INTRODUCTION TO DISCOURSE

ANALYSIS EXAM - PROF.ANASS

Ibn Tofail University An Introduction To Discourse analysis June 2025 Faculty of Languages, Letters and
Arts FINAL EXAM Time: 1h30mins Department of English – Kenitra
Full name: ………………………………………………. Group: ……………………
Apogée number: ………………………………………..

Section 1: Foundations of Discourse Analysis

1. Discourse analysis primarily examines:

A) Sentence-level grammar
B) Language in social contexts
C) Phonetic patterns
D) Historical language change

2. Zellig Harris's 1952 work introduced discourse analysis by studying:

A) Isolated words
B) Connected speech/writing
C) Animal communication
D) Literary metaphors

3. Mitchell's (1957) study of buying/selling interactions demonstrated language as:

A) A solitary activity
B) A cooperative action
C) A biological instinct
D) A mathematical system

Section 2 : Discourse and Genre

4. What is the definition of genre according to the course material?

a) A literary term for poetry and prose.
b) The type and structure of language used for a particular purpose in a particular context.
c) A fixed prototype that never changes.
d) A random selection of words.

5. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of genre according to Martin and Rose (2003)?
a) Staged
b) Goal-oriented
c) Fixed and unchangeable
d) Social activity
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ANALYSIS EXAM - PROF.ANASS
6. How has the internet influenced genre change?
a) By eliminating all traditional genres.
b) By introducing new forms like chat rooms and blogs.
c) By making genres irrelevant.
d) By standardizing all communication.

7. Which of the following is an example of a multi-modal genre?

a) A novel
b) A WhatsApp chat
c) A documentary
d) A lecture

Section 3 : Discourse and Pragmatics

8. What is an indirect speech act?

a) A statement where the form and function match exactly.
b) A statement where what is said differs from what is meant.
c) A literal interpretation of an utterance.
d) A question with no implied meaning.

9. What is conversational implicature?

a) The literal meaning of words.
b) The extra message conveyed indirectly by the speaker.
c) A grammatical rule in syntax.
d) A type of written discourse.

10. Which of the following is a mitigating device for face-threatening acts?

a) Directness
b) Tag questions
c) Shouting
d) Ignoring the listener

11. Politeness strategies vary across cultures. Which of the following is true?
a) All cultures use the same politeness strategies.
b) Refusing an offer may be polite in some cultures.
c) Politeness is always expressed verbally.
d) Gender does not influence politeness.
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ANALYSIS EXAM - PROF.ANASS
Section 4 : Discourse and Conversation

12. What is the primary aim of Conversation Analysis (CA)?

a) To study written texts in isolation.
b) To uncover how participants manage conversational interactions.
c) To analyze literary genres.
d) To focus solely on grammatical correctness.

13. What is an adjacency pair?

a) A single utterance by one speaker.
b) A two-part exchange where the second utterance depends on the first.
c) A monologue.
d) A written paragraph.

14. Which of the following is a turn-yielding cue?

a) Overlapping speech
b) Rising intonation
c) Falling intonation followed by a pause
d) Silent staring

15. What is "repair" in conversation?

a) Ignoring errors in speech.
b) Correcting mistakes made by oneself or others.
c) Ending a conversation abruptly.
d) Changing the topic without warning.

Section 5 : Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA)

16. What is the main focus of CDA?

a) Analyzing grammar in isolation.
b) Exploring how discourse reflects and constructs power and ideology.
c) Studying only spoken language.
d) Ignoring social context.

17. According to Fairclough, which of the following is NOT a dimension of CDA?

a) Socio-cultural practice
b) Discourse practice
c) Textual analysis
d) Literary criticism
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18. Which linguistic strategy is used to conceal agency?
a) Active voice
b) Nominalization
c) Direct speech
d) Repetition

19. What is performativity in discourse?

a) The literal meaning of words.
b) The idea that saying something can enact a social reality.
c) A type of genre.
d) A grammatical error.

20. Which of the following is an example of a discourse marker?

a) A noun
b) The word "well"
c) A verb tense
d) A punctuation mark

Section 6 : Discourse Analysis as a field of study

21. What is the primary focus of Discourse Analysis?

A) Studying individual words in isolation
B) Examining language use in social and cultural contexts
C) Analyzing only written texts
D) Focusing solely on grammar rules

22. Discourse includes which of the following?

A) Only formal speeches
B) Written texts, conversations, and social media posts
C) Grammar rules and syntax
D) Only spoken language

23. What is the difference between cohesion and coherence?

A) Cohesion is about grammar, coherence is about pronunciation
B) Cohesion ties sentences together, coherence ensures the text makes sense
C) Coherence is about word choice, cohesion is about social context
D) They are the same thing
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24. Multimodality in Discourse Analysis refers to:
A) Using only one form of communication
B) Generating meaning through multiple means (e.g., body language, images)
C) Focusing exclusively on written texts
D) Ignoring non-verbal communication

25. Why is Discourse Analysis important for media studies?

A) It ignores social context
B) It reveals ideologies and power relations in media
C) It only analyzes grammar errors
D) It focuses on fictional stories

26. An example of a performative speech act is:

A) "The sky is blue."
B) "I now pronounce you husband and wife."
C) "How are you?"
D) "This is a book."

