There’s no limit to the different kinds of questions that ETS can (and does) write for the AP English Literature and Composition Exam. As a result, we can’t show you every type of question that may show up on the test. We can come pretty close, though, as questions are often reused from year to year. The best way to study these questions is by practicing on examples, but to understand and use the example questions, you need a passage.
There’s no need to complete the questions immediately because we’re going to take you through them one step at time, discussing the best approaches and specific techniques to use in answering them. Of course, if you want to see how you do on them before referring to our instructions, go right ahead.
After you’ve looked over the passages, read each question, try to answer it, and then follow our explanations. The correct answer to each question is given in the explanation, but don’t just skim through the explanation looking for the answer to see whether you chose correctly. Read all of each explanation, regardless of whether you got the question right. Our explanations will point out details you overlooked and discuss how you might have approached the question differently.
At the end of this chapter, you’ll have the opportunity to try a full passage and set of questions so that you can practice using the techniques and approaches discussed in this chapters.
Expect anything from mystery to humor to fantasy (and a host of other literary genres, or categories) in the exam’s prose fiction analysis passages, representing periods ranging from the 16th century to modern times. Moreover, each prose fiction analysis passage is just a piece of a larger work, sometimes with bits truncated (cut out) in order to fit the exam’s roughly 500–700 word average length. So, you may feel that you’ve been dropped into the middle of something when you first start reading, and that you’ve been left hanging when you reach the end. As disorienting as that may seem, each passage is a self-contained selection that holds the answers you need.
You’ll find two or three prose fiction analysis passages (interspersed with poetry analysis) in the multiple-choice section, with about 10 to 12 minutes to answer 8 to 13 questions about each one. That’s around a minute or a bit more than a minute per question, and you need time to read the passage, too. How can you accomplish that?
First, work (don’t read) the passage, using the active reading techniques described in Chapter 1. Your only objective is to answer the questions correctly, so use your active reading skills to take control and make the passage give you the information you need. Practice active reading until it becomes second nature.
Second, use the time management and pacing techniques explained in Chapter 2. Work at a steady pace, and don’t waste time on questions you can’t answer. Guess (using your Letter of the Day) and move on, quickly noting the question number in case you have a chance to go back to it.
Third, learn to recognize the question types, question formats, and the best way to approach each one. Review the information in Chapter 4, and practice with the passages in this book. That way, when you see a particular type of question on the exam, you’ll be well prepared with a plan of attack.
A Passage in 12–15 Minutes
Work—don’t just read—the passage. Read actively.
Manage your time; pace yourself.
Learn the question types.
Typical prose fiction analysis passage questions are designed to test your critical reading skills. They give you an opportunity to show that you can grasp both the overall theme (the main point), and how various elements of the passage function to develop that theme. These questions assess your ability to analyze, interpret, and make inferences—to “read between the lines” and dissect how the author conveys his or her meaning. It also checks that you can do all of that quickly and accurately.
Prose fiction analysis passage questions tend to focus on elements that are likely familiar to you from previous literature studies, such as
characters (their significance and function in the passage, as well as the relationships among them)
setting and its significance
situation and its significance
narration
plot
theme(s)
structure (how the passage progresses)
perspectives (the narrator’s and the author’s) and the relationships of part to whole and parts to each other
style (vocabulary and syntax, devices the author uses to convey his or her meaning)
tone (the author’s or narrator’s attitude) and the elements that reveal it
literary devices (figurative language such as allusions, metaphors, and symbols) and their functions in the passage
In the rest of this chapter, you can practice taking control of two prose fiction analysis passages and making them give you the correct answers. First is a sample passage. Try using active reading techniques and answering the questions. Then read the answer explanations that follow; they describe not only how to reach the correct answer, but also how to approach this type of question when you encounter it in other passages. At the end of this chapter is a prose fiction analysis passage drill with questions and answer explanations to give you more practice.
1. The primary purpose of the passage is to portray
(A) the characteristics of an exaggerated type through the figure of L’Omelette
(B) a reassuringly humorous vision of hell through a narrative in which the Devil himself is bested
(C) the evil consequences of excessive pride
(D) the developing relationship between L’Omelette and the Devil
(E) the pivotal change that occurs in L’Omelette through his encounter with the Devil
2. Which of the following best describes the Duke De L’Omelette?
(A) He is a typical eighteenth-century nobleman.
(B) He is a caricature of a snob.
(C) He is a man more wicked than the Devil.
(D) He is a man with perfect aesthetic judgment.
(E) He is a man transformed by his encounter with a power greater than his own.
3. In context, lines 27–35 serve to reinforce the reader’s impression of the Duke’s
(A) quick temper
(B) exquisite taste
(C) sense of self-importance
(D) accomplishments and social position
(E) misunderstanding of his situation
4. The author’s portrayal of the Duke De L’Omelette is best described as
(A) a sympathetic portrait of a man with overly delicate sensibilities
(B) a comically ironic treatment of an effete snob
(C) a harshly condemnatory portrait of a bon vivant
(D) an admiring portrait of a great artist
(E) a farcical treatment of the very rich
5. Which of the following descriptions is an example of the narrator’s irony?
(A) “Unable to restrain his feelings, his Grace swallows an olive.” (lines 8–9)
(B) “I took thee, just now, from a rosewood coffin inlaid with ivory.” (lines 37–38)
(C) “The Duke knew it to be a ruby; but from it there poured a light so intense, so still, so terrible.” (lines 58–60)
(D) “And there, too!—there!—upon the ottoman!—who could he be?—he, the Deity—who sat as if carved in marble, and who smiled, with his pale countenance, bitterly?” (lines 81–84)
(E) “His Grace was all care, all attention, his Majesty all confidence.” (lines 96–97)
6. In line 53, the word “appalling” suggests the Duke
(A) has found the room’s decor unacceptable
(B) has approbation for clouds
(C) suffers from insomnia
(D) finds the apartment extraordinary
(E) suffers from a paroxysm
7. Which of the following best implies the contextual meaning of the phrase “sacrificed his loyalty” (line 6) within the context of the story?
(A) The Duke has fallen into disfavor with the King by outbidding him.
(B) The Duke has betrayed his country.
(C) The Duke has allowed his desire for the ottoman to override his deference to the King.
(D) The Duke recognizes no one as more powerful than himself.
(E) The Duke values the ottoman more greatly than his prestige.
