View a FREE sample

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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What type of story does Aristotle define as "episodic"?
(a) A dramatic story.
(b) A sad story.
(c) A great story.
(d) A particularly poor story.

2. In the context of poetry, Aristotle explains that rhythm is used in the form of a what?
(a) Meter.
(b) Harmony.
(c) Specific beat.
(d) Mysterious undertone.

3. Into what two types does Aristotle divide actions?
(a) Happy and sad.
(b) Congruent and incongruent.
(c) Simple and complex.
(d) Good and bad.

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

5. How does Aristotle differentiate poetry from prose?
(a) Poetry uses rhythm in the form of meter.
(b) Poetry uses language alone.
(c) They are the same.
(d) Prose uses pictures and music.

6. Aristotle explains that tragedy is not only concerned with the depiction of just any action, but of actions that inspire what?
(a) Happiness.
(b) Pity.
(c) Resentment.
(d) Anger.

7. How does Aristotle compare the medium of poetry and prose?
(a) It is nothing like prose.
(b) Both use the same medium and rhythm.
(c) Both use the same medium.
(d) Both use the same medium and meter.

8. The plot, as Aristotle explains, should be unified in such a way that each part should be what?
(a) Equivalent.
(b) Trivial.
(c) Necessary to other parts, but not to the whole.
(d) Necessary to the whole.

9. What reason does Aristotle give for Homer excluding many things that Odysseus does on his voyage home in the "Odyssey"?
(a) Aristotle says that Homer excludes things because they do not relate well to the overall plot that is being constructed.
(b) Nothing is excluded.
(c) Aristotle explains that Homer prefers to keep the reader guessing.
(d) Aristotle says that Odysseus does some embarrassing things that are better left unsaid.

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

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

12. What is history according to Aristotle?
(a) Lies.
(b) Accounts that may or may not have happened.
(c) Rumors promoted as truth.
(d) Concerned simply with facts.

13. Aristotle asserts that men who find poetry very attractive find great pleasure in what?
(a) Eating.
(b) Sleeping.
(c) Learning.
(d) Cleaning.

14. What type of situation does Aristotle explain occurs more frequently in tragedy?
(a) A member of a family killing another member.
(b) The main character dying from illness.
(c) A child being abandoned.
(d) The protagonist losing one of his or her five senses.

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What type of poetry does Aristotle say focuses on serious and important actions?

2. What does Aristotle consider to be secondary to the most essential element of tragedy?

3. Aristotle says that at most, episodic plots involve what?

4. The object poetry portrays is what, according to Aristotle?

5. When a poet simply straightforwardly describes the events as they happen, what method does Aristotle say the poet is using?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 623 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample