Rhetorical Devices with Elie Wiesel

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a formal speech?

• It uses informal, everyday language.

• It has a central idea supported by details, examples, and anecdotes.

• It is tailored to a specific audience for a specific occasion.

• It uses rhetorical devices to create emotional impact.

Open Ended

Why do you think formal speeches often use rhetorical devices or specific patterns of language to create an emotional impact?

Multiple Choice

What are two commonly used rhetorical devices in formal speeches, and how do they impact the audience?

• Rhetorical questions and repetition; they add emphasis and stir emotions.

• Metaphors and similes; they make speeches humorous.

• Statistics and facts; they make speeches more scientific.

• Stories and anecdotes; they make speeches longer.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following questions is rhetorical?

• What time is it?

• Can you help me with this problem?

• Will you stand by and watch people suffer?

• Where do you live?

Open Ended

Mark the important repeated word in this quotation from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech: 'With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.' What concept or idea is emphasized by the repetition of this word?

Multiple Choice

How does the use of repetition in a speech help structure the speaker's argument and make it more powerful?

• It confuses the audience.

• It emphasizes key ideas and helps organize the speech.

• It makes the speech shorter.

• It distracts listeners from the main point.

Fill in the Blanks

In Elie Wiesel's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, rhetorical devices such as

and repetition are used to advance his claim.

Open Ended

Explain how rhetorical questions and repetition are used to advance a speaker's claim in a speech.

Multiple Choice

How do the rhetorical devices of rhetorical questions and repetition in Wiesel's speech contribute to his call to action?

• Rhetorical questions make the speech more entertaining, while repetition makes it longer.

• Rhetorical questions remind listeners of the Nobel Peace Prize's origins and emphasize Wiesel's call to action; repetition extends the call to every individual and reflects his impassioned tone.

• Rhetorical questions confuse the audience, and repetition makes the message unclear.

• Rhetorical questions and repetition have no impact on the speech.

Open Ended

Explain how Wiesel uses rhetorical devices to motivate his audience to take action. Provide examples from the speech to support your answer.

Open Ended

How does the structure of a formal speech compare to that of an essay?

Multiple Choice

What are some key characteristics of a formal speech?

• It uses informal language and jokes.

• It is tailored to a specific audience and occasion, uses formal language, and includes rhetorical devices.

• It is always written as a poem.

• It does not have a central idea.