The Middle Ages and The Renaissance
Which excerpt from the text signals the sequence of events?
"At the start of the reign the majority of productions are miracle plays . . ."
Which sentence most effectively helps readers envision a scene?
"If you are sitting in the gallery you will have a clear view of the stage as it projects out from the far side of the round enclosure."
Perhaps the most difficult thing to come to terms with is the scale of death. Influenza, for example, is an affliction which you no doubt have come across. However, you have never encountered anything like Elizabethan flu. It arrives in December 1557 and lasts for eighteen months. In the ten-month period August 1558 to May 1559 the annual death rate almost trebles to 7.2 percent (normally it is 2.5 percent). More than 150,000 people die from it—5 percent of the population. This is proportionally much worse than the great influenza pandemic of 1918-19 (0.53 percent mortality). Another familiar disease is malaria, which Elizabethans refer to as ague or fever. Which sentence best helps readers determine the central idea of the paragraph?
"Perhaps the most difficult thing to come to terms with is the scale of death."
Which excerpt most effectively conveys a conversational and engaging tone?
"You will see people standing in hats with pipes in hand, and women in their headdresses, all chatting, with an eye open for people they know."
For the vast majority of yeomen in the country, it is vitally important to store hard fruit through the whole year. To do this, select faultless apples and pears without a bruise or other mark, and leave a length of stalk on them. Place them carefully in your fruit house or "hoard house" on clean dry straw, make sure they are not touching each other, and turn them very carefully every month to avoid their collecting moisture. And, most important, keep the door to the fruit house shut, "lest children make havoc there." Which detail from the text best supports the inference that one bad apple can spoil all the others?
. . . make sure they are not touching each other . . .
A wide flat field is "finer" than rugged terrain for it can be tilled easily to produce wheat and so represents good white bread. A small thatched cottage, which a modern viewer might consider pretty, will be considered unattractive by an Elizabethan traveler, for cottagers are generally poor and able to offer little in the way of hospitality. Ranges of hills and mountains are obstacles to Elizabethan travelers and very far from picturesque features you go out of your way to see. Which ideas are stated explicitly in the excerpt? Check all that apply.
A flat field could easily be used for farming. Hills and mountains made travel difficult.
Support for the arts would be very important in my utopia. Museums and art galleries would be provided with adequate funding. ________, free concerts would be sponsored every weekend to encourage culture in the community. Which transition creates the most cohesion between the two sentences?
Additionally
n my own personal utopia, health and nature would be top priorities. Which detail best supports this central idea?
An emphasis on nutrition would be important in this society.
Read the excerpt from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Yet Arthur would not eat until they were all served. He seemed full of the joy of youth, almost a boy. He was happy with his life; he cared little For lying in bed or sitting still for a long time, His young blood so stirred him and his wild brain. And there was a custom, besides, that he meant to keep, That he had assumed in his noble way: he would not eat On such a holiday until he had been told A tale all new of some wonderful event . . . Which textual evidence best supports the conclusion that Arthur respects tradition?
And there was a custom, besides, that he meant to keep, That he had assumed in his noble way
In 1574 the city authorities are given powers to restrict playhouses, forcing the actors to find new premises in the suburbs. This becomes a golden opportunity for John Brayne and his brother-in-law, James Burbage, who in 1576 build a new theater, simply called The Theatre, at Shoreditch, just half a mile north of Bishopsgate. The following year a second theater, the Curtain, is built just two hundred yards away. Despite some heavy opposition from Puritan preachers and moralists, both theaters are successful. Which sentence accurately describes the progression of events?
Because city authorities restricted playhouses, new theaters were built outside city limits and grew to be successful.
More theaters open their doors to the public. The Rose is built by Philip Henslowe at Southwark, not far from the bear-baiting and bull-baiting arenas, in 1587. Eight years later Francis Langley erects the Swan on a site nearby; and in 1596 Richard Burbage builds the Blackfriars Theatre, an indoor venue, although it does not open its doors until 1599. Which theater opened last?
Blackfriars
How does the purpose of the excerpt from Queen Elizabeth's Address to the Troops at Tilbury compare to the excerpt from Response to Parliament's Request That She Marry?
