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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What men does Aristotle consider to be "lower" types?
(a) Unemployed men.
(b) Men who are defective in some way, but not altogether evil or malicious towards others.
(c) Men who are poor and unhealthy.
(d) Single men.

2. How does Aristotle define "Recognition"?
(a) A deep knowing.
(b) An understanding of something.
(c) A sudden realization that one is familiar with something.
(d) A change from ignorance to knowledge.

3. How does Aristotle say the different types of poetry emerged?
(a) From non-fiction.
(b) The most talented poets decided on the different types.
(c) From the personalities of different types of men.
(d) Peers voted on their preference.

4. In art, Aristotle defines the medium as what?
(a) The average.
(b) The manner in which the art is produced.
(c) A middle state or condition.
(d) The artist's spiritual inspiration.

5. What does Aristotle consider to be secondary to the most essential element of tragedy?
(a) Development of irony.
(b) Development of character.
(c) Development of imitation.
(d) Development of rhyme.

6. Per Aristotle, in which of the following ways does poetry NOT differ from history?
(a) Poetry tells the future, and history tells the past.
(b) History is concerned simply with facts.
(c) Poetry is a higher pursuit than history.
(d) Poetry depicts what happens according to the "laws of probability and necessity."

7. What two things does Aristotle require to be present in a well-written story?
(a) Irony and foreshadowing.
(b) Conflict and pain.
(c) Rhythm and harmony.
(d) Birth and death.

8. Aristotle teaches that the beginning of a well-written tragedy starts at what point?
(a) Where the narrative has dependence upon events that happen prior to it.
(b) In the middle and uses the method of flashback to tell what preceded.
(c) With the end and uses the method of flashback to tell the rest.
(d) Where the narrative has no dependence upon events that happened prior to it.

9. Per Aristotle, the unity of plot is what to the unity of a character's actions?
(a) Irrelevant.
(b) Not equivalent, but often closely related.
(c) Influential, but not important.
(d) Equivalent.

10. In how many ways does Aristotle say the method of imitation can differ?
(a) Countless.
(b) Four.
(c) Two.
(d) Ten.

11. Like any art, poetry is defined by Aristotle as what?
(a) A funny story.
(b) A rhyme with more than four sentences.
(c) A kind of imitation.
(d) A theatrical play.

12. Concerning the "laws of probability and necessity," what statement below is NOT correct according to Aristotle's teachings in "Poetics"?
(a) The poet implies his vision of how the world should be.
(b) The poet portrays what events could possibly happen in the world.
(c) The poet implies his understanding of how the world works.
(d) The poet implies his notion of justice.

13. Aristotle says what type of poetry imitates the "lower" types of men?
(a) Roman poetry.
(b) Tragedy.
(c) Comedy.
(d) Greek poetry.

14. In poetry, Aristotle says that in the "Odyssey" recognition comes about how??
(a) Penelope recognizes his walk.
(b) The suitors recognize him by his face.
(c) None of the answers is correct..
(d) Odyssues's nurse recognizes him from his scar.

15. In order for a plot to be truly effective in achieving the desired emotional response from its readers or audience, Aristotle says that the poet must do what?
(a) Write a tragedy with a sad ending.
(b) Pick characters that the audience can easily pity.
(c) Pick characters whose relationships to one another make the actions of the plot more interesting.
(d) Infuse irony throughout the story.

Short Answer Questions

1. What type of story does Aristotle define as "episodic"?

2. How does Aristotle differentiate poetry from prose?

3. What are the ways Aristotle explains in regard to how poets differ in their representation of the object?

4. A character attempting to save his friend but accidentally killing him instead is an example Aristotle gives for what?

5. In art, what does Aristotle believe to be the object?

(see the answer keys)

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