8. In which of the following lines is the narrator most clearly articulating the Duke’s thoughts?
(A) “Ignoble souls!” (line 2)
(B) “It is superfluous to say more:—”(lines 15–16)
(C) “Having become satisfied of his identity, he took a bird’s-eye view of his whereabouts.” (lines 49–50)
(D) “But the chances—the chances! True—desperate;” (line 89)
(E) “They play.” (line 103)
9. Which of the following lines implies a speaker other than the narrator?
(A) “But who ever died of inept poetry?” (lines 1–2)
(B) “That night the Duke was to sup alone.” (line 4)
(C) “The apartment was superb.” (line 51)
(D) “His majesty did not think, he shuffled.” (lines 97–98)
(E) “Had Alexander not been Alexander, he would have been Diogenes.” (lines 109–110)
10. Which of the following best describes the situation in lines 22–25 and the events that came immediately before it?
(A) The Duke has just noticed the Devil and laughs at him. The Devil returns the laugh, but quietly because he feels insulted.
(B) The Duke has just heard the Devil explain the tortures that lie in store for him. He believes the Devil is joking and laughs. The Devil mocks his laughter, implying that it is no joke.
(C) The Duke and the Devil have been talking, but the exact topic has purposefully been left vague.
(D) The Duke has just heard the Devil’s plans for him and laughs defiantly at the Devil. The Devil puns on the Duke’s use of the word “Ha!” by saying “He!” By doing so, the devil indicates “He,” that is the Duke, will be punished for his sins.
(E) The Duke, believing he speaks with a lowly servant, laughs at the threats the Devil has made. The Devil plays along, laughing with the Duke in order to draw out the Duke’s eventual humiliation.
11. Which of the following reinforces the effect of the passage most strongly?
(A) Lighthearted situations narrated with deep seriousness
(B) Humorous irony in the introduction, contrasted with serious reflection in the conclusion
(C) Calculated objectivity offset by occasional interjections of subjective emotion
(D) Underlying contempt partially concealed by objectivity
(E) First-person outbursts of effusive emotion in an otherwise third-person narration
12. The narrator’s attitude toward the Duke can be best described as
(A) complete objectivity
(B) ambiguous pity
(C) slight distaste
(D) bemused confusion
(E) satiric glee
13. The phrase, “as if carved in marble” (lines 82–83), is an example of
(A) an apostrophe
(B) irony
(C) lyricism
(D) a metaphor
(E) a simile
This passage was adapted from a short story called “The Duc De L’Omelette.” You’ll sometimes see adapted passages on the AP English Literature and Composition Exam. All it means is the passage was edited to make it appropriate for all high school students and to meet the test’s length requirements. The actual Poe story uses a great deal of French, but keeping the French parts would give an unfair advantage to those who studied French.
The passage demonstrates the kind of language and stylistic devices you’ll see on prose fiction analysis passages on the AP English Literature and Composition Exam, but they aren’t all this weird. If it seemed long, don’t panic—it is about one-third longer than the usual AP passage. (We wanted to use a long passage in this example to give you plenty to work with and to provide abundant fodder for our sample questions. Keep in mind that with a total of 55 questions, some of the passages will have fewer than 13 questions.) If you see a passage of this length on the test, there will then be a shorter passage somewhere to compensate.
We give detailed explanations to the 13 questions that followed the passage. The passages and questions on our practice test are designed to imitate the actual exam. Here, we’ve chosen the questions with an eye toward teaching you our techniques, but even so, the mix of the types of questions is fairly representative of the questions you’ll see on an AP passage.
We’ve broken the questions down into small groups in order to illustrate specific types of questions you’re likely to see. We don’t want you to memorize the names of these types or spend a lot of time practicing identifying these types. There are no points for doing that. If you do remember them, great, but all we want is for you to become familiar with the most common types of questions on the test and to see how the same techniques, applied in slightly different ways, work on question after question.
The first question is a general question and as you know, general questions ask about the whole passage, not just some detail of the passage.
The question sets will often (but not always) start out with general questions. We’ve placed the questions on this passage in the order that lets us best explain them to you. Remember that when you actually take the test, you should attempt the questions in the order given (if you feel comfortable with your comprehension of the passage). If you feel pretty lost, then you should put any general questions off until last, in the hope that working with the specific questions will give you more confidence about your comprehension of the passage and its main idea.
The classic general question is the primary purpose question:
1. The primary purpose of the passage is to portray
(A) the characteristics of an exaggerated type through the figure of L’Omelette
(B) a reassuringly humorous vision of hell through a narrative in which the Devil himself is bested
(C) the evil consequences of excessive pride
(D) the developing relationship between L’Omelette and the Devil
(E) the pivotal change that occurs in L’Omelette through his encounter with the Devil
Here’s How to Crack It
Understand the question by understanding the answer choices. What does “primary purpose” mean?
When you see a primary purpose question, it means you must look for an answer that covers the broad outline of the story. This advice goes for all general questions; it is what makes them general. Remember that you are looking for a choice that accurately describes some facet of the entire passage.
Now use the answer choices themselves to focus on exactly what primary purpose the test writers are looking for.
The question itself indicates that the primary purpose of the passage is to portray something. What is it portraying? Use POE.
Take (A). Does the whole passage deal with an exaggerated type? Well, the Duke is an exaggeration of something. This is a guy who takes time to approve of the decor in hell. Choice (A) seems to be a reasonable summation of the whole passage. Leave it. Now take each of the remaining choices in turn.
Now to (B). The whole passage is not all about a “reassuringly humorous vision of hell.” Each paragraph does not point out how harmless hell is. The humorous part is the Duke’s taking it all more or less in stride. Eliminate (B).
Choice (C) talks about “the evil consequences of excessive pride.” The passage is all about the Duke’s excessive pride, but what are the consequences? There are none. The end of the story finds the Duke returning to his ill-prepared ortolan, which is right where he started, so you have to wonder whether it’s going to kill him all over again. Remember, half bad equals all bad. Eliminate (C).
And while you’re at it, eliminate (D) unless you think that the whole passage is about the relationship between L’Omelette and the Devil. It isn’t. The Devil doesn’t have much personality in the story at all. He serves as a foil for the Duke, little else.
Eliminate (E) because the Duke doesn’t change at all. When the point of a passage is to show a dramatic change, you’ll know it. The whole passage will build to that change.
You’re left with (A), the correct answer.
What phrase have we kept repeating? “The whole passage.” General questions call for you to consider the whole passage, not one small piece of it.
Another thing we did was focus on key phrases in the answer choices. “What consequences?” we asked when we looked at (C). We didn’t get taken in by the phrase “excessive pride.” Learning how to focus on an answer choice is a skill that comes with practice. As you follow our explanations, your skill will improve. In fact, after that discussion, the next question should be a breeze.
