Argument in George Orwell’s “Politics and the English Language” — Quiz
Question 14 • English Language Arts 12
Read the excerpt from "Politics and the English Language" by George Orwell. Defenseless villages are bombarded from the air, the inhabitants driven out into the countryside, the cattle machine-gunned, the huts set on fire with incendiary bullets: this is called pacification . Millions of peasants are robbed of their farms and sent trudging along the roads with no more than they can carry: this is called transfer of population or rectification of frontiers . People are imprisoned for years without trial, or shot in the back of the neck or sent to die of scurvy in Arctic lumber camps: this is called elimination of unreliable elements . Such phraseology is needed if one wants to name things without calling up mental pictures of them. George Orwell’s purpose is to persuade readers to use simple language in political writing. How does he achieve his purpose in this excerpt?
Answer
A
He provides examples of abstract titles given to difficult political situations.
B
He rewrites a political article that uses unclear language.
C
He provides examples of simple explanations for political situations.
D
He rewrites some of the political titles given in difficult situations.
Explanation
Orwell describes concrete acts of violence, then shows the abstract terms used to label them: “pacification,” “transfer of population,” and “elimination of unreliable elements.” This contrast demonstrates how political language can hide unpleasant realities behind vague titles, supporting his argument for clear, simple language. Choice C describes these examples; the terms are not simple explanations, as choice D suggests.
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