Essential Academic Vocabulary: Literary - Historical Concepts

Fill-in-the-blank: An _______ is a reference to a well-known story, event, or person.

Synonym: What is a synonym for "concepts"?

• Ideas

• Confusion

• Arguments

• Errors

Antonym: What is the antonym of "complexity"?

• Simplicity

• Difficulty

• Intricacy

• Challenge

Definition-based: What does "connotation" mean?

• The literal meaning of a word

• The emotional or cultural meaning of a word

• A historical reference

• A type of figure of speech

Context clues: In the sentence, "The themes of love and loss are central to the novel," what does "themes" mean?

• Chapters

• Main ideas

• Locations

• Problems

Word usage: What does "medium" mean in this sentence: "The artist chose painting as her medium to express her emotions"?

• An average size

• A means of communication

• A mysterious force

• A type of fabric

Definition-based: How would you define "denotation"?

• The implied meaning of a word

• The dictionary meaning of a word

• A hidden reference

• An emotional reaction

Context clues: What does "historical significance" mean in this sentence: "The document has great historical significance because it changed the course of history"?

• Importance

• Popularity

• Size

• Mystery

Fill-in-the-blank: In literature, "figures of speech" are often used to _________ ideas creatively.

Synonym: What is a synonym for "allusion"?

• Reference

• Debate

• Description

• Criticism