Both excerpts attempt to persuade Queen Elizabeth's audience that she is willing to sacrifice her life for England's well-being.
How does the rhetorical appeal used in these excerpts from Queen Elizabeth's Address to the Troops at Tilbury and Response to Parliament's Request That She Marry compare?
Both use an appeal to logos by providing a reason to support her purpose.
Read the excerpt from The Canterbury Tales. "Think what a safeguard it must be for you That I, who can absolve both high and low When soul from body is about to go, Should chance to fall in with your company! Let me suggest that our host here begin, Since he's the one who's most wrapped up in sin. Step forward, Mister Host—your offering first, And you can kiss the relics, every one! All for a penny! Out now with your purse!" Which statement best describes the satire in the excerpt?
Chaucer criticizes the idea that forgiveness is available for purchase.
Food is valuable in Elizabethan England, far more so than in the modern world. A flock of 180 sheep is worth more than the average detached house. The difficulties of transportation mean that the food supply depends heavily on what grows locally and how much surplus is available. It also depends on the season. Which statement is a logical inference based on details in the passage?
During the Elizabethan period, food was often scarce.
The theory of the humors is just the basic framework into which physicians fit a number of other ideas. Galen teaches that every living thing is composed of the four elements: fire, earth, air, and water. Each of these corresponds with one of the four humors. Fire, which is said to be hot and dry, corresponds with choler; water (cold and wet) with phlegm; earth (dry and cold) with black bile; and air (hot and wet) with blood. These properties are all associated with parts of the body, so the brain is cold and moist, the kidneys hot and moist, and so on. If an imbalance in the humors clashes with the properties of an organ, the patient will be ill. Which sentence best summarizes the excerpt?
Elizabethans believed that the balance of the four humors would keep them healthy.
Describing a landscape is thus a matter of perspective: your priorities affect what you see. Asked to describe their county, most Devonians will mention the great city of Exeter, the ports of Dartmouth, Plymouth, and Barnstaple, and the dozens of market towns. They will generally neglect to mention that the region is dominated by a great moor, Dartmoor, two thousand feet high in places and over two hundred square miles in expanse. There are no roads across this wasteland, only track ways. Elizabethans see it as good for nothing but pasture, tin mining, and the steady water supply it provides by way of the rivers that rise there. Which detail gives explicit information about Elizabethans' perception of the moor?
Elizabethans see it as good for nothing but pasture, tin mining, and the steady water supply it provides . . .
There is some respite at the end of the reign: the law against eating meat on Wednesdays is repealed in 1585. At the same time, there is a general slackening of fish-eating and an increase in the consumption of meat. By the 1590s most wealthy households have dropped the strict Lenten fast and replaced it with a reduced-meat diet. In 1593 the government bows to the inevitable and reduces the punitive £3 fine to £1. Now many households begin to eat meat in Lent and on Fridays and Saturdays, if the head of the household wishes to do so, even though it is still technically against the law. The details from this excerpt support the inference that
Elizabethans' attitude toward eating meat was becoming more relaxed.
Caring for the environment will be one of the most important features of my perfect society. Citizens will be encouraged to reduce waste in many ways. ________, restaurants will offer cloth napkins and reusable utensils instead of paper and plastic. Which transition creates the most cohesion between the sentences?
For example
The Elizabethan theater as we know it develops slowly. In 1562 the play Gorboduc, the first English play to include blank verse, is performed in front of the queen at the Inner Temple in London. This is written by two gentlemen, Thomas Sackville (the future earl of Dorset) and Thomas Norton, and leaves a lasting impression. Its tale of a kingdom torn between two heirs has great significance for the audience of the day. Other plays follow, drawing on classical themes as well as on ancient British and medieval history, written by (among others) John Heywood, John Pickering, and Lewis Wager. A sign of their success is the construction in 1567 of the first purpose-built theater, the Red Lion, built by John Brayne in Whitechapel. Which event happened first?
Gorboduc was performed in front of the queen.
