English II Mid-Term Exam Review
Mrs. Christy Barker
2015-2016
You are permitted to bring ONE 3X5” notecard with hand-written notes on both sides for
the exam. NO ELECTRONIC devices will be permitted. The test will consist of
multiple choice, short response, true false and extended writing in the form of an
essay. The ESSAY is 50% of the exam
Literary/Poetry Terms
1.
2.
Alliteration-the repetition of
resolved one way or another or a
consonant sounds at the
character begins to take action to
beginning of words
end the conflict
Allusion-a reference to a wellknown person, place, event,
literary work, or work of art
3.
character
author's purpose-the author's
intent either to inform/teach, to
11.
that must be solved
12.
autobiography-a form of
13.
another that is felt to be
offensive
14.
characters, introduces the basic
7.
situation (problem may be
biography-a form of nonfiction
story of another person
revealed here)
15.
and someone or something
who takes part in the action of
8.
character motivation-a reason
outside of the character
16.
feelings, actions or speech
9.
climax-the point of highest
interest, the conflict must be
falling action-events that occur
between the climax and the
that explains, or partially
explains a character's thoughts,
external conflict-a problem or
struggle between a character
character-a person or animal
a literary work
exposition-establishes the
setting, identifies the
his or her own life story
in which a writer tells the life
euphemism-an inoffensive
word or term used in place of
nonfiction in which a writer tells
6.
dialogue-conversation between
characters
persuade/convince the
5.
conflict-struggle between
opposing forces; any problem
entertain, or to
audience
conclusion/resolution-the story's
end
Antagonist-a character or force
in conflict with the main
4.
10.
conclusion
17.
fantasy-highly imaginative
writing that has elements not
found in real life
18.
19.
20.
fiction-prose writing that tells
27.
about imaginary characters and
language of everyday speech,
events
may use contractions and slang
figurative language-writing or
28.
the central conflict (sometimes
taken literally
it occurs before the opening of
flashback-presents events of
the story)
29.
in the present
foreshadowing-an author's use
events that will occur later in
30.
irony-the general name given
involve surprising, interesting,
language of written
or amusing contradictions
32.
metaphor-a figure of speech
speeches, and presentations;
that makes an indirect
may not use contractions or
comparison between two unlike
slang
subjects (something is
genre-a division or type of
described as if it were
literature - generally prose,
something else)
33.
mood-the feeling created in a
hyperbole-a figure of speech
reader by a literary work or
that is an exaggeration for
passage
34.
imagery-a word or group of
words in a literary work which
26.
31.
formal language-the standard
effect
25.
struggle within a character
to literary techniques that
poetry or drama
24.
internal conflict-a problem or
the story
communication, formal
23.
internal and external-the two
major types of conflict
of hints or clues to suggest
22.
initiating incident-introduces
speech that is not meant to be
the past in the midst of a story
21.
informal language-the
narrator-the speaker or
character who tells the story
35.
nonfiction-prose writing that
appeal to one or more of the
presents and explains ideas
senses: sight, taste, touch,
about real people, places,
hearing, and smell
objects or events
inference-understanding
36.
gained by "reading between the
lines;" a judgment based on
onomatopoeia-word used that
imitates a sound
37.
personification-a figure of
reasoning rather than direct
speech in which a non-human
statement
subject is given human
characteristics
38.
39.
plot-the series of related
story that makes the reader
work
curious and excited about what
point of view-the relationship
will happen next
42.
44.
45.
perspective from which the
else
49.
theme-the message, central
protagonist-the main character
concern, or insight into life
in a literary work
revealed in a literary work
rising action-any events leading
50.
tone-the attitude toward the
up to the climax
subject and audience conveyed
satire-literary tone used to
by the language and rhythm of
ridicule or make fun of human
the speaker in a literary work
51.
trait-one of the qualities that
sequence-the arrangement of
makes up a character's
events in a literary work
personality
setting-the time and place of
52.
voice-the fluency, rhythm and
the story (where and when it
liveliness in writing that makes
takes place)
it unique to the writer
simile-a figure of speech that
makes a direct comparison
between two unlike subjects
using like or as
46.
symbol-anything that stands
for or represents something
vice or weakness
43.
48.
story he/she is telling - the
story is told
41.
suspense-the quality of the
actions or events in a literary
between the narrator and the
40.
47.
situational irony-an event
occurs that directly contradicts
the expectations of the
character, the reader, or the
audience (a surprise twist)

Vocabulary in Context: No study here…reading a short selection, using context clues
and events to gather meaning: connotation v. denotation

Short Story Analysis: Asked to read a short story, analyze characters’ actions,
story elements, and conflict resolution.

Poetry Analysis: using S.O.A.P.S. analyze a poem for speaker, occasion, audience,
purpose, and style. Cite specific evidence.

Formal Writing Conventions and Style: Use of comma, semi-colon, colon, correction
fragments and run-ons.

MLA Format: Citing a quote within a sentence. Ex. Vonnegut’s Harrison
Bergeron. HHarrison was not an average boy;”…he [was] 7 feet tall…”(22) and was
stronger than any other citizen.

Self-Selected Multi-Paragraph Essay
o
Personal Narrative or Persuasive/Argumentative Essay
We Wear the Mask
BY PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR
Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
And mouth with myriad subtleties.
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!