AP passages tend to be focused on one thing. Here the focus is on the Duke. A passage might focus on the description of an event or a place, but the most common focus is on a character. Yes, here’s where the first of the Big Six comes in handy.
2. Which of the following best describes the Duke De L’Omelette?
(A) He is a typical eighteenth-century nobleman.
(B) He is a caricature of a snob.
(C) He is a man more wicked than the Devil.
(D) He is a man with perfect aesthetic judgment.
(E) He is a man transformed by his encounter with a power greater than his own.
Here’s How to Crack It
The correct answer is (B) and finding it probably didn’t cause you much trouble. About the only problem might have been the term caricature, which means “exaggerated portrait.” It is a term you should know (it’s in our glossary). Do you notice any similarities between the correct answer to question 1 and the correct answer here? You should. One speaks of an exaggerated portrayal of a type, and one speaks of a caricature of a snob. These are almost the same answer. The only difference is that the second question spells out what “type” is being caricatured: the snob. This is an example of Consistency of Answers. Both answers are consistent with the main idea, and when answers are consistent with the main idea, they are consistent with each other. In this case the answers are extremely similar. If you thought the Duke was an exaggerated portrayal in question 1, why would he suddenly become a “typical eighteenth-century nobleman” in question 2? That would be inconsistent, so eliminate (A). The Duke is either exaggerated or he’s typical, but he can’t be both. Choice (C) is for students who read into things too much. The Duke wins the card game at the end. Does that mean he’s more wicked than the Devil? No. Choice (D) is too strong. “Perfect?” De L’Omelette thinks his tastes are perfect, but does the story suggest that his tastes are perfect? No, only that they are extremely, almost comically, particular. Choice (E) isn’t supported by the passage. You’d think the Duke would be transformed by his encounter with the Devil, but he isn’t. At the end of the story you should have gotten the feeling that L’Omelette is going to go right back to his old ways.
Consistency of Answers doesn’t just apply to general questions. It is just as helpful with detail questions.
Detail questions (aka specific questions) make up the majority of questions on the multiple-choice section of the test. These are questions (or answer choices) that direct you to a specific place in the passage and ask about your comprehension of the details.
Most of the time (but not always), the detail questions give you a line number or a range of lines with which to work. We call these questions line-reference questions. For line-reference questions there are just two things you need to keep in mind:
Go back to the passage and reread the lines in question. Don’t rely on your memory, particularly under the time pressure of the exam. Your memory will likely lead you astray. Also, read at least one full sentence before the line reference and one full sentence after the line reference. Keep in mind that a word or phrase you are being asked to define may not have the meaning you would infer from the wording of the question. It is important that you refer to the word in the context of the line.
Keep the main idea in mind, and use Consistency of Answers whenever possible.
3. In context, lines 27–35 serve to reinforce the reader’s impression of the Duke’s
(A) quick temper
(B) exquisite taste
(C) sense of self-importance
(D) accomplishments and social position
(E) misunderstanding of his situation
Here’s How to Crack It
This question calls for you to go back and read a fairly large range of lines—a whole paragraph. Go back and read it. Because the several lines referred to in this question make up a more or less self-contained paragraph, reading a full sentence before and after the reference doesn’t make a big difference in getting the question right, but it doesn’t hurt, either, and takes just an extra two or three seconds. Make it a habit to read a little above and below the lines referred to; it’ll be worth a couple of points in the long run.
Essentially, the lines in question discuss the Duke’s outrage at the Devil’s command to disrobe.
If you misunderstand the question, you have a good chance of getting the answer wrong. The passage shows aspects of all the answer choices. The Duke shows a quick temper, mentions his tastes (which are not so much exquisite as they are ostentatious), mentions his accomplishments, and misunderstands his situation. But the correct answer is (C).
All the answer choices seem right, so what gives? The solution lies in understanding the question and how the question relates to the main idea. The question asks: What does the passage serve to reinforce? Nearly everything in this very compact story serves to reinforce the central impression of the story—the Duke’s outrageous sense of self-importance. He isn’t merely a snob; he’s completely besotted with his own fabulous self. The Duke thinks he’s the apex of human intellectual and social development. In fact, (A), (B), (D), and (E) are all facets of the Duke’s vanity. His anger is angered vanity. His tastes are flawless; they must be, thinks the Duke, because they’re his. When the Duke mentions his work, the “Mazurkiad,” you can almost see him puff up with the greatness of it all. Even his misunderstanding is an aspect of his vanity. The Duke doesn’t quite comprehend his surroundings because he can’t imagine being in a position to take orders from anyone. All these things revolve like planets around the Duke’s sense that he’s the center of the universe.
If you had a solid grasp on the central theme of the story, the Duke’s self-love, you might have found this question easy. Choices (A), (B), (D), and (E) are details. Choice (C) is the main thing. If you had trouble, all you had to do to get this question correct was muse, “Hmm, they all look possible, but which one is most consistent with the main idea?” Well, a snob thinks he’s better than everyone and is very important. Choice (C), sense of self-importance, is most in agreement with that.
Question 3 is an example of using Consistency of Answers. Here’s another:
4. The author’s portrayal of the Duke De L’Omelette is best described as
(A) a sympathetic portrait of a man with overly delicate sensibilities
(B) a comically ironic treatment of an effete snob
(C) a harshly condemnatory portrait of a bon vivant
(D) an admiring portrait of a great artist
(E) a farcical treatment of the very rich
Here’s How to Crack It
Take each answer a word at a time and remember, half bad equals all bad. If any part of the answer is wrong, don’t hesitate to eliminate it. Yes, it’s true that the portrait is of a man with delicate sensibilities (A), but is it sympathetic? Hardly. Get rid of it. You might not understand “effete” in (B), so hold on to it. However, “harshly condemnatory” in (C) should sound wrong to you. The Duke is harshly condemnatory of the servant who brings in his meal, but the passage itself does not disapprove of either of them. Half bad equals all bad, so eliminate it. Now look at (D): John Keats was a great artist, but the Duke? From this passage you sure can’t say that, so cross this one off too. On to (E). “Farcical?” Perhaps. But is this passage about the “very rich”? No, it’s about the Duke De L’Omelette. Half bad equals all bad, so you’re left with (B) even if you’re not quite sure what it means. But here’s a pop quiz: What technique tells you the answer must be (B)? Consistency of Answers.
