ELA 10 - Recognizing Rhetorical Techniques in a Speech

What does Sotomayor accomplish by using the words "morcilla—pig's intestine"? Read the excerpt from "A Latina Judge's Voice" by Hon. Sonia Sotomayor. If I had pursued my career in my undergraduate history major, I would likely provide you with a very academic description of what being a Latino or Latina means. For example, I could define Latinos as those peoples and cultures populated or colonized by Spain who maintained or adopted Spanish or Spanish Creole as their language of communication. You can tell that I have been very well educated. That antiseptic description, however, does not really explain the appeal of morcilla—pig's intestine—to an American-born child. It does not provide an adequate explanation of why individuals like us, many of whom are born in this completely different American culture, still identify so strongly with those communities in which our parents were born and raised. - A) Sotomayor brings the audience's attention to the uniqueness of her culture. B) Sotomayor creates a mood of sadness to emphasize the loss of her culture. C) Sotomayor establishes herself as being educated in culinary arts. D) Sotomayor forces the audience to consider the benefits of a vegan lifestyle.

A) Sotomayor brings the audience's attention to the uniqueness of her culture.

The term pathos is best defined as: - A) an appeal to emotions. B) the use of changes in tone. C) an appeal to character. D) the use of exaggeration.

A) an appeal to emotions.

The rhetorical technique used in this excerpt is: Read the excerpt from Prime Minister Winston Churchill's "Their Finest Hour" speech, delivered to the United Kingdom's House of Commons in 1940. During the first four years of the last war the Allies experienced nothing but disaster and disappointment. That was our constant fear: one blow after another, terrible losses, frightful dangers. Everything miscarried. And yet at the end of those four years the morale of the Allies was higher than that of the Germans, who had moved from one aggressive triumph to another, and who stood everywhere triumphant invaders of the lands into which they had broken. - A) shift. B) understatement. C) logos. D) parallelism.

A) shift.

Which words from the passage have negative connotations that support the author's point? Select THREE options. Read the excerpt from a speech on the benefits of eating organic versus conventionally grown foods. I want my food to be real food. I don't want my only option of nourishment to be chemicals disguised as food. Chemicals that could one day poison my body and lead me down a path of obesity and disease. And I want organic options to be affordably priced so everyone can afford to eat healthy. I believe that these are attainable goals if more people see the value in organic food. - A) "affordably" B) "chemicals" C) "disease" D) "obesity" E) "attainable"

B) "chemicals" - and - C) "disease" - and - D) "obesity"

Which ideas from the excerpt would be most appropriate to include in a summary? Select TWO options. Read the excerpt from a speech petitioning people to adopt animals in need. I am here today to persuade you to see the benefit of adopting your next pet from the animal shelter instead of purchasing it from a pet store. It is crucial to see the value in adopting animals and hopefully putting pet stores out of business. The health and well-being of our animal friends is what is at stake here. Many people think it would be fun to get a cute designer animal from a boutique pet shop, but once we all know the truth behind their practices, we will be lining up at the shelter to fall in love with an animal in need. Your new dog may not be a purebred dog with official papers and a customized small size, but you will know that your animal is healthy and eternally grateful that you provided him with a warm home. - A) Many people want a designer dog from a boutique. B) Animals bred through pet shops suffer health problems. C) People need to adopt animals instead of going to pet shops. D) Many people have a warm home and like animals. E) More people need to decide to have pets in their homes.

B) Animals bred through pet shops suffer health problems. - and - C) People need to adopt animals instead of going to pet shops.

How do Sotomayor's descriptions of her family most likely affect readers? Read the excerpt from "A Latina Judge's Voice" by Hon. Sonia Sotomayor. My Latina soul was nourished as I visited and played at my grandmother's house with my cousins and extended family. They were my friends as I grew up. Being a Latina child was watching the adults playing dominos on Saturday night and us kids playing lotería, bingo, with my grandmother calling out the numbers which we marked on our cards with chickpeas. - A) They show readers how Latina families decorate their homes. B) They give readers images of the importance of family. C) They describe the struggle Sotomayor endured in becoming a judge. D) They give readers feelings of hopelessness and desperation.

