Mirth The other people in the theater are also in hysteries. They don't know
exactly why, and maybe it doesn't matter,
Understanding the Text
1. Describe the benign violation theory (BVT) of humor. According to this
theory, what factors predict how funny something will be? Provide an
example of this theory from the text.
2. Analyze the rhetorical situation of Warner's article. How would you describe
the mode and purpose of his writing? What kind of publication is Wired
magazine? Who comprises its intended audience?
Reflection and Response
3. At one point, Warner calls McGraw's theory "elegantly simple, but in the

Which statement best reflects how martin luther king, jr. uses rhetoric and style in paragraph 9 of "letter from a birmingham jail" to assist him in advocating the use of nonviolent direct action to achieve justice for negro citizens in birmingham? click here to read the letter.

Read the excerpt from poe’s "the fall of the house of usher." his ordinary occupations were neglected or forgotten. he roamed from chamber to chamber with hurried, unequal, an objectless step. the pallor of his countenance had assumed, if possible, a more ghastly hue -- but the luminousness of his eye had utterly gone out. which statement best describes the effect of the narration on the story? the narration reveals usher’s feelings of discouragement. the narration reveals usher’s absent-mindedness after his loss. the narration suggests usher’s confusion in the wake of his loss. the narration suggests usher’s mental decline after his sister’s death.

What does the word "rhetoric" mean?