Now we aren’t saying every single question uses Consistency of Answers. It should be one of the first things you think about when you approach a question, but there are definitely questions that focus on a detail in such a way that Consistency of Answers doesn’t come into play.
Here’s an example:
5. Which of the following descriptions is an example of the narrator’s irony?
(A) “Unable to restrain his feelings, his Grace swallows an olive.” (lines 8–9)
(B) “I took thee, just now, from a rosewood coffin inlaid with ivory.” (lines 37–38)
(C) “The Duke knew it to be a ruby; but from it there poured a light so intense, so still, so terrible.” (lines 58–60)
(D) “And there, too!—there!—upon the ottoman!—who could he be?—he, the Deity—who sat as if carved in marble, and who smiled, with his pale countenance, bitterly?” (lines 81–84)
(E) “His Grace was all care, all attention, his Majesty all confidence.” (lines 96–97)
Here’s How to Crack It
Notice that in this question the line references come in the answer choices. That’s not uncommon. Properly speaking, this isn’t a specific question or a general question or a literary-term question. The answer choices send you back to the passage to find a specific example of something that occurs throughout the whole passage: irony, which is a literary term. But, you don’t get points for putting questions in categories anyway; the important thing is to get the question right, efficiently.
The way to get this question right is to know what irony is. Learn to recognize its many forms. We discuss irony in our glossary of literary terms for the AP English Literature and Composition Exam. (Yep, we’re going to say that every time we mention irony.)
The correct answer is (A). You should have noticed the entire tone of the piece is somewhat ironic. Most of the passage is written with a deliberate undercurrent of meaning that changes the effect of the literal meaning of the lines. This, above all, is the hallmark of irony; there’s more than meets the eye. But let’s get back to (A). Why is it ironic? Let’s take the statement “Unable to restrain his feelings, his Grace swallows an olive.” At face value, the Duke’s feelings became so strong that he had to swallow an olive. Now, in no way can swallowing an olive be the outcome of unrestrained feelings unless one has pretty unusual feelings, which is precisely the point. The Duke’s anticipation of dinner having reached a fevered pitch, he buries his face in a pillow. The clock bangs out the long-awaited hour and unable to restrain himself, the Duke swallows an olive. One thing this shows is how fanatically the Duke takes his meals. At the same time, the juxtaposition (to juxtapose means to place things side by side) of the Duke’s unrestrained feelings and his act of swallowing an olive show something else: the Duke’s biggest feelings are actually puny; the Duke’s crescendo of passion is capped by swallowing an olive. That’s the ironic part. The author in effect says, “In the Duke’s opinion this is something big, but we can all see that it’s rather small.” When the literal meaning of a word or phrase implies its opposite, you’re dealing with irony.
Hey, didn’t we say that the whole piece was ironic? If that’s true, what makes the other choices wrong? Well, okay, the whole piece is ironic. In effect, the passage tells us that the Duke thinks he’s absolutely first-rate but we can see that he’s really quite laughable. However, for this question you must consider the answer choices in isolation. None of them alone carry the double meaning that is so crucial to irony. Choice (B) is a description of a coffin. Choice (C) describes the ruby that illuminates the Devil’s chamber in hell. Choice (D) describes the moment the Duke realizes, at last, that the creature he’s dealing with is truly the Devil himself. Choice (E) simply describes the Duke’s and the Devil’s attitude as they begin the card game.
Okay, enough about irony, on to the next kind of question.
AP questions will often ask you to look at a single word or phrase:
6. In line 53, the word “appalling” suggests the Duke
(A) has found the room’s decor unacceptable
(B) has approbation for clouds
(C) suffers from insomnia
(D) finds the apartment extraordinary
(E) suffers from a paroxysm
Here’s How to Crack It
It’s true that for the AP English Literature and Composition Exam, a strong vocabulary helps a lot. If you did not know the meaning of decor in (A), approbation in (B), insomnia in (C), or paroxysm in (E), you may have been at a loss. You could eliminate (A) because you know that the Duke found the apartment “superb,” and you could have guessed that the referenced line has nothing to do with the Duke’s inability to sleep (that he suffers from insomnia). Then you would be left with (B), (D), and (E).
Keep in mind that you are only to answer the question being asked—to examine the contextual meaning of one word. You can safely eliminate (E) from the list because in the sentence that contains the word “appalling,” a reference to the Duke’s suffering or discomfort is not implied. Even if you don’t know what paroxysm means (a convulsion), you can use POE to get rid of this answer choice. Now look carefully at (B). In line 53, “appalling” refers to the room, not the clouds. So you can eliminate this choice too, even if you don’t know that approbation is approval. You’re left with the correct answer, (D), in which the two words, which may seem very different, have a commonality in how they both describe something shocking.
Questions 5 and 6 are two questions in a row that don’t use Consistency of Answers. The streak’s over. Here’s a question that asks about a single phrase, yet you can still use Consistency of Answers to assist your POE.
7. Which of the following best implies the contextual meaning of the phrase “sacrificed his loyalty” (line 6) within the context of the story?
(A) The Duke has fallen into disfavor with the King by outbidding him.
(B) The Duke has betrayed his country.
(C) The Duke has allowed his desire for the ottoman to override his deference to the King.
(D) The Duke recognizes no one as more powerful than himself.
(E) The Duke values the ottoman more greatly than his prestige.
Here’s How to Crack It
When approaching this question, you should first go back and read around the citation. Because the citation is a fragment of a sentence, you should read at least a full sentence before and after the reference. (If you want to read more, by all means, do. The full sentence before and after is just a guideline. If it takes you a little more reading to get your bearings in the passage, that’s fine.)
Now, use POE to get rid of what is obviously wrong. If you stay focused with what the phrase in question means it should be easy to eliminate a few answers. Does “sacrificed his loyalty” mean the Duke has betrayed his country? That should sound a little too intense: We’re talking about buying a couch here (an ottoman is a kind of couch). Eliminate (B). Does the Duke recognize no one as more powerful than himself? That may or may not be true, but how could you get that meaning from “sacrificed his loyalty”? Of course, if you try really hard, you can talk yourself into anything. Don’t talk yourself into answers. This is POE. Eliminate (D).
Can you eliminate two more answer choices? The best way is to ask yourself which answer choice is most in keeping with the Duke’s character. Do you think the Duke cares about his prestige more than his couch? Of course he does. He would never sacrifice his prestige. L’Omelette thinks of appearances above all else. Eliminate (E). What about (A)? It is certainly reasonable that the Duke fell into disfavor with the King for outbidding him. But is this what “sacrificed his loyalty” means? No. And if you have any doubts, ask yourself what that interpretation has to do with the rest of the passage. Is the rest of the passage about the Duke’s loss of favor with the King? No. That leaves (C), the correct answer. It is perfectly in keeping with the other answers and the rest of the passage: the Duke shows little deference to the Devil; why would he defer to the King?