Read the excerpt from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Pick up your grim tool now And let us see how you handle it." "Gladly, sir, I promise you," Gawain said, stroking it. The Green Knight takes his stand without lingering And bends his head a little to show the skin. He laid his long graceful locks across his crown, Leaving the naked neck bare and ready. Which statement best describes the Green Knight's chivalric values?
He displays bravery in the face of danger.
Read the passage. Though the community center buzzed with excitement, Jose moved his queen forward on the chess board with a steady hand. He eyed the row of his opponent's captured pieces, and recognized his advantage. He said, "Check." Across the table, his opponent wiped his brow, his eyes darting around the board. When he spotted an escape route, he exhaled in relief as he moved his king. Seconds ticked by as Jose assessed the board. His eyebrows raised almost imperceptibly, and a sly smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Then Jose selected his move. What conclusion can readers draw about Jose?
He expects to win his chess match.
Read the excerpt from The Canterbury Tales. "God's arms!" exclaimed one of these debauchees, "Is the fellow then so dangerous to meet? In highways and in byways, street by street, I'll seek him out, I vow it on God's bones. Now listen, fellows: let us three be one, Each of us hold his hand up to the other, And each of us become the other's brother, And we will kill this black betrayer, Death, And kill the killer, by God's holy breath, And that before the sun goes down on us!" Which statement best describes how the speaker in the excerpt is characterized?
He is impassioned and persuasive.
Read the excerpt from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The knight on his horse turned in his saddle, And wildly he flashed his red eyes around, Arched his bristling bright-green eyebrows, And waved his beard, waiting to see who would stand up. When no one would answer him, he gave a loud cough And stretched as a lord might, and made ready to speak. What statement best describes the knight's actions?
He is intimidating and challenging the assembled group.
Which sentence uses a participial phrase correctly?
He laboriously studied the birds migrating to the local sanctuary.
Which excerpts from Queen Elizabeth's Address to the Troops at Tilbury rely on a rhetorical appeal to ethos to persuade soldiers that she is a capable commander? Check all that apply.
I have the heart and stomach of a king. I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder.
Which line from Utopia is an example of an anecdote?
I never saw a clearer instance of the opposite impressions that different customs make on people than I observed in the ambassadors of the Anemolians, who came to Amaurot when I was there.
Elizabethans do not understand infection and contagion as we do. It is not that they are completely ignorant as to how illnesses spread—physicians believe they know perfectly well—it is rather that their understanding is very different from ours. The principal ideas underpinning most Elizabethan medical thinking come from Galen, who lived in the second century A.D. Physicians will cite him as an unquestionable authority when they explain to you that your health depends on a balance of the four humors: yellow bile or choler, black bile, phlegm, and blood. If there is too much choler in your body, you will grow choleric; too much blood and you will be sanguine; too much phlegm and you will be phlegmatic; and too much black bile makes you melancholic. It is from these imbalances that sickness arises. How does the paragraph develop the central idea that Elizabethan beliefs influenced their understanding of disease?
It details the belief that bodily humors affect health.
Another familiar disease is malaria, which Elizabethans refer to as ague or fever. You might associate this with more tropical countries of the modern world but in marshy areas in sixteenth-century England, such as the Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire Fens, the Norfolk Broads, and Romney Marsh in Kent, it kills thousands. No one suspects that it has anything to do with mosquitoes; rather people believe it is the corrupted air arising from the low-lying dank marsh (hence the term mal-aria). As a result, you will have no chance of getting proper treatment for the disease. How does the paragraph expand on the central idea that malaria was a deadly disease in Elizabethan England?
It explains Elizabethan misconceptions about the spread of malaria.
Central idea: Utopians strive to make gold and silver less valuable. Which statement provides a critique of the central idea?
It is a waste to use gold for everyday purposes, because it is hard to find.
Materializing from the mist, the alarm warned the ship to steer quickly to the right of the rocks. Why is the sentence grammatically incorrect?
It places the participial phrase in the wrong place.
Which sentence is an example of an objective summary?
Malaria was common in marshy areas where mosquitoes bred.
Which sentence is an example of an objective summary?
Modern medicine has changed dramatically since the 1500s.
