oDesk Creative Writing Test Answers - Non-fiction (UK Version) 2015
·
1. What is 'iambic pentameter'?
Answers:
• The five beats
at the end of a five-line stanza
• A
traditional form of rising meter consisting of lines of five iambic feet (i.e.,
ten syllables total)
• All
Shakespearean-style poetry
• Christopher
Marlowe's 'heroic line'
• a and d
2. What is the greatest potential
hazard of putting your creative writing online?
Answers:
•
Someone will plagiarize your words and potentially publish them as his or her
own.
• People will
cease to respect your creative work.
• You will not be
able to get your work published in print format in the future.
• You will lose
sales.
3. A fiction writer cannot
successfully write non-fiction as well.
Answers:
• True
• False
4. Regarding the inclusion of creative
expression in non-fiction writing, which of the following statements is most
true?
Answers:
•
Non-fiction writing should always be factually verifiable, but that does not
preclude creative style or expression as long as the creative expression serves
an overall purpose of conveying facts, information and learning.
• Non-fiction is
required to be only 75% truthful; the remainder can be given over to creative
expression.
• Non-fiction
should always aim to be as creative and imaginative as fiction, occasionally at
the cost of verifiable truth.
• None of the
above
5. Which of the following is the
recommended length for a screenplay when submitting to production companies?
Answers:
•
80-125 pages
• 60-80 pages
• 100-180 pages
• Any length, as
it can always be abridged or expanded
6. In a play script, what does the
abbreviation 'V.O.' stand for?
Answers:
• Vehicle On (the
use of heavy props on stage)
• Voice Off (an
off-stage voice that falls silent when that character is on stage)
• Vehicle Off
(the removal of a heavy prop from the stage)
• Voice On (the
turning on of off-stage sound equipment)
• Voice
Over (an off-stage voice that narrates the on-stage action)
7. In the world of professional
playwriting, which of the following usually occurs before a play is mounted in
a full production?
Answers:
• It is staged on
an empty stage.
• It is published
in paperback.
• It
goes through a development stage that includes professional 'readings'.
• A read-through
of the play is broadcast on the radio.
• c and d
• None of the
above
8. In terms of online creative writing
courses, which of the following statements is most reliable?
Answers:
• All online
creative writing courses are scams that should be avoided in favour of a course
that takes place in a classroom.
• An online
course can be a good supplement and aid to the creative work you are already
producing on your own or as part of a classroom workshop.
• Some online
courses are better than others; the good ones involve learning materials, forums,
chat rooms and interactive time with an actual teacher.
• b and
c
9. How long does it generally take,
from manuscript submission to final publication, for a non-fiction book to pass
through the full editorial process and off-set (not digital) printing process?
Answers:
• from 3 to 6
weeks
• from 3 weeks to
3 months
• from 3 months
to 1 year
• from
2 years to 10 years
10. What is an 'analogy'?
Answers:
• The opposite of
what is stated, often with ironic effect
• Composite word
for a postscript, glossary, index or bibliography
• A
comparison of two similar ideas or objects to make a point about the first one;
a kind of comparative example
• The repetition
of beginning consonant and vowel sounds in a line of poetry
11. In play or screenplay writing,
what does the term 'slug line' refer to?
Answers:
• The
scene heading
• The last line
of the play
• A black line
that divides scenes
• The play's
subtitle
12. What is "metonymy"?
Answers:
• A meteoric rise
to success
• Same as
'synonymous'
• Rhyming
couplets
• A
closely related word that is substituted for another word, object or idea
• Two words with
exactly the same meaning
13. What is the primary purpose for
writing a journal?
Answers:
• The
writer's own private use
• To promote as a
form of writing to a local community
• To publish in
print or online
• To share with
family and friends
14. What is expressive writing (as
opposed to expository or persuasive writing)?
Answers:
• Writing whose
main aim is to succinctly describe an object in the world
• Argumentative
writing with a rhetorical aim
•
Writing whose main aim is to explore personal experiences and which is focused
on the writer instead of on a subject or even on technical 'correctness' of
expression
• Writing that
expresses a political or social opinion
• b and d
15. The title page of a screenplay
should contain which of the following?
