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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. When one character realizes that another character has fewer morals than he once thought, what does Aristotle say is happening?
(a) Growth.
(b) Recognition.
(c) Bad judgment.
(d) Opportunity.

2. What does Aristotle call the individual episodes of a story with an episodic plot?
(a) Isolated stories.
(b) Interesting.
(c) Funny.
(d) Dependent stories.

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

4. The object poetry portrays is what, according to Aristotle?
(a) Other poets.
(b) Tragic events.
(c) Various places around the world.
(d) Men in action.

5. Aristotle defines poetic work as what?
(a) A spiritual journey.
(b) A love affair.
(c) A bad imitation.
(d) A philosophical undertaking.

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

7. What does Aristotle say about the element of surprise in a tragedy?
(a) It helps inspire pity.
(b) It helps inspire joy.
(c) It helps inspire sadness.
(d) It keeps the reader guessing and interested.

8. Aristotle teaches that the beginning of a well-written tragedy starts at what point?
(a) In the middle and uses the method of flashback to tell what preceded.
(b) Where the narrative has dependence upon events that happen prior to it.
(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. 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) Infuse irony throughout the story.
(b) Write a tragedy with a sad ending.
(c) Pick characters whose relationships to one another make the actions of the plot more interesting.
(d) Pick characters that the audience can easily pity.

10. What is one of the requirements Aristotle mentions for a good tragic plot?
(a) A good plot must have disconnected episodes that tie together at the end.
(b) A good plot must be tragic in the beginning, middle, and end.
(c) A good plot must be mysterious.
(d) A good plot must be unified.

11. What are the ways Aristotle explains in regard to how poets differ in their representation of the object?
(a) Poets can portray the object as better or worse, but never the same as they are.
(b) Poets can portray the objects as worse, better, or the same as they are
(c) Poets can portray the objects as worse or the same as they are.
(d) There is no difference in the way poets portray the objects.

12. Aristotle explains that actions described in a tragic plot should have certain characteristics. Which one of the following is NOT one of the characteristics that Aristotle identifies?
(a) Actions should be not too small or too large.
(b) Actions should be interesting.
(c) Actions should be minute and trivial.
(d) Actions should help the reader grasp the significance of the whole.

13. Men are drawn to write poetry for several reasons. Which of the following is NOT one of the reasons Aristotle provides?
(a) There is a natural attraction to rhythm and harmony.
(b) Man enjoys learning.
(c) Man is naturally attracted to imitation.
(d) Man is naturally attracted to beauty.

14. In poetry, what is the term that Aristotle gives for an action that aims to accomplish a certain goal, but actually accomplishes the opposite?
(a) Irony.
(b) Failure.
(c) Reversal of Situation.
(d) Tragedy.

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

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Aristotle define "Recognition"?

2. What, as Aristotle states, are good poets forced to do when they write stories with episodic plots?

3. What does Aristotle identify as the foundation of good poetry writing?

4. What is history according to Aristotle?

5. Aristotle asserts that men who find poetry very attractive find great pleasure in what?

(see the answer keys)

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