Question

Read the passage from Ronald Reagan's "Tear Down This Wall" speech. In the 1950s, Khrushchev predicted: "We will bury you." But in the West today, we see a free world that has achieved a level of prosperity and well-being unprecedented in all human history. In the Communist world, we see failure, technological backwardness, declining standards of health, even want of the most basic kind—too little food. Even today, the Soviet Union still cannot feed itself. After these four decades, then, there stands before the entire world one great and inescapable conclusion: Freedom leads to prosperity. Freedom replaces the ancient hatreds among the nations with comity and peace. Freedom is the victor. And now the Soviets themselves may, in a limited way, be coming to understand the importance of freedom. We hear much from Moscow about a new policy of reform and openness. Some political prisoners have been released. Certain foreign news broadcasts are no longer being jammed. Some economic enterprises have been permitted to operate with greater freedom from state control. Are these the beginnings of profound changes in the Soviet state? Or are they token gestures, intended to raise false hopes in the West . . . ? We welcome change and openness; for we believe that freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace.

What type of rhetorical device does Reagan use when referring to freedom in this passage?
exclusive language - wrong
repetition
emotional appeal - wrong
inclusive language

Answer 1

What type of rhetorical device does Reagan use when referring to freedom in this passage?

exclusive language

repetition - correct (the word freedom)

emotional appeal

inclusive language

Answer 2

The rhetorical device used in this passage is B. Repetition. Here, the word freedom is repeated several times to produce emphasis.

Repetition is a major rhetorical strategy used to cause an effect of clarity, emphasis, emotion or amplification. In repetition, there is no distinct way to place the words to produce the effect of emphasis.