Deck 10: Defining

Question 1

Read the following paragraphs and answer the questions after each paragraph.
Cool is defined by The American Heritage Dictionary as "not excited; calm and controlled" and by A Dictionary of Catch Phrases as "unafraid, unflustered." A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English describes cool as a "hippy expression for confidence or selfassuredness." The Dictionary of American Slang characterizes cool as being "in complete control of one's emotions; hip but having a quiet, objective, aloof attitude; indifferent to those things considered nonessential to one's individual beliefs, likes, and desires."
-Richard Majors and Janet Mancini Billson
-What is this paragraph defining?

Answer 1

The word "cool"

Question 2

Read the following paragraphs and answer the questions after each paragraph.
Cool is defined by The American Heritage Dictionary as "not excited; calm and controlled" and by A Dictionary of Catch Phrases as "unafraid, unflustered." A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English describes cool as a "hippy expression for confidence or selfassuredness." The Dictionary of American Slang characterizes cool as being "in complete control of one's emotions; hip but having a quiet, objective, aloof attitude; indifferent to those things considered nonessential to one's individual beliefs, likes, and desires."
-Richard Majors and Janet Mancini Billson
-Do Majors and Billson rely on a synonym, a category, or a negation to start off the paragraph?

Answer 2

A negation, followed by a synonym

Question 3

Read the following paragraphs and answer the questions after each paragraph.
Cool is defined by The American Heritage Dictionary as "not excited; calm and controlled" and by A Dictionary of Catch Phrases as "unafraid, unflustered." A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English describes cool as a "hippy expression for confidence or selfassuredness." The Dictionary of American Slang characterizes cool as being "in complete control of one's emotions; hip but having a quiet, objective, aloof attitude; indifferent to those things considered nonessential to one's individual beliefs, likes, and desires."
-Richard Majors and Janet Mancini Billson
-List two examples the authors use to develop the definition.

Answer 3

The various definitions are the authors' examples in this paragraph.

Question 4

Read the following paragraphs and answer the questions after each paragraph.
Cool is defined by The American Heritage Dictionary as "not excited; calm and controlled" and by A Dictionary of Catch Phrases as "unafraid, unflustered." A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English describes cool as a "hippy expression for confidence or selfassuredness." The Dictionary of American Slang characterizes cool as being "in complete control of one's emotions; hip but having a quiet, objective, aloof attitude; indifferent to those things considered nonessential to one's individual beliefs, likes, and desires."
-Richard Majors and Janet Mancini Billson

-How do the authors organize the paragraph?

Question 5

But at some life juncture, roughly one out of every eight people becomes so timid that encounters with others turn into a source of overwhelming dread. The heart races, palms sweat, mouth goes dry, words vanish, thoughts become cluttered, and an urge to escape takes over. This is the face of social phobia, the third most common mental disorder in the United States, behind depression and alcoholism. Like Woody Allen in the film Annie Hall, some social phobics can barely utter a sentence without obsessing over the impression they are making. Others refuse to use public restrooms or talk on the telephone. Sometimes they go mute in front of the boss or a member of the opposite sex. At the extreme, they build a hermetic life, avoiding contact with others.
-Joannie Schrof and Stacey Schultz
-What is this paragraph defining?

Question 6

But at some life juncture, roughly one out of every eight people becomes so timid that encounters with others turn into a source of overwhelming dread. The heart races, palms sweat, mouth goes dry, words vanish, thoughts become cluttered, and an urge to escape takes over. This is the face of social phobia, the third most common mental disorder in the United States, behind depression and alcoholism. Like Woody Allen in the film Annie Hall, some social phobics can barely utter a sentence without obsessing over the impression they are making. Others refuse to use public restrooms or talk on the telephone. Sometimes they go mute in front of the boss or a member of the opposite sex. At the extreme, they build a hermetic life, avoiding contact with others.
-Joannie Schrof and Stacey Schultz
-Do Schrof and Schultz rely on a synonym, a category, or a negation to start off the paragraph?

Question 7

But at some life juncture, roughly one out of every eight people becomes so timid that encounters with others turn into a source of overwhelming dread. The heart races, palms sweat, mouth goes dry, words vanish, thoughts become cluttered, and an urge to escape takes over. This is the face of social phobia, the third most common mental disorder in the United States, behind depression and alcoholism. Like Woody Allen in the film Annie Hall, some social phobics can barely utter a sentence without obsessing over the impression they are making. Others refuse to use public restrooms or talk on the telephone. Sometimes they go mute in front of the boss or a member of the opposite sex. At the extreme, they build a hermetic life, avoiding contact with others.
-Joannie Schrof and Stacey Schultz
-List two examples the authors use to develop the definition.

