Persuasive Techniques - Special

Question 1

Name the persuasive technique described below.

the stating of the impossibility of expressing something or the inability to express something, usually because the thing is too great or too terrible for words

Answer 1

adynaton

the “there are no words to express” technique

Question 2

Name the persuasive technique described below.

an exclamation proceeding from deep indignation

Answer 2

aganactesis

the “how dare you” technique

Question 3

Name the persuasive technique described below.

a kind of story in which the settings, characters, objects, and events are all meant to be interpreted as symbols, often communicating a political, moral, or religious message

Answer 3

allegory

Question 4

Name the persuasive technique described below.

a recollection of a historical event or of the words of an author from the past

Answer 4

anamnesis

Question 5

Name the persuasive technique described below.

a denial of the intention to speak about someone or something that is at the same time stated or insinuated

Answer 5

apophasis

Question 6

Name the persuasive technique described below.

the breaking off suddenly in the middle of speaking, usually to portray being overcome with emotion

Answer 6

aposiopesis

Question 7

Name the persuasive technique described below.

a threat of payback or a prophesy of payback for some wrong doing

Answer 7

cataplexis

the “beware all those who” technique

Question 8

Name the persuasive technique described below.

the parsing of a fine or subtle difference between similar things or concepts that may often be confused or mistaken to be the same thing

Answer 8

distinctio

Question 9

Name the persuasive technique described below.

an emotionally evocative description that vividly recreates a scene

Answer 9

enargeia

Question 10

Name the persuasive technique described below.

a series of ideas or arguments presented in a numbered list, often to create “bullet points”

Answer 10

enumeration

not the same thing as merely listing ideas in a coordinate series

Question 11

Name the persuasive technique described below.

a recitation of something once said, followed by commentary on it

Answer 11

epicrisis

Question 12

Name the persuasive technique described below.

an allegory designed to teach a moral, in which the characters are animals, plants, or otherwise non-human

Answer 12

fable

Question 13

Name the persuasive technique described below.

a clear, brief definition used to distinguish different terms, concepts, or things

Answer 13

horismus

Question 14

Name the persuasive technique described below.

a question posed to the audience that is immediately answered by the writer

Answer 14

hypophora

Question 15

Name the persuasive technique described below.

the expression of joy for blessings obtained or for a tragedy avoided

Answer 15

paenismus

Question 16

Name the persuasive technique described below.

an allegory designed to teach a moral, in which the characters are people

Answer 16

parable

Question 17

Name the persuasive technique described below.

a kind of narration used to introduce a central concept or issue that becomes the focus of the text

Answer 17

paradiegesis

Question 18

Name the persuasive technique described below.

a kind of counterargument that anticipates an objection the audience might have

Answer 18

procatalepsis

Question 19

Name the persuasive technique described below.

a question posed to the audience in such a way that its answer is obvious and need not be said

Answer 19

rhetorical question

Question 20

Name the persuasive technique described below.

a string of claim and evidence statements, wherein the claim of one argument acts as evidence supporting another claim, which itself acts as evidence supporting another claim, and so on

Answer 20

sorites

i.e. Because of A, therefore B; and because of B, therefore C, and because of C, therefore D, and so on…

Question 21

Name the persuasive technique described below.

a three-statement argument that begins with a major premise (a broad principle), continues with a minor premise (a specific application of that principle), and ends with a conclusion (the logical result of the two premises)

Answer 21

syllogism

e.g. In today’s NFL, the teams with the best passing games tend to win. Detroit has the best passing attack in the league. Therefore, Detroit will win a lot of games this season.

Question 22

Name the persuasive technique described below.

an extended contrast of opposite terms, concepts, or things

Answer 22

syncrisis

Question 23

Name the persuasive technique described below.

a list of the individual qualities of a term, concept, or thing, without providing an explicit definition

Answer 23

systrophe