English language - Barbara L. Murphy 2021

Practice exam 2
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The multiple choice section of the exam will have 45 questions.

✵ 20—25 will be related to close reading/analysis.

✵ 20—25 will be related to the rhetorical situation.

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I did did not finish all the questions in the allotted 1 hour.

I had ____ correct answers. I had ____ incorrect answers. I left ____ blank.

I have carefully reviewed the explanations of the answers, and I think I need to work on the following types of questions:

The current AP English Language exam divides the multiple choice section of the exam into “Reading” and “Writing” categories with separate texts for each type. However, for our purposes, each of the texts in the practice exam contains both “Reading” and “Writing” questions.

Practice exam 2

Advanced placement english language

Section I

Total Time—1 hour

Carefully read the following passages and answer the questions that follow.

Questions 1—9 are based on the following passage from Annie Dillard, What an Essay Can Do.

1. Which rhetorical technique does the author employ to focus the reader’s attention on the specific topic of the passage?

A. use of parallel structure

B. identifying herself with her audience

C. beginning each paragraph with the same subject

D. use of passive voice

E. use of anecdote

2. Based on a careful reading of the first paragraph, the reader can conclude that the author blames the death of the “novel of idea” on

A. real life and situations

B. simplicity

C. appeal to philosophy

D. reliance on historical data

E. artificiality

3. The primary rhetorical strategy the author uses to develop the first paragraph is

A. process

B. narration

C. description

D. cause and effect

E. definition

4. Near the end of the third paragraph, Dillard states, “The essayist does what we do with our lives; the essayist thinks about actual things. He can make sense of them analytically or artistically.” The most probable reason for the author choosing to write two separate sentences rather than constructing a single, longer sentence using a listing, is

A. to reinforce cause and effect

B. both subjects are of equal importance, although separate processes

C. to create a parallel situation

D. to contrast the two ideas

E. to highlight the criticism of fictional writing

5. The primary rhetorical strategy the author uses to develop the second paragraph is

A. contrast and comparison

B. narration

C. argument

D. description

E. analogy

6. In terms of her position on her subject, the author can best be categorized as

A. an adversary

B. a critic

C. an advocate

D. an innovator

E. an artist

7. An example of parallel structure is found in which of the following lines taken from the passage?

A. “But eschewing it served to limit fiction’s materials a little further, and likely contributed to our being left with the short story of scant idea.”

B. “The essay may deal in metaphor better than the poem can, in some ways, because prose may expand what the lyric poem must compress.”

C. “The elements in any nonfiction should be true not only artistically—the connections must hold at base . . .”

D. “. . . that is the convention and the covenant between the nonfiction writer and his reader.”

E. “In either case he renders the real world coherent and meaningful; even if only bits of it, and even if that coherence and meaning reside only inside small texts.”

8. The contrast between the short story writer and the essayist is based on which of the following?

A. reflection

B. presentation

C. fundamental reality

D. content

E. clarity of purpose

9. The tone of the passage can best be described as

A. impartial and critical

B. condescending and formal

C. candid and colloquial

D. clinical and moralistic

E. confident and informative

Questions 10—22 are based on the following passage from Herman Melville’s Moby Dick.

^* wights: human beings

^† spile: a small plug

10. The controlling analogy of the passage is

A. Nantucket to Illinois

B. sea to land

C. Noah to Nantucket

D. moon to Earthsman

E. legends to reality

11. The purpose of the last sentence of the first paragraph is to

A. change subjects

B. reinforce the importance of the geography of Nantucket

C. switch the focus of the audience

D. change the narrator’s point of view

E. emphasize the grandeur of Nantucket

12. The most probable reason for repeating and italicizing “There” in the middle of paragraph 4 at the beginning of two main clauses in the same sentence is to

A. force the reader to look for an antecedent

B. sound poetic

C. provide a break in a long, complicated sentence

D. emphasize the sense of place

E. indicate sympathy for the plight of the Nantucketer

13. The shift in the focus of the piece occurs in which line?

A. The first sentence of paragraph 2

B. The first sentence of paragraph 3

C. The first sentence of paragraph 4

D. The third sentence in paragraph 4

E. The last sentence

14. In the first paragraph, Melville uses which of the following rhetorical choices to emphasize Nantucket’s uniqueness?

A. Parallel structure

B. Anecdote

C. Periodic sentence

D. Generalization

E. Argument

15. Melville retells the Native American legend of how the island was settled in order to

A. have his audience identify with the Native American population

B. make the passage seem like a parable

C. contrast with the reality of the Nantucketers

D. bring a mythic quality to the subject

E. highlight the plight of the Nantucketers

16. The development of paragraph 3 is structured around

A. spatial description

B. selection of incremental details

C. central analogy

D. parallel structure

E. paradox

17. The passage’s argument and line of reasoning are based on

A. definition

B. cause and effect

C. analysis

D. process

E. analogy

18. One may conclude from the information contained in paragraph 3 that “Himmalehan, salt-sea Mastedon” refers to

A. the ocean

B. the whale

C. the power of nature

D. Biblical vengeance

E. emperors

19. The purpose of the passage is most probably to

A. encourage people to settle on Nantucket

B. use Nantucket as a model of ecological conservation

C. honor the indomitable spirit of the Nantucketers

D. plead for the return of Nantucket to the Native Americans

E. present a nostalgic reminiscence of the writer’s birthplace

20. Melville uses thus twice in this passage: once in the second paragraph to begin the Native American legend about the island being settled. All of the following are reasons for using thus in the first sentence of paragraph 4 except

