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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. According to Aristotle, what was epideictic rhetoric most likely to deal with?
(a) Small crowds of uneducated people.
(b) Small crowds of educated people.
(c) Large crowds of educated people.
(d) Large crowds of uneducated people.

2. How often did Aristotle think complex words should be used in a speech?
(a) Rarely.
(b) Occasionally.
(c) Frequently.
(d) Never.

3. As explained by Aristotle in Book II, Chapter 18, what was political argumentation concerned with?
(a) Future events.
(b) Both past and future events.
(c) Past events.
(d) Neither past nor future events.

4. Which characteristic did Aristotle think separated powerful people and wealthy people in general?
(a) Virtue.
(b) Reliability.
(c) Knowledge.
(d) Consistency.

5. Following the example given in Book II, Chapter 24, what false assumption could be made by describing a large crowd?
(a) The people in the crowd must be standing in a circle.
(b) The people in the crowd must be large.
(c) The people in the crowd must be standing in a line.
(d) The people in the crowd must be small.

6. How many periods of a lifetime did Aristotle discuss in Book II, Chapter 12?
(a) Two.
(b) Four.
(c) Three.
(d) Five.

7. How did Aristotle define a maxim?
(a) A series of long statements about impractical conduct.
(b) A long statement about impractical conduct.
(c) A series of short statements about practical conduct.
(d) A short statement about practical conduct.

8. Based on Aristotle's views, how should any good speech be appropriate?
(a) For its subject matter and past speeches.
(b) For its audience, subject matter, and past speeches.
(c) For its audience and subject matter.
(d) For its audience and past speeches.

9. In addition to context, what type of application of rhetoric did Aristotle think should determine the style?
(a) Complex.
(b) Simple.
(c) General.
(d) Specific.

10. According to Aristotle, how many ways could objections be raised?
(a) Three.
(b) Four.
(c) Two.
(d) Five.

11. According to Aristotle, what was the general difference between enthymemes and examples?
(a) Examples were more persuasive than enthymemes.
(b) Neither enthymemes nor examples were persuasive.
(c) Enthymemes were more persuasive than examples.
(d) Both enthymemes and examples were just as persuasive.

12. How were antithesis sayings defined by Aristotle?
(a) The grouping of two opposite qualities.
(b) The reference to three slightly different ideas.
(c) The reference to three vastly different ideas.
(d) The grouping of two similar qualities.

13. Focusing on what they found useful, what did Aristotle say older people cared less about?
(a) Honor and the opinions of others.
(b) Honor, the past, and the opinions of others.
(c) The past and the opinions of others.
(d) Honor and the past.

14. In Book II, Chapter 26, how many common errors did Aristotle discuss?
(a) One.
(b) Three.
(c) None.
(d) Two.

15. Using the same example in the previous question, why did Aristotle think a blossoming flower was a better choice for the metaphor?
(a) It was more beautiful and more inspiring.
(b) It was more beautiful, inspiring, and familiar.
(c) It was more beautiful and more familiar.
(d) It was more familiar and more inspiring.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did Aristotle think orators should be careful of when writing their speeches?

2. What was thought to be incorrect about the example of the misuse of the epithet that Aristotle provided?

3. How did Aristotle describe the difference between spoken and written prose?

4. According to Aristotle, what should vivid descriptions always depict?

5. Using an example of the similarities or differences between parents and their children, how did Aristotle describe Socrates' children?

(see the answer keys)

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