Advanced Placement (AP) English Language and Composition Practice Exam

Which of the following is an example of anadiplosis?

1. "Blood hath bought blood, and blows have answered blows."

2. "The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew."

3. "If you lie, you will cheat; if you cheat, you will steal."

4. "Refresh your zest for living."

The correct answer is: "If you lie, you will cheat; if you cheat, you will steal."

Anadiplosis is a rhetorical device that involves the repetition of the last word or phrase of one clause or sentence at the beginning of the next. In this context, the correct answer exemplifies anadiplosis because it features the word "cheat" at the end of the first clause and then repeats the concept of cheating at the beginning of the next clause. This creates a connection between the ideas and enhances the emphasis on the consequences of lying. While the other choices showcase different rhetorical figures, they do not demonstrate the specific pattern of repeating the final word of one clause to start the next. For instance, the first choice reflects an example of antanaclasis with the repetition of "blood" and "blows," though it doesn't fit the structure of anadiplosis. The second choice uses alliteration with the repetition of the initial consonant sounds but lacks the structure needed for anadiplosis. The fourth choice involves a call to action but does not repeat a concluding word at the beginning of a subsequent phrase. Thus, the characteristics of anadiplosis are distinctively present in the selected option, highlighting the interrelatedness of actions and their repercussions.