A. to begin a comparative legend with the Nantucketers settling the sea

B. to balance the first part of the passage with the second part

C. to indicate a kind of cause and effect relationship

D. to reinforce the formality of his presentation

E. to further connect the inhabitants to the island and its legends

21. The subtle humor of the first paragraph is dependent upon

A. paradox

B. hyperbole

C. juxtaposition

D. irony

E. ad hominem argument

22. The last sentence of the passage continues the analogy between

A. reality and illusion

B. night and day

C. man and animal

D. gull and walrus

E. sea and land

Questions 23—31 are based on the following passage from “Tell Me a Story” by Roger Rosenblatt.

23. The exigence for this TV essay was most probably

A. Rosenblatt’s love of a good argument

B. an article by Rachael Dinadio in The New York Times Book Review

C. a contractual agreement with PBS News Hour

D. Rosenblatt’s belief in the power of non-fiction

E. a perceived need to defend the novelist V.S. Naipaul

24. The major rhetorical choice used to develop the thesis is

A. cause/effect

B. narration

C. comparison/contrast

D. definition

E. exemplification

25. Which rhetorical appeal is not utilized by the writer?

A. logos (reason)

B. ethos (authority/credibility)

C. pathos (emotion)

D. timeliness

E. commonality

26. What is the one assumption Rosenblatt does not make about his audience?

A. They are college educated.

B. They read both fiction and nonfiction.

C. They find truths in works of fiction.

D. They are interested in distinguishing fact from fiction.

E. They recognize the intersection of fact and fiction in varied instances.

27. The line of reason of this essay is developed using

A. most important to least important

B. chronological

C. logical/topical

D. least familiar to most familiar

E. spatial

28. The thesis is located in which paragraph?

A. 1

B. 2

C. 4

D. 5

E. 8

29. Rosenblatt’s purpose can best be stated as

A. advocating for the superiority of fiction when considering the truth

B. advocating for the superiority of nonfiction when considering the truth

C. recommending the elimination of nonfiction from the canon of western literature

D. recommending the elimination of fiction from the classroom

E. a consideration of whether truth lies in truth or fiction

30. Considering the logic and coherence of the essay, the last two paragraphs, 9 and 10, should be placed

A. as is

B. before paragraph 8

C. after 4

D. before paragraph 3

E. omitted

31. Which of the following claims is not made by Rosenblatt?

A. Events in publishing seem to support the idea that without nonfiction, a grasp of the truth is incomplete.

B. If you’re after the truth, you have to define the terms.

C. Both James Joyce and James Baldwin invent names, places, and thoughts in their autobiographical novels.

D. Truth is preposterous both in fiction and in fact.

E. The test of endurance has to do with the quality of the story.

Questions 32—41 are based on the following excerpt from “Automania” by Leah Napolin, noted playwright.

32. The exigence for the writer’s essay is most probably

A. anger toward erratic drivers

B. confusion about road signage

C. fear of driving on highways

D. frustration with traffic delays and signage

E. frustration with the daily commute into the city

33. The thesis statement is found in paragraph

A. 1

B. 2

C. 5

D. 7

E. 10

34. The essay’s line of reasoning is developed by primarily using

A. familiar to unfamiliar

B. unfamiliar to familiar

C. induction

D. deduction

E. question and answer

35. Which of the following is the predominant rhetorical strategy is used to support the thesis?

A. exemplification

B. cause/effect

C. comparison/contrast

D. description

E. definition

36. What doesn’t the writer assume about the primary audience for this essay?

A. They are familiar with famous literary and historical figures and terms.

B. They are inexperienced drivers.

C. They often commute for business of pleasure.

D. They have experienced traffic slowdowns.

E. They want traffic signage to be accurate and clear.

37. The first paragraph primarily functions to

A. introduce the rhetorical situation

B. ask the central question of the essay

C. introduce the writer to the reader

D. provide the thesis

E. illustrate the writer’s anger

38. The writer is considering adding the following sentence to the end of paragraph 5:

Driving more defensively, I move from the fast lane into the middle lane.

Should the writer make this revision?

A. Yes, because the reader wants to know what the driver does next.

B. No, because it is off topic.

C. No, because it doesn’t really relate to the topic sentence of the paragraph.

D. Yes. This sentence adds to the reader’s understanding of the writer.

E. No. This sentence adds nothing to the information in the paragraph and begs for an answer to what happens when the driver moves into the middle lane.

39. Which of the following best describes the rhetorical effect achieved by the parentheticals in paragraphs 1 and 2?

A. an invitation into the mind of the writer

B. further illustrates the context of the essay

C. further develops the identity of the writer

D. involvement of the audience in the rhetorical situation

E. strengthens reader’s confidence in the writer

40. What best describes the rhetorical purpose of the last paragraph?

A. to indicate that the average highway driver is fed up

B. to suggest that this condition will never change and to accept the inevitable

C. to advocate for better maintenance of our highways

D. to prosecute the failure of the nation’s infrastructure

E. to advocate for more and better public transportation

41. In paragraph 7, the writer uses which of the following rhetorical devices/strategies to emphasize the reality and ridiculousness of the situation?

