoughtfulness
14.

Allusions can come from many popular sources, but which three are most frequent?
- A.
  
  Shakespeare, bible, painting
- B.
  
  Bible, popular culture, paintings
- C.
  
  Mythology, bible, and Shakespeare
- D.
  
  Mythology, history, and pop art
15.

Goliath – a large person; from the giant from the Philistine city of Gath, slain by David, when he was a shepherd boy.Which of the following examples matches an allusion to the above referenced bible account?
- A.
  
  The little boy and the little girl fought like dogs.
- B.
  
  The little boys fought the little boys across town..
- C.
  
  The little boy fought the bully even though he had no chance of winning.
- D.
  
  The little boy fought himself on the issue of lying.
16.

What does it mean to call something a person's Achilles heel?
- A.
  
  His or her's anger
- B.
  
  His or her's wisdom
- C.
  
  His or her's weakness
- D.
  
  His or her's strength
17.

Tantalize- from King Tantalus, who reigned on Mt. Sipylus and was condemned to reside in a beautiful river with sumptuous fruits just out of reach and the water undrinkable, always tempting him as punishment for excessive pride (he boiled his son and fed the broth to trick the gods). Which of the following is an example that alludes to the story of King Tantalus?
- A.
  
  A boy eats a boiled chicken
- B.
  
  Eating, buying all you want and enjoying it.
- C.
  
  A person who eyes a particular desire and eventually is able to buy.
- D.
  
  A baby in a crib who wishes to reach a pacifier but it is blocked by a rocking chair.