Post Test: The Mid- to Late Twentieth Century: Postmodernism

How does the structure of Tim O'Brien's story "Ambush" relate to its title?

The narrator's present life cannot escape the bombardment of his wartime memories and actions.

In ancient Greece, the Sybil, or Oracle of Delphi, was famous for her prophesying. What does the speaker in this poem wish for the Oracle to accomplish in American society?

The speaker yearns for the Oracle to help elevate American society to a greater calling.

Which two sentences in this excerpt from John Barth's "Lost in the Funhouse" show the postmodern element of self-reflexivity?

1. Initials, blanks, or both were often substituted for proper names in nineteenth century fiction to enhance the illusion of reality. 2. Interestingly, as with other aspects of realism, it is an illusion that is being enhanced, by purely artificial means.

Which excerpt from Kurt Vonnegut's "Report on the Barnhouse Effect" is an example of irony?

At ten minutes before H-hour the general came in, shepherding the professor before him. The professor was comfortably attired in sneakers, gray flannels, a blue sweater, and a white shirt open at the neck.

What is the connotative meaning of this line from Kurt Vonnegut's "Report on the Barnhouse Effect"? General Barker bustled about the house like a woman preparing Thanksgiving dinner for twenty.

General Barker was in a hurry to get everything ready for the experiment.

Which line from "Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau may have influenced John Lewis's beliefs?

If others pay the tax which is demanded of me, from a sympathy with the State, they do but what they have already done in their own case, or rather they abet injustice to a greater extent than the State requires.

Which sentence in this excerpt from John Lewis's Walking With the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement shows that the author was influenced by Henry David Thoreau?

To his credit, he preached personal independence and responsibility, self-discipline and self-reliance.

What can a motif contribute to, or become, when it gathers larger significance throughout a text?

a symbol

Match each vocabulary word to the correct meaning.

aesthetic --> related to beauty, emotion, or sensation spartan --> frugal, basic pristine --> unblemished, uncorrupted

Based on the context of each sentence, choose the words that most closely match the denotation of the bolded words.

baffle --> perplex; confuse wrought --> produced; shaped kneaded --> knead, work

What style of jazz music most influenced the Beat poets?

bebop

Based on your knowledge of word parts, which word best completes this sentence? Stephen's excellent performance in his French classes _____ him to try speaking only in French during his trip to Paris.

emboldened

Match the words from Maya Angelou's poem "Caged Bird" to their implied meanings.

free bird <--> white American caged bird <--> African American Jim Crow laws <--> cage sky <--> freedom sing <--> self-expression

Which word best completes this sentence? Oliver had a(n) ______ ability as a wide receiver, naturally dodging tackles and making his way down the football field.

inherent

Based on the excerpt from Lawrence Ferlinghetti's poem "To the Oracle at Delphi," what does the Oracle symbolize?

poetry

Which of these modes of transportation would you most likely find in a science fiction story?

spaceships

What idea is discussed in both Tim O'Brien's "Ambush" and John Steinbeck's "Symptoms"?

the aftereffects of combat on soldiers during war

Which phrase in this excerpt from Kurt Vonnegut's "Report on the Barnhouse Effect" is an example of sarcasm?

the blessings of another world war.

Why does Carson McCullers use the term malady to describe American loneliness?

to compare loneliness to an undesirable illness or disease that is difficult to cure

Which two sentences in this excerpt from John Steinbeck's "Symptoms" address the theme of soldiers being reluctant to talk about their experiences in war?

1. They would discuss their experiences right up to the time of battle and then suddenly they wouldn't talk anymore. 2. It was thought that they had seen or done was so horrible that they didn't want to bring it back to haunt them or their listeners.