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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

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

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

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

4. In what three ways does Aristotle differentiate various art forms from one another?
(a) Manner of imitation, artist, and era.
(b) Era, objects, and manner of imitation.
(c) According to the artist, era, and artistic effort.
(d) By the medium, objects, and manner of imitation.

5. Aristotle believes that a poet can turn a complex plot into a simple one by doing what?
(a) Eliminating recognition and/or reversal of situation.
(b) Adding more character flaws.
(c) Focus.
(d) Hard work and dedication.

Short Answer Questions

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

2. How does Aristotle differentiate poetry from prose?

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

4. What type of action does Aristotle say occurs with "Recognition" and/or "Reversal of Situation"?

5. In an episodic plot, Aristotle explains that the individual episodes of the story bear what to one another?

Short Essay Questions

1. Based on Section I of Aristotle's "Poetics", how is the medium specific to poetry similar to and different from prose?

2. How does Aristotle define tragedy as a type of poetry?

3. What are two reasons Aristotle says that men are drawn to write poetry?

4. Is the unity of plot the same as the unity of a character's actions? Explain.

5. According to Aristotle, what is an example of a poor type of story and why?

6. How does Aristotle define comedy as a type of poetry?

7. Based on Aristotle's teachings, what does it mean when a plot is unified?

8. Why does Aristotle consider poetic work to be a philosophical undertaking, and, therefore, a higher pursuit than history, which is concerned simply with facts?

9. What does Aristotle say about the actions described in a tragic plot?

10. How does Aristotle classify or divide actions? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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