Literary Terms Interactive
Study Guide
Reading/Language Arts Class
WG Pierce Middle School
C. Walker, Ed.D.
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Review
Literary Genre Terms
Read each premise and decide which is the correct answer
A or B.
Remember- Genre are a type or a category of literature marked by certain shared features or conventions. There are general genres such as poetry, drama, and fiction, and there are more precise genres such as murder mysteries, westerns, poetry, epics, tragedies, etc.
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Comedy (Satire)
1.
What is the meaning of a satirical work or comedy?
A.- A sad story filled with grief and despair.
B.- A happy story filled with humor and satire.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

Comedy
A comedy is …
B. A happy story filled with humor and/or satire.
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No…Not A….
Comedy is not a sad story filled with grief and disaster.
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Mystery
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A.
That involves discovering an unsolved crime or enigma.
B. That involves some known conclusion and all facts are clearly revealed.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

Mystery
Answer B is incorrect since a mystery
(enigma) is something unknown and not yet determined or proven.
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Mystery…
The correct answer is A.
A mystery is an enigma, something not yet determined that needs to be solved.
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Fiction
What is fiction?
Literature that is based on fiction is…
A.
Based on reality:real people, places, and events.
B.
Based on semi-truths and known events or circumstances with fictitious characters.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

Fiction
If you answered
A you are incorrect.
Fiction deals primarily with people and places that don’t exist.
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Fiction
If you answered B you are correct.
Fiction is any work or literature based on semi-truths and known events or circumstances with fictitious characters.
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Historical
Historical Literature informs the reader of…
A.
Things that are presently happening in the world .
B. Things that happened in the past.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

If you responded…A
Historical Literature informs about things that are happening at this time in the world, you need to review some more.
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teacher:
I think you need to read up on past issues and events.

If you responded B…BRAVO!!!
Historical literature informs you about things that happened in the past.
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Non-Fiction
What is non-fiction?
A. It is literature based on true life people and experiences.
B. It is literature based on fictitious (makebelieve) people, places, and events.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

If you answered B…
Then you need to review some more.
Non-fiction is not based on fictitious characters.
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If you answered A…
Great!!!!
Non-fiction is literature based on true-life people and experiences.
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Western
What is a western?
A. It is any book about
California, Washington, or Oregon.
B. It is a narrative set in the Old West with cowboys, Indians, settlers, etc.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

Did you choose A?
Well your geography is good, but you need some content area help.
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Yes, It’s B.
A Western is a narrative set in the Old West with cowboys, Indians, settlers, etc.
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Thriller/Suspense
What is thriller/suspense literature?
A. Any literary work that keeps you on the edge of your seat and guessing at every intrigue.
B. A literary work that presents the facts as they happen with detailed explanations of the how’s and why’s things came to pass.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

If you answered A…
You hit the bulls eye…
A thriller/suspense narrative keeps you on the edge of your seat and guessing at every intrigue.
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If you answered B…
You are incorrect.
A thriller/suspense work does not present you with the facts as they happen or provide detailed explanations of the how’s and why’s things come to pass
On the contrary.
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Fantasy
What is fantasy?
A.
Fantasy literature is typically set in nonexistent realms and features supernatural beings.
A.
Fantasy is about living in this world, here and now.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

If you answered A…
Follow the rainbow to your pot of gold.
Fantasy literature is typically set in nonexistent realms and features supernatural beings.
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If you answered B…
Living in the here and now is no fantasy, it’s reality.
Try again.
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Horror
What is horror?
A. Any heart-warming family tale with happy endings.
B. Horrific terror tales filled with blood, guts and gory moments that give you nightmares and night-sweats.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

If you answered A…
What country did you say you were from?
Horror literature is not considered to be filled with heart-warming family tales and happy endings.
Recent arrival :
“Our communication must be awry. I thought you said this was the USA.
Try e-mail next time.
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If you answered B…
You must like to watch
Jason and the
Halloween epics.
Horror literature are terror tales filled with blood, guts and gory moments from killings that will leave you breathless when sleeping if you are not careful…
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Romance
What is a romance?
A. A romance is a story about government politics and the relationship among
Democrats and Republicans.
B. A narrative with exotic, exaggerated, and often idealized characters, scenes, and themes.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

If you replied A…
A romance is a story about government politics and the relationship among
Democrats and
Republicans. NOT!
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If you answered B…
You must be Cupid’s descendant.
Romance literature are narratives with exotic, exaggerated, and often idealized characters, scenes, and themes.
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Science Fiction
Define Science fiction.
A. It is any narrative about or based on imagined scientific theories and technology.
B. It is any narrative about science experiments.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

If you answered B…
You were close. But what you selected is more like child’s play.
Science fiction narratives involve more than just doing experiments.
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Did you answer A?
That’s right!…
Science fiction narrative’s are based on imagined theories and technology.
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Documentary
What is a documentary?
A. A documentary is a book containing maps and atlases.
B. A documentary is work that features a large amount of documentary material such as newspaper stories, trial transcripts, and legal reports.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

If you answered A…
We need to talk.
Atlases are books that contain maps.
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If you answered B…
Way to go girl - Uh, boy!
A documentary is work that features a large amount of documentary material such as newspaper stories, trial transcripts, and legal reports.
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Informational
Informational work is…
A. Any literature that provides information & procedures for completing scientific experiments, manufacturing toys, to making home improvements.
B. Any literature that provides a day by day journalistic style reporting of a person’s life.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