27. What does intertextuality refer to?

A) Texts making meaning in isolation
B) Texts referencing or alluding to other texts
C) Ignoring cultural context
D) Focusing only on spoken discourse

28. A discourse community is:

A) A group that shares no communication methods
B) A group with shared goals and communication practices
C) Only people who speak the same language
D) A random collection of individuals

29. Which of the following is an example of a genre?

A) A random sentence
B) A weather report
C) A single word
D) A punctuation mark

30. How does culture influence discourse?

A) It has no influence
B) Different cultures have unique ways of using language
C) Everyone communicates the same way
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ANALYSIS EXAM - PROF.ANASS
D) Culture only affects written texts

31. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) focuses on:

A) Ignoring power relations
B) Revealing ideologies and social hierarchies
C) Only analyzing fictional texts
D) Promoting grammatical correctness

32. What is the role of context in Discourse Analysis?

A) It is irrelevant
B) It shapes how language is used and interpreted
C) It only matters in written texts
D) It is the same across all cultures

33. Which of the following is NOT a part of visual discourse?

A) Images
B) Body language
C) Grammar rules
D) Emojis

34. How do new technologies influence discourse genres?

A) They have no impact
B) They create new genres (e.g., text messaging)
C) They eliminate all existing genres
D) They only affect spoken language

35. The ethnography of communication studies:

A) Only grammar rules
B) How language is used in cultural contexts
C) Isolated sentences
D) Fictional narratives

36. What does the social constructivist view of discourse emphasize?

A) Discourse is independent of society
B) Discourse shapes and is shaped by social practices
C) Only individual words matter
D) Culture has no role in discourse

37. Conversation analysis examines:

A) Only written texts
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ANALYSIS EXAM - PROF.ANASS
B) Turn-taking, pauses, and overlaps in speech
C) Isolated words
D) Fictional dialogues

38. How does Obama use lists of pairs in his speech?

A) To confuse the audience
B) To create a rhythmic or inclusive effect
C) To avoid making a point
D) To criticize others

39. What is a key feature of media discourse?

A) It is never multimodal
B) It combines text, images, and audio
C) It ignores audience interpretation
D) It is always fictional

40. Social identity in discourse is displayed through:

A) Only language
B) Language, gestures, and cultural practices
C) Ignoring context
D) Isolated words

Section 6 : Speech Acts and Implicature

41. When someone says "It's cold here" to imply "Close the window," this is:
A) A direct speech act
B) A grammatical error
C) An indirect speech act
D) A presupposition

42. Grice's Cooperative Principle assumes speakers:

A) Try to confuse listeners
B) Aim to be truthful/relevant
C) Always use formal language
D) Avoid eye contact

43. "We're out of milk" followed by "The store is open" demonstrates:

A) A conventional implicature
B) A particularized implicature
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ANALYSIS EXAM - PROF.ANASS
C) A grammatical error
D) A phonetic shift

Section 7 : Politeness and Face

44. Goffman's concept of "face" refers to:

A) Physical appearance
B) Social self-image
C) Vocal pitch
D) Hand gestures

45. In Moroccan culture, parents often:

A) Overuse "please"
B) Avoid polite markers with children
C) Whisper to babies
D) Use formal Arabic exclusively

46. Saying "Hello gorgeous" to a stranger might threaten face because:

A) It's too indirect
B) It violates context norms
C) It uses complex vocabulary
D) It's grammatically incorrect

Section 8 : Identity Construction

47. Academic writers traditionally avoid "I" pronouns to:

A) Show objectivity
B) Save space
C) Sound more polite
D) Follow phonetic rules

48. Hyland (2002) argues academic writing always:

A) Reveals writer identity
B) Should use slang
C) Must be translated
D) Avoids all presuppositions

Section 9 : Discourse Communities

INTRODUCTION TO DISCOURSE
ANALYSIS EXAM - PROF.ANASS
49. Call center agents form a discourse community through shared:
A) Birthdays
B) Service scripts/goals
C) Clothing styles
D) Musical preferences

50. Swales (1990) says discourse communities require:

A) Identical personalities
B) Shared communication practices
C) Matching fingerprints
D) Identical ages

51. A university student belongs to multiple discourse communities like:

A) Only their major department
B) Classes, clubs, and hometown groups
C) Just the library
D) No actual communities

52. Which feature is LEAST relevant to defining a discourse community?

A) Shared jargon/terminology
B) Common objectives
C) Identical political views *(Correct: Ideological alignment is not a criterion.)*
D) Recurring interaction patterns

53. A "genre chain" in discourse communities refers to:

A) A sequence of unrelated texts
B) Interconnected genres used to achieve a goal (e.g., job ads → interviews → offer letters)
*(Correct: Swales’ concept of linked genres.)*
C) A literal chain of books
D) Random email exchanges

54. Devitt (2004) categorizes language users into:

A) Communities, collectives, and networks *(Correct: Based on interaction
frequency/purpose.)*
B) Only formal and informal groups
C) Introverts and extroverts
D) Writers and speakers