A. allusion and either/or alternative

B. hyperbole and metaphor

C. euphemism and parallelism

D. personification and cause/effect

E. exemplification and antithesis

Questions 42—45 are based on the speech delivered by Greta Thunberg at the UN Climate Action Summit on September 23, 2019.

42. Greta wants to add a sentence to the beginning of paragraph 6 to set up her appeal to the world leaders to really care about the current climate situation and consequences. Which of the following choices best accomplishes this goal?

A. Do you want your children and grandchildren to suffer the consequences of climate change?

B. Have you been listening to us?

C. I want to believe you will truly hear what I have to say.

D. Has your country signed the climate accords?

E. Will you take my message back home to your country?

43. In paragraph 4, which of the following versions of the first sentence best establishes the speaker’s position on the main argument of her speech?

A. Leave as is.

B. For more than 30 years the science has been crystal clear, and you have ignored its findings.

C. You have been ignoring what science has made crystal clear for more than 30 years.

D. You do not listen.

E. You must listen to us.

44. The writer wants to add the following sentence to the text to provide additional information that is appropriate to the purpose of her argument.

Because I can’t ignore what is happening to this planet, I started a school strike for climate awareness outside the Swedish Parliament, and this movement just led the largest climate strike in history that included an estimated 4 million people across 161 countries.

Where would this sentence best be placed?

A. at the beginning of paragraph 1

B. at the end of paragraph 2

C. at the beginning of paragraph 10

D. at the end of paragraph 11

E. at the end of paragraph 12

45. The speaker wants to add more information to the third paragraph to support the topic of the paragraph. All of the following pieces of evidence would help achieve this purpose except which one?

A. Oyster seed[ling] production has plummeted by over 80% since 2005.

B. Florida’s coral reef is disintegrating.

C. Ice-free summers in the Arctic Ocean can lead to the loss of an entire biome.

D. A personal anecdote about the writer’s sadness on the loss of her pet while she was at a speaking engagement.

E. 99 percent of currently threatened species are at risk from human activities, primarily those driving habitat loss, introduction of exotic species, and global warming.

End of section I

Section II

Question 1

Suggested Writing Time: 40 minutes

Based on the Constitutional First Amendment guarantee of the right to freedom of speech, some citizens and citizen groups have used public burning of the American flag as a means of political expression. A proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution states: “The Congress shall have the power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.” Is desecrating the flag a legitimate form of expression guaranteed by the Constitution? Should the Constitution be amended to protect the flag?

Carefully read the following sources (including any introductory information). Then, in an essay that synthesizes at least three of the sources for support, take a position that defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim that the flag should be protected under a constitutional amendment.

Make certain that you take a position and that the essay centers on your argument. Use the sources to support your reasoning; avoid simply summarizing the sources. You may refer to the sources by their letters (Source A, Source B, etc.) or by the identifiers in the parentheses below.

Source A (First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution); Source B (The Proposed Amendment); Source C (USA Today Survey); Source D (Two Supreme Court Decisions); Source E (Rehnquist’s Dissenting Opinion); Source F (Editorial in the Los Angeles Times); Source G (Congressional Votes); Source H (Political Cartoon by Clay Bennett); Source I (Editorial by Todd Lindberg)

✵ Provide evidence from at least three of the provided sources to support the thesis. Indicate clearly the sources used through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Sources may be cited as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the description in parentheses.

✵ Explain the relationship between the evidence and the thesis.

✵ Demonstrate an understanding of the rhetorical situation.

✵ Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating the argument.

Source A

From “The Bill of Rights,” The U.S. Constitution.

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Source B

The Proposed Amendment to the U.S. Constitution taken from The Congressional Record. Available at https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/108thcongress/senate-report/334/1.

The full text of the amendment:

The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.

Source C

Results of a survey conducted by USA Today, June 23—25, 2006, http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-06-26-poll-results_x.htm.

Some people feel that the U.S. Constitution should be amended to make it illegal to burn or desecrate the American flag as a form of political dissent. Others say that the U.S. Constitution should not be amended to specifically prohibit flag burning or desecration. Do you think the U.S. Constitution should or should not be amended to prohibit burning or desecrating the American flag?

Source D

Two Supreme Court Decisions related to the desecration of the flag. Available at http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/speech/flagburning/overview.aspx?topic=flag-burning_overview.

Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989), was a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States. The question the Supreme Court had to answer was: “Is the desecration of an American flag, by burning or otherwise, a form of speech that is protected under the First Amendment?” Justice William Brennan wrote the 5—4 majority decision in holding that the defendant’s act of flag burning was protected speech under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

The court held that the First Amendment prevented Texas from punishing the defendant for burning the flag under the specified circumstances. The court first found that burning of the flag was expressive conduct protected by the First Amendment. The court concluded that Texas could not criminally sanction flag desecration in order to preserve the flag as a symbol of national unity. It also held that the statute did not meet the state’s goal of preventing breaches of the peace, since it was not drawn narrowly enough to encompass only those flag burnings that would likely result in a serious disturbance, and since the flag burning in this case did not threaten such a reaction.

