修辞疑问句.pptVIP

Rhetorical Question A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in the form of a question posed for its persuasive effect without the expectation of a reply. Rhetorical questions encourage the listener to think about what the (often obvious) answer to the question must be. When a speaker states, How much longer must our people endure this injustice?, no formal answer is expected. Rather, it is a device used by the speaker to assert or deny something. (e.g.: Why me?) While amusing and often humorous, rhetorical questions are rarely meant for pure, comedic effect. A carefully crafted question can, if delivered well, persuade an audience to believe in the position of the speaker. A Rhetorical question (修辞疑问句) differs from an ordinary question in this way: when a writer asks a rhetorical question, he does not expect the reader to answer it. Instead, a rhetorical question is used for emphasis. When a reader comes upon a rhetorical question, he generally pauses and reflects intensely for a moment. The question will fix an idea more firmly in his mind than a declarative statement would. Thus you can give special force to an idea by expressing it in the form of a rhetorical question. Such a question may appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a composition. But wherever it is placed, the following points should be kept in mind: 1) A rhetorical question focuses and intensifies the reader’s interest. 2) A rhetorical question should be used only to give force to the writer’s main ideas; it should not be wasted on minor points. 3) The rhetorical question — like any stylistic device — should be used sparingly for best effect. A. A single rhetorical question used for emphasis: 1) Isn’t it a silly question? 2) O, wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind? (Shelley) 3) Can the leopard change his spots? 4) Is it possible that you can’t, oughtn’t, shouldn’t, mustn’t, and won’t be tempted, this gorgeous day? (Dickens) 5) Can we sit idle when all others are working lik