Which statement would be found in the opening paragraph of an essay?
My own utopia would be a community that values nature, provides excellent free education, and encourages wellness in all citizens.
The underlying reasons for such differences are not hard to find. In a society in which people still starve to death, an orchard is not a beautiful thing in itself: its beauty lies in the fact that it produces apples and cider. A wide flat field is "finer" than rugged terrain for it can be tilled easily to produce wheat and so represents good white bread. A small thatched cottage, which a modern viewer might consider pretty, will be considered unattractive by an Elizabethan traveler, for cottagers are generally poor and able to offer little in the way of hospitality. Ranges of hills and mountains are obstacles to Elizabethan travelers and very far from picturesque features you go out of your way to see. Hills might feature in an Elizabethan writer's description of a county because of their potential for sheep grazing, but on the whole he will be more concerned with listing all the houses of the gentry, their seats and parks. Which detail gives implicit information about the modern view of the Elizabethan landscape?
Ranges of hills and mountains are obstacles to Elizabethan travelers and very far from picturesque features you go out of your way to see.
Elizabethan people also consider their health when choosing what to eat. "I eat rye bread not for niggardliness but for a point of physic," declares William Horman. This is unsurprising: we do much the same in the modern world. But our ideas about healthy food are very different from Elizabethan ones. For example, while we make use of sage in our cooking on account of its taste, Elizabethans use it because it is thought to sharpen the brain. What is the effect of the first-person point of view in this excerpt?
Readers see the differences between themselves and people of another time period.
Read the excerpt from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. When they had washed well, they went to sit at the table, The most famous knights nearest the top, as was proper, And Guenever, in high spirits, was seated in the middle of them, In the arrangement of the famous table, with them arrayed around her, Fine silk, furthermore, in a canopy over her, Of Toulouse red, and many Tharsian tapestries Embroidered and set with the finest of jewels That would have cost a great deal if someone had tried to buy them. The most beautiful there was the Queen, Flashing her gray eye. No one had ever seen Anyone lovelier in his day. Based on the excerpt, what conclusion can readers draw about Guenever?
She is held in high esteem.
Read the excerpt from Queen Elizabeth's Response to Parliament's Request That She Marry. The realm shall not remain destitute of any heir that may be a fit governour, and peradventure more beneficial to the realm, than such offspring as may come of me: For though I be never so careful of your well-doing, and mind ever so to be, yet may my issue grow out of kind, and become perhaps ungracious. Which statement best describes Queen Elizabeth's use of rhetorical appeals in this excerpt?
She relies on logos by providing reasons why Parliament should not worry about the fact that she is unmarried and childless.
Read the excerpt from Queen Elizabeth's Address to the Troops at Tilbury. Let tyrants fear, I have always so behaved myself, that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good will of my subjects, and therefore I am come amongst you, as you see, at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved in the midst and heat of the battle, to live or die among you all, to lay down for my God, and for my kingdoms, and for my people, my honour, and my blood, even in the dust. Which statement best describes Queen Elizabeth's use of rhetorical appeals in this excerpt?
She relies on pathos by using emotionally charged words to motivate the troops.
Read the excerpt from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. They went on staring at the knight for some time, Everyone wondering what it might mean For a man and a horse to acquire such a color, As green as the grass grows, and greener still, it seemed, The green enamel glowing brighter on the gold. All of them standing there stared and crept closer to him With all the wonder in the world, to see what he would do. For they had seen many marvels but never any like this, So they all thought it might be a phantom or trick of magic, So that many of the noble knights were afraid to answer, And all were struck by his voice and stayed stone still, And there was a silence like death through the great hall. Not a sound rose out of them, as though they had all fallen asleep. Which textual evidence best supports the conclusion that the knights are intimidated by the visitor?
So that many of the noble knights were afraid to answer, And all were struck by his voice and stayed stone still
Central idea: Utopians distribute wealth to care for all people. Which statement provides a critique of the central idea?
Taking from the wealthy to feed the poor discourages hard work.