USA:
“It was a tough decision, but somebody had to make it.”
If you chose A…
You did your homework.
Informational text can provide you information on just about everything, how to information, even political forums.
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If you chose B…, well
Literature that provides information about a person’s life is better known as a biography.
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Sherlock
Holmes:
“It’s very elementary, my dear Watson.”
Detective/Who Done it?
What is a detective story?
A. A narrative about the solution of a mystery or the identification of a criminal.
B. A narrative about a specific person in history.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

Detective Story
If you answered B, you are incorrect.
A biography is a narrative about a person’s life.
Baffled Student:
“Not so elementary after all, my dear
Sherlock…”
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Detective Story-Correct Answer
If you answered A, you are correct.
A detective story (who done it) is a narrative about the solution of a mystery or the identification of a criminal.
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Cyberspace
What stories do cyberspace reflect?
A. Cyberspace literature is based on cyborg robots.
B. Cyberspace literature is appropriately named for stories based on the
Internet and computers.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

If you chose A…
You are WRONG…!!!
Cyborg is a term that refers to beings that are half human -half robot.
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If you chose B…
You are correct…!!!
Cyberspace is a term that refers to the
Internet and surfing the web via computers.
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Gypsy Fortune
Teller:
“In your future I see…STARS”
What do literature based on the
Supernatural talk about?
A. The supernatural deals with powers beyond our understanding.
B. The supernatural is based on sports figures with outstanding athletic abilities.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

Ghostly student:
“YESSSSSS…!!!
If you chose A…
You are correct.
In literature, the supernatural deals with powers of witches, ghosts, etc.
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If you chose B…
Try again…
Outstanding athletes are special, but not supernatural. They are down to earth – just like everyone else.
Baseball Player:
“I’m just a regular guy. So what if I make millions just to play with a ball and a stick.”
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Myths & Legends
What type of writings do we find in Myths & Legends?
A. A legend or myth is a widely told story about the past, one that may or may not have a foundation in fact. Myths are based more on the supernatural than legends.
B. Myths and legends are widely told about futuristic events with legends based more on the supernatural.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

If you answered A -about myths & legends…
You are corrrrect!!!!
A legend or a myth is a story told widely about the past such as the
Roman and Greek
Gods of Ancient Rome and Greece or the
Leprechauns of Ireland or Merlin the wizard of
England.
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If you answered B…
Study harder.
Myths and legends are not futuristic events.
They are based solely on past beliefs reflecting a people’s identity or cultural values.
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Inspirational - What is inspirational literature?
A. Inspirational narratives are generally based on some religious faith inspiring people to continue on in life despite hardships.
B. Inspirational literature is solely based on newspaper advice columns.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

If you answered A…
You are HOT!!!
Inspirational literature is based on religious or faith-based works whose main purpose is to motivate you to live life to its fullest even when you are faced with hardships and despair.
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If you answered B…
It’s back to the drawing board. Don’t pull your hair out though. Get an inspirational book and help forget your despair.
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Sports
What are sports-related narratives about?
A. They are specifically about the Olympics.
B. They are about any sport or athlete that dedicates his/her life to a sport.
Click the answer you believe is correct.
Baseball Fans:
“Batter Up!”

If you answered A…
You are incorrect.
Sports are not solely dedicated to the Olympics.
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If you answered B- SCORE!!!
Sports-related literature or narratives include any stories devoted to athletes of all sports, from all countries and all genders.
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Tragedy
Woe is me. What is a tragedy?
A.
It is a humorous look at everyday situations and circumstances of life.
B.
It is a about the main character being brought to ruin or who suffers greatly.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

If you answered A…
You are incorrect.
There is nothing happy about a tragic event.
Tragic events could be sickness or death in a family.
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Student:
“Failure is soooo tragic!”
If you answered B…
Great!
Tragedy’s reflect sadness due to a main character’s suffering or death.
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Drama
What is Drama?
A. Drama is only concerned with sad story lines.
B. Drama is any work designed to be presented on a stage encompassing everything from tragedy
Click the answer you believe is correct.
to comedy.

If you selected A…
You need to study some more.
Drama is not just concerned with sad stories.
Disgruntled
Student:
“I’ll show you what I think about that!”
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If you selected B…
You deserve a prize…
Drama is any work designed to be presented on a stage.
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Classical
What is Classical Literature?
A. Classical literature is the narrative that is considered a revered writing from a specific culture .
B. It is literature about items called classics nowadays:
Coke, Harleys, etc.
Click the answer you believe is correct.

If you answered B…
Classical literature is narrative about Coke and Harley’s? You need to think again.
Coke & Harley:
We’re Classics!
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If you answered A…
Right On!
Classical literature is narrative that is considered revered writing from specific cultures.
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Score yourself - Rubric
If your score is…
18-22
GREAT!
If your score is…
14-17
GOOD!
If your score is…
9-13
If your score is…
0-8
Continue Continue
Go Back
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End of Study Guide/ Review
If you have passed these study guide questions you are ready for your test.
Teacher:
Good Luck!