The next two questions ask for your comprehension of a detail, but the questions center less on the meaning of the words than about what they indicate about the narrator.
Some questions are straightforward, some are vague, and a few are downright tricky. You need to pay close attention to the wording of questions and when you see an unusual phrase, it’s a good idea to ask yourself why the phrase is worded that way. For many questions, just understanding what the question is asking is half the battle.
8. In which of the following lines is the narrator most clearly articulating the Duke’s thoughts?
(A) “Ignoble souls!” (line 2)
(B) “It is superfluous to say more:—” (lines 15–16)
(C) “Having become satisfied of his identity, he took a bird’s-eye view of his whereabouts.” (lines 49–50)
(D) “But the chances—the chances! True—desperate.” (line 89)
(E) “They play.” (line 103)
Here’s How to Crack It
This question has little to do with the main idea. Your first task is to understand the question. What is meant by “articulating the Duke’s thoughts”? Well, try to put it in your own words. The question could be rewritten as “When is the narrator speaking for the Duke?” There’s nothing wrong with putting a question in your own words so as to understand it better. In fact it’s a good idea as long as you’re careful and don’t just drop off the parts of a question that confuse you. Reading the questions accurately is just as important as reading the passages. The passage isn’t worth any points; the questions are.
Use POE. Eliminate what you can right away. When is the narrator clearly speaking as himself? Choices (B), (C), and (E) all seem like examples of straightforward narration, so eliminate them. That leaves just (A) and (D). In (A), the narrator responds to a question. He exclaims in a very Duke-like way, but the Duke hasn’t even been introduced yet. How could the reader know it was the Duke speaking? The reader couldn’t. All that’s left is (D), the correct answer. In (D), the narrator steps into the Duke’s mind for a moment to record his thoughts, and then just as quickly steps out with the words “but no more desperate than the Duke.”
Question 9 picks up where question 8 left off; a variation on the same theme:
9. Which of the following lines implies a speaker other than the narrator?
(A) “But who ever died of inept poetry?” (lines 1–2)
(B) “That night the Duke was to sup alone.” (line 4)
(C) “The apartment was superb.” (line 51)
(D) “His majesty did not think, he shuffled.” (lines 97–98)
(E) “Had Alexander not been Alexander, he would have been Diogenes.” (lines 109–110)
Here’s How to Crack It
Read questions carefully. The difference between question 8 and question 9 is that question 8 asks which answer choice shows the Duke’s speech (or thoughts), whereas question 9 wants to know which implies a speaker other than the narrator. Question 9 is tougher. If your approach to question 9 got stuck somewhere back on question 8 and you were still looking for the narrator to speak the Duke’s thoughts (or perhaps the Devil’s), you might have easily gotten this question wrong.
As always, use POE. Clearly, (B), (C), (D), and (E) are spoken by the narrator. What about (A)? Well, (A) is spoken by the narrator as well but implies another speaker, someone who asks the question, “Who ever died of poor poetry?” The narrator, speaking as himself, responds to that question: “Ignoble souls!” If the structure of this interchange wasn’t clear to you, here’s an explanation: “Who ever died of poor poetry?” is a rhetorical question (a question to which the answer is obvious—of course, most people would say, no one has ever been killed by a bad poem). That’s where the narrator jumps in and says, “Oh ho, you think the answer to that question is so very obvious but that’s because your souls have no finer qualities; it may seem unbelievable to you but some very delicate spirits have died of immaterial things like bad poetry. De L’Omelette, for example, died of a badly prepared meal.” All that (and a little more) is contained in the first paragraph of the passage. This paragraph is a good example of how gifted writers make every word count.
Ready for one more detail question? It’s a good example of how weird things can get on the AP Exam, as it asks about the meaning of a piece of the passage that isn’t there.
10. Which of the following best describes the situation in lines 22–25 and the events that came immediately before it?
(A) The Duke has just noticed the Devil and laughs at him. The Devil returns the laugh, but quietly because he feels insulted.
(B) The Duke has just heard the Devil explain the tortures that lie in store for him. He believes the Devil is joking and laughs. The Devil mocks his laughter, implying that it is no joke.
(C) The Duke and the Devil have been talking, but the exact topic has purposefully been left vague.
(D) The Duke has heard the Devil’s plans for him and laughs defiantly at the Devil. The Devil puns on the Duke’s use of the word “Ha!” by saying “He!” By doing so, the devil indicates “He,” that is the Duke, will be punished for his sins.
(E) The Duke, believing he speaks with a lowly servant, laughs at the threats the Devil has made. The Devil laughs in order to play along with the Duke and draw out the Duke’s eventual humiliation.
Here’s How to Crack It
You may sometimes run across a weird or unexpected question on the test. In this case, you’re being asked to make sense of an abrupt shift in the story, from the Duke’s death to his meeting the Devil, and essentially to fill in the blanks.
Use POE and remember to read at least one sentence before and one sentence after, so as to piece things together. Choice (A) can be eliminated outright, as there is no indication in the text that the Devil feels insulted. (The “hauteur” in line 21 hints that the opposite may be true.) Choice (C) is vague, but what the Duke and Devil have been discussing is not—the Duke refers to a specific topic, “barbarous threats,” and elaborates in the next paragraph. Choice (D) suggests that “He!” is being used as a bizarre pun, but there’s nothing to support that in the text. Finally, Choice (E) can also be eliminated, for although the Duke may not know that he speaks to the Devil, he also does not suggest that he speaks to a “lowly servant.” Choice (B) is correct, and is the best (and simplest) explanation of the Devil’s mocking reply.
Staying simple doesn’t just apply to poetry analysis. Many students get into trouble when reading the answer choices and think about the wrong answers so much that they get led into outer space. This comes from looking at every answer choice as though it could be correct. Four out of the five answer choices are wrong. At least one answer choice is usually wildly wrong. If something looks nuts, don’t spend five minutes trying to figure it out. If it looks nuts, it is.
