wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Literary Terms Review

Total questions: 70

Worksheet time: 35mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
Character traits are adjectives that describe the qualities of a character. 
Read the following passage from a story: 
Mercy snorted. She should have known better than to challenge Victoria. Of all Mercy's friends, Victoria talked loudest, ran fastest, and took the most risks. She bragged about the time she convinced her older brothers to spend a weekend building her a fort. Mercy liked to call Victoria "Buster". "Because you are always busting things up," she laughed. Victoria wore the nickname with pride. 
Based on the passage, which of the following is one of Victoria's traits?
a)
forgetful
b)
confused
c)
bold
d)
shy
2.
Read the passage and then answer the question below: 
"No, indeed. I don't know anything. You see, I am stuffed, so I have no brains at all," [the Scarecrow] answered sadly. 
"Oh", said Dorothy, "I am awfully sorry for you."
"Do you think," he asked, "if I go to the Emerald City with you, that Oz would give me some brains?"
"I cannot tell", she returned, "but you may come with me, if you like. If Oz will not give you any brains you will be no worse off than you are now." 
Which detail from the passage best shows us that Dorothy is caring and kind? 
a)
"I cannot tell," she returned..."
b)
""I don't know anything. You see, I am stuffed, so I have no brains at all,"[the Scarecrow] answered sadly."
c)
"Oh", said Dorothy, "I am awfully sorry for you."
d)
"Do you think," he asked, "if I go to the Emerald City with you, that Oz would give me some brains?
3.
"When Gill passed gas in class, his face turned red."
a)
Direct Characterization
b)
Indirect Characterization
4.
"Don Ricardo was mean-tempered and rude"
a)
Direct Characterization 
b)
Indirect Characterization
5.

A character that has little or no change by the end of the book is a ____________________ character.

a)

Round

b)

Flat

c)

Static

d)

Dynamic

6.

A character that we know little about

a)

Round

b)

Flat

c)

Static

d)

Dynamic

7.

A character that does change by the end of the story is a_______________ character.

a)

Round

b)

Flat

c)

Static

d)

Dynamic

8.

A well developed, complex character is

a)

round

b)

flat

c)

static

d)

dynamic

9.

What are character traits?

a)

How a character is feeling in the moment.

b)

Usual qualities of a character's personality.

c)

A lesson the character learns in the story.

10.

What three aspects of a character's personality help us to infer their character traits?

a)

The character's sayings, actions and thoughts.

b)

The character's feelings, emotions and thoughts.

c)

The character's sayings, favorite activities and thoughts.

11.
The part of the story that ties up all the loose ends and takes care of the conflict
a)
the climax
b)
the theme
c)
the resolution
d)
the introduction
12.

Choose the two words that best complete the sentence.

During the introduction (exposition/beginning), it is important to introduce the __________ and the __________.

a)

climax, conflict

b)

characters, conflict

c)

characters, setting

d)

conflict, resolution

13.

What is a climax?

a)

the beginning of the story

b)

the part leading up to the UH OH moment

c)

the UH OH moment, the most exciting part of the story

d)

the ending

14.
After breaking his mother's favorite vase, Casey struggles to decide whether he should tell his mother the truth and face the consequences, or whether he should attempt to hide his mistake and blame the family dog.
a)
man vs man
b)
man vs self
c)
man vs nature
d)
man vs society
15.
Kiko is a ninja warrior trained by Mountain Master Yoho Mahrati. When Master Mahrati is slain by Shan Bhutan of the Lotus Clan in the most cowardly of fashions, Kiko lays it all on the line to avenge the death of his master. Will Kiko overcome Shan Bhutan and the powerful Lotus Clan?
a)
man vs man
b)
man vs society
c)
man vs nature
d)
man vs self
16.
Greg is a regular boy who tries to do his best in school but who also happens to have a magical unicorn. When he's not studying and playing baseball on Earth, Greg is riding his unicorn through the enchanted land of Harmonia. When Greg brings something to Harmonia that he shouldn't, a secret gate is unlocked and the muck-muck monsters are unleashed, causing terrible pollution in Harmonia. Can Greg and his unicorn stop the monsters before they reach Earth?
a)
man vs man
b)
man vs society
c)
man vs machine/technology
d)
man vs supernatural
17.

