NEW
Font size
WorksheetsLiterary Device Test 8th Grade
Total questions: 75
Worksheet time: 1hrs 1mins
In Greek mythology, King Midas is granted his wish that everything he touches turn to gold.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
When it comes to starting new businesses, Elon Musk seems to have a Midas touch.
fortunate
unusual
unfortunate
usual
In the story A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, a penny-pinching and bitter Ebenezer Scrooge values money more than people.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
Our neighbor has a reputation for being a Scrooge, so we don't even stop at his door any more when we're fundraising.
generous
kind
stingy
jealous
In one of Aesop's fables, four animals go hunting under the assumption that they will split their prize equally, but the lion, the most powerful animal, takes more than the other members of the group.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
My older brother takes the lion's share of the space in our bedroom.
an equal amount
a tiny bit
an even split
the largest portion
George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984 focuses on a totalitarian society in which the citizens are frequently reminded that their leader, Big Brother, is always watching.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
The headline read: "Smart Phones Becoming Big Brother."
a benevolent government that takes care of its people
a democratic society with laws protecting privacy
a ruler that allows freedom of speech
a threatening power that monitors all aspects of people's lives
In 1815, French emperor Napoleon suffered a devastating defeat in the Battle of Waterloo, which would prove to be his final battle before he abdicated the throne.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
Last night's play-off in the semifinals proved to be the team's Waterloo.
final defeat
hard-played win
tie
no score
The comic book superhero Spider-Man possesses a spidey sense that warns him of impending trouble.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
Luther picked up his pace on the trail as his spidey sense began to tingle.
sense of smell
sense of danger
sense of wonder
sense of pride
In a catalog that accompanied an exhibit of his work, pop artist Andy Warhol said, "In the future, everybody will be world-famous for fifteen minutes," meaning that fame would be briefly available even to those who did nothing spectacular.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
Jennifer had her fifteen minutes of fame when her video of kayaking with dolphins went viral.
lengthy experience being famous
extraordinary effort
temporary moment of celebrity status
known by all forever
Draco, a government official in seventh-century Athens, Greece, wrote a code of laws that called for severe punishments for even minor offenses.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
Ben spoke at the city council meeting, claiming the new recycling regulations were draconian.
envious
interesting
clever
harsh
Joseph Heller coined the term "catch-22" in his 1961 novel of the same name. In the novel, if an army pilot wants to avoid dangerous missions, he must be deemed mentally unfit; however, his desire to stay safe proves his sanity, so he can never be excused from a mission. Heller called this sort of predicament or dilemma a catch-22.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
Anthony described the situation he was facing with his boss as a catch-22.
win-win
victory
no-win
defeat
In a well-known folktale, Chicken Little is accidentally hit by something and jumps to the conclusion that the sky is falling and that she must spread the news of imminent disaster.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
The weather forecast called for clear skies, making my grandfather look like Chicken Little.
a person who spreads alarming news of imminent danger
a person who greets trouble with optimism
a person who is slow to adapt
a person who spreads rumors about others
Don Quixote is the main character in Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra's novel of the same name. Quixote cannot see the world as it truly is; in his overly romanticized view, inns are castles and windmills are giants.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
The mayoral candidate was widely viewed as quixotic, so it was no surprise that he lost by a substantial margin.
intentionally misleading
practical and realistic
naively idealistic
cruel and judgmental
In a biblical parable, a Samaritan selflessly stops to help an enemy who has been beaten and stranded on the side of a road.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
A Good Samaritan jumped in when my grocery bag broke and the contents spilled all over the sidewalk.
a person who enjoys interacting with others
a person who plays tricks on others
a person who takes advantage of others
a person who goes out of the way to help another
In his novel Lost Horizon, James Hilton describes the fictional paradise of Shangri-La, which is located in the mountains of Tibet.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
For me, Yosemite in the summer is Shangri-La.
a place full of memories
a dystopian setting
an ideal place
a challenging setting
Soldiers from the city of Sparta in ancient Greece were known for their self-restraint, self-discipline, and indifference to luxury.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
Maria was known among her coworkers for her spartan ways.
quirky or unusual
simple and austere
aggressive and belligerent
fancy and luxurious
In the fable "The Fox and the Grapes," a fox tries unsuccessfully to reach a bunch of grapes. Because he cannot reach them and therefore cannot eat them, he tells himself that they must be sour.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
Bryce's remark about your new car is clearly a case of sour grapes.
eating something even if you don't like it
criticizing something because you can't have it
disliking something that you find unpleasant
praising something that you admire
In Greek mythology, a mythical bird called the phoenix lives for hundreds of years before bursting into flames at its death. However, it soon rises from its own ashes and is reborn.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
Fans debated whether their team would rise from the ashes.
surprise an opponent
be consistently successful
never win
come back from defeat
Hyperboles are phrases that
compare two unlike things
exaggerate
give person-like qualities to animals and things
have a different meaning than the words.