If you are hungry, you might feel inclined to turn to poaching. But be careful: this is risky. Taking livestock is theft, and theft is a felony which carries the death sentence. Killing wild animals that live on another man's land is also against the law; even taking a single fish from a river can result in a fine of a shilling or more. It is unlikely that you will be hanged for taking a wild animal such as a rabbit; but, even so, you will get a fine amounting to three times the value of the animal as well as three months in prison, and you will have to enter into a bond to guarantee your good behavior in the future; a second offense will be treated more harshly. If a gamekeeper attacks you and you defend yourself, you can be charged with assault. You may find yourself on the gallows if you injure him. Which detail from the text best supports the inference that farm animals were very valuable in Elizabethan England?
Taking livestock is theft, and theft is a felony which carries the death sentence.
In a perfect society, educators would be highly valued. Which detail best supports this idea?
Teachers would be admired and well paid.
Which statements describe the Middle Ages? Check all that apply.
The Christian Church was a powerful institution. A feudal system of government ruled the land. Men of nobility, such as dukes and barons, controlled areas of land. Knights helped nobles protect their land and their subjects.
Read the excerpt from Utopia. I never saw a clearer instance of the opposite impressions that different customs make on people than I observed in the ambassadors of the Anemolians, who came to Amaurot when I was there. As they came to treat of affairs of great consequence, the deputies from several towns met together to wait for their coming. The ambassadors of the nations that lie near Utopia, knowing their customs, and that fine clothes are in no esteem among them, that silk is despised, and gold is a badge of infamy, used to come very modestly clothed; but the Anemolians, lying more remote, and having had little commerce with them, understanding that they were coarsely clothed, and all in the same manner, took it for granted that they had none of those fine things among them of which they made no use; and they, being a vainglorious rather than a wise people, resolved to set themselves out with so much pomp that they should look like gods, and strike the eyes of the poor Utopians with their splendour. Which is the central idea of this excerpt?
The Utopians are not concerned about dressing fashionably.
When the trumpets sound, most people quieten down, waiting for the play to begin. If you are sitting in the gallery you will have a clear view of the stage as it projects out from the far side of the round enclosure. Leading actors will come right out along this platform and deliver their soliloquies directly to the crowd. So too will a clown like Will Kempe, when he wishes to extemporize and make "a scurvy face." There are two large columns, both elaborately painted, which support the roof that covers the back of the stage. How does the author effectively describe the experience of watching an Elizabethan play?
The author uses descriptive details and a second-person point of view to effectively describe the experience.
A student is asked to write a critique of this excerpt from Utopia. If these metals were laid up in any tower in the kingdom it would raise a jealousy of the Prince and Senate, and give birth to that foolish mistrust into which the people are apt to fall—a jealousy of their intending to sacrifice the interest of the public to their own private advantage. If they should work it into vessels, or any sort of plate, they fear that the people might grow too fond of it, and so be unwilling to let the plate be run down, if a war made it necessary, to employ it in paying their soldiers. To prevent all these inconveniences they have fallen upon an expedient which, as it agrees with their other policy, so is it very different from ours, and will scarce gain belief among us who value gold so much, and lay it up so carefully. They eat and drink out of vessels of earth or glass, which make an agreeable appearance, though formed of brittle materials; while they make their chamber-pots and close-stools of gold and silver, and that not only in their public halls but in their private houses. Of the same metals they likewise make chains and fetters for their slaves, to some of which, as a badge of infamy, they hang an earring of gold, and make others wear a chain or a coronet of the same metal; and thus they take care by all possible means to render gold and silver of no esteem . . . Which is a critique of the excerpt?
The effects of slavery are much worse than the effects of materialism.
Serious though influenza and malaria are, they are not the biggest killers of the age. That title belongs to the plague or "pestilence." No one knows precisely how many die over the course of the reign but the total is probably around 250,000. In 1565 the people of Bristol count up the plague victims for that year and arrive at the figure of 2,070, almost 20 percent of the population. Ten years later, after another deadly outbreak, they record a further 2,000 fatalities. What is the central idea of this paragraph?
The plague was the most deadly disease of the Elizabethan era.