Kelly knows that she saw her friend, Kimmy, steal a pair of earrings, and that she should tell someone. However, Kelly is her friend, and she doesn’t want her to get into trouble.

a)

internal conflict

b)

external conflict

18.

Two candidates are running for mayor. Only one can win.

a)

internal conflict

b)

external conflict

19.

Which is important to setting?

a)

WHERE a story takes place

b)

WHEN a story takes place

c)

Both where AND when

20.

Which sentence is NOT about the setting?

a)

John entered a dark room.

b)

John shivered in the cold.

c)

John was very frightened.

21.

Which sentence IS about the setting?

a)

Sarah could not remember her name.

b)

Sarah could barely see in the fog.

c)

Sarah wanted to get home.

22.

Which term means "the writer's attitude?

a)

mood

b)

tone

c)

point of view

d)

feeling

23.

Mood is...

a)

the feeling a text gives to readers.

b)

the attitude of the writer

c)

the point of view

d)

the genre of a text

24.

The tone is determined by the...

a)

descriptions in the text

b)

length of a written text

c)

words and dialogue

d)

descriptions, words and dialogue

25.

Which sentence has the most energetic tone?

a)

It is raining heavily, and I don't have an umbrella!

b)

It is raining heavily, I can't believe that I don't have an umbrella!

c)

It is raining heavily, and I don't have an umbrella; let's splash and have fun!

d)

It is raining heavily , and I hate it!

26.

The mood in this passage is...

"My enemy was making his way down the hall, bursting open door after door. I needed to break through this window in two tries to make it out in time."

a)

cheerful

b)

scary

c)

sad

d)

pessimistic

27.

The Food Group Pyramid tells how to eat healthy. It shows how food is divided into six groups. It is important to eat foods that belong to each group every day. The pyramid helps show how much of each you should eat.


The author wrote this paragraph mainly to -

a)

compare the different food groups in the Food Group Pyramid

b)

provide you information about the Food Group Pyramid

c)

persuade you to use the Food Group Pyramid to plan your meals

d)

offer a different way to look at food based off of the Food Group Pyramid

28.

Do you want to be an artist? Just enroll in "The Awesome Artists" program. Don't let this opportunity or your talent slip away. We guarantee you will be painting like the masters in two weeks for a low cost of $59.95.


The author wrote this article most likely to -

a)

show the benefits of The Awesome Artists prgram

b)

compare the cost of an art program to a music program

c)

convince people to sign up for an art program

d)

explain why The Awesome Artists program is the best

29.
What is the author's purpose for writing a passage like the following?

An article in a magazine comparing and contrasting waste management in New York City and Mexico City
a)
to inform
b)
to entertain
c)
to persuade
d)
to describe
30.

Objects, characters, figures, and colors used to represent ideas or concepts

a)

Symbol

b)

Theme

c)

Motif

31.

The controlling idea or central insight of a story

a)

Symbol

b)

Theme

c)

Motif

32.

Recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help develop a text’s major themes

a)

Symbol

b)

Theme

c)

Motif

33.
A theme should always be written as...
a)
A sentence or statement
b)
A phrase
c)
One or two words
d)
A brief summary of 5-8 sentences. 
34.
Which of the following is an example of THEME?
a)
Carry your laptops with two hands at all times.
b)
Cereal is the healthiest food you can eat.
c)
How much wood a woodchuck could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood.
d)
Life is short; make the most of it.
35.

The trapeze artist stood high on the platform. The whole crowd was silent. The trapeze artist rubbed his hands on his knees, grabbed the flying trapeze, and sprung into the air. Just as the trapeze had swung its full length, the trapeze artist released his grip and did a triple flip. He narrowly caught a second trapeze bar and swung from it by his legs. The crowd cheered. Another trapeze artist ascended the platform.

a)

1st person

b)

2nd person

c)

3rd person omniscient

d)

3rd person limited

e)

3rd person objective

36.