Subsequently, Congress passed a statute, the 1989 Flag Protection Act, making it a federal crime to desecrate the flag. In the case of United States v. Eichman, 496 U.S. 310 (1990), that law was struck down by the same five-person majority of justices as in Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989).

Source E

Chief Justice William Rehnquist’s dissenting opinion in the Texas v. Johnson (1989) case.Available at http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/comm/free_speech/texas.html.

In his dissenting opinion in Texas v. Johnson (1989), regarding Texas law against flag burning, the late Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote,

The American flag, then, throughout more than 200 years of our history, has come to be the visible symbol embodying our Nation. It does not represent the views of any particular political party, and it does not represent any particular political philosophy. The flag is not simply another “idea” or “point of view” competing for recognition in the marketplace of ideas. Millions and millions of Americans regard it with an almost mystical reverence regardless of what sort of social, political, or philosophical beliefs they may have. I cannot agree that the First Amendment invalidates the Act of Congress, and the laws of 48 of the 50 States, which make criminal the public burning of the flag.

Rehnquist also argued that flag burning is “no essential part of any exposition of ideas” but, rather “the equivalent of an inarticulate grunt or roar that, it seems fair to say, is most likely to be indulged in not to express any particular idea, but to antagonize others.”

Source F

“The case for flag-burning: An amendment banning it would make America less free.” An editorial that appeared in the Los Angeles Times, June 27, 2006.

THERE ARE MANY ARGUMENTS AGAINST a proposed constitutional amendment to outlaw “the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.” Let us count the ways in which the amendment, which is disturbingly close to the 67 votes required for Senate approval, is unworthy of that body’s support:

✵ It’s a “solution” to a problem that doesn’t exist. There has been no epidemic of flag-burning since the Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that destruction of Old Glory as a protest was symbolic speech protected by the 1st Amendment.

✵ As Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) pointed out, “The First Amendment has served us well for over 200 years. I don’t think it needs to be altered.” Placing a no-flag-burning asterisk next to the amendment’s sweeping guarantee of free speech is a mischievous idea, and it could invite amendments to ban other sorts of speech Americans find offensive.

But the best argument against the flag amendment is the one some opponents are reluctant to make for fear of political fallout: It would make America less free.

Rare as flag-burning may be, a nation that allows citizens to denounce even its most sacred symbols is being true to what the Supreme Court in 1964 called the “profound national commitment to the principle that debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust and wide-open, and that it may well include vehement, caustic, and sometimes unpleasantly sharp attacks on government and public officials.”

In that decision, and in 1989, the court interpreted the free-speech protections of the First Amendment generously but correctly. The Senate, including Feinstein and fellow Democrat and Californian Barbara Boxer (who has opposed a flag-burning amendment in the past), should let those decisions be.

Source G

Congressional votes regarding proposed constitutional amendment regarding desecration of the flag. Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_Burning_Amendment#Congressional_votes.

The chronology of the House of Representatives’ action upon the flag-desecration amendment running over a period of more than ten years:

Source H

Political Cartoon by Clay Bennett, the Christian Science Monitor, Boston, July 4, 2006. Available at http://www.cagle.com/news/FlagBurning2/2.asp.

Clay Bennett, Christian Science Monitor, Boston 7/4/06

Source I

An excerpt from “The Star-Spangled Banner,” an editorial by Todd Lindberg that appeared in the Washington Times, July 4, 2006. Available at http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20060703-102601-1107r.htm.

. . . the last thing that a constitutional amendment banning flag-burning strikes me as is a slippery slope toward broader restriction on freedom of expression. There are two reasons for this.

First, the flag is the flag; the only reason to accord it special status (if that’s what you decide) is that it is, in fact, the singular national symbol. We are not even talking about a ban on burning red, white, and blue things, such as bunting, nor of suppressing the debate over whether banning the burning of the flag is a good thing. It’s not hypocrisy but rather a pretty good philosophical point to say that the flag, as the symbol of the freedom to burn, baby, burn, is the one thing you shouldn’t burn. For if you burn the freedom to burn, you have no freedom. For more on the danger that lies in this direction, see the collapse of the Weimar Republic in Germany.

On the other hand, the flag is not the freedom itself but its symbol. The freedom continues even if a particular flag is consumed in fire. To burn the flag is not to burn the only flag. There is no “the” flag, only flags; or if there is “the” flag, it is an idea of the flag and therefore beyond the reach of the flames.

Except that a perfectly acceptable way to dispose of a worn-out flag, according to the old Boy Scout manual Dad gave me, is by burning. The ceremony is to be at all times respectful and somber. Here, one reveres “the” flag by seeing to it that “a” flag gets decommissioned properly. So the symbolic content is always present. When someone burns a flag in protest, it’s just not about the fire and the piece of cloth. The flag is indeed a symbol of a political community, and I’m not sure that political communities can get by without symbols.

The second reason I’m not worried about a slippery slope constricting expression once you ban flag-burning is that in the current environment, socially enforced restraints on expression are far broader and more important than legal restraints. In the case of flag-burning, if you do it now, most Americans will think you are an ingrate jerk, as noted above. But even if a constitutional amendment passes, no one is proposing the death penalty for flag-burning, nor life in prison. If you get busted, you can probably look forward to a few days in the clink, plus adulatory editorials in the New York Times.