Answers:
• A photograph of
the author
• The
title of the work and the author's name and contact information
• A dedication,
the author's name, and the prologue
• The author's
home address and the beginning of the first scene
16. What is 'personification'?
Answers:
• The
endowment of inanimate objects or concepts with living qualities
• A person who
resembles or behaves like an animal
• An animal with
human-like attributes or behaviour
• A poem that
resembles a person but does not actually include one
• All of the
above
17. Which of the following best
defines 'journal writing'?
Answers:
• A
written account of experiences, ideas or reflections kept regularly and usually
for private use
• Writing
articles to submit to newspapers
• Writing a
journal-like diary or memoir specifically for publication
• All of the
above
18. What is a 'heroic couplet'?
Answers:
• The opening
four lines of a poem
• A
pair of rhymed lines in iambic pentameter
• The rhymed
first and last lines of a poem
• Poetry in free
verse with an epic or heroic subject matter
19. The greatest benefit of publishing
online is _____________; the greatest drawback is _____________.
Answers:
•
access to greater readership; not having a print presence (e.g., in bookstores)
• the speed of
delivery; fewer sales
• affordability;
that people don't respect digital publishing
• There is no
real difference between online and print publishing.
20. In all types of writing, the term
'the hook' refers to _____________.
Answers:
• a potentially
dangerous prop used on stage
• the antagonist
• the main
character in a play or screenplay
• a
line or passage that captures the audience's attention (originally a term
borrowed from songwriting)
21. Is the following statement true or
false?
Compared to writing plays,
screenplays, and other forms of non-fiction, writing a journal is a superior
form of artistic expression.
Answers:
• True
• False
22. What is a 'rhetorical question'?
Answers:
• A
question that doesn't require an answer
• A question that
contains a riddle
• A question that
demands to be answered as quickly as possible
• A question that
contains an argument
• A question with
two different answers
23. In newspaper terminology (both
print and online), what is a 'masthead' or 'flag'?
Answers:
• A line of text
similar to a headline but which appears at the end of an article
• A by-line
• A
section usually printed on the editorial page that lists the publication's name
and address, and the names of the owners, editors, writers, staff And so on.
• A small flag
attached to the front page
24. When an author writes a journal or
diary and publishes it as a memoir, which of the following is potentially
crucial to the credibility of the book?
Answers:
• That an author
book tour take place
• That the
author's face be on the front and back cover
• That the book
contain a website address for the publisher
• That
it be clear from reading what is verifiable fact and what is potentially the
author's unreliable memory (i.e., that the line between reality and fantasy be
clear)
• a and b
25. How is the copyright of a fiction
or non-fiction work typically divided up?
Answers:
• Most
copyright licenses or contracts last for seventy years after the author's
death.
• Randomly or by
lottery
• By lots of ten
years either in the Western world or east of the international date line
• By time and
territory; i.e., in terms of regions of the world and the length of time for
which the copyright is licensed
26. What is 'rhetoric'?
Answers:
• Expressive
writing as opposed to creative non-fiction
• Simple prose
that doesn't draw attention to itself
•
Questions and statements mingled together
• Argumentative
or persuasive language
27. In academic non-fiction, the
____________________ at the end of the book helps readers continue their study
of the subject by directing them to similar works.
Answers:
• glossary
• index
• afterword
•
bibliography and works cited pages
28. A college business paper would
typically be considered an example of _______________ .
Answers:
• creative
non-fiction
• fiction
• creative design
• non-fiction
29. What does 'high concept' mean in
screenplay writing?
Answers:
• A
simple premise that describes a proposed film in just a few sentences, often by
juxtaposing two known ideas.
• A production
with a large budget
• A very
artistic, conceptual approach to filmmaking
• A complex idea
that is turned into a relatively short film
30. Making journal entries at a
specific time of day can help a writer discipline him or herself to maintain a
diary or journal with some regularity.
