Week 1 English II Practice Assignment

The statement ‘A paradox combines contradictory words, but an oxymoron combines contradictory ideas’ is b) False.

Based on the provided sources:

• A paradox is defined as a “situation or statement that is true but sounds impossible or conflicting”. Its construction “consists of two contrasting facts or characteristics”. Examples provided, such as “all animals are equal but some are more equal than others” and “I must be cruel to be kind,” demonstrate the combination of contradictory ideas or attributes.
• An oxymoron is described as “an expression that contains two words which have got opposite meaning”. Examples include “Bittersweet,” “awfully good,” and “sweet sorrow,” where contradictory words are placed together to express conflicting opinions or thoughts.

Thus, the statement in the query reverses the definitions: a paradox combines contradictory ideas, while an oxymoron combines contradictory words.

The sentence “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” uses the figure of speech known as Antithesis.

Here’s why:

• Antithesis is a literary device that involves two components in opposition. These opposing components are specifically presented in a parallel structure, meaning they have the same grammatical structure. This parallel structure contributes to “rhythmic writing and speech”. Examples of antithesis provided in the sources include “no pain no gain” and “man proposes God disposes”. The given sentence perfectly matches this description, with “best of times” and “worst of times” being opposing ideas presented in a clear parallel construction (“It was the… it was the…”) [Not in sources, but based on example].

Let’s briefly differentiate it from the other options based on the sources:

• Paradox: A paradox is a “situation or statement that is true but sounds impossible or conflicting”. It consists of “two contrasting facts or characteristics” and is used as a “thought provoking element”. While the sentence does contain conflicting ideas, the primary characteristic highlighted by its structure is the direct juxtaposition of parallel opposing elements, which is the definition of antithesis. Examples of paradox are “all animals are equal but some are more equal than others” and “I must be cruel to be kind”.
• Oxymoron: An oxymoron is an expression containing “two words which have got opposite meaning” placed together. This is specifically about contradictory words forming an expression, such as “Bittersweet,” “awfully good,” or “sweet sorrow”. The given sentence involves phrases, not just two contradictory adjacent words.
• Irony: Irony involves a “funny or sad situation where the actual event could turn out to be in exact opposite way than what one expects”. Examples include a “snowball game was rescheduled due to heavy snow snowfall” or a “policeman being scared of a gun”. This does not match the nature of the given statement.

Therefore, the parallel structure and juxtaposition of opposing ideas make Antithesis the most appropriate figure of speech for the sentence.

The statement ‘“To be or not to be, that is the question” is an example of oxymoron’ is b) False.

Here’s why, based on the provided sources:

• An oxymoron is defined as “an expression that contains two words which have got opposite meaning”. Examples provided include “Bittersweet,” “awfully good,” and “sweet sorrow”.
• The phrase “To be or not to be” involves contradictory ideas or concepts (existence versus non-existence) presented as a dilemma. However, it does not combine two single, contradictory words into one expression, which is the hallmark of an oxymoron.
• Conversely, a paradox is described as a “situation or statement that is true but sounds impossible or conflicting” and consists of “two contrasting facts or characteristics”. While the given phrase could be seen as paradoxical due to its conflicting ideas, it is not an oxymoron because it does not fit the specific definition of combining two contradictory words directly.

The figure of speech used in the sentence “Sit down awhile; And let us once again assail your ears, That are so fortified against our story What we have two nights seen.” is Sibilance.

Here’s why:

• Sibilance is a type of alliteration that occurs “when two ’s’ or ‘sh’ sounds are at play”.
• In the provided excerpt, there is a clear and prominent repetition of the ’s’ sound across multiple words: “Sit”, “us”, “assail”, “ears”, “so”, “against”, “story”, “nights”, “seen”. This recurring ’s’ sound creates the effect of sibilance.
• While ’s’ is a consonant, making it fall under the broader category of Consonance (which is when “two consonant sounds are at play”), Sibilance is a more specific and accurate description when the repetition specifically involves ’s’ or ‘sh’ sounds.
• Assonance involves the repetition of vowel sounds, which is not the dominant feature in this sentence.

Therefore, given the options, Sibilance is the most precise answer for the figure of speech employed.

The sentence “Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt” is an example of Pun.

Here’s why:

• A pun is a literary device where “we use a word in a way that has two meanings”. These meanings can arise because words have similar spellings or sounds.
• In the given sentence, the word “Denial” sounds like “the Nile,” which is a famous river in Egypt. The humour or cleverness comes from playing on both the psychological concept of denial (refusing to acknowledge something) and the name of the river.
• This aligns directly with the definition of a pun, as it uses a word to suggest a double meaning based on its sound.

Let’s briefly look at why the other options are not the best fit, based on the sources and our previous conversation:

• Paradox: A paradox is a “situation or statement that is true but sounds impossible or conflicting”. It typically involves “two contrasting facts or characteristics”. The given sentence does not present a statement that is inherently conflicting yet true, but rather a play on words.
• Oxymoron: An oxymoron is “an expression that contains two words which have got opposite meaning”, such as “Bittersweet” or “sweet sorrow”. The sentence does not combine contradictory words.
• Irony: Irony involves a “funny or sad situation where the actual event could turn out to be in exact opposite way than what one expects”. This sentence is a clever play on words, not a situation where an outcome is contrary to expectation.

The most suitable word to fill the blank in the sentence ‘This is _______ what I meant!’ is b) Exactly.