So while I am not a great supporter of an amendment banning flag-burning, neither do I think that such an amendment would do harm if passed. If I were a member of the Senate, I would have voted for it. That’s because as an elected officeholder, I would feel more solicitous of the national symbol, as perhaps befits someone who has chosen to hold office in accordance with the principles and procedures of the political community in question.

Question 2

(Suggested time 40 minutes. This question counts as one-third of the total score for Section II.)

Carefully read Chief Seattle’s oration to Governor Isaac I. Stevens, who had just returned from Washington, D.C., with orders to buy Indian lands and create reservations. In a well-written essay, identify Chief Seattle’s purpose and analyze the rhetorical choices he uses to convey his purpose.

✵ Respond to the prompt with a defensible thesis that relates to the prompt.

✵ Select and use evidence to develop and support the line of reasoning.

✵ Explain the relationship between the evidence and the thesis.

✵ Demonstrate an understanding of the rhetorical situation.

✵ Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating the argument.

Question 3

During a recent presidential primary season, Andrew Yang, a presidential nomination candidate, proposed creating a system that would allocate every American adult $1,000.00 a month. On his website, the “Freedom Dividend,” as Yang called it, “would put money into people’s hands and keep it there. It would be a continuous boost and support to job growth and the American economy . . .”

Carefully consider Andrew Yang’s proposal. Then, write a well-developed essay in which you argue your position on a guaranteed annual income.

In your response you should do the following:

✵ Respond to the prompt with a thesis that may establish a line of reasoning.

✵ Explain the relationship between the evidence and your thesis.

✵ Select and use evidence to develop and support your line of reasoning.

✵ Demonstrate an understanding of the rhetorical situation.

End of section II

Answer key

1. C

2. E

3. D

4. B

5. A

6. C

7. E

8. C

9. E

10. B

11. B

12. D

13. B

14. A

15. D

16. B

17. E

18. B

19. C

20. D

21. B

22. E

23. B

24. E

25. C

26. A

27. C

28. B

29. E

30. A

31. C

32. D

33. E

34. C

35. A

36. B

37. A

38. E

39. D

40. B

41. B

42. C

43. A

44. B

45. D

Explanations of Answers to the Multiple-Choice Section

The Annie Dillard Passage

1. C. Each paragraph opens with the words “the essay.” With this repetition, Dillard guarantees that the reader’s focus does not waver. It also provides the organizational framework of the passage. There is no passive voice present. (By the way, the previous sentence is an example of passive voice.) The author relates no personal narrative and does not identify herself with her audience.

2. E. In the first two sentences, the author blames “contrived entrances” for killing “the novel of idea.” She supports this in the next to the last sentence in paragraph 1 by criticizing “fabricated dramatic occasions.” Both of these examples point to the artificial construct of fiction.

3. D. The first paragraph contains two major cause-and-effect situations. The first is found in sentences 1—3, and the second is found in the last two sentences.

4. B. The first of the two sentences states what the essayist does: he thinks. The second sentence tells the reader how he thinks and writes. By writing two separate sentences, Dillard reinforces the equal importance of each of these points.

5. A. The second paragraph clearly develops its point through a contrast and comparison between prose and poetry. None of the other strategies is present in the paragraph.

6. C. Dillard’s subject is the essay. Her position is one of unswerving allegiance to its form and function. Nowhere does she criticize the essay or the essayist, and nowhere does she discuss innovations or the changing of its form. Dillard is an artist. This classification, however, does not reveal her stance on the essay form.

7. E. Knowing the definition of parallel structure and being able to recognize it makes the choice of E an easy one. (“Even if . . . even if . . .”)

8. C. Look carefully at sentences 1—3 of paragraph 3 and notice the author’s use of the words “connections,” “covenant,” “veracity,” and “truth.” With this specific diction, the only appropriate choice is C.

9. E. The only choice that contains two adjectives that are BOTH applicable to the author’s tone in this passage is E. The purpose of the essay is to inform/explain the function of the essay and the essayist. This, in itself, is the support for choosing E. The confidence is apparent in the writer’s discussion of the other forms of literature.

The Herman Melville Passage

10. B. Throughout the passage, Melville builds his description on the comparison between items connected to the sea and those related to the land. Choices A and C are examples of this controlling analogy. D is another specific detail provided, and E is an example used by Melville to reinforce his description of the Nantucketer.

11. B. The entire paragraph centers on the geographic features using analogies, allusions, and factual data. There are no switches in subject, focus, or point of view (B, C, D). Grandeur (E) is not being described, rather the scarcity and hardships of this landscape.

12. D. Italics are used for very definite reasons. The purpose here is for emphasis. Melville wants to draw the reader back to the only other italicized word in the piece—Nantucket—the very first word of the passage.

13. B. Here, pronouns are very important. In paragraph 2, this refers the reader to paragraph 1, which is about the island. These in paragraph 4 refers to the previous paragraph, which is about the inhabitants of Nantucket. The last sentence of the passage, while quite moving, indicates, again, a reference to Nantucketers. However, these in the first sentence of paragraph 3 is a definite shift in focus from the island to its inhabitants.