The grim reality is that plague in the capital is as common as the stench of the cesspits and almost as unavoidable. You cannot predict where it will strike: People living next door to infected houses are left unaffected. Some people are not touched even when others in their own house have it. Which sentence best summarizes the excerpt?
The plague was unavoidable, and unpredictable in regards to whom it would affect.
What should writers do when summarizing a text? Check all that apply.
They should restate the text's central ideas. They should include important supporting details. They should use objective language.
Which line from Utopia is an example of an analogy?
They supply or are supplied from one another, so that indeed the whole island is, as it were, one family.
Which statements accurately describe medieval pardoners? Check all that apply.
They were authorized to preach. They distributed indulgences. They accepted donations for the church.
Read the excerpt from Utopia. In their great council at Amaurot, to which there are three sent from every town once a year, they examine what towns abound in provisions and what are under any scarcity, that so the one may be furnished from the other; and this is done freely, without any sort of exchange; for, according to their plenty or scarcity, they supply or are supplied from one another, so that indeed the whole island is, as it were, one family. The central idea of this excerpt is that Utopians make a regular effort to care for those in need. Which detail best supports this central idea?
Towns with an abundance provide for those with less.
Read the excerpt from Utopia. The Utopians wonder how any man should be so much taken with the glaring doubtful lustre of a jewel or a stone, that can look up to a star or to the sun himself; or how any should value himself because his cloth is made of a finer thread; for, how fine soever that thread may be, it was once no better than the fleece of a sheep, and that sheep, was a sheep still, for all its wearing it. They wonder much to hear that gold, which in itself is so useless a thing, should be everywhere so much esteemed that even man, for whom it was made, and by whom it has its value, should yet be thought of less value than this metal . . . What is the central idea of this excerpt?
Utopians are surprised by the great value placed on jewels, cloth, and gold.
Which best describes a difference in the types of rhetorical appeals used by Queen Elizabeth in these excerpts from her Address to the Troops at Tilbury and Response to Parliament's Request That She Marry?
When speaking to her troops, Queen Elizabeth appeals to pathos to inspire and encourage her army. When speaking to Parliament, Queen Elizabeth appeals to logos to provide rational explanations that convince lawmakers.
To the best of our knowledge, he decided that his major would be acting. Which does the sentence contain?
a gerund
Which can be used as the subject of a sentence?
a gerund
Which of the following is the best definition of feudalism?
a government in which nobles have judicial, political, and military control over an area
What is a relic?
a holy object associated with a saint
When a sentence includes a participial phrase, the phrase functions as a(n)
adjective
Read the excerpt from Utopia. But after the ambassadors had stayed a day among them, and saw so vast a quantity of gold in their houses (which was as much despised by them as it was esteemed in other nations), and beheld more gold and silver in the chains and fetters of one slave than all their ornaments amounted to, their plumes fell, and they were ashamed of all that glory for which they had formed valued themselves, and accordingly laid it aside . . . This detail supports the central idea that riches are not important to Utopians. It is best described as a(n)
anecdote.
Read the excerpt from The Pardoner's Tale in The Canterbury Tales. And it fell to the youngest of them all, And he set off at once towards the town. And thereupon, so soon as he was gone, One of the two who stayed said to the other: "You know, of course, that you are my sworn brother. I'll tell you something that you won't lose by. As you can see, our friend has gone away, And here is gold, and that in greatest plenty, All waiting to be split between us three. How would it be, if I can work it so That it is only shared between us two, Wouldn't I be doing you a friendly turn?" How does Chaucer characterize the young man speaking in this passage?
as deceitful
These final examples all demonstrate that a wide variety of lively domestic animals is an important factor in my utopia. To sum it all up, my perfect society would simply not be complete without healthy animals, wide-open spaces, and many outdoor recreation spaces. This paragraph is most likely found
at the conclusion of the essay.
Historical context helps readers understand a text by providing
background information.
