AP English Language and Composition practice exam answer key

Question: 1

1. This text can best be described as

• A. scientific
• B. satirical
• C. forthright
• D. humanitarian
• E. sadistic

Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

B As is often the case on the real exam, this first passage, taken from Jonathan Swift’s "A Modest Proposal" is a relatively easy one. This question sets up many of the others that follow it so make sure you get this one correct. If you take the author’s proposal seriously, then four of the answers [(A), (C), (D), and (E)] are plausible; of course, the key is to understand that the author is not making a serious proposal, but, rather, he is satirizing other so-called scientific studies that, under the guise of humanitarianism, tend to offer cruel (if not sadistic) "solutions" to poverty. Therefore, (B) is the only acceptable answer.

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Question: 2

2. In the first, second, and fourth paragraphs the author relies on dubious

• A. similes
• B. ad hominem arguments
• C. extended metaphors
• D. arguments from authority
• E. appeals to ignorance

Correct Answer: D

Explanation:

D Even if you are not familiar with the term "arguments from authority," you can easily guess the meaning. The authorities cited are "a principal gentleman in the county of Cavan" (paragraph 1), "our merchants" (paragraph 2), and "a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London" (paragraph 4). These are, of course, dubious authorities, indeed, which is one of the sources of humor in the passage.

The easiest and fastest way to use POE in this case is to examine the shortest of the paragraphs, the fourth. Clearly, there are no similes (A) or extended metaphors (C) in the fourth paragraph, so there is no need to check the first or second paragraphs for these rhetorical devices. The other two answers are more esoteric, but logic leads you to eliminate them, even if you do not fully understand them as rhetorical terms. There is nothing approximating an appeal in paragraph four, so you can eliminate that answer easily; there is also no attempt to argue a point (B).

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Question: 3

3. "Probationers" (line 13) are

• A. children learning how to steal
• B. children on probation
• C. adults on probation
• D. apprentices working at a trade
• E. young artists

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A Answers (B) and (C) are shallowly associated with the word "probationers," which appears in the question (and text), and are easily dismissed. Answer (E) tempts you to make a hasty association between the last word in the paragraph ("art") and a practitioner of art. This narrows the choices to (A) and (D); however, it is clear that the children’s "livelihood" is not a formal trade, but mere thievery—the only "trade" left open to indigent children during the incipient stages of the Industrial Revolution. So "probationers" refers to "children learning how to steal," or choice A.

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Question: 4

4. The phrase "the charge of nutriment and rags having been at least four times that value" (lines 24-26) is humorous because

• A. food was relatively cheap at that time
• B. four times is a hyperbole
• C. rags could be found free
• D. we don't know who is being charged
• E. rags is unexpected diction

Correct Answer: E

Explanation:

E The humor comes from the clever juxtaposition of the phrase "nutriment and rags." The first term is even more formal than what we may expect (food), and this creates an expectation for the second term: clothing. Instead, the author hits the reader with an unexpected substitute for clothes: rags. The other answers appear to be more or less plausible, but none has anything to do with humor. Hyperbole (B) was thrown in gratuitously; often, students will be tricked into selecting an answer simply because it contains a rhetorical term and appears to be the most sophisticated choice.

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Question: 5

5. The word "fricassee" (line 35) is obviously a(n)

• A. animal
• B. child
• C. dish
• D. place
• E. master

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

C Even though you are probably not familiar with this word, as long as you read it in context, the answer to this question should be obvious—the entire paragraph is about food, and certainly you understand the other terms (stewed, roasted, baked, boiled ). Reading the term in context should have at least allowed you to eliminate the other choices; "animal," "child," "place," and "master."

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Question: 6

6. In lines 36-44 the author adopts the standard rhetorical pattern of

• A. process analysis
• B. example
• C. cause and effect
• D. deductive reasoning
• E. analogy

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A The best approach to this question is to use POE. You can eliminate answers (B) and (C) right away. If you remember that "deductive reasoning" means starting with a generality and working logically to a specific conclusion, you can see that answer (D) is way off base too. Answer (E) may be tempting because of the existence of the phrase "which is more than we allow to sheep, black cattle, or swine" in the paragraph, but this paragraph is not dominated by analogy. Although this comparison is extended, it is not really a pattern. "Process analysis" (A) is the best answer; in this paragraph, the author analyzes a problem and proposes a process that will bring about a solution. The proposal describes the process for breeding, fattening, and preparing this very unusual source of protein.