11. Which of the following describes the effect of the passage most strongly?
(A) Lighthearted situations narrated with deep seriousness
(B) Humorous irony in the introduction, contrasted with serious reflection in the conclusion
(C) Calculated objectivity offset by occasional interjections of subjective emotion
(D) Underlying contempt partially concealed by objectivity
(E) First-person outbursts of effusive emotion in an otherwise third-person narration
Here’s How to Crack It
Again, from the question alone you can’t know exactly what the question asks. That’s fine. Look over the answer choices. You can see that they refer to the tone, style, and structure of the passage. The test writers like to throw these mixtures at you. The way to work on this kind of question is to break the answer choices into bite-size parts, and then check the passage to see whether you can find an example of that part. For example, are there lighthearted situations, (A)? Well, going to hell isn’t exactly lighthearted. (So the choice is already wrong, but let’s keep going.) Are the situations narrated with deep seriousness? No, not exactly. Narrated with a straight face perhaps, but not deeply serious. The idea is to break the choices into pieces you can use. Remember, half bad equals all bad.
The correct answer is (E). As always, use POE and look at the whole passage. Make your initial eliminations. Choice (A) is wrong because the situations are not so much lighthearted as absurd and the narrator is not deeply serious, but nearly as bizarre and out of control as the Duke. Choice (B) isn’t worth a second look unless you really think cheating the Devil at cards is deadly serious. Choice (D) should be unappealing as well. What “contempt”? What “objectivity”? Eliminate it. Although the Duke shows contempt for his situation, this isn’t the overall effect of the passage that the question asks for.
This leaves (E) and (C). Take each answer choice and go back to the passage. Do you see any “calculated objectivity”? Not really; almost every sentence is loaded with one of the Duke’s preposterous emotions. Almost everything comes to us through a filter of the Duke’s impressions, especially in the longer sentences. It isn’t accurate to call the subjective (first-person element) “occasional.” That is enough to eliminate (C), leaving you with just one remaining choice, (E). For safety’s sake you should now examine it. “Outbursts of effusive emotion”? Well, there are all those exclamation points all over the place. As a matter of fact, half of the time the author seems to be shouting. The story is told in the third person, yet much of the time the Duke’s persona, his voice, or the attitude behind his voice seems to be speaking. Choice (E) is correct.
Attitude questions are just like tone questions; they ask about the underlying emotional content of the passage:
12. The narrator’s attitude toward the Duke can be best described as
(A) complete objectivity
(B) ambiguous pity
(C) slight distaste
(D) bemused confusion
(E) satiric glee
Here’s How to Crack It
The correct answer is (E). POE, as usual, helps a great deal. On tone questions, there are usually a couple of answer choices that you can dismiss without a second glance. There’s no way you could call the passage an example of (A), complete objectivity; it’s much too weird. Doesn’t the whole passage feel high-strung, as though old Edgar A. Poe had a few too many cups of coffee on top of whatever else he was drinking that day? That feeling never goes with objectivity. Choice (B), pity, is just off the wall. Choice (C) might have been appealing because it didn’t sound too extreme. In general, mild is better than extreme on tone questions but unfortunately, “slight distaste” is wrong; there’s no evidence that the narrator feels a slight distaste for the Duke. Remember, you wanted to pick what the narrator feels. You might have felt slight distaste, but the question didn’t ask how you felt. Speaking of how you felt, (D) is a type of answer choice that occasionally appears on the exam. When students are struggling, they’re drawn to answers that suggest their own mental state, such as confused, depressed, anxious, and fearful, even when such words are plain wrong. The answer feels right, not because it’s correct but because it’s how the student feels taking a test. There’s no evidence in the story that the narrator is confused or doesn’t understand the Duke; in fact, he seems to understand the Duke a little too perfectly.
This brings up (E), the correct answer. “Glee” may seem a bit strong, but it fits. The narrator tells the story with energy, enthusiasm, and a completely unabashed use of exclamation points—that’s a tip-off right there. Good writers don’t overuse exclamation points. (The great Irish novelist James Joyce called them, derisively, “shriek marks.”) Poe doesn’t overuse them here, but it could easily seem like it. Poe uses exclamation points because, if for the Duke a badly prepared bird is upsetting enough to kill him, the Duke’s life must be filled with exclamation points. This is one of the elements (and there are many) which make the passage satiric. Satire (see the glossary) is an important concept for the AP Exam. When a passage pokes fun at an exaggeratedly foolish type (in this case, the type of arrogant man who considers himself supreme in all things), you can be sure it’s satire. The gleefulness stems from the evident enjoyment Poe takes in describing the Duke’s peculiar foolishness. Of course, Poe has the Duke win in the end, which makes sense because Poe himself had a lot of the Duke in him.
13. The phrase, “as if carved in marble” (lines 82–83), is an example of
(A) an apostrophe
(B) irony
(C) lyricism
(D) a metaphor
(E) a simile
Here’s How to Crack It
This is an absolutely straightforward literary term question. You are sure to see a few questions like it on the test. Of course you should use POE, but the best solution for literary term questions is to know the terms. That’s why we’ve included our glossary. As we mentioned earlier, there are just a few things you can be sure will make an appearance somewhere on the test. Among those things are the terms simile and metaphor.
The correct answer here is (E). The phrase is a simile. A comparison that uses like or as is a simile. Even if these terms don’t show up on your test as the best answers to a question (and chances are that’s exactly how they will show up), at the very least they’ll show up as answers you’ll be able to eliminate. If you aren’t aware that the phrase in question is a simile, eliminate what you can and take your best guess. Believe it or not, all the terms in the question are defined in our glossary.
If you worked through the passage as we instructed, you just learned a great deal about how to take the multiple-choice questions on the AP English Literature and Composition Exam. It probably took close to five times longer here than working on a real passage would, but that’s to be expected—you’re learning. This does bring up an important point though: time. We’ve taken you through the passage and familiarized you with some typical questions so that when you’re on your own, you can work efficiently and accurately, answering all the questions in about 12–15 minutes.
But what if it doesn’t work that way? Let’s say you had reasoned that this passage was the most difficult on the test and decided to do it last. By the time you got to it, you had only seven minutes left. Seven minutes to do that passage! You would use up most of that time just reading it. Should you give up?—No! This is where all the study you’ve put into the questions can really pay off. Check out the Art of the Seven-Minute Passage—and enjoy!
When you hit the last passage on the test, check your time. If you have seven minutes or fewer left, you have to change your strategy. You don’t have enough time to do the passage the normal way. It’s time for emergency measures. What is the worst thing to do in an emergency? Panic. Don’t. The best defense against panic is preparation. Know exactly what you’re going to do. Here it is:
Don’t read the passage. Just don’t do it.
Go straight to the questions.
