Week 1 English II Graded Assignment

The phrase “Unbiased opinion” is an example of a) Oxymoron.

Here’s why:

• An oxymoron is an “expression that contains two words which have got opposite meaning”.
• In this phrase, “unbiased” means impartial or objective, while “opinion” inherently refers to a personal view or judgment, which is typically subjective and often carries some form of bias.
• Therefore, combining “unbiased” with “opinion” creates a contradictory expression, as an opinion, by its very nature, is difficult to be entirely without bias. This directly aligns with the definition of an oxymoron.
• For comparison, other figures of speech from the sources include:
  • Paradox, which is a “situation or statement that is true but sounds impossible or conflicting” and involves “two contrasting facts or characteristics”. An example given is “I must be cruel to be kind”. “Unbiased opinion” is a contradictory phrase, not necessarily a statement that is true despite seeming impossible.
  • Antithesis, which involves “two components in opposition at the same the components in opposition follow a parallel structure”. Examples are “no pain no gain” and “man proposes God disposes”. “Unbiased opinion” does not exhibit this parallel structure of opposing ideas.
  • Pun, which involves using “a word in a way that has two meanings”. For example, “Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt” plays on the sound of “Denial” and “the Nile”. “Unbiased opinion” does not rely on a play on words for its effect.

The statement ““Magical realism” is an example of paradox” is b) False.

Here’s why:

• A paradox is defined as a “situation or statement that is true but sounds impossible or conflicting”. It “consists of two contrasting facts or characteristics”. An example provided is “I must be cruel to be kind”. The key is that a paradox presents a deeper truth despite its apparent contradiction.
• An oxymoron, on the other hand, is “an expression that contains two words which have got opposite meaning”. Examples include “Bittersweet experience” or “awfully good movie”. It is used to express “conflicting opinion or thoughts”. Our previous conversation also identified “Unbiased opinion” as an oxymoron because “unbiased” and “opinion” are contradictory terms when combined.

The phrase “Magical realism” directly combines two contradictory concepts: “magical” (implying fantasy or impossibility) and “realism” (implying truth and reality). This juxtaposition of opposing words within a single expression aligns perfectly with the definition of an oxymoron, rather than a paradox, which typically refers to a conflicting statement or situation that holds a deeper truth.

The phrase “lend me your ears” is an example of a) Metonymy.

Here’s why:

• Metonymy is a figure of speech that “refers to the use of the name of one thing for another”. The sources provide examples such as referring to the New Zealand team as “the Kiwi” or the US President as “the White House”. Similarly, “Delhi” can refer to the government of India. In “lend me your ears,” the word “ears” (a physical part of the body) is used to stand for the act of listening or attention, which is closely associated with ears, but not literally what is being lent.

• While the specific relationship (using a part to represent the whole) is often classified as synecdoche (a sub-type of metonymy, defined in the sources as “use of words or phrases in such a way that part of a word can be used to refer to the whole or the whole thing can be used to refer to just a part”), “synecdoche” is not provided as an option. Examples of synecdoche given in the sources include “wheels” referring to the whole car, and “head count” meaning counting people. Given the options, Metonymy is the broader category that best fits the functional substitution of a closely associated concept or entity.

• Metaphor is a type of comparison where a word or phrase is used in place of another to suggest likeness or analogy, without providing a literal interpretation. Examples include “icing on the cake” or “life is a roller coaster”. “Lend me your ears” does not involve a direct comparison between two unlike things.

• Irony involves a situation or statement where the actual event turns out to be the exact opposite of what one expects. Examples include a nurse being scared of blood or a proofreader making an error. This does not apply to the given sentence.

The most appropriate discourse marker for the blank in the sentence “_____, he was present at the venue during the incident” is c) Apparently.

Here’s why:

• Apparently is classified as a comment adverb. These adverbs are used to indicate likelihood or to convey the attitude and point of view of the speaker or writer. When placed at the beginning of a sentence, as in “Apparently, the days are getting hotter,” they take the entire sentence into their scope. In the given sentence, “Apparently, he was present at the venue during the incident” suggests that the speaker is conveying information that they have heard or that seems to be true, rather than stating it as a fact they know with absolute certainty. This aligns perfectly with the function of ‘apparently’ in expressing a perceived likelihood or reported information.

Let’s consider why the other options are less suitable:

• Nevertheless functions as a conjunctive adverb used to connect contradictory ideas. The sentence “he was present at the venue during the incident” does not inherently present a contradiction that “nevertheless” would resolve.
• Initially is an adverb that indicates something happening at the beginning. It relates to the time an action is performed. The sentence “he was present at the venue during the incident” is a statement about presence, not the first in a sequence of events.
• Firstly is a discourse marker used to begin a conversation or to begin something, typically implying a series of points to follow. It does not fit a single declarative statement about someone’s presence during an event without implying a list or sequence that is not present in the given sentence.

Based on the provided sources and our conversation history, the discourse markers used to express a negative opinion are a) To be honest and b) Honestly. Therefore, the correct option is d) Both (a) and (b).

Here’s a detailed explanation:

• The source “Discourse Markers in Speech” explains that discourse markers can help express a speaker’s mood or attitude. It provides a direct example relating to expressing a negative opinion: “if somebody asks you – how did you like the party? Even if you say do you want my honest opinion, that means what you are going to say is something that you did not like about it”. This is immediately followed by an illustration: “honestly I did not like the movie”. This explicitly links both the phrase “my honest opinion” (which “to be honest” is a related form of) and the adverb “honestly” to conveying a negative viewpoint.
• The “Adverbs - Comment, Viewpoint and Focus” source further classifies “honestly” and “to be honest” as comment adverbs which “indicate our attitude or opinion”. While these adverbs can express various attitudes, the example from the “Discourse Markers in Speech” source specifically demonstrates their use when the opinion is negative or critical.
• “In my opinion” is also listed as a comment adverb that indicates “attitude or opinion”. However, the example provided for its use in the sources, “In my opinion, he is one of the best students in the class”, shows it introducing a positive opinion. While it can certainly introduce a negative opinion, the sources do not specifically highlight its use for negativity in the same way they do for “honestly” or “to be honest.” Its function is more broadly to introduce a personal view, regardless of its positive or negative polarity.