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Question: 7

7. The phrase "always advising the mother to let them suck plentifully in the last month" (lines 47-48) extends the comparison between the children and

• A. properly nourished mammals
• B. poor and ruthless parents
• C. savages
• D. animals raised for slaughter
• E. the poor treatment of animals

Correct Answer: D

Explanation:

D This question is related to the previous one. The proposal is to fatten the children for slaughter, just as if they were livestock (sheep, cattle, or pigs).

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Question: 8

8. In line 58, "dear" means

• A. expensive
• B. sweet
• C. cherished
• D. unforgettable
• E. unhealthy

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A By using POE, you should be able to narrow your choices down to (A) and (C) very quickly. The author is saying that the new meat will be expensive, and only the rich landlords will be able to afford it.

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Question: 9

9. In context, "devoured" (line 60) is an effective word choice because

• A. it fits both figuratively and literally
• B. it is appropriate only literally
• C. it is indicative of the landlords' plight
• D. it works as a sentimental appeal
• E. it reveals the author's point of view

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A By this point, you must have digested (forgive the pun) the satire, so you understand that the landlords have "devoured" the parents by charging unreasonably high rents and that, according to the author, they may as well literally devour (eat) their poor tenants’ children. It is understandable that answer (E) may tempt you, but the diction in this sentence is hardly a revelation. We have understood the point of view all along; behind the comical satire is the rage of a man disgusted by the exploitation of the poor by the rich.

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Question: 10

10. According to the author, the proposal

• A. makes good economic sense and helps the poor
• B. provides food for the needy and the rich, alike
• C. makes good economic sense but does not benefit the poor or rich
• D. benefits the rich in several ways
• E. benefits everyone in many ways

Correct Answer: D

Explanation:

D This farcical proposal does make good economic sense, but it does not help the poor; clearly, this eliminates answers (A), (B), and (E). The "only" in answer (C) allows us to discard that choice too. The proposal benefits the rich by providing a plentiful source of a food that, among other things, will be both chic and appropriate for a wide variety of dishes. Also, by slaughtering the children when they are infants, society will not have to worry about providing for older children, who are too young to work but old enough to need clothing and food. Ostensibly, this responsibility falls on those who have money, the rich; if this cost is eliminated, then again the rich benefit.

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Question: 11

1. The purpose of the passage is most likely to

• A. describe the cultural landscape in Gulliver's Travels
• B. draw a comparison between the fictional world Gulliver experienced and the similar imaginative elements of eighteenth-century London
• C. point out the superfluous nature of entertainment in Swift's London
• D. provide evidence that Swift's satire is derived from the natural curiosity of European royalty
• E. discredit the notion that Gulliver's Travels is a wholly original work

Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

B To answer this question, you need to think in terms of main idea. This is a fairly straight-forward question that asks you to consider the type of material you are reading and what the author is saying within that context. In this piece of literary criticism, the author is making a connection between what Gulliver experienced and what an eighteenth-century Londoner might have seen exhibited in fairs and inns.

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Question: 12

2. The footnote 1 in line 27 indicates that

• A. the article first appeared as an addendum to Gulliver's Travels
• B. Gulliver's Travels was first published in 1939
• C. the quotation "looked like the … Theater" was excerpted from Gulliver's Travels, part of a 14 volume set of Swift's works
• D. the quotation "looked like the … Theater" was originally written by Herbert Davis
• E. Gulliver's Travels was reprinted in its entirety in 1939, and credited to Herbert Davis instead of Swift

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

C Footnote questions were added to the test in response to concerns raised by colleges and universities. In these days of easy access to information via the internet, colleges are becoming increasingly concerned that students do not take seriously the intellectual property of authors and end up plagiarizing, wittingly or not. Footnotes give information about authorship and publication place and date and can also provide hints as to the purpose of a piece of writing or its context. This particular footnote simply indicates that the quote about Lilliput does, indeed, come from Gulliver’s Travels, part of a 14-volume set of works by Swift.