Answers:
• True
• False
31. A manuscript that has been edited
and proofread, that includes all images, and that is about to be published is
said to be in the __________________ stage.
Answers:
• page proof
• editorial
mark-up
• typesetting
• camera-ready
copy
32. In screenplay terminology, the
abbreviations 'INT.' and 'EXT.' mean ____________ and ___________ respectively.
Answers:
• inner, outer
• interior
monologue, exterior speaker
•
interior scene setting, external scene setting
• intermission,
extra scene
• All of the
above
33. Among writing professionals, which
of the following are well-known programs for creating and editing screenplays?
Answers:
• DreamWriter and
Final Draft
• First Draft and
Second Draft
• DreamWeaver and
Last Draft
• No Draft and
Screenwriting Crew 101
• None
of the above
34. Is the following statement true or
false?
Editors will take a professional blog
seriously as an example of someone's writing skills, as long as the blog is
regularly updated, clear and relevant.
Answers:
• True
• False
35. What is 'bias'?
Answers:
• The similarity
between ideas
• The negative
feeling between two ideas in a work of journalistic non-fiction
• The specific
tone of a work, or specific voice of the writer
• When
an author prejudices the reader in favour of one side of a subject by not
covering the topic fairly
36. Creative writing or blogging -
especially when the format is interactive and allows comments or provides
discussion rooms for readers to express their own views - is said to be a part
of which of the following web generations?
Answers:
• Web pages
• WWW for Dummies
• The Internet
1.1
• Web
2.0
• All of the
above
37. A/an ___________ is a short,
traditional Japanese poem that contains three lines of five, seven, and five
syllables respectively.
Answers:
• sonnet
• ode
• ottava rima
• haiku
• None of the
above
38. In playwriting and theatre
terminology, the term ;ad lib' (from the Latin ad libitum, meaning in
accordance with desire) refers to _________________.
Answers:
•
dialogue or action that the actors make up, often on the spur of the moment
• the moment when
an actor stumbles on his or her words
• what the prompt
or cue person in the front row delivers to actors who forget their lines
• impromptu
dancing in the middle of a play
39. In screenwriting, what does the
abbreviation 'O.C.' stand for?
Answers:
• On Cue
• Off Cue
• Off
Camera
• Off Curtain
• On Curtain
• All of the
above
40. What does it mean to 'green-light'
a project?
Answers:
• To temporarily
delay a production
• To
give the go-ahead to start a production
• That the
production has made over $1 million
• That the
production is a safety-related play about traffic lights
41. What is an 'epic poem'?
Answers:
• An extended
ballad containing quatrains
• Free verse
• A poem written
in large print
• A poem in a
tightly bound manuscript delivered in person
• A
poem of considerable length, often dealing with heroic themes
42. Which of the following lists
contains the names of people who are commonly regarded as great American
playwrights?
Answers:
•
Eugene O'Neill, Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller
• William
Shakespeare, Arthur Conan Doyle, Charlie Parker
• Arthur Miller,
James Copeland, Henry James
• Oscar Wilde,
Tennessee Williams, Flannery O'Connor
43. What is 'objective truth' as
opposed to 'subjective truth'?
Answers:
• Subjective
truth is independently verifiable, whereas objective truth is dependent on a
limited point of view.
•
Objective truth is independently verifiable whereas subjective truth is
dependent on a limited point of view.
• They are both
the same.
• Objective truth
is dependent on subjective truth.
• Objective truth
involves two people, while subjective truth involves only one.
44. Which of the following best
describes creative non-fiction?
Answers:
• Non-fiction
with some fictional elements, such as invented dialogue
• Non-fiction
told like a short story or written like a novel
• Non-fiction
stories written in the form of poems or plays
• None
of the above
• All of the
above
45. What is 'elision'?
Answers:
• The sliding of
one consonant into another
• The repetition
of certain vowels in a line of poetry
• Stanzas with
exactly the same number of lines
• The
omission of an unstressed vowel or syllable to maintain the poetry's metre
46. Creating an impressive website on
which to post creative work is more important than the quality of the creative
work itself.