Read the excerpt from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. [Arthur] said, "Knight, by heaven, your request is senseless. What you ask is such madness you deserve to have it granted. No knight I know is afraid of your great words. Give me your ax now, in the name of God, And I shall grant the boon that you have requested." He strides toward him and grasps him by the hand. Then proudly that other knight sets foot on the ground. Now Arthur has his ax, gripping the handle, And grimly swings it around, preparing to strike with it. The bold man stood towering before him . . . What chivalric value does Arthur display in the excerpt?
bravery
Read the excerpt from The Canterbury Tales. I only preach of avarice and the like, And in this way induce them to be free In giving cash—especially to me. Because my only interest is in gain; I've none whatever in rebuking sin. How does the excerpt satirize the Church?
by exaggerating the greedy nature of the clergy
Read the excerpt from The Canterbury Tales. I preach just as you've heard me say; and tell A hundred taradiddles more as well. And then I do my best to stretch my neck And bob my head in every direction Over the folk, now this way, and now that, Just like a pigeon sitting on a barn. Both hands and tongue are busy, and so quick That it's a joy to watch me at my work. How does the excerpt satirize pardoners?
by suggesting that their sermons are scripted performances
In the Middle Ages, Christians were expected to visit a priest yearly to offer
confessions
When prewriting for an informative essay, it is important to generate ideas that
educate.
Descriptive details help the reader
envision a concept or scenario.
When providing an objective summary of a text, writers should
exclude personal opinions.
Read the excerpt from The Canterbury Tales. Thus I know how to preach against the vice Which masters me—and that is avarice. Though I myself am guilty of the sin, I know how to make other people turn From avarice, and bitterly repent. Which word best characterizes the Pardoner in this passage?
hypocritical
Read the excerpt from The Canterbury Tales. In Flanders there was once a company Of youngsters wedded to such sin and folly As gaming, dicing, brothels, and taverns, Where, night and day, with harps, lutes, and citherns, They spend their time in dicing and in dancing, Eating and drinking more than they can carry; And with these abominable excesses They offer up the vilest sacrifices . . . Which word best characterizes the young people in this passage?
immoral
A chronological text structure presents events
in the order in which they occur.
Craving a more cosmopolitan lifestyle, the rural students were excited to travel to the city. The underlined phrase is a(n)
infinitive.
One way to describe the subject of a sentence is to use a(n)
infinitive.
Sentence syntax should be varied to
keep readers' interest.
Read the excerpt from Queen Elizabeth's Address to the Troops at Tilbury. I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm; to which, rather than any dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will take up arms, I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field. In this excerpt, Queen Elizabeth relies heavily on a rhetorical appeal to ethos to establish that she has the qualities of a strong
leader
As you approach the theaters you will notice that they all seem to be round; in fact, they are polygonal—the Globe is twenty-sided, the Rose fourteen-sided. Whichever one you choose, you can expect to queue with two thousand other people to get in. You will see people standing in hats with pipes in hand, and women in their headdresses, all chatting, with an eye open for people they know. Entrance costs a penny: this allows you to stand in the yard in front of the stage, an uncovered area (hence the need for a hat). The purpose of the second-person point of view in the excerpt is to
make the readers feel like part of the exciting theater experience.
To avoid confusion from a misplaced modifier, a participial phrase should be placed
next to the noun it describes.
Which descriptions portray a chivalric hero? Check all that apply.
one who risks his life to protect his lord one who fulfills a promise to the queen one who upholds strict moral values
A thesis statement states the topic of discussion and is found in an essay's
opening paragraph.
In Queen Elizabeth's Address to the Troops at Tilbury, phrases such as "my faithful and loving people," "the loyal hearts and good will of my subjects," and "you have deserved rewards and crowns" are examples of a rhetorical appeal to
pathos because she is encouraging the troops by attempting to elicit their feelings of loyalty.
In excerpts from both Address to the Troops at Tilbury and Response to Parliament's Request That She Marry, Queen Elizabeth uses a rhetorical appeal to
pathos by encouraging her audience to feel emotions including pride.
Queen Elizabeth's overall purpose in her Response to Parliament's Request That She Marry is to members of the Parliament.
persuade
The primary purpose of both Queen Elizabeth's Address to the Troops at Tilbury and Response to Parliament's Request That She Marry is to
persuade.