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Question: 13

3. The footnote 2 in line 39 indicates

• A. the quotation was taken from a professional journal
• B. the quotation refers to a 1710 exhibit in Amsterdam
• C. the quotation originally appeared in Gulliver's Travels in 1883
• D. the quotation, describing a miniature exhibition of Amsterdam, first appeared in a book by John Ashton
• E. the quotation was originally published in a newspaper

Correct Answer: D

Explanation:

D This quote from Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne helps to set an elaborate scene, and the footnote helps to lend credibility to Todd’s purpose in describing the imaginative miniature worlds of Swift’s day.

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Question: 14

4. The detail in lines 50-56 suggest the scene is viewed by which of the following?

• A. an impartial anthropologist
• B. an intrigued visitor
• C. a critical literary scholar
• D. an argumentative architect
• E. a struggling writer

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

C By paying attention to the title, the author, the subject matter, and the footnotes you should be able to use POE to weed out (B) and (C), and while the subject matter of this essay might be of interest to an anthropologist (A), the content and format is consistent with literary criticism.

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Question: 15

1. It can be inferred from this passage that

• A. Rousseau's novels predate those of Abbé Prévost
• B. most critics concur that French Romanticism began with Abbé Prévost's works
• C. Nivelle de la Chausée is most famous for his novels
• D. the eighteenth-century novel is not relevant to the discussion of French Romanticism
• E. Romantic paintings often depict emotional contemporary issues

Correct Answer: E

Explanation:

E In approaching this question, you’ll definitely want to use POE. You can infer several things from the first part of the passage.

1. The passage is about French Romanticism.
2. Typically, critics agree that French Romanticism begins in the late eighteenth century.
3. Typically, critics agree that Jean-Jacques Rousseau is the first great French Romantic.
4. This author emphasizes that French Romanticism is important much earlier in the eighteenth century.
5. This author believes that the novels of Abbé Prévost, who wrote Romantic works in the first half of the century, provide good examples of this earlier phenomenon.

Thus, answer (A) is clearly false; the reverse is true. The same can be said for (B)—few critics believe this; most critics believe that "the patron saint" is Rousseau. It is easy to eliminate (D). If the novel is not relevant, then why does the critic spend half of the passage discussing it? It is true that the author proposes drama as an even more relevant genre, but that doesn’t imply that the consideration of the novel was inappropriate.

The author discusses Nivelle de la Chaussée along with the group of playwrights; thus, it is reasonable to assume that plays, not novels, are that author’s claim to fame. Therefore, you’re left with (E); and from how the author has described the books and paintings "often depict emotional contemporary issues."

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Question: 16

2. It can be inferred from this passage that Romantic works often include

• A. scenes in gloomy interiors
• B. battles with Goths
• C. scenes from the Wild West
• D. discussions with neighbors
• E. vividly decorated chambers

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A You should be able to eliminate choices (B) and (C) right away. Choice (C) is just ridiculous, and as for (B), the Gothic effects have to do with Gothic art (architecture) and the so-called Gothic Revival. Choice (D) doesn’t seem to have much to do with the passage, so get rid of it.

You may get caught up with answer (E); the problem with this answer is the word "vividly." However, between (A) and (E), you should be able to determine that (A) is the better choice, upon reviewing the passage. If you are unfamiliar with Gothic romances, the phrase "such as crêpe-hung mortuary chambers" is the key to arriving at the correct answer.

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Question: 17

3. The word "morphology" (line 16) most closely means

• A. structure
• B. sickness
• C. psychology
• D. death
• E. revolution

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A Hopefully, POE can help you narrow your choices to (A) and (C). If you are unsure, plug each proposed answer into the sentence and see if the resulting sentence makes sense in the context of what you have read. "Morphology" refers to the form or structure of something. How does (A) sound? "… the revolution in theatrical behavior which is of singular importance for the structure (or form) of Romanticism." That isn’t bad; it’s the best of the answer choices!

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Question: 18

4. The "gratuitous demonstrations" (line 20) are

• A. free of charge
• B. calm portrayals
• C. not directly tied to the plot
• D. tips for the actors
• E. gratifying plays

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

C The only overt attempts to trick you are in (D) and (E). When you go to a restaurant, the "gratuity" is the tip; "gratuitous" and "gratifying" contain the same initial letters. Even if you do not know the correct answer, you should never fall for this kind of trick; seldom or never will the question and the correct answer have a relationship such as this one.

