Something about laziness

Which statement provides the best rhetorical analysis of the first sentence?

• The author betrays a sense of resentment by using the modification "even before."

• The author adopts an authoritative stance on the topic by beginning with "There is."

• The author defines the scope of his argument by referring to "all offers."

• The author expresses his anger by selecting the confrontational verb "smacks."

• The author suggests the difficulty of the topic by describing "something" in two contrasting ways.

In lines 3-4, the author uses the word "table" idiomatically to discuss

• religious belief

• cultural awareness

• civic participation

• financial obligation

• legal responsibility

In lines 12-14, ("Given...chance"), the author's primary purpose is to

• argue against the authority of the social contract

• trivialize the difficulties of being lazy

• discourage the reader's identification with lazy people

• assert the power of the social contract

• counsel the reader to be wary of lazy people

The author's writing in lines 5-14 ("At bottom...chance") is characterized by the use of

• short sentences that accentuate key facts and opinions

• series that broaden the scope of the discussion

• adjectives used as nouns to criticize different groups

• dashes to indicate hesitation

• abstract language to obscure his point

In the second paragraph (lines 15-23), the author primarily implies that laziness is a

• factor contributing to failure but not the sole cause

• common characteristic among intellectuals and artists

• personal trait that people try to hide from one another

• psychological trait that people try to hide from one another

• coping strategy that requires time to perfect

The author's tone in the statement "Laziness just is" can best be described as

• apprehensive

• embittered

• pragmatic

• apologetic

• morose

In the third paragraph (lines 24-41), the author discusses Hippocrates' theory in order to

• argue that environment has an immense influence on people

• criticize the division of human nature into basic types

• assess whether science or religion had a greater influence on early medicine

• confirm that laziness leads to serious character flaws

• establish the long-standing belief that habits of mind are innate

At the end of the fourth paragraph (lines 42-56), the author acknowledges that people

• are motivated by competition

• can control their behavior

• should learn to question others

• need to spend some time alone

• tend to act out in anger

Why does the author mention Bill Gates and Valentino in lines 50-53 (sharing a bucket...Valentino)?

• To state that memory is subject to change

• To imagine what could be accomplished if one had multiple lives

• To provide examples of casual and formal lifestyles

• To assert that people do not have a definitive path in life

• To compare the unique talents of two very different people

Which statement best describes the significance of the Beckett quotation in lines 62-65 ("There is...to express")?

• Writing is inherently a paradoxical endeavor.

• The best writers are their own harshest critics.

• One is born with the ability to write creatively; the skill cannot be taught.

• Writing is an ambition that few attempt to realize.

• There is a time and a place to speak in earnest.