Answer the questions in the following order:
1. Answer any literary term or grammar questions. You barely need the passage at all for these questions. If you know the point at issue, you’ll just snap up a point. Otherwise apply as much POE as you can and guess.
2. Go to any question that asks for the meaning of a single word or phrase. These questions always include a line reference. Go to the passage and read a sentence before and after the reference. Answer the question.
3. Go to any other question that gives you a line reference in the question. (Not line-reference answer choices, but questions.) Read the reference and answer the question.
4. Go to any question on tone or attitude. By this time, you’ve read quite a bit of the passage just by answering questions. You’ve read enough to be able to make a good guess about where the author’s coming from.
5. Go to any questions that have line references in the answer choices. Answer them all.
6. Do whatever is left over—character questions, primary purpose questions, weird questions, and so on. If you need to, read some of the passage to get them. Go ahead and read. Keep working until the proctor tells you to put down your pencil.
That’s the Art of the Seven-Minute Passage. It works in six, five, four, three, two, or one minute too; with less time, you don’t get as far down the list, that’s all.
Seven minutes or fewer is a good rough guideline for when to use the Don’t Read the Passage technique. Your pace on multiple-choice passages should be about 12 minutes a passage. If you have an awkward amount of time left for the last passage—that is, somewhere between seven and fifteen minutes—you’ll have to decide which approach to use. You have two choices. The first is to just read and work faster, to step on the gas big-time. The other choice is to go straight to the questions, that is, to use the Art of the Seven-Minute Passage technique. It’s your call. At the seven-minute mark (or 7 minutes and 3 seconds, whatever), you should go straight to the questions. With 10 minutes left you should probably try to read the passage fast but then attempt the questions in the seven-minute order. At, say, 14 minutes, you should just work normally, but keep in mind that you don’t have any time to waste worrying about those silly things students worry about, like whether you’ve guessed too many (C)’s, or ponder the occult meaning of the pattern of dots you’ve made.
Suggested time: 12 minutes
Questions 1–14. Choose your answers to questions 1–14 based on a careful reading of the following passage. (The passage, an excerpt from a novel by Leo Tolstoy, describes one of the central characters and his dog.)
1. One effect of lines 85–88 is to emphasize
(A) the author’s ability to create a sense of foreboding
(B) the passage of time explicitly
(C) the use of specific details to frame the passage
(D) the impact of the weather on the events
(E) Levin’s desire to seek shelter
2. How is the word “vexation” used in line 42?
(A) To demonstrate Levin’s confusion about Laska’s clumsiness
(B) To underscore the danger of Laska’s mission
(C) To reveal Laska’s bewilderment as to why she stumbled
(D) To emphasize Laska’s single-mindedness
(E) To highlight her irritation toward Levin’s command
3. The passage suggests that Levin
(A) is visiting with family
(B) is anxious about his ability to provide for his family
(C) has a strained relationship with Laska
(D) prefers to spend time alone
(E) is on familiar terms with those whom he encounters
4. What is the function of lines 64–67 in relation to lines 30–31?
(A) Levin’s hunting skills are superior to Laska’s.
(B) Laska requires Levin’s supervision when hunting.
(C) Laska finds Levin’s proximity to her helpful.
(D) The author highlights the synergistic relationship between Laska and Levin.
(E) The author underscores Levin’s dependence on Laska.
5. Which lines demonstrate Laska’s relationship to Levin?
(A) Lines 20–21
(B) Lines 37–40
(C) Lines 55–56
(D) Lines 70–71
(E) Lines 72–73
6. The author views Levin
(A) with impartial objectivity
(B) with wry optimism
(C) as a domineering master
(D) as a boastful hunter
(E) through a critical lens
7. The passage as a whole is most indebted to which literary tradition?
(A) Romanticism
(B) Realism
(C) Modernism
(D) Transcendentalism
(E) Naturalism
8. In context of the passage as a whole, lines 8–23 serve to
(A) provide a description of the setting
(B) foreshadow later events
(C) build anticipation
(D) establish perspective
(E) establish the characters’ contentment in nature
9. In lines 95–97, the author characterizes Levin as
(A) proud and content
(B) pleased and exhausted
(C) powerful and victorious
(D) astonished and boastful
(E) approving and dignified
10. The narrator suggests that the individuals Levin encounters are characterized by
(A) envious curiosity about Levin’s excursion
(B) exuberant pleasure for Levin’s skill
(C) pious respect for Levin’s hunting prowess
(D) warm regard for Levin
(E) affectionate approval for his day’s accomplishments
11. What dominant technique is the author using in lines 31–40?
(A) Personification
(B) Irony
(C) Anthropomorphism
(D) Dialogue
(E) Metaphor
12. The sentence in lines 40–45 contains all of the following EXCEPT
(A) a character flaw
(B) alliteration
(C) suspense
(D) juxtaposition
(E) complex syntax
13. Lines 32–37 suggest
(A) Levin’s temperamental nature
(B) Laska’s submissive nature toward Levin
(C) Laska’s ability to speak to Levin
(D) Laska’s inexperience with hunting
(E) Levin’s deftness in hunting
Considered one of the greatest writers of all time, Leo Tolstoy was a Russian author, and Anna Karenina was his second novel. This novel, along with War and Peace, are hallmark examples of realism in literature.
1. C
Coming at the end of the passage, this description of the sun bookends the passage nicely (lines 85–88). Therefore, the correct answer is (C). The passage ends on a pleasant note, so the author is not creating a sense of foreboding, so eliminate (A). The effect of these lines is not to highlight the passage of time explicitly or implicitly, so (B) is incorrect. Rather, these lines offer further description of the setting and are written in such a way that they parallel the description provided at the beginning of the passage. The weather is not impacting Levin’s hunting—he’s done quite well so far—and he does not appear to be seeking shelter at the conclusion of the passage, so (D) and (E) are also incorrect.
2. D
Vexation means annoyance or irritation, not confusion, so eliminate (A) and (C). This word highlights Laska’s desire to find the source of the smell, and she’s irritated that the stump got in her way. However, she does not let it or her stumble impede her forward progress for very long. She is focused on the task at hand and does not let this event distract her, making (D) the correct answer. She is not irritated that Levin has asked her to find the bird, (E), nor is there evidence in the passage that she’s in danger, (B).
3. E
Although Levin refers to the old lady as “granny” (note the lower case g), and the boy calls Levin “Uncle,” Levin is not related to either of them. The old woman is the hostess of the place at which he is staying, and he comes across the boy while he is hunting, so eliminate (A) and (B). There is no evidence in the text to support (C) or (D). Since he does speak with the old woman in a friendly way, and the boy addresses him in a casual way, we can infer that Levin treats those whom he encounters in an informal and warm way. Therefore, (E) is the answer.