Select the point of view that matches the definition:


The narrator tells a narrative without describing any character's thoughts, feelings, or opinions.

a)

1st person

b)

2nd person

c)

3rd person omniscient

d)

3rd person limited

e)

3rd person objective

37.

Select the point of view that matches the definition:


The narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of more than one character in the story.

a)

1st person

b)

2nd person

c)

3rd person omniscient

d)

3rd person limited

e)

3rd person objective

38.

It was noon. The sun was high in the blue sky. The air was filled with the sounds of lawn mowers and birds chirping. A door opened. A young boy walked outside. A woman's voice could be heard from the house yelling, "Wait for me, Michael." The young boy did not wait. He ran to the sidewalk and began jumping. "Yeah! Yeah! Machine gun!" he yelled, pointing an invisible gun in all directions. He took imaginary shots every few seconds and pantomimed the recoil.

a)

1st person

b)

2nd person

c)

3rd person omniscient

d)

3rd person limited

e)

3rd person objective

39.

Tim looked out the window. The house looked so lonely. Tim's father put the last suitcase in the trunk and started up the car. Thor, his dog, put his head on Tim's lap, like he understood how Tim was feeling. "It's okay Thor," he said, "Dad says we will like California."


How would you describe what is happening in this passage?

a)

Tim is sad because his dog doesn't have a home anymore.

b)

Tim is taking a trip to visit people he doesn't know and he is scared.

c)

Tim is taking Thor to live with his grandmother for a while.

d)

Tim is moving to California with his family.

40.
In real life, people who can back up an opinion about a text with Textual Evidence are taken more seriously than people who can only give a reason of “just because".
a)
True
b)
False
41.

They weren’t on the hook by the phone and they weren’t in her purse. Alison checked the pockets of the jacket she’d worn the day before, but they weren’t there either. She looked at her watch and realized she would be late for work if she didn’t leave soon..

What is Alison looking for?

a)

Her Keys

b)

Her Car

c)

Her Cat

d)

Her Smoothie

42.

Diction is the literary term that means

a)

The connections we have with words

b)

An author's choice of words

c)

The definition of words

d)

The common way of speaking with friends

43.

Refers to the feelings and ideas a word evokes.

a)

Synonym

b)

Denotation

c)

Connotation

d)

Diction

44.

Which connotation is MORE positive?

We saw ______ animals at the zoo.

a)

Interesting

b)

Weird

45.

Denotation is a word's ____________.

a)

Literal, dictionary definition

b)

Emotional meaning

c)

Diction

d)

Mood

46.

What is the denotation of the word "immature"?

a)

Not fully grown

b)

Childish

c)

Ignorant

d)

Irresponsible

47.

When a word sounds like its meaning.

a)

alliteration

b)

onomatopoeia

c)

personification

d)

metaphor

48.

When a phrase conveys a figurative meaning that is difficult or impossible to understand based only on its literal interpretation.

a)

Idiom

b)

Oxymoron

c)

Allusion

d)

Alliteration

49.
"I am as hungry as a bear!" The kind of figurative language used here is _______ 
a)
simile and personification
b)
personification
c)
simile
d)
metaphor
50.
"Time flies by!" The kind of figurative language used here is _______ 
a)
idiom
b)
simile
c)
onomatopoeia
d)
metaphor
51.
"The raindrops danced on the tabletop." The kind of figurative language used here is _______ 
a)
alliteration
b)
simile
c)
personification
d)
idiom
52.

Language in which the words mean exactly what they say is...

a)

figurative

b)

literal

53.

Language in which the words are meant to be interpreted imaginatively is...

a)

figurative

b)

literal

54.