B) They give readers images of the importance of family.

The tone of this speech could best be described as expressing a feeling of: Read the excerpt from President Ronald Reagan's speech on the night before the 1980 presidential election. I believe we can embark on a new age of reform in this country and an era of national renewal. An era that will reorder the relationship between citizen and government, that will make government again responsive to people, that will revitalize the values of family, work, and neighborhood and that will restore our private and independent social institutions. - A) fear. B) hope. C) anger. D) pride.

B) hope.

Which statement best summarizes the central idea in this excerpt? Read the excerpt from President Lincoln's 1865 inaugural address, in which he speaks about the Civil War. One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. - A) Before the Civil War, most enslaved people were living in the southern part of the Union. B) The Union fought in the Civil War because they wanted to strengthen, perpetuate, and extend slavery. C) The Civil War occurred because people in the South wanted to protect and spread the practice of slavery. D) Before the Civil War, the government did not try to stop slavery, but only tried to keep it from growing.

C) The Civil War occurred because people in the South wanted to protect and spread the practice of slavery.

Which statement best summarizes the central idea in this excerpt? Read the excerpt from President John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural address. Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of liberty. This much we pledge—and more. To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United, there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided, there is little we can do—for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder. - A) All other countries need to know that we will fight them at any cost to maintain our liberty. B) We value our allies, but we will go our own way if they do not agree to work with us. C) The only way to achieve success is to fight for the things you believe in, such as freedom. D) We will do whatever it takes to preserve our freedom, but will get more done working together.

D) We will do whatever it takes to preserve our freedom, but will get more done working together.

The rhetorical technique most used in this excerpt is: Read the excerpt from "A Latina Judge's Voice" by Hon. Sonia Sotomayor. Let us not forget that between the appointments of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in 1981 and Justice Ginsburg in 1992, eleven years passed. Similarly, between Justice Kaye's initial appointment as an Associate Judge to the New York Court of Appeals in 1983, and Justice Ciparick's appointment in 1993, ten years elapsed. Almost nine years later, we are waiting for a third appointment of a woman to both the Supreme Court and the New York Court of Appeals and of a second minority, male or female, preferably Hispanic, to the Supreme Court. In 1992 when I joined the bench, there were still two out of 13 circuit courts and about 53 out of 92 district courts in which no women sat. At the beginning of September of 2001, there are women sitting in all 3 circuit courts. The First, Fifth, Eighth and Federal Circuits each have only one female judge, however, out of a combined total number of 48 judges. There are still nearly 37 district courts with no women judges at all. For women of color the statistics are more sobering. As of September 20, 1998, of the then 195 circuit court judges, only two were African-American women and two Hispanic women. Of the 641 district court judges, only twelve were African-American women and eleven Hispanic women. African-American women comprise only 1.56% of the federal judiciary and Hispanic-American women comprise only 1%. No African-American, male or female, sits today on the Fourth or Federal circuits. And no Hispanics, male or female, sit on the Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, District of Columbia or Federal Circuits. Sort of shocking, isn't it? This is the year 2002. We have a long way to go. Unfortunately, there are some very deep storm warnings we must keep in mind. In at least the last five years the majority of nominated judges the Senate delayed more than one year before confirming or never confirming were women or minorities. I need not remind this audience that Judge Paez of your home Circuit, the Ninth Circuit, has had the dubious distinction of having had his confirmation delayed the longest in Senate history. These figures demonstrate that there is a real and continuing need for Latino and Latina organizations and community groups throughout the country to exist and to continue their efforts of promoting women and men of all colors in their pursuit for equality in the judicial system. - A) parallelism. B) overstatement. C) ethos. D) shift.

D) shift.