Question 8

But at some life juncture, roughly one out of every eight people becomes so timid that encounters with others turn into a source of overwhelming dread. The heart races, palms sweat, mouth goes dry, words vanish, thoughts become cluttered, and an urge to escape takes over. This is the face of social phobia, the third most common mental disorder in the United States, behind depression and alcoholism. Like Woody Allen in the film Annie Hall, some social phobics can barely utter a sentence without obsessing over the impression they are making. Others refuse to use public restrooms or talk on the telephone. Sometimes they go mute in front of the boss or a member of the opposite sex. At the extreme, they build a hermetic life, avoiding contact with others.
-Joannie Schrof and Stacey Schultz

-How do the authors organize the examples?

Question 9

Behind Ford's sudden leap upmarket lies a striking demographic shift. Since the 1970s, most of the income growth in the United States has gone to those who were already making the most. According to the Commerce Department, more than 8 million households have annual incomes over $100,000, and about half that number are estimated to have $1 million or more in assets. America can now lay claim to what conservative critic David Frum has aptly called "history's first mass upper class."
-James Lardner
-What is this paragraph defining?

Question 10

Behind Ford's sudden leap upmarket lies a striking demographic shift. Since the 1970s, most of the income growth in the United States has gone to those who were already making the most. According to the Commerce Department, more than 8 million households have annual incomes over $100,000, and about half that number are estimated to have $1 million or more in assets. America can now lay claim to what conservative critic David Frum has aptly called "history's first mass upper class."
-James Lardner
-Does Lardner rely on a synonym, a category, or a negation to start off the paragraph?

Question 11

Behind Ford's sudden leap upmarket lies a striking demographic shift. Since the 1970s, most of the income growth in the United States has gone to those who were already making the most. According to the Commerce Department, more than 8 million households have annual incomes over $100,000, and about half that number are estimated to have $1 million or more in assets. America can now lay claim to what conservative critic David Frum has aptly called "history's first mass upper class."
-James Lardner
-List two examples the author uses to develop the definition.

Question 12

Behind Ford's sudden leap upmarket lies a striking demographic shift. Since the 1970s, most of the income growth in the United States has gone to those who were already making the most. According to the Commerce Department, more than 8 million households have annual incomes over $100,000, and about half that number are estimated to have $1 million or more in assets. America can now lay claim to what conservative critic David Frum has aptly called "history's first mass upper class."
-James Lardner

-How does the author organize the examples?

Question 13

What is definition?

A) Definition is the process of puzzling a word, an object, or an idea so that the audience understands what you mean.
B) Definition is the process of describing a word, an object, or an idea using sensory details so that the audience understands what you mean.
C) Definition is the process of suppressing a word, an object, or an idea so that the audience understands what you mean.
D) Definition is the process of explaining a word, an object, or an idea so the audience understands what you mean.

Question 14

Why do definitions vary in length?

A) Not all definitions must be long.
B) They do not vary in length because all definitions are short enough to fit in a dictionary.
C) The purpose of the definition will determine how long the actual definition will be.
D) It depends on how interesting you want to make your definition. Longer definitions are more engaging to read.

Question 15

There are ______ types of definitions.

A) two
B) three
C) four
D) many

Question 16

Where should you state the purpose of your paragraph?

A) within your definition
B) just before you give your definition
C) just after you give your definition
D) in the topic sentence of your paragraph

Question 17

There are _____________ possible ways to define your term.

A) one
B) two
C) unlimited
D) three

Question 18

The possible ways to define your term are by

A) synonym.
B) synonym and category.
C) negation.
D) synonym, category, and negation.

Question 19

The simplest way to define a term, using a synonym, means to

A) say what the word is not before stating what it is.
B) put the word in a specific class, then state how it is different from other words in that class.
C) provide a word that has a similar meaning.
D) provide a word that has an opposite meaning.

Question 20

A two-step process, using a category to define a term means to

A) say what the word is not, before stating what it is.
B) put the word in a specific class, then state how it is different from other words in that class.
C) provide a word that has a similar meaning.
D) provide a word that has an opposite meaning.

Question 21

How do Rama Ramaswami and Dian Schaffhauser organize their paragraph?

A) from most serious to least serious
B) from least important to most important
C) chronologically
D) from particular to general

Question 22

How do Rama Ramaswami and Dian Schaffhauser define the cloud in their paragraph?

A) They use synonym.
B) They use category.
C) They use negation.
D) They use a word with the opposite meaning.

Question 23

A good definition ____________ on the special qualities of the work that set it apart from similar words.

Question 24

Definitions can be ________________, factual, or they can be __________, combined with personal opinion.

Question 25

The three possible ways to define a term are by ______________, by ________________, and by _______________.

Question 26

Use ___________________ to expand on your definition to show your word in action.