4. D
The first line reference illustrates the advantage Levin’s height gives him. From his vantage point, Levin can see what Laska’s nose has tracked. The second line reference demonstrates Laska’s ability to put the pair in close proximity to the bird—a tracking skill she has but Levin does not. Therefore, these lines emphasize how the combined efforts of the pair allow them to pinpoint the bird’s exact location. The correct answer is (D). In (A), the cooperative interaction is minimized. The fact that Levin, not Laska, can actually see the bird makes (E) wrong. Finally, (B) and (C) do not reflect the purpose of these lines, nor are they supported by the text.
5. B
Laska is obedient to her master. She follows his commands and seeks to please him. The correct answer is (B). Choice (D) is referring to the grouse, not Laska, and is incorrect. Choice (A) does not answer the question—it asks for Laska’s relationship to Levin. This choice is from Levin’s perspective. In the context of the whole passage, there is no evidence to support (C) and (E). She does obey Levin, she moves “eagerly” and “joyfully,” and she does want to please him. She is not afraid of him or threatened by him.
6. A
The author shows Levin’s friendly exchanges with the people he encounters, his manner toward Laska, and his thoughts as he hunts. The reader is given a wide range of information from which to draw his or her own conclusions about Levin. Therefore, the author provides a neutral view, and (A) is the best answer. Choices (C) and (D) could be inferred at certain parts, but there are moments that undermine both. We see a softer side of Levin, for example, when he pats Laska on the head and allows her to run off leash, both of which would discount (C). There’s a moment when he prays for luck on his bird, which undermines (D). The author is not sarcastic, (B), nor is he critical toward Levin, (E), overall.
7. B
Tolstoy is classified as a writer of realism, so the correct answer is (B). Note that the naturalism movement did not occur until well after Tolstoy wrote Anna Karenina. Literature from the realism movement is notable for its use of detail, transparent language, truthfulness, and omniscient narrator. Writers of realism sought to reflect the true, daily reality of life—this passage is a prime example of realism.
8. A
The last question helps with this question: this passage is representative of the realism movement, so thorough descriptions of the setting and characters will be present in the work. The purpose of this section of the text is to give the reader a vivid description of what the characters are experiencing and doing, so the correct answer is (A). There is no foreshadowing, (B), or rising anticipation, (C). The perspective changes in this passage, thereby eliminating (D), and while the characters may seem content in nature, it is not the purpose of this part of the text, so (E) can be eliminated as well.
9. A
Levin is quite pleased with himself and satisfied with his haul, at what appears to be just the start of his day of hunting. Therefore, the correct answer is (A). There is no evidence in the text that he feels exhausted, (B), powerful, (C), astonished, or boastful, (D). Furthermore, it is the boy who approves of Levin, so eliminate (E) as well.
10. D
Use the answer to question 3 to help you on this question. His interactions with the old woman and boy are both friendly and cordial. Everyone is getting along nicely and both seem to enjoy Levin’s presence, so the correct answer is (D). There is no evidence of envy, (A). The old woman makes no comment regarding Levin’s skill, so eliminate (B) and (C). Levin encounters the old woman before he shoots any birds, so there is no way to know whether she approves of his accomplishments, (E).
11. C
This is a pure definition question, and you need to know the difference between personification and anthropomorphism. When an animal is given human characteristics, behavior, or motivation, anthropomorphism is at work. Personification requires that the nonhuman quality or thing take on a human shape. In this case, Laska seems to have human thoughts (asking him if she had better not go on doing as she had begun) and motivations (pretending she was looking, so as to please him) but never takes on human form. The correct answer is (C). Note that in order for there to be dialogue, both characters would have to be speaking. Since only Levin is actually speaking, (D) cannot be correct.
12. A
There is evidence of alliteration, (B), since the initial s sound is repeated in stumbling, stump, strong, supple, she, and circle. She has an intense desire to find the bird, and each event presented in this sentence adds a layer of light suspense, (C). The idea of Levin hindering her (sending her off in the wrong direction) and the stump acting as an impediment, presented with her desire to reach the source of the scent, is an example of juxtaposition, (D). Note the use of compound, complex sentence structure—complex syntax is present, (E). Laska stumbling is not a character flaw, nor is Levin hindering her a flaw in his character, so the correct answer is (A).
13. B
Use the earlier questions to help you here, especially question 5. Laska obeys her master despite not feeling his command is correct, which makes her obedient and submissive, so keep (B). She cannot actually speak to Levin—remember, this is realism—so eliminate (C). There is no evidence that Laska is inexperienced, (D). If anything, there is evidence to the contrary, since she knows she needs to go on doing as she had begun, which could reveal a slight flaw in Levin’s skill as a hunter and would thus disprove (E). Choice (A) might be tempting, but this answer has been wrong before—the rest of the passage does not indicate that Levin has an erratic or volatile disposition. The answer that is best supported by the text is (B).
When a question seems unclear, the answer choices can help you make sense of it.
On general questions, you are looking for a choice that accurately describes some facet of the entire passage.
Learn to focus on key phrases in the answer choices in order to eliminate using the “half bad equals all bad” technique.
Use Consistency of Answers.
For line reference questions, keep the main idea in mind and use Consistency of Answers whenever possible. Also, go back to the passage and reread the lines in question, as well as one full sentence before and after the line reference.
Pay close attention to the wording of questions. Put questions in your own words if that makes things easier for you. Be careful not to just ignore confusing parts, though.
Expect a weird question or two. The test writers like to get creative on the AP English Literature and Composition Exam. We can’t prepare you for everything, just almost everything.
Our glossary of terms has many valuable definitions and will get you some points; flip to the back of this book to brush up on important key terms!
Use the Seven-Minute Passage technique for the last passage if you have seven minutes or fewer left: don’t read the passage, and answer the questions starting with those that require no knowledge of the passage or those that can be answered by referring to specific lines.
Respond to the following questions:
Of which types of multiple-choice questions discussed in this chapter do you feel you have achieved sufficient mastery to answer correctly?
On which types of multiple-choice questions discussed in this chapter do you feel you need more work before you can answer correctly?
What strategies discussed in this chapter do you feel you will be able to apply effectively when taking the exam?
What parts of this chapter are you going to re-review?
Will you seek further help, outside of this book (such as from a teacher, tutor, or AP Students), on any of the content in this chapter—and, if so, on what content?