14. A. The only choice appearing in the first paragraph is parallel structure, which is used throughout the listing of “extravaganzas” that Melville bestows on Nantucket. Many of the items in the listing begin with the word that.

15. D. Keeping in mind the central focus of the passage, Melville’s retelling of the Native American legend is not to highlight or focus on Native Americans, but to reinforce his attitude toward the Nantucketers, whom he perceives in mythic proportions. He compares them to Noah, to Alexander the Great, and to Emperors.

16. B. The question requires the reader to be aware of the consecutive details that build in size and importance: from the clam to the whale.

17. E. The entire passage develops Melville’s opinion about both Nantucket and its inhabitants using analogies. For example, in paragraph 1, pieces of wood are “carried about like bits of the true cross.” The entire second paragraph is a portrait built on a Native American legend. The last sentence of paragraph 3 employs an analogy comparing a “the mightiest animated mass” with “salt-sea Mastodon.” Paragraph 4 compares Nantucketers to “Emperors,” to “sea hermits,” “so many Alexanders,” etc. Any instance of the other choices is constructed using analogies.

18. B. The whale is a “mightiest animated mass.” This can only refer to the largest creature in the sea. “Himmalehan” and “Mastadon” reinforce the power and size of the creature.

19. C. The tone, diction, syntax, and selection of detail all point to Melville’s admiration of the fortitude, perseverance, and uniqueness of the Nantucketer.

20. D. In this question, the repetition balances the dual focus: the island and its inhabitants. The diction and syntax of this selection are not formal, but rather a grand folk myth of epic proportions.

21. B. Beginning with “There is more sand” and continuing to the end of the paragraph, Melville presents examples dependent upon extreme exaggeration.

22. E. The paragraph develops an extended analogy that compares the world of the sea to that of the land, such as sea to prairie, sailor to prairie dog. None of the other choices are valid in this context.

Tell Me a Story

23. B. Remembering the definition of exigence, the reader’s best choice is the newspaper article Dinadio. The other choices contain either information that is a misreading of the text (C, D) or an inference that is not appropriate (A).

24. E. Five of the essay’s seven body paragraphs are developed using examples. The other choices do not apply to the organization and logic of the passage.

25. C. This is a well-developed essay that utilizes strategies and devices that appeal to common interests paragraphs 2, 8,10), reason (transitions, and examples), timeliness (paragraph 2), and credibility (cited examples, context) to present its argument.

26. A. The examples, context, organization all assume the reader is one or more of choices B, C, D, E. However, the writer does not assume any special education or background on the part of the reader.

27. C. Rosenblatt organizes his essay using examples that illustrate and support his thesis. The transitions and order of the examples, together with his comments are arranged logically and topically.

28. B. The thesis is located in the second paragraph. Here the writer asks a rhetorical question that clearly lays out his specific assertion with an indication of the organization of the argument.

29. E. Rosenblatt neither advocates (A, B) nor recommends (C,D) keeping or eliminating fiction or non-fiction. Instead, his essay presents his argument as to where truth resides.

30. A. Moving paragraphs 9 and 10 to any other spot in the essay would interfere with the argument’s logic and clarity (B, C, D). Omitting these two paragraphs would alter and weaken the support of the thesis (E).

31. C. Each of paragraphs A, B, D, E illustrates and/or supports Rosenblatt’s thesis. Choice C is just a detail used in support of the claim of paragraph 2.

Automania

32. D. Keeping the definition of exigence in mind, the event/situation that pushes the author to write “Automania” is first, foremost, and most immediate frustration with traffic delays and signage. Choices A, B, C, and E are all included in and results of this initial frustration.

33. E. In a not too frequent situation, this passage’s thesis statement is located in the final paragraph. The last two sentences state the writer’s assertion about her frustration and present the final word that wraps up the previous paragraphs with their examples and narration. The other paragraphs provide the specific examples and comments that support and/or illustrate this thesis.

34. C. Induction is moving from specific to general. This essay, with its thesis located in the last paragraph, is a good example of this type of organizational pattern.

35. A. Except for paragraphs 1, 7, and 10, each of the other paragraphs support/illustrate the writer’s assertion with examples.

36. B. With a careful reading of the essay of the essay, the reader can see that the impact of the writer’s assertion and examples is based on all of the given assumptions except B. Although not necessary, the effect of the final paragraph is deepened if the reader knows who Shakespeare and Freud are and is familiar with the term zen (A).

37. A. In the first paragraph, the writer introduces the subject, context, and exigence to the reader. The other choices are not in this paragraph or are misreading.

38. E. The sentence that would precede it ends with the writer stating that she is vaguely unsettled. The logic and flow of the paragraph are interrupted with the introduction of how she is driving. The question arises: What does she do then? This question is out of context with the next paragraph.

39. D. These rhetorical questions are personal asides that beg for a response from the reader. The writer is letting the reader in on her private thoughts and invites the reader to respond.

40. B. Almost like the forever blinking of the time on the cable box, AHEAD, repeated four times, coupled with endlessly is the writer suggesting to the reader that this problem will be forever and that “resistance is futile.”

41. B. The list that follows the dash is a hyperbolic metaphor that is the world shattering opposite of the mundane highway minutiae the average highway commuter encounters. None of the other choices is supportable.

