“I Want a Wife”by Judy Brady

Whiteboard Quiz

1

• The rhetorical effect of the opening sentence, “I belong to that classification of people known as wives” is toA. Give her credit as a speaker.B. Provide background information.C. Categorize the average woman.D. Address the feminist point of view.E. Distract the reader.

2

• What is the central conflict in this essay?A. There is no conflict.B. Woman versus manC. Woman versus natureD. Woman versus herselfE. Woman versus society

3

• The author uses all of the following in the essay exceptA. Irony.B. Repetition.C. Satire.D. Metaphor.E. Hyperbole.

4

• What is the purpose of the lines that read: “If, by chance, I find another person more suitable as a wife than the wife I already have, I want the liberty to replace my present wife with another one. Naturally, I will expect a fresh, new life; my wife will take the children and be solely responsible for them so that I am left free.”A. To show that the husband holds all the powerB. To point out the absurdity of the essayC. To show that a wife is irreplaceableD. To show that the wife must always take care of the childrenE. To reveal the unimportance of a wife

5

• What is the author’s purpose in writing this essay?A. To explain marriageB. To capture the independence of her moral valuesC. To express fallaciesD. To illustrate a woman’s point of viewE. To point out the unrealistic expectations placed

on a wife

6

• All of the following words could be used to describe the author EXCEPTA. Logical.B. Demanding.C. Complaining.D. Sarcastic.E. Exaggerating.

7

• The word “rambling” as it is used in the sentence, “I want a wife who will not bother me with rambling complaints about a wife’s duties” can most likely be defined asA. Gossiping.B. Digressing.C. Amplifying.D. Rushing.E. Quiet.

8

• In this sentence, to what does “it” refer? “It may mean a small cut in my wife’s income from time to time, but I guess I can tolerate that.”A. Her inability to work long hoursB. The wife’s sacrifice to the familyC. Her tolerance of her husband’s needsD. Her willingness to provide for her familyE. None of the above

9

• This passage is best described as a A. Narrative.B. Cause and effect.C. Comparison and contrast.D. Definition.E. Persuasive.

10

• What is the function of the second paragraph?A. To start the author’s layering of examplesB. To introduce her thesisC. To recognize her work ethicD. To state her inspiration for her ideasE. To display the hardships in her friend’s life

11

• The tone of the essay can best be described asA. Whining.B. Sarcastic.C. Vengeful.D. Selfish.E. Angry.

12

• The rhetorical function of the last sentence is toA. Emphasize the thesis of the essay.B. Ask a rhetorical question.C. Answer a previous question.D. Explain why the author wants a wife.E. Extend the passage to the reader.

13

• As the essay progresses, how does the author organize her thoughts?A. She focuses on the duties that are the most important.B. She uses examples that become more and more absurd.C. She becomes more realistic in her expectations of a

wife.D. She explores the need for a woman to care for her

children.E. She reveals the duties that all wives have.