(1)The breeze felt like a refreshing drink of lemonade. (2)The night air was fuel for my work, and it was a beautiful night. (3)If I was going to finish writing this test, then it was going to be the longest night of my life. (4)Then like booming thunder, a light bulb went off in my head. (5) I searched for the perfect program where I could peruse several small suggestions swiftly. (6) Sadly, my time on Herculean efforts on Google reminded me of a crazy Spongebob Squarepants episode. (7) Even though I knew what I was searching for, it didn’t go well. (8) It seems that I will be working like a dog for tonight. (9) One good thing did happen, though: I finally discovered what one calls a super articulate dinosaur... a Thesaurus..., and next time a dinosaur drops by for lunch, I'll know how to properly invite him. "Tea, Rex?"


The underlined sentence shows which figurative language?

a)

metaphor

b)

simile

c)

alliteration

d)

personification

e)

gustatory imagery (sense of taste)

55.

(1)The breeze felt like a refreshing drink of lemonade. (2)The night air was fuel for my work, and it was a beautiful night. (3)If I was going to finish writing this test, then it was going to be the longest night of my life. (4)Then like booming thunder, a light bulb went off in my head. (5) I searched for the perfect program where I could peruse several small suggestions swiftly. (6) Sadly, my time on Herculean efforts on Google reminded me of a crazy Spongebob Squarepants episode. (7) Even though I knew what I was searching for, it didn’t go well. (8) It seems that I will be working like a dog for tonight. (9) One good thing did happen, though: I finally discovered what one calls a super articulate dinosaur... a Thesaurus..., and next time a dinosaur drops by for lunch, I'll know how to properly invite him. "Tea, Rex?"

The underlined sentence in the red font is an example of

a)

hyperbole

b)

simile

c)

onomatopoeia

d)

personification

e)

metaphor

56.
Irony usually involves something that is 
a)
false
b)
silly
c)
unexpected
d)
unimportant
57.
When a person says something that is the opposite of what he/she means, the person is using
a)
ironic speech
b)
verbal irony
c)
trickery
d)
verbal disagreement
58.
When the audience or reader knows something important that a character in the story does not know, this is called
a)
situational irony
b)
intelligent craft
c)
dramatic irony
d)
rising action
59.
When an event turns out in a way that would be the opposite of what a person might logically expect, this is called
a)
a surprise resolution
b)
situational irony
c)
suspense
d)
dramatic irony
60.
If you, the reader, know that Sophie's friends are acting strange because they are throwing a surprise party for her, but Sophie does not know this, you are feeling suspense due to
a)
stress from school
b)
Sophie being involved in falling action
c)
dramatic irony
d)
situation ethics
61.
Traveling from Pennsylvania to Florida in January in order to avoid the cold weather but finding below-freezing temperatures once you arrived in Florida would be an example of:
a)
dramatic irony
b)
good luck
c)
situational irony
d)
motion sickness
62.

What is symbolism?

a)

When the author uses an object or reference to add deeper meaning to a story

b)

A reference to another literary work

c)

The tone of the story

d)

The events of the story

63.

In a story, what could a storm symbolize?

a)

love

b)

happiness

c)

danger

d)

luck

64.

The color red symbolizes what two emotions?

a)

sadness

b)

happiness

c)

love

d)

anger

65.

True or False: Symbols can only have one meaning.

a)

True

b)

False

66.

How would allusion be defined?

a)

a reference to a famous person, place, or event

b)

words that involve one of the five senses

c)

two lines working as a unit

d)

a form or wordplay with similar sounding sounds

67.

In one of Aesop's fables, four animals go hunting thinking 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.

a)

an equal amount

b)

a tiny bit

c)

an even split

d)

the largest amount

68.

The comic book superhero Spider-Man possesses a Spidey sense that warns him of trouble that's coming his way.


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.

a)

sense of smell

b)

sense of danger

c)

sense of wonder

d)

sense of pride

69.

Which of the following is not an example of an allusion?

a)

his wife was his Achille's heel

b)

he lies so much, I'm surprised his nose doesn't grow like Pinnochio's

c)

she transformed her backyard to look like the Garden of Eden.

d)

we'll miss him so much because he was the best dog ever.

70.

Random Fact Question (True/False): The word "news" originates from the first letters of the 4 main directions on a compass (North, East, West, South).

a)

True

b)

False