Here’s the reasoning:

• Adverbs are defined as words or sets of words that modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. They can express “when, where and how an action is performed or indicates the quality of degree of the action”. Adverbs also give “additional information about verbs, adjectives and other adverbs”.
• In the given sentence, the adverb modifies the verb “is” in relation to the nominal clause “what I meant”, indicating the precise nature or quality of the match between “this” and the speaker’s original intention.
• ‘Exactly’ denotes precision and accuracy. When someone says “This is exactly what I meant,” they are confirming that the statement perfectly matches their original thought or intention. This aligns with the adverb’s function of indicating “how” something relates or the “quality” of that relation.
• ‘Truly’ is an adverb that typically conveys sincerity, genuineness, or factual truth. While it is an adverb and could grammatically fit, its meaning of “in a true way” or “really” is not as precise in the context of matching an original meaning as ’exactly’ is.
• ‘Something’ is a pronoun and cannot function as an adverb in this context.

Therefore, ’exactly’ provides the most appropriate meaning of precise agreement with the speaker’s original intention.

The sentence “____ this place looks amazing!” requires a word that serves as a positive marker of discourse or an exclamation, initiating a strong positive reaction to the statement that follows.

Based on the provided sources:

• The “Discourse Markers in Speech” source explicitly lists “Wow” as one of the “positive markers of discourse in a conversation”. These markers are “mostly found at the beginning of a sentence or a phrase or a conversation a starter”. They also “help the speakers in expressing their mood or attitude”. The sentence “____ this place looks amazing!” clearly expresses a positive mood or attitude.
• While “Awesome” is a common informal exclamation or adjective expressing strong positive feelings, it is identified as an adjective with the suffix ‘-some’. However, it is not explicitly listed in the provided sources as a discourse marker for expressing positive sentiment in the same way “Wow” is.
• “Interesting” is described as an adjective that gives information or details about a noun, such as its quality or character. While it can indicate engagement, it does not convey the same strong, immediate positive emotional reaction as “amazing” suggests, nor is it listed as a positive discourse marker.

Therefore, given the options, a) Wow is the most directly supported answer as it is identified as a positive discourse marker used to express mood or attitude.

The statement ‘“Which” can be used as a discourse marker to provide additional information’ is b) False.

Here’s why, based on the provided sources:

• The source on “Discourse Markers in Speech” defines discourse markers as “additional elements in language which usually do not form part of a serious discussion on language”. They are essentially “connectors that join ideas”, help speakers express their “mood or attitude”, avoid repetition, or allow for thinking pauses. Examples of positive discourse markers include “Wow” and “absolutely”, while others like “well” or “anyway” can change the focus of conversation. ‘Which’ is not mentioned or exemplified as a discourse marker in any capacity in this source.

• Conversely, the “Adjectival (Relative) Clause” source explains that ‘which’ is a “wh- type of element” that functions as a relative pronoun. It is used to introduce an adjectival clause (also known as a relative clause). The primary function of an adjectival clause is to modify a noun and “give additional information” about that noun. For example, in the sentence “his room, which was only a corner in his father’s dressing room”, the ‘which’ clause describes the room.

Therefore, while a clause introduced by ‘which’ does provide additional information about a noun, its role is grammatical (as a relative pronoun within an adjectival clause), rather than that of a pragmatic discourse marker. The sources differentiate these functions.

The discourse marker that can be used to continue a theme after a change in subject is c) In addition.

Here’s why, drawing on the provided sources:

• The source “Discourse Markers in Speech” indicates that discourse markers are essentially connectors that join ideas.
• It explicitly mentions that some discourse markers are used “to add more information” to a conversation. Phrases such as “just to add”, “to my knowledge”, “as far as I know”, “on top of that”, and “another thing” are given as examples for this function.
• The example provided for “on top of that” — “She is an obedient child on top of that she is a very smart girl” — shows how such markers can introduce additional features or information about the same subject, thereby continuing the theme (in this case, describing the child’s positive attributes). While the grammatical subject “she” remains constant in this specific example, the general function of “adding more information” allows for the expansion of a theme, which can logically involve introducing new grammatical subjects that relate to the overarching theme. For instance, if the theme is “benefits of a healthy lifestyle,” one might discuss diet, and in addition, mention exercise (a new subject but same theme).

Let’s look at why the other options are less suitable:

• a) Apparently: This word functions as a comment adverb or a discourse marker to “add emphasis”. It indicates likelihood or the speaker’s viewpoint but does not primarily serve to connect additional information to continue a theme after a subject change.
• b) As I said: This phrase is not listed as a discourse marker in the provided sources. While it refers back to something previously stated, its function is more about reiteration or reminding the listener, rather than introducing new, additive information to continue a theme.

Based on the provided sources, the statement that intonation in writing can be indicated by single inverted commas, double inverted commas, or asterisks is d) None of the above.

Here’s why:

• Intonation is a feature of pronunciation that becomes prominent only when we speak. It refers to the melody created by changing the pitch of the voice.
• The sources state that intonation and related features are “not visible in written form of the language”.
• While it acknowledges that “sometimes writers do adopt strategies to indicate their intentions or what they want readers to understand,” it explicitly adds, “unless it is done that way, we do not see the impact of these things in written language”.
• However, the provided sources do not specify what these particular strategies or methods are for indicating intonation in written language (e.g., the use of single inverted commas, double inverted commas, or asterisks).