Question 27

A definition paragraph should be _________________ organized in some recognizable way from one idea to the next.

Question 28

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-Unlike their wild ancestors, they don't gnaw on us (usually).

A) play
B) lick
C) chew
D) attack

Question 29

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-Not exactly as useful as, say, Rosie from The Jetsons , but hey, it's early days.

A) 1960s animated series
B) 1950s talk show
C) 1970s sitcom
D) 1940s radio show

Question 30

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-And the design evolution of Kuri, fromprototype to consumer product, provides a fascinating glimpse into a new era of interaction between humans and increasingly sophisticated machines.

A) product pitch
B) first model of a product
C) product design
D) first time offered in stores

Question 31

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-What they originally conceived of was a security robot that would patrol the home.

A) guard
B) record
C) paint
D) communicate throughout

Question 32

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-So Hsaio and Osentoski began building a bot for companionship, instead of protection.

A) animatronic animal
B) toy
C) another term for robot
D) another term for operating system

Question 33

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-But this approach introduced a slew of subtle problems, chief among them: How do you get this new technology to work in the home, while also winning the affection of its owners?

A) a beginning
B) a realization
C) many; an abundance
D) small amount

Question 34

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-You don't have to drop $10k on lidar to get your robot to see its world.

A) sensor that maps surroundings
B) extremely durable material
C) face recognition technology
D) voice to text software

Question 35

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-In these early days of personal robotics, it's important for manufacturers to nonverbally telegraph what their machines are capable of-for safety, in some cases, but mostly to avoid disappointing the user.

A) to read the consumers' mind
B) send long-distance messages
C) communicate with body language
D) communicate without words

Question 36

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-We humans tend to anthropomorphize e anything that seems even remotely lifelike.

A) philosophize about
B) treat like a human
C) treat with physical affection
D) decorate

Question 37

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-That limits their emotive potential compared to, say, just slapping a flatscreen on Kuri's face, but they go a long way in telegraphing emotion for a robot that otherwise communicates with beeps and boops.

A) technological
B) creative
C) movement
D) expressing emotion

Question 38

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-What does the author identify as "unrivaled companions?"

A) dogs
B) cats
C) horses
D) human friends

Question 39

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-What is the name of the new companion robot on the market?

A) Suri
B) Kuri
C) Robot Home Companion
D) iCompanion

Question 40

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-Who is the manufacturer of this robot?

A) Amazon Headquarters in New York City
B) TechAdvance in Austin, Texas
C) Mayfield Robotics in Silicon Valley
D) International Robotics Corporation in Tokyo, Japan

Question 41

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-What was Kuri's original purpose?

A) to patrol the home as a security robot
B) to do household chores like Rosie from the Jetsons
C) to control home operations like locking doors and controlling the temperature
D) to record television shows

Question 42

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-How does Kuri navigate around the house?

A) it uses lidar
B) it uses GPS satellite information
C) it maps the world with lasers, like a self-driving car
D) it feels for obstacles with a robot appendage

Question 43

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-What part of Kuri's design is key to making it seem lifelike?

A) arms
B) head
C) feet
D) eyes

Question 44

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-Why does Kuri not speak "human?"

A) manufacturers don't have the ability to make a robot speak human languages
B) users might expect it to be able to do more than it's capable
C) there is no "voice box" for Kuri to speak at all
D) the robots might evolve to become dangerous

Question 45

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-What specific age group does the author identify that could benefit from Kuri?

A) toddlers
B) college students
C) the elderly
D) there is no specific age group identified

Question 46

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-What opinion does roboticist Ken Goldberg hold about companion robots?

A) that Kuri is a major advancement in robotics
B) that the industry of companion robots may not succeed in the future
C) that every family should have a companion robot
D) that if a person is lonely, it's more depressing to need a robot as a companion

Question 47

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-What does the author say Kuri won't do, reminding us of the comparison to dogs at the beginning of the essay?

A) chew up your slippers
B) pee on your floor
C) sleep in your bed
D) steal your food

Question 48

Answer the following questions about the essay.
-The companion robots that ______________________________ has promised us for so long have finally hit the United States.

Question 49

Answer the following questions about the essay.
-A robot with fewer responsibilities seemed like a logical starting point. So Hsiao and Osentoski began building a bot for ______________, instead of protection.

Question 50

Answer the following questions about the essay.
-First of all, Kuri has to be able to _____________________ the house without acting like an idiot. To avoid obstacles, it maps the world with __________________, just like a self-driving car.

Question 51

Answer the following questions about the essay.
-At the same time, Mayfield Robotics wants Kuri to win your affection and become part of your ______________, and a lot of that comes down to the eyes.

Question 52

Answer the following questions about the essay.
-I'm just not fully sure how to ______________ with it.