Greta Thunberg’s UN Speech

42. C. Choices A, D, and E are not related to the topic, which is the speaker confronting the leaders not listening to what science is saying. B merely restates what is already in the paragraph. C makes the accusation, but leads to the glimmer of hope that the speaker addresses in the remainder of the paragraph.

43. A. This is a brief speech; therefore each word/phrase is important. Choices A and B basically repeat what is already in the paragraph. D and E do not add to the development of either the paragraphs topic nor the purpose of the argument. In this instance, it is best to leave things as they are.

44. B. A cause/effect rhetorical strategy is established with this sentence. The listing of negative factors leads to the speaker’s actions, all of this part of the speaker setting the stage for the information that is to follow in support of her argument. The structure of this sentence demands a construction that indicates cause/effect. The placement of this sentence in any of the other paragraphs would not be logical.

45. D. Choices A, B, C, E are all statements of scientific facts related to mass extinction. A personal narrative about the sadness related to the loss of a pet is not specifically related to mass extinction.

Sample Student Essays

Rubrics for the Synthesis Essay

THESIS = 1 Point

✵ 1 pt. Addresses the prompt with a thesis that makes it clear HOW the thesis will be developed.

✵ 0 pts. Merely repeats the prompt, or statement is vague, avoids taking a position, or presents only an obvious fact.

DEVELOPMENT WITH EVIDENCE = 4 Points

✵ 4 pts. With references to at least three of the given sources, the writer presents support for the thesis explaining the relationships between the evidence and the thesis.

✵ 3 pts. With references to at least three of the given sources, the development may be uneven, limited; there may be minor errors or weak links between thesis and support.

✵ 2 pts. With references to at least three of the given sources, the development repeats, oversimplifies, or misinterprets cited references; points made are not supported by the text.

✵ 1 pt. With references to two or fewer of the given sources, the writer merely summarizes the referenced sources, or references to the text are not clear or relevant; provides little or no commentary that links the source to the thesis.

✵ 0 pts. May lack a thesis; or presents irrelevant or too few references to the text in support of a clear thesis; or does not address the prompt; or writes about something totally unrelated to the prompt.

Note: Writing that lacks grammatical or syntactical control that interferes with a clear presentation of ideas, cannot earn a 4.

SOPHISTICATION (Complexity and Style) = 1 Point

✵ 1 pt. (sophistication of thought or development of complex argument) Writer develops the thesis with nuanced explanation of evidence; and/or recognizes and discusses a broader context; and/or recognizes and engages with opposition; and/or makes strong, convincing rhetorical choices in developing the thesis; and/or prose is especially convincing or appropriate.

✵ 0 pts. Oversimplifies complexities of the text or the thesis; and/or diction and/or syntax do not enhance the presentation; and/or may overuse sweeping generalizations.

Synthesis Essay—Student A

Synthesis Essay—Student B

Note: For our purposes, scoring comments will be followed by one of three letters to indicate one of the three areas used in the AP English Language rubric for the rhetorical analysis essay. Thesis = (A), Evidence/Commentary = (B), Sophistication = (C)

Rating the Student Essays

Student A

This high-range paper:

✵ Effectively introduces the argument and indicates the opposition in paragraph 1 (A)

✵ Opens with an interesting example of parallelism (B and C)

✵ Clearly establishes the writer’s position against the amendment (B)

✵ Exhibits strong control of language: diction, syntax, transitions, rhetorical questions (C)

✵ Builds a cohesive and convincing argument against the amendment by effectively introducing, combining, and commenting on appropriate sources (B and C)

✵ Employs transitions to further the development of the points in the argument: however, then, but, ultimately (C)

✵ Creates mature concluding sentences in each paragraph that drive home the writer’s position (B and C)

✵ Smoothly integrates and cites sources material (B and C)

✵ Presents a coherent, strong voice and tone (C)

Student B

This mid-range essay:

✵ Opening provides outside information to indicate the writer’s position against the amendment (A)

✵ Incorporates and properly cites at least three sources to support the argument (B)

✵ Adequately comments on the synthesized material and includes some relevant outside information to reinforce the sources used (B)

✵ Indicates an understanding of the process of writing a synthesis essay (B)

✵ Demonstrates control of language through diction and syntax (C)

✵ Recognizes the bias in source material (B)

✵ Adds to the argument by creating an analogous situation: the child testing the parents (B)

✵ Indicates an understanding of tone and intent (B)

Rubrics for the Rhetorical Analysis Essay

THESIS = 1 Point

✵ 1 pt. Addresses the prompt with a thesis that makes it clear HOW the thesis will be developed.

✵ 0 pts. Merely repeats the prompt, or statement is vague, avoids taking a position, or presents only an obvious fact.

DEVELOPMENT WITH EVIDENCE = 4 Points

✵ 4 pts. With specific references to the text, the writer develops the thesis with conclusions and inferences that are the result of explaining the relationship between what the author says and what the rhetorical strategy does.

✵ 3 pts. Development may be uneven, limited; there may be minor instances of description rather than analysis; there may be minor errors or weak links between thesis and support.

✵ 2 pts. Development repeats, oversimplifies, or misinterprets cited references; may misinterpret or misunderstand the chosen rhetorical strategies; points made are not supported by the text.