The most appropriate discourse marker to complete the sentence “It’s completely booked. ___ you are not interested in the show” is d) But.

Here’s why:

• But is a conjunction used to connect contradictory ideas. In the given sentence, the first clause, “It’s completely booked,” implies a high level of demand or interest for the show. The second clause, “you are not interested in the show,” directly contrasts this implied general interest by stating the specific person’s lack of interest. This opposition of ideas makes “but” the most fitting choice. For example, the sources state: “It was very hot, but I opened the window”, showing how “but” introduces a contrasting element.

Let’s consider why the other options are less suitable:

• Apparently: This is a comment adverb that indicates likelihood or conveys the attitude and point of view of the speaker or writer, suggesting something is perceived or reported rather than certain. While “Apparently, you are not interested…” is a grammatically correct observation, it doesn’t primarily function to establish a direct contrast between the two clauses in the way “but” does.
• Even though: This conjunction means “despite the fact that” and introduces a concession [Outside information - though the source does not directly define “even though”, it falls under the category of expressing contrast which is implied by “but”]. If used here, it would imply “It’s completely booked, despite the fact that you are not interested in the show,” which suggests that the booking status occurred in spite of the lack of interest. This logical relationship doesn’t align with the usual understanding that a show is booked because of high interest, not despite a lack of it.
• Anyway: This discourse marker is typically used to change the focus of conversation or shift the topic to a new one. While it could colloquially imply a dismissal of the first point (“It’s booked, but it doesn’t matter for you because you weren’t interested anyway”), its primary function as defined in the sources is topic shifting rather than a direct logical contrast between two existing ideas.

The discourse marker used to express an opposing idea from the options provided is b) However.

Here’s why:

• However is categorised as a conjunctive adverb. These adverbs function as linkers that connect independent clauses and phrases. They represent the transition of ideas and indicate a relationship between them. While the source uses “nonetheless” as an example of a conjunctive adverb that connects “two contradictory ideas”, “however” is presented in the same category of conjunctive adverbs. The example given for “however” – “We are still not sure about x, however, if the opportunity will come” – demonstrates its role in introducing information that contrasts with or qualifies the preceding statement, thereby expressing an opposing idea.

Let’s look at the other options:

• Apparently: This is a comment adverb used to indicate likelihood or to convey the attitude and point of view of the speaker or writer. It takes the entire sentence into its scope when placed at the beginning. It does not function to express an opposing idea between clauses.
• Honestly: This is also a comment adverb that indicates the speaker’s attitude or opinion. As discussed in our previous conversation, sources indicate it can be used to introduce a negative opinion, as in “Honestly I did not like the movie”. Its function is to express a personal viewpoint, not to connect opposing ideas between parts of a sentence.

The most appropriate discourse marker for the blank in the sentence “____ being a dancer, she is a good writer” is b) Besides.

Here’s why:

• Besides can function as a preposition meaning “in addition to” or “apart from” [Outside information]. In the sentence “Besides being a dancer, she is a good writer,” it conveys that she possesses both qualities: being a dancer and being a good writer. This usage aligns with the function of adding information. While the provided sources do not explicitly classify “besides” as a discourse marker for adding information in the same way they do for phrases like “on top of that,” the semantic function is identical. The sources indicate that discourse markers can be used “to add more information”, providing examples like “on top of that she is a very smart girl”, which similarly adds a complementary quality.

Let’s examine why the other options are less suitable:

• a) Actually: This is classified as a comment adverb or a sentence adverb, used to “indicate likelihood” or the “attitude and point of view of the speaker or writer”. It can also add emphasis or introduce a correction. It does not function to add a complementary piece of information in the manner implied by the sentence.
• c) Instead: This word is typically used to introduce an alternative or a substitute [Outside information]. It implies something is done in place of something else, which contradicts the context of the sentence that implies possessing both qualities.
• d) In addition: While “in addition” effectively conveys the meaning of adding information, for it to be grammatically correct before a gerund phrase (“being a dancer”), it would need the preposition “to” (e.g., “In addition to being a dancer…”). Since the blank only allows for a single word, “in addition” as a standalone option is ungrammatical here.

Based on the provided sources, intonation is responsible for variations in pitch.

Here’s a breakdown of the concept:

• Intonation is a feature of pronunciation that becomes prominent when speaking. It refers to the melody of speech.
• It is created by changing the pitch of the voice. The source explicitly states that “intonation is responsible for variation in the pitch”.
• Pitch itself is the intensity of sounds or the relative height of tones in our acoustics, meaning whether tones are high or low. The rise and fall of pitch conveys various emotions.
• Intonation, along with features like stress, accent, rhythm, and tone, are crucial for understanding spoken language. However, among the given options, pitch is the direct element that intonation varies.
• Different types of intonation (rising, falling, or flat) are used to create different impacts and meanings, such as turning a declarative sentence into a question by rising intonation at the end.

The statement “Intonation is not visible in the written language” is a) True.

Here’s why, based on the provided sources:

• Intonation is primarily a feature of pronunciation. It becomes prominent only when one is speaking.
• The concepts related to intonation, such as melody of speech and changes in pitch, are not visible in the written form of language.
• Unless writers specifically adopt strategies to indicate their intentions or what they want readers to understand, the impact of intonation is not seen in written language. This implies that, by default, it is absent.