Question 53

Answer the following questions about the essay.
-Matt Simon begins his essay with an illustration of how dogs have evolved to be companions to humans. Is this an effective opener? Why or why not?

Question 54

Answer the following questions about the essay.
-What rhetorical modes (other than defining) do you identify in this essay? How do these other rhetorical modes strengthen or weaken the essay?

Question 55

Answer the following questions about the essay.

-As a reader, do you find yourself wanting to look up Kuri to see what it looks like? Do you find yourself wanting to experiment with it yourself? What writing strategies make the robot enticing to readers?

Question 56

Answer the following questions about the essay.

-Do you think Simon has demonstrated multiple viewpoints in this essay? What examples can you find of opposing points of view?

Question 57

Answer the following questions about the essay.
-Simon ends his essay by saying, "And bonus: Kuri will never chew up your slippers or assault your postal carrier." Why do you think Simon returns to the metaphor of the dog at the end of the essay? Is this an effective conclusion?

Question 58

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-Here I am, dirty, smelly, and with no "proper" underwear on and with the stench of my rotting teeth near you.

A) color
B) fear
C) rotten odor
D) decay

Question 59

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-It is the smell of the outdoor privy .

A) garden
B) toilet
C) flowers
D) factory

Question 60

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-They told me at the hospital when the last baby came that I had chronic anemia caused from poor diet.

A) temporary
B) persistent
C) rare
D) common

Question 61

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-Every night I wash every stitch my school-age child has on and just hope her clothes will be dry by morning.

A) piece of clothing
B) shirt
C) sheet
D) hat

Question 62

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-Soon, all our nice things were repossessed and we moved back here.

A) stolen
B) bought
C) seized
D) auctioned

Question 63

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-Or will they turn to the freedom of alcohol and drugs and find themselves enslaved .

A) free
B) imprisoned
C) hired
D) fired

Question 64

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-They have worms, they have infections, they have pink-eye all summer.

A) bloodshot eyes
B) an eye infection
C) black eyes
D) blinding illnesses

Question 65

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-In some places there is a surplus commodities program.

A) lack of food
B) leftover merchandise
C) medical emergency
D) religious charity

Question 66

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-He is that large man who spends his time at the gas station, the barbershop, and the corner store complaining about the government spending money on the immoral mothers of illegitimate children.

A) religious
B) poor
C) dirty
D) corrupt

Question 67

Choose the correct definition for each of the following underlined words from the essay.

-Poverty is a chisel that chips on honor until honor is worn away.

A) hammer
B) spade
C) carving tool
D) fire

Question 68

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-At the beginning of the essay, the author, Jo Goodwin, asks her audience to do what?

A) listen with understanding
B) donate to local shelters
C) listen with pity
D) try living in poverty for a week

Question 69

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-How many children does the author have?

A) one
B) four
C) two
D) three

Question 70

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-Why does the author not use soap to wash the dishes?

A) She saves it for the baby's diapers.
B) She can never find her favorite brand of dish soap.
C) She saves the soap for medical emergencies.
D) The soap causes her hands to turn red and crack.

Question 71

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-What is the cost of asking for help?

A) shame and despair
B) a few dollars a day
C) the loss of her children
D) rejection

Question 72

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-How much money does the author and her children have to live on each month?

A) fifty-five dollars a month
B) seventy-eight dollars a month
C) twenty dollars a month
D) none

Question 73

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-Even though the author's children do not suffer from hunger, they do suffer from

A) a lack of luxury foods, such as cookies.
B) too much fat in their diet.
C) malnutrition.
D) a lack of foods that taste good.

Question 74

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-The author describes poverty as _______________ that "drips on pride until all pride is worn away."

A) an acid
B) a rain cloud
C) a heavy despair
D) an avalanche

Question 75

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-Despite their poverty, the poor still have

A) hopes.
B) fears.
C) plans for the future.
D) dreams.

Question 76

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-At the end of the essay, Jo Goodwin Parker says that the "poor are always silent." Why do you think this is true?

A) because the poor are always polite
B) because even when the poor speak out they still receive little or no help and so they have little hope for change
C) because the poor are uneducated and do not know how to speak properly
D) because the poor simply have nothing to say

Question 77

Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions about the essay.

-When the author asks her audience, "Can you be silent too?" What do you think she is asking the audience to do?

A) to speak on the author's behalf since the audience probably has more power than she does
B) to write an essay like the one the author has written
C) to talk about poverty with friends and family
D) to experience what poverty is really like

Question 78

Answer the following questions about the essay.
-According to Jo Goodwin Parker, the _______________ always listen.

Question 79

Answer the following questions about the essay.
-She quit her job because ___________________ costs twenty dollars a week for three children.

Question 80

Answer the following questions about the essay.
-The situation became bad when her husband __________________________.