Answers:
• True
• False
47. Which of the following is usually
required when submitting non-fiction to a literary agent or publishing editor?
Answers:
• The entire work
without a synopsis
• An
outline, chapter synopsis, and the opening chapters
• A telephone
call followed by the entire work
• A formal
meeting in which you present the entire work
48. How is a biography different from
a memoir?
Answers:
• Biographies are
more detailed than memoirs and require names and dates to be provided.
• A memoir is
fiction, while a biography is non-fiction.
• A
memoir is written by the author about him or herself, while a biography is
written by an author about someone else.
• A biography is
meant for personal use, while a memoir is meant to be published.
• There is no
real difference between the two.
49. What is 'assonance'?
Answers:
• A stanza in
which the lines follow ABCD format
• Stupid
behaviour
• The
repetition of vowel sounds
• Three or more
consonants in a row
50. When staging a play, what does the
abbreviation 'SPFX' stand for?
Answers:
• Special
Entrance
•
Special Effects
• Second Prompter
• Special Affects
• Extra Speaker
51. What does it mean if a play script
is said to be 'unsolicited'?
Answers:
• It has been
sent back from the production company to the playwright.
• It has been
sent upon request, usually from the playwright to the production company.
• It
has been sent without a specific request, usually from the playwright to the
production company.
• It is either
too short or too long.
• a, b and c
52. Which of the following is NOT a
movie genre?
Answers:
• Horror
•
Cartoon
• Legal Thriller
• Romantic Comedy
53. Is it better to present creative
work (such as a non-fiction book) on a single Web page, or to spread it out
over several pages?
Answers:
• It
depends on the work: a very short work could fit on one page, but a non-fiction
book would be better spread across multiple pages (e.g., a chapter per page).
• Always present
a creative work on one page so as not to interrupt the flow.
• Always spread a
creative work, no matter its length, across several pages; doing so will
generate more URLs and, therefore, a larger readership.
• Regardless of
its length, a whole work should never be published online.
54. What does it mean if a screenplay
is 'optioned' by a television or film production company?
Answers:
• The
exclusive right to purchase the screenplay at some time in the future has been
bought.
• The screenplay
has been bought and will definitely be made into a film, and the screenwriter
will receive a royalty.
• The screenplay
has been partially bought and will now pass through re-writes before being
returned to the screenwriter for a final polish.
• The screenplay
will be resold to another film or television company.
55. The Internet is a good source of
famous works of literature and non-fiction, which are often available free in
fully downloadable or full-text online formats.
Answers:
• True
• False
56. Which of the following lists
contains titles that are regarded as successful examples of sophisticated
Hollywood screenplays?
Answers:
• Jaws IV, Plan B
from Outer Space, Cheers
•
Chinatown, American Beauty, Schindler's List
• Mike's World,
The Bad Barber Shop, Back in 5 Minutes
• Roseanne,
Cheers, Seinfeld, Deep Impact
57. You can publish online the
non-fiction work of another author as long as that work is out of copyright.
Answers:
• True
• False
58. In screenplay writing, the
abbreviation 'b.g.' stands for ____________ .
Answers:
•
background
• big gun
• beautiful generation
• big gap
• None of the
above
59. Which of the following
considerations is most important when keeping a personal journal?
Answers:
• That
you write regularly, regardless of how you choose to express your thoughts and
feelings
• That the
grammar and punctuation be accurate
• That the
sections be all the same length
• That you
eventually submit it to a literary agent
60. The phrase 'The tree's dark
fingers reached out for him' demonstrates the use of which of the following
literary devices?
Answers:
• Simile
•
Metaphor
• Alliteration
• Mimesis
61. What is a 'pun'?
Answers:
• A bucket for
audience tips
• A
so-called 'play on words', or the comic use of a single word with two or more
meanings
• A stage prompt
• A character
foil
62. In theatre terminology, a 'curtain
call' is the moment when ______________ .
Answers:
• the playwright
is personally thanked onstage
• the audience
stands and pulls down the curtains with great excitement
• the
cast of the play take a bow on stage
• the audience
leaves in disgust, calling out their disapproval
63. Why is it important to get the
facts correct in non-fiction writing?