When writing a critique, a reader first finds the central idea and supporting details, then
states a position on the central idea.
In their stead, people increasingly choose to see secular plays on historical and moral themes. These are performed up and down the country by theater companies called after lords, for example "Lord Sussex's Men," "Lord Strange's Men," "the Lord Admiral's Men," and "Lord Leicester's Men." The reason for these names is that, while unattached actors are liable to be arrested for vagrancy, the Act of 1572 specifically excludes players properly authorized by lords from being considered vagabonds. Which factor directly influenced the names of the theater companies?
the Act of 1572
Read the excerpt from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. This King was staying at Camelot at Christmastime With many fair lords and the most beautiful ladies And the whole high brotherhood of the Round Table In happy festivity and the high revels of the season. What element of medieval court culture is evident in the excerpt?
the camaraderie of nobles and knights
In 1587 Thomas Kyd produces The Spanish Tragedy, and soon afterward Christopher Marlowe brings out the first part of Tamburlaine the Great. . . . They employ new verse forms, allowing different spoken rhythms, and compose bold speeches with greater resonance and meaning. The new conceptual framework of a revenge tragedy in particular allows them to portray powerful emotions voiced by strong characters. Suddenly it is possible to show so much more passion on the stage. What was the most direct cause of the more passionate performances?
the new verse forms and conceptual framework
Hiking along merrily, we maintained a sedate pace because we liked to heartily enjoy the stream bubbling its way beside us. Which part of the sentence functions as an adjective?
the participial phrase "bubbling its way"
Readers must consider ________ to determine the central idea in an informational text.
the topic and supporting details
The administrator of the company, the woman overseeing the department, added new personnel to better augment the existing sales force. Which part of the sentence functions as an adverb?
to better augment
In such circumstances, storage of food is most important. The principal rule is to have separate places for different types of commodity: dry things can be kept in a pantry with bread and dry linen; wet things are normally stored in the buttery. Wine and meat must be kept apart, and cellars should be avoided on account of their dampness. Meat should be seethed in summer to keep it fresh, then kept in a cool cellar, soaked in vinegar with juniper seeds and salt. Most yeomen will have vats and presses for making cheeses—a valuable source of protein in the long winter season. Similarly, most livestock owners have troughs for salting meat or allowing it to steep in brine. What is the author's purpose in this excerpt?
to explain the complexities of proper food storage during Elizabethan times
If you are hungry, you might feel inclined to turn to poaching. But be careful: this is risky. Taking livestock is theft, and theft is a felony which carries the death sentence. Killing wild animals that live on another man's land is also against the law; even taking a single fish from a river can result in a fine of a shilling or more. It is unlikely that you will be hanged for taking a wild animal such as a rabbit; but, even so, you will get a fine amounting to three times the value of the animal as well as three months in prison, and you will have to enter into a bond to guarantee your good behavior in the future; a second offense will be treated more harshly. If a gamekeeper attacks you and you defend yourself, you can be charged with assault. You may find yourself on the gallows if you injure him. What is the author's purpose in this excerpt?
to explain why poaching was dangerous
The members of the Parliament went forth immediately to proclaim the new queen. There are two principal places where it was then customary to proclaim the English sovereigns. One of these was before the royal palace at Westminster, and the other in the city of London. What is the purpose of this excerpt?
to inform readers about information relating to Queen Elizabeth
The teenagers went to town to muse over whether going to college or to university was the better choice. Which part of the sentence is an infinitive?
to muse
Read the excerpt from Queen Elizabeth's Response to Parliament's Request That She Marry. The realm shall not remain destitute of any heir that may be a fit governour, and peradventure more beneficial to the realm, than such offspring as may come of me: For though I be never so careful of your well-doing, and mind ever so to be, yet may my issue grow out of kind, and become perhaps ungracious. What is Queen Elizabeth's purpose in this excerpt?
to persuade Parliament that simply because she has a child does not guarantee that the child will be a competent ruler
During the summer, she likes her soccer skills so that she is ready to play in the fall.
to practice
A transition is a word or phrase that
unifies ideas by signaling a relationship between the ideas
