Inaugural Speech

Which of the following can best be described as invective?

• negative, aggressive language
• positive, encouraging language
• neutral, objective language
• stirring, patriotic language

In which sentence can the relationship between nations best be described as asunder?

• The nations are former allies that have split apart in disagreement.
• The nations have just signed a peace treaty and become allies.
• One nation is helping the other to rebuild after a disaster.
• One nation has aided the other in a time of war.

If two people are belaboring a problem that faces them, which of the following must be true? Base your answer on the meaning of belaboring.

• The people focus more attention on the problem than they should.
• The people do not understand the source of the problem.
• The people approach the problem in an organized fashion.
• The people ignore the problem in the hope that it will resolve itself.

Kennedy notes in his “Inaugural Address” that humans have “the power to abolish . . . all forms of human life.” To what is he referring?

• Humans have nuclear weapons.
• Humans can cure diseases.
• Humans can be replaced by computers.
• Humans understand how life is created.

A message to “our sister republics south of our border” appears midway through the “Inaugural Address.” That message is a promise “to convert our good words into good deeds.” What is the most likely meaning of that promise?

• The United States will establish programs to give practical aid to the poor of South America.
• The United States will show nations in South America how to become democratic republics.
• The United States will work on scientific breakthroughs that will benefit South America.
• The United States will send troops into South America in an effort to keep the peace there.

In his “Inaugural Address,” Kennedy describes people “who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger,” saying that they “ended up inside” the tiger. What does he mean?

• Those who seek power through violence are usually overthrown by violence.
• Those who can carefully keep their balance will never end up falling.
• Those foolish enough to seek power know that things will end badly.
• Those who seek power are just like an animal tamer in a circus.

Which of the following statements from the “Inaugural Address” contains an example of charged language?

• [T]he devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it—and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.
• We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom . . .
• If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.
• For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.

The Latin prefix re- means “again, repeatedly.” Use this information and your knowledge of the Latin root -vol- to choose the correct definition of revolve.

• to turn around repeatedly
• to move across repeatedly
• to escape from repeatedly
• to fly over repeatedly

One definition of volume is book. Given your knowledge of the Latin root -vol-, which of the following is most likely how the word volume came to refer to books?

• Ancient texts were stored as rolled-up scrolls.
• Printing presses are extremely loud.
• Stories used to be spoken rather than written.
• Before printing, books were very large and heavy.

Which of the following sentences contains an example of antithesis?

• The Berlin Wall was made of concrete and rock, but the youth of Germany tore it apart like soggy paper in 1989 when the travel bans were finally overturned.
• Because thousands of East Germans were fleeing to the West, the government put up a barrier called the Berlin Wall.
• In 1963, John F. Kennedy gave a famous speech at the Berlin Wall, which divided the city of Berlin and symbolized the Cold War.
• Kennedy’s speech looked ahead to the day when the two Berlins and the two Germanies would reunify—a day that came 36 years later.