Answers:
• It is less
important than one might think; many non-fiction books are published with
factual errors.
• It is
important because the credibility of the author and publisher are reflected in
the reliability of factual claims made in the book.
• It is less
important than one might think; the work may contain a mixture of verifiable
facts and approximate facts or guesswork by the author.
• It is important
because sales will be higher if there is more fictional content, even in a
non-fiction book.
64. In terms of theatre staff, who is
the 'Artistic Director'?
Answers:
• A painter and
decorator who designs the sets for a play
• The playwright,
once he or she enters the theatre for rehearsal
• A
theater company's chief artistic officer, usually the last person who decides
on a script before green-lighting production
• The lead actor,
who often has some creative control
65. What is 'falling metre'?
Answers:
•
Metrical feet in a line that move from stressed to unstressed syllables
• Metrical feet
in a line that move from unstressed to stressed syllables
• Same as
alliteration
• Free verse
• All of the
above
66. When translated to the screen, a
screenplay of 150 pages will generally run for how long?
Answers:
• 2.5
hours
• 1.5 hours
• 2 hours
• 3 hours
• 1.75 hours
67. What is 'free verse'?
Answers:
• Epic verse
• Poetry that is
given away free with longer works
• More
modern poetry with no prescribed pattern or structure
• Rhyming
couplets
• None of the
above
68. When writing an authentic journal
for private use or publication, which of the following is a good idea?
Answers:
• Trying to
prompt your audience or reader into liking the narrative voice
• Imitating a
known writer as much as possible
•
Developing a specific and genuine narrative voice, whether the work will be
published or not
• Varying the
narrative voice from section to section depending on whether you feel the work
can be published or not
69. What is an 'indie' production
company?
Answers:
• One based in
the state of Indiana, USA
• A
production company that is independent of major studio financing
• A production
company that has a certain youth appeal, but that is still backed by a major
studio
• A theatrical
production based on the Indiana Jones films
70. In theatre terminology, what does
'stage left' mean?
Answers:
• The last point
at which an actor left the stage
• The left side
of the stage from the audience's point of view
• The
left side of the stage from the actor's point of view
• It varies
depending on the perspective of the actor
71. Which of the following is crucial
for maintaining a journal with some regularity?
Answers:
• Keeping the
journal locked
• Making entries
whenever the mood hits
• Making daily
entries in different colours
• Having someone
read the journal
•
Continuous motivation over a long period of time
72. In any creative endeavour, what is
meant by the term 'development hell'?
Answers:
• The initiation
of a period of development that lasts 3-6 months
• The
end of a long development process at which point the decision is made NOT to
proceed to production
• A play that
involves satanic elements, or a comic visit to hell itself
• The period of
frustrating delay that can occur when the development process lasts too long
73. Which of the following is NOT a
type of personal journal writing?
Answers:
• Dream book or
log
• Diary or memoir
• Electronic
journal
• Spiritual or
personal growth journal
• Short
story collection
• Autobiography
or life writing
74. In terms of editorial work at a
publishing house, which of the following statements about fiction versus
non-fiction is true?
Answers:
• The two genres
are usually handled by the same editor.
• Other than the
fact that one genre is "true" and one is "untrue," there is
very little difference between the two.
• Non-fiction
requires fewer stages of correction.
•
Non-fiction requires a fact-checker and may also need to have illustrations or
photographs sourced.
75. It's a good idea to write a
journal on a word processor rather than in a notebook because ____________ .
Answers:
• a word
processor allows you to make multiple copies and reduces the risk of losing
your writing
• your computer
is less likely to get stolen
• if you ever try
to get your writing published, it is already in a typeset format
• None of the abo• a and c
ve
76. What is a 'quatrain'?
Answers:
• A four-line
stanza or grouping of four lines of verse
• A two-line
stanza written in free verse
• The last
quarter of a poem, rounded to the nearest stanza
• The four parts
of any work of art
• b and d
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