✵ 1 pt. Merely summarizes the text, or references to the text are not clear or relevant; merely restates points made in the text.

Note: Writing that lacks grammatical or syntactical control that interferes with a clear presentation of ideas cannot earn a 4.

SOPHISTICATION (Complexity and Style) = 1 Point

✵ 1 pt. (sophistication of thought or development of complex argument) Writer develops the thesis with nuanced explanation of evidence; and/or recognizes and discusses a broader context; and/or recognizes and engages with opposition; and/or makes strong, convincing rhetorical choices in developing the thesis; and/or prose is especially convincing or appropriate.

✵ 0 pts. Oversimplifies complexities of the text or the thesis; and/or diction and/or syntax do not enhance the presentation; and/or may overuse sweeping generalizations.

Chief Seattle Passage—Student Sample A

Chief Seattle Passage—Student Sample B

Rating Student Sample A

This is a high-range essay for the following reasons:

✵ An immediate and clear indication of Seattle’s purpose and attitude (A)

✵ Understanding and discussion of Seattle’s attitude and purpose (paragraph 2) (B)

✵ Demonstration of a mature voice (C)

✵ Thorough and effective connection between texts and insights (last two sentences of paragraph 2) (B and C)

✵ Superior use of connective tissue—transitions and echo words (“in addition,” “despite his calm,” “acting respectfully,” “winning favor”) (B and C)

✵ Refers to a variety of rhetorical strategies and devices to support the writer’s assertion (paragraph 3: rhetorical questions), (paragraph 3: cause and effect), (paragraph 4: details), (paragraph 4: figurative language) (B)

✵ Mature perceptions and insights (paragraph 2, sentence 2), (paragraph 4, sentence 2), (paragraph 5, next to last sentence) (C)

✵ Mature writing style (last sentence) (C)

This high-range essay indicates the clear voice of a mature writer and reader. Once the writer has committed to Seattle’s purpose and attitude, the writer develops in each successive paragraph a supporting aspect of the stated purpose and/or attitude.

Rating Student Sample B

This is a mid-range essay for the following reasons:

✵ Concise, on-target development of prompt (A and B)

✵ Indicates an understanding of the oration (B)

✵ Makes intelligent points, but does not always develop them or defend them (paragraph 3, last sentence) (B)

✵ Each paragraph deals with a different strategy (paragraph 2: emotional details), (paragraph 3: rhetorical questions), (paragraph 4: simile), (paragraph 5: antithesis) (B)

✵ Good connective tissue (B and C)

✵ A few lapses in syntax and diction (paragraph 3, next to last sentence) (C)

This essay is indicative of a writer who understands both the passage and the prompt. There is an adequate analysis of the rhetorical strategies and devices present in the text, and the student reaches for unique insights (paragraph 4, last sentence). The lack of development of a couple of the cited points places this essay squarely in the mid-range.

Rubrics for Argument Essay

THESIS = 1 Point

✵ 1 pt. Addresses the prompt with a thesis clearly, takes a position, and makes it clear HOW the thesis will be developed.

✵ 0 pts. Merely repeats the prompt, or statement is vague, avoids taking a position, or presents only an obvious fact.

DEVELOPMENT WITH EVIDENCE = 4 Points

✵ 4 pts. The writer presents support for the thesis clearly explaining the relationships between the evidence and the thesis.

✵ 3 pts. The development may be uneven, limited, incomplete; there may be minor errors or weak links between thesis and support.

✵ 2 pts. The development repeats, oversimplifies, or misinterprets cited evidence; points made are not supported by the text.

✵ 1 pt. The writer provides little or no commentary that links the evidence to the thesis.

Note: Writing that lacks grammatical or syntactical control that interferes with a clear presentation of ideas cannot earn a 4.

SOPHISTICATION (Complexity and Style) = 1 Point

✵ 0 pts. Oversimplifies complexities of the text or the thesis; and/or diction and/or syntax does not enhance the presentation; and/or may overuse sweeping generalizations.

Yang Passage—Student A

Yang Passage—Student B

Rating Student Sample A

This is a high-range essay for the following reasons:

✵ Clear thesis stated with relevant reference to the prompt [paragraph one] (A)

✵ Line of reasoning clearly established using transitions and internal references to the argument [paragraph 2: “As we know . . . ;” paragraph 3: “Even though . . . ;” paragraph 4: Yang’s proposition . . . ;” paragraph 5: “Yang’s proposal had . . .”] (B and C)

✵ Body paragraphs consistently developed with relevant evidence and meaningful commentary relating both to the thesis and the development of the argument [specific examples used in paragraphs 1, 2, and 3] (B and C)

✵ Commentary that consistently discusses and references the complexity of the rhetorical situation and its relevance to world outside of the text. (B and C)

Rating Student Sample B

This is a mid-range essay for the following reasons:

✵ An acceptable thesis statement [paragraph one] (A)

✵ An awkward introductory paragraph (B)

✵ Body paragraphs present some evidence in support of the thesis with some commentary that helps develop the argument (B)

✵ Evidence and commentary is primarily in the form of generalizations (B)

✵ Weak final paragraph that primarily summarizes the introductory paragraph (B)

English language - Barbara L. Murphy 2021

Practice exam 2Build your test-taking confidence

Practice exam 2
Build your test-taking confidence