Figures of Speech in John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address

What is the term for the repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words?

• alliteration

• consonance

• assonance

• rhyme

Answer explanation

The correct answer is 'alliteration'. Alliteration refers to the repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words. For example, 'Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers' is an example of alliteration. The other options, consonance, assonance, and rhyme denote different kinds of sound repetition or arrangement in words.

What is the term for the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses?

• epistrophe

• metaphor

• hyperbole

• anaphora

Answer explanation

The term for the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses is called 'anaphora'. This is not to be confused with 'epistrophe', which refers to the repetition at the end of clauses. 'Metaphor' and 'hyperbole' are unrelated terms, referring to a figurative expression and exaggeration, respectively.

What is the term for the repetition of vowel sounds in neighboring words?

• consonance

• rhyme

• alliteration

• assonance

Answer explanation

The question asks about the term for the repetition of vowel sounds in neighboring words. Among the given options, 'assonance' is the correct term that refers to this technique in poetry and prose where vowel sounds repeat in close proximity within a sentence or phrase.

What is the term for the use of similar grammatical structures in successive phrases or clauses?

• repetition

• parallelism

• antithesis

• ellipsis

Answer explanation

The term for the use of similar grammatical structures in successive phrases or clauses is called 'Parallelism'. This is when parts of a sentence are grammatically the same, or are similar in construction. It can be a word, a phrase, or an entire sentence repeated. The options 'Repetition', 'Antithesis', and 'Ellipsis' do not correctly define this term.

Which figure of speech is exemplified by the phrase 'ask not what your country can do for you' in John F. Kennedy's inaugural address?

• hyperbole

• anaphora

• simile

• metaphor

Answer explanation

The figure of speech exemplified by the phrase 'ask not what your country can do for you' in John F. Kennedy's inaugural address is 'anaphora'. Anaphora is a rhetorical device that involves repetition of a certain phrase at the beginning of clauses or sentences. In this case, 'ask not' is the repeated phrase, setting the style and tone of JFK's address.

In John F. Kennedy's inaugural address, what figure of speech is illustrated by the phrase 'the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans'?

• personification

• metaphor

• simile

• hyperbole

Which figure of speech is exemplified by the phrase 'the torch has been passed to a new generation' in John F. Kennedy's inaugural address?

• hyperbole

• metaphor

• simile

• personification

Answer explanation

The phrase 'the torch has been passed to a new generation' from JFK's inaugural address is a metaphor. A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable. Here, 'torch' metaphorically represents leadership or responsibility, which is not being literally passed, but rather, the responsibility or leadership is being transferred to a new generation.

Which figure of speech is exemplified by the phrase 'we shall pay any price, bear any burden' in John F. Kennedy's inaugural address?

• Hyperbole

• Simile

• Anaphora

• Metaphor

Answer explanation

The figure of speech used in the phrase 'we shall pay any price, bear any burden' from John F. Kennedy's inaugural address is Anaphora. Anaphora is a rhetorical device where words or phrases are repeated at the beginning of consecutive lines or sentences. Here, the repeated phrase is 'we shall', which is used to emphasize the speaker's determination and commitment.

What did you think about this lesson?

• 
• 
•