NYS Regents English Flashcards

Which of the following best describes the term 'connotation'?

Answer: The emotional or cultural associations a word carries beyond its literal meaning

Connotation refers to the emotional or cultural meanings associated with a word beyond its strict dictionary definition.

A passage states: 'Studies show that students who read for pleasure score higher on standardized tests.' In an argument essay, this would best serve as:

Answer: A logical appeal (logos)

Statistical evidence from studies constitutes logos, an appeal to logic and reason.

In the NYS Regents ELA exam, a 'central idea' of an informational text is best described as:

Answer: The most important point the author conveys about the topic

The central idea is the main point or key message the author develops throughout an informational text.

Which revision improves this sentence? 'The reason I am late is because my alarm did not go off.'

Answer: I am late because my alarm did not go off.

'The reason is because' is redundant; the correct revision eliminates the redundancy by using 'because' alone.

A story ends with a character returning to the same location where the story began, but the character has fundamentally changed. This is an example of:

Answer: Circular structure

A circular structure returns to the starting point at the end, often to highlight how much a character has changed.

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of an effective concluding paragraph in a Regents essay?

Answer: Introducing new evidence not discussed in the body

A conclusion should not introduce new evidence; it should synthesize and reinforce ideas already presented in the essay.

The mood of a literary text refers to:

Answer: The emotional atmosphere the text creates in the reader

Mood is the emotional atmosphere or feeling a text creates for the reader, distinct from the author's tone or a character's emotion.