Words like intensity and gesticulating should lead you to the correct answer. In this case, the author is saying that the actors "go out of their way to give gratuitous demonstrations of the intensity with which they feel," which implies that their demonstrations are not directly tied to the plot; this shows that (C) is correct. Note that (B) is the exact opposite of the correct answer.

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Question: 19

5. The "comédies larmoyantes" (lines 22-23) are characterized by

• A. the overwrought emotionalism of the characters
• B. the subdued control of the action
• C. complicated rhetoric
• D. the death of the main characters at the end of the play
• E. extravagant sets

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A This question is related to the previous ones in many respects. Furthermore, answers (C), (D), and (E) are not substantiated in any way by the text, and (B) is the opposite of what is true. A large clue in the passage that should have guided you toward the correct answer is the phrase "the gesticulating characters, often morbid, always extravagant." This implies that the characters were, as (A) states, emotionally overwrought.

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Question: 20

6. "Revolutionary" (line 27) is capitalized because it

• A. refers to a specific revolution
• B. designates a literary movement
• C. is a key word in the passage
• D. is part of the author's title
• E. refers to a specific dramatist

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A The word "Revolutionary" is capitalized because it refers to a specific revolution: the French Revolution (of 1789). By the way, there were several other important revolutions in France, most notably in 1830 and 1848; however, the French Revolution is the one that’s cited here.

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Question: 21

7. The last sentence (lines 21-29) in the passage is

• A. a period
• B. a run-on sentence
• C. a metaphorical conclusion
• D. not to be taken literally
• E. an attack on the dramatist Mercier

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A Remember that a period (or periodic sentence) is a long, complex, grammatically correct sentence. This is definitely a long sentence, but it flows well and is grammatically correct.

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Question: 22

8. Most likely, the passage is part of

• A. a historical study of drama
• B. a textbook on history
• C. a study of Romanticism
• D. an article in a travel magazine
• E. a political history of France

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

C Using POE, you can eliminate all the incorrect answers with ease. Clearly, the passage goes beyond a discussion of theater (A), has nothing to do with political history (E), and is far too scholarly to interest tourists (D). Although, conceivably, it could come from a history text (B), the entire passage only deals with Romanticism, and seems to get into a little too much depth, and controversially, to be appropriate for a history text.

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Question: 23

1. In the initial paragraph, the author employs both

• A. apology and classification
• B. irony and exposition
• C. analogy and extended metaphor
• D. flattery and epithets
• E. induction and persuasion

Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

B Again, POE is the best way to approach this question. Answers (A), (C), (D), and (E) are at least half wrong (therefore completely wrong). Take a look at (B). The author is being ironic when she says in the first line, "My own sex, I hope, will excuse me, if I treat them like rational creatures.…" The second part of choice (B), "exposition," is defined as "a setting forth of meaning or intent," and that is exactly what the author is doing in this first paragraph. Answer choice (B) is correct. For the record, note that, in this context, the author’s "apology" has nothing to do with being sorry; it most nearly means "defense of an idea."

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Question: 24

2. In the initial paragraph, the author decries

• A. traditional feminine attributes
• B. traditional male attributes
• C. modern sexuality
• D. the importance of love
• E. the importance of sentiments

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A The author addresses women directly and pretends to excuse herself for addressing them as strong, confident people, instead of the weak, overly sentimental creatures that society wants (and expects) them to be.

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Question: 25

3. In the initial paragraph, the author suggests that

• A. men prefer strong women
• B. a man will never truly love a strong woman
• C. men never respect strong women
• D. women need emotional and physical strength
• E. women need intellectual and physical strength

Correct Answer: E

Explanation:

E Your choice should boil down to (D) and (E). When the author says, "I wish to persuade women to endeavour to acquire strength, both of mind and body," she means intellectual and physical strength. Had she wanted to stress emotional strength, she would have replaced mind with heart.

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Question: 26

4. The author ties the second paragraph to the first by using the words

• A. vessel and "touchstone"
• B. soften and "inferior"
• C. laudable and "sex"
• D. slavish and "virtue"
• E. soften and "weak"

Correct Answer: E

Explanation:

E Softer and weak are important adjectives of both paragraphs; the author uses them in the second paragraph to tie this paragraph in with the first one.