One who loved not wisely, but too well

 Look at the Othello poster below:

Based in the poster above, one of the themes of Othello is:

a. jealousy

b. hatred

c. fidelity

d. love

Scroll down for the answer.

_________________________

All of the answers are basic themes in Othello, but only one of them can be inferred from the poster.  The question clearly states "Based on the poster...."  With that in mind, we can see the green eye of the man in the poster and since green eyes are symbolic of jealousy, the correct answer is a.

Haiku - Bless You!

 Read this haiku from Basho:

Sick on my journey, 
only my dreams will wander 
these desolate moors 


This poem is about:

a. traveling

b. death

c. birth

d. being sick on vacation

See comments for answer.

What Did He Get a PhD in?

Read the following headline:

Latverian Dictator Massacres Three Peace Protesters 

Based only on this headline, which of the following words best expresses the tone of the news reporter:

a. supportive          b. vindictive         
c. apathetic            d. disapproving

Scroll down for the answer.

By the way, Latveria is the home country of Dr. Doom, but I am sure that you already knew that!






_______________________

Answers:

A, B, and C are incorrect.

D - disapproving - is correct.  Why?  You can tell by the choice of words.  Every word has a denotation - the actual dictionary definition.  Some words have a connotation, or an emotional feel for a word.  You can tell the tone sometimes by the connotation of the words chosen.  Here, the reporter chooses to use the term dictator instead of his actual govermental title.  The term dictator, while accurate, has a negative connotation.  The word massacre also has a negative connotation.  A lesser one may have been executed, but massacres sounds more evil.  Also choosing to include that it was during a peace protest also makes it seem more wrong.  All of these terms are accurate, but they show the reporter's viewpoint.  Here is the same headline slanted the other way:

Latverian President Executes Rebel Protesters



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Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na Batman!

 Read the description of this book as found on the back cover:

They are the world's greatest super heroes, fighting endlessly against corruption and injustice. Each of them alone is a formidable opponent of evil, but banded together their powers are unmatched. Ever ready, they stand united as the JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA. Ancient pyramids awakened by the blood of a treacherous murder have unleashed death and destruction over Gotham. The harder the Superheroes try to fight the pyramids the more the neolithic stones react like a negative battery, draining the heroes of their powers and descending them into their own personal hell, to that which they fear most. Batman is the only one who manages to escape this wrath. As he strives to save his friends and Gotham, he embarks on a journey filled with black magic, shamans, and ancient rituals of terror and sacrifice. With a triumphant and explosive ending, this is a book that anyone who enjoys a great tale of sorcery will enjoy.

Based on the above passage, what is the best definition for the word "neolithic"?

a. electrified

b. very old

c. futuristic

d. radioactive

Scroll down for the answer.

____________________________

This could be tricky since the prefix neo (which means new) might lead you to think futuristic and the power draining effect they have might lead you to think radioactive.  However, the references to the pyramids was the hint that "neolithic" means one of the stone ages, so the best answer is b. very old.

It's Alive! It's Alive!

Read the following passage taken from Frankenstein by Mary Shelley:

It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils. With an anxiety that almost amounted to agony, I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet. It was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs.


The author wrote these words for a purpose.  What is the most likely reason she wrote the opening to chapter 5 this way?


a. to foreshadow the monster's coming to life
b. to set the mood
c. to demonstrate verbal irony
d. to create an allusion to one of her earlier works

Scroll down for the answer.




















____________________
a. is incorrect.  The monster is already coming to life.  Foreshadowing hints at what will happen later.
b. is correct.  She is trying to set your mood with words like, "dreary," "anxiety," and "dismally."  What other words can you find that set the mood here?
c. is incorrect.  Verbal irony is when something is said that is not meant.  Nothing is said in this passage.
d. is incorrect.  Not only has she not written anything before this, there is no reference to anything else.


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Vampires Don't Sparkle

 Read the following passage from Twilight:

The girls were opposites.  The tall one was statuesque.  She had a beautiful figure, the kind you saw on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, the kind that make every girl around her take a hit on her self-esteem just by being in the same room.  Her hair was golden, gently waving to the middle of her back.  The short girl was pixielike, thin in the extreme, with small features.  Her hair was a deep black, cropped short and pointing in every direction.

Based on the above passage, what does the suffix -esque mean?

a. sparkling
b. beautiful
c. like
d. paranormal

Scroll down for the answer.




____________________
c. is correct.  The girl is so tall and beautiful that she is statuesque, or like a statue.

I Wonder Where She Got Them

 Read the following very short story:

My Daughter Learned to Count

My daughter woke me around 11:50 last night. My wife and I had picked her up from her friend Sally’s birthday party, brought her home, and put her to bed. My wife went into the bedroom to read while I fell asleep watching the Braves game.

“Daddy,” she whispered, tugging my shirt sleeve. “Guess how old I’m going to be next month.”

“I don’t know, beauty,” I said as I slipped on my glasses. “How old?”
She smiled and held up four fingers.

It is 7:30 now. My wife and I have been up with her for almost 8 hours. She still refuses to tell us where she got them.

What literary term does the author use to make this a horror story?

a. suspense

b. foreshadowing

c. imagery

d. situational irony

Scroll down for the answer.

________________________________________

a. is incorrect.  Suspense is often used to create horror stories, but not in this case.  

b. is incorrect.  There is nothing to hint at where the story is going.

c. is incorrect.  While imagery is often used in horror movies, it is not being used here

d. is correct.  It is unexpected that the little girl isn't just holding up the four fingers on her own hand. 

Want to read more freaky very short horror stories?  

http://www.buzzfeed.com/awesomer/boo-scared-you#.xxeP7A8k32