English language - Barbara L. Murphy 2021

Introduction: The five-step program

Some Basics

Reading

We believe that reading should be an exciting interaction between you and the writer. You must bring your own context to the experience, and you must feel comfortable reaching for and exploring ideas. You are an adventurer on a journey of exploration, and we act as your guides. We set the itinerary, but you will set your own pace. You can feel free to “stop and smell the roses” or to explore new territory.

The Journey

On any journey, each traveler sees something different on new horizons. So, too, each student is free to personalize his or her own literary experience, provided he or she tries at all times to strive for excellence and accuracy.

Critical Thinking

There are no tricks to critical thinking. Those who claim to guarantee you a 5 by using gimmicks are doing you a disservice. No one can guarantee a 5. However, the reading and writing skills you will review, practice, and master will give you the very best chance to do your very best. You will have the opportunity to learn, to practice, and to master the critical thinking processes that can empower you to achieve your highest score.

Philosophy of This Book: In the Beginning . . .

This is an important concept for us, because we believe that if you focus on the beginning, the rest will fall into place. When you purchased this book and decided to work your way through it, you were beginning your journey to the AP English Language and Composition exam. We will be with you every step of the way.

Why This Book?

We believe we have something unique to offer you. For more than 25 years we have addressed the needs of AP students just like you, and we have been fortunate to learn from these students. Therefore, the contents of this book reflect genuine student concerns and needs. This is a student-oriented book. We will not overwhelm you with pompous language, mislead you with inaccurate information and tasks, or lull you into a false sense of confidence through cutesy shortcuts. We stand behind every suggestion, process, and question we present. There is no “busywork” in this book.

We know you will not do every activity we suggest. Therefore, think of this text as a resource and guide to accompany you on your AP English Language and Composition exam journey throughout the year. This book is designed to serve many purposes. It will:

✵ clarify requirements for the AP English Language and Composition exam;

✵ provide you with test practice;

✵ show you models and rubrics on which you can model and evaluate your own work;

✵ anticipate and answer your questions;

✵ enrich your understanding and appreciation of the writing process;

✵ help you pace yourself; and

✵ make you aware of the Five Steps to Mastering the AP English Language and Composition exam.

Organization of the Book

We know that your primary concern is information about the AP English Language and Composition exam; therefore, we begin at the beginning with an overview of the AP exam in general. We then introduce you to the Diagnostic/Master exam we use throughout the book to show you the “ins and outs” of an AP test. In separate chapters, you will become familiar with both sections of the exam. We lead you through the multiple-choice questions and how to go about answering them, and we take you through the essay questions and approaches to writing these essays.

Because you must be fluent in the language and the process of composition, synthesis, and analysis, we provide a full comprehensive review part in analysis, synthesis, and argument. This review is not a mere listing of terms and concepts. Rather, it is a series of practices that will hone your analytical and writing skills. However, do not fear. You will find terms and concepts clearly delineated within their contexts. We will also provide you with annotated suggestions for high-interest readings for analysis, synthesis, and argument.

After carefully working your way through Chapters 4 through 10, you may wish to go to McGraw-Hill’s 5 Step series website which provides review, reinforcement, and enrichment questions that refer to the skills covered in each chapter. You can compare your response(s) with what we provide on the website for this book: www.mhpracticeplus.com

A separate section of this book contains the practice exams. Here is where you will test your own skills. You may be sure that the selections included in each exam are on an AP level. The multiple-choice questions provide practice with types of questions asked on AP exams. The essay questions are designed to cover the techniques and terms required by the AP exam. The free-response essays are both challenging and specific, but broad enough to suit all curricula. After taking each exam, you can check yourself against the explanations of every multiple-choice question and the ratings of the sample student essays.

The final part is one you should not pass over. It contains a glossary of terms, a bibliography of works that may be of importance to you, and a list of websites related to the AP English Language and Composition exam.

Introduction to the Five-Step Preparation Program

The Five-Step Preparation Program is a powerful tool designed to provide you with the best possible skills, strategies, and practice to help lead you to that perfect 5 on the AP English Language and Composition exam administered each May to more than 250,000 high school students. Each of the five steps will provide you with the opportunity to get closer and closer to the 5, which is the “Holy Grail” to all AP students.

Step 1: Set Up Your Study Program

✵ Month-by-month: September through May

✵ The calendar year: January through May

✵ Basic training: the 4 to 6 weeks before the exam

Step 2: Determine Your Test Readiness

✵ A comprehensive review of the exam

✵ One “Diagnostic/Master exam” you will go through step by step and question by question to build your confidence level

✵ Explanation of multiple-choice answers

Step 3: Develop Strategies for Success

✵ Learn about the test itself

✵ Learn to read multiple-choice questions

✵ Learn how to answer multiple-choice questions, including whether or not to guess

✵ Learn how to deconstruct the essay prompts

✵ Learn how to plan the essay

Step 4: Review the Knowledge You Need to Score High

✵ A comprehensive review of analysis and argument

✵ Practice activities that will hone your skills in close reading

✵ Practice activities in critical thinking

✵ Practice activities in critical/analytical/argumentative writing

Step 5: Build Your Test-Taking Confidence

✵ The opportunity to take a Diagnostic/Master exam

✵ Time management techniques/skills

✵ Two practice exams that test how well-honed your skills are

✵ Rubrics for self-evaluation

Finally, at the back of the book you’ll find additional resources to aid your preparation. These include:

✵ Glossary of terms

✵ Bibliography for further reading

✵ Websites related to the AP English Language exam

The Graphics Used in This Book

To emphasize particular skills and strategies, we use several icons throughout this book. An icon in the margin will alert you that you should pay particular attention to the accompanying text. We use three icons:

This icon points out a very important concept or fact that you should not pass over.

This icon calls your attention to a problem-solving strategy that you may want to try.

This icon indicates a tip that you might find useful.

In addition, bold and bold underlined words indicate terms included in the Glossary.

Scattered throughout the book are marginal notes and numerous shaded boxes. We urge you to pay close attention to them because they can provide tips, hints, strategies, and further explanations to help you reach your full potential.