It may be said that great literature embraces ambiguity because

Pennfoster Literature

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Questions 1 to 20: Select the best answer to each question. Note that a question and its answers may be split across a page break, so be sure that you have seen the entire question and all the answers before choosing an answer.

1. The events that take place in a story make up the story's A. climax.

B. genre.

C. plot.

D. setting.

2. The most basic purpose of reading is A. acquiring insight.

B. getting information.

C. education.

D. providing entertainment.

3. It may be said that great literature embraces ambiguity because A. it reflects the uncertainty we face in real-life decisions.

B. it allows us to interpret a plot in at least two ways.

C. little insight is offered into the character or qualities of an antagonist.

D. we seldom have clues to the motivations of the protagonist.

4. Which one of the following items is an example of a symbol in "Bernice Bobs Her Hair"? A. Marjorie's talk with her mother

B. Bernice's car

C. Bernice's haircut

D. The dinner-dance at the country club

5. Which one of the following terms best describes the period of the 1920s? A. Proper

B. Rebellious

C. Symbolic

D. Moral

6. What are conventions?

A. The traditions and rules that lead to a reader's expectations

B. The difficulties a writer encounters in creating characters

C. The events that lead to the climax of a novel

D. The conflicts between the protagonist and the antagonist

7. What is Sarah Jewett suggesting when she writes about Sylvia's increasing attraction to the hunter in "A White Heron"? A. Sylvia will do anything for money.

B. Sylvia is experiencing falling in love.

C. Sylvia does one thing but believes the opposite.

D. Sylvia cares more about people than animals.

8. The label detective novel is an example of A. a character study.

B. a genre.

C. a universal truth.

D. informational reading.

9. In "Bernice Bobs Her Hair," Bernice is the _______ in the story. A. symbol of fun

B. genre

C. protagonist

D. stock character

10. Which of the words printed in italics in the following sentences is most likely to convey a denotative meaning? A. The recipe calls for one pint of cream.

B. What time did he call?

C. Deliver the goods soon, or else.

D. Do you know what the owl signifies?

11. An author of a detective novel is most likely to use figurative language to A. mislead the reader.

B. help the reader visualize a character.

C. entertain the reader.

D. suggest hidden meanings.

12. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's story "Bernice Bobs Her Hair," we are very likely to A. decide that Bernice will never escape her dependent nature.

B. realize that Marjorie is sensitive to Bernice's feelings.

C. see Marjorie's personality as shallow.

D. think of both Marjorie and Bernice as painfully naïve.

13. The term realism refers to A. making things better than they actually are.

B. describing things just as they are.

C. using as much descriptive language as possible.

D. allowing the reader to draw his or her own conclusions.

14. In "A White Heron," having made her choice between an attraction of the heart and her bond with nature, Sylvia A. chooses human love over her loyalty to nature.

B. retains her loyalty to nature as her affection for the hunter grows.

C. is able to experience a lasting inner calm.

D. retains her loyalty to nature and becomes more suspicious of human nature.

15. In fiction, use of conventions leads to A. entertainment.

B. imagination.

C. escapism.

D. expectations.

16. Interpretative literature is said to be interactive because A. the conflict shows the interaction between two elements of the story.

B. you can read most of these works on the Internet now.

C. the story consists of a rising action and a falling action.

D. the reader has to take part in discovering the meaning of the work.

17. The connotative meaning of a word refers to A. its meaning at a specific time in history.

B. what it suggests about something.

C. the irony suggested by the word.

D. its dictionary definition.

18. Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is an example of A. an old-fashioned novel.

B. a perfect short story.

C. interpretative literature.

D. escapist literature.

19. It's most accurate to say that interpretative literature A. refers to today's hot topics.

B. contains or suggests universal truths.

C. weaves exciting action around a standard formula.

D. is intended to meet the reader's expectations.

End of exam

20. Which one of the following events is an example of situational irony? A. Warren is disappointed that Bernice cuts her hair.

B. Bernice overhears Marjorie talking with her mother.

C. Bernice cuts her hair and suddenly realizes what a mistake it is.

D. Marjorie teaches Bernice how to be more socially accepted.