I could sleep for an hour.
Hyperbole
Not a hyperbole
I am so hungry, I could eat a horse.
Hyperbole
Not a Hyperbole
I am so hungry I could eat a slice of pie.
Hyperbole
Not a Hyperbole
The automobile is as fast as my pick-up truck.
Hyperbole
Not a hypebole
After using Lina's hair shampoo, my hair is as long as the Nile River.
Not a hyperbole
Hyperbole
Lisa's mouth is as big as Texas.
Hyperbole
Not a hyperbole
My house was hot as 10,000 suns!
Hyperbole
Not a hyperbole
I would swim a thousand seas to get to my son,
Hypebole
Not a hyperbole
Which of these is a hyperbole?
The boy was taller then me.
He had a bite-sized candy bar.
They lived in a small house.
The boy was taller than Earth.
He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth means...
He was born to a rich family
He was born hungry
He was born with teeth
I have a problem.
I'm tired. Let's go to bed.
She memorized something.
That's a low price.
What is alliteration?
words that rhyme
giving inanimate objects human capabilities
a repeated consonant sound occurring at the beginning of words
an extreme exaggeration
Complete this sentence using alliteration.
Are you hungry? Let's find a cafe for ________, __________ and __________.
egg, chips and cola
coffee, cakes and tea
coffee, cakes and cola
fish, chips and coffee
Complete this sentence using alliteration.
The art gallery displayed hundreds of ________ __________ and ___________.
books, pots and pans
pots, pans and cups
precious pictures and paintings
prints, cups and pans
Which is a the best example of Alliteration?
If someone see a science movie it can help them remember the concepts.
I love math but I don't like the homework.
We need milk for our cereal and tea!
Pick a sentence that contains an Alliteration?
Kim's kid kept kicking at the air.
Plastic bags rip easily.
Kayla is my best friend.
Mrs. Flay is a super teacher!
Which of these is alliteration?
All the animals left.
The chirping cheetah is hungry.
The dog left his house.
The friendly dog found a cat.
What object is being personified in the sentence?
What is being personified?
What is being personified?
What is being personified?
"The camera loves me!"
"The stairs groaned as we walked on them."
The Beast looked like a bear and a lion at the same time.
simile
metaphor
personification
Evie became a sister to Mal.
simile
metaphor
personification
The train screamed down the tracks.
simile
metaphor
personification
The train screamed down the tracks.
simile
metaphor
personification
Hermione was like a walking dictionary.
simile
metaphor
personification
Katniss's bravery lit the flame of revolution.
simile
metaphor
personification
The horses grumbled to each other as they walked along.
simile
metaphor
personification
Legolas's arrow shot from his bow like a flash of lightning.
simile
metaphor
personification
Surrounded by walking skeletons, Elizabeth was trapped inside a nightmare.
simile
metaphor
personification
The space ship drifted lazily toward the planet.
simile
metaphor
personification
Rosalie was a runway model, walking across the cafeteria.
simile
metaphor
personification
Belle's tears threatened to choke her, but she took a deep breath.
simile
metaphor
personification
Carlos was the Einstein of his class.
simile
metaphor
personification
Tris was scared and turned white as a sheet.
simile
metaphor
personification
Fred and George believe that the rules are begging to be broken.
simile
metaphor
personification
Rue lay as still and beautiful as a doll, surrounded by white flowers.
simile
metaphor
personification
The enormous canopy of stars glittered overhead.
simile
metaphor
personification
The whole forest waited, listening, to see what would happen next.
simile
metaphor
personification
Elizabeth was as stubborn as a mule.
simile
metaphor
personification
Luke's heart crumbled at her words.
simile
metaphor
personification
The storm chased them across the field.
simile
metaphor
personification
