AP Lang Semester 1 Exam
Which of the following statements most directly expresses the author's thesis in the passage?
"Femininity was a challenge thrown down to the female sex, a challenge no proud, self-respecting young woman could afford to ignore" (paragraph 2, sentence 2)
Which of the following statements most directly expresses the author's thesis in the passage?
"[R]eal excellence often comes unheralded and from unexpected quarters." (paragraph 1, sentence 5)
Which of the following versions of sentence 2 (reproduced below) most effectively sets up the main claim of the passage? But when exactly in a person's life does it become difficult to master the rules that govern a language?
(As it is now)
In the second sentence of the final paragraph, the author justifies his determination to "see in the signs of the time hope of humanity for peace" by
gesturing to the unthinkable consequences of holding the opposite opinion
In the passage, the author presents a narrative of her parents' deportation in order to
illustrate her point that existing immigration policy is broken
In the passage as a whole, the author recounts her and her family's experiences to support the thesis that
improving the immigration system would benefit the entire country
In the fifth sentence of the first paragraph ("There is the League of Nations . . . reduction of armament"), the author comments on the age and effectiveness of the League of Nations primarily to explain
its relevance to his argument regarding advances in peace preservation efforts
In the second paragraph, the author develops a comparison between life and "a thousand arrows shot from the same point and aimed at the same object" primarily to suggest that
people exhibit remarkable diversity in their development over time
The discussion of the "greatest of poets and philosophers" in the third paragraph suggests that the author believes the audience of the speech will
recognize an implicit reference to Shakespeare and agree about his importance
The writer wants to add a sentence after sentence 1 to provide factual support for the introductory claim and focus the audience on the argument of the passage. Which of the following sentences best accomplishes this purpose?
A recent study found that 86 percent of Americans are stressed out from constantly checking their smartphones.
The writer wants to develop the main idea of the third paragraph by adding additional information after sentence 11. Which of the following choices would best accomplish this goal?
An anecdote about a group of people who met and became friends at a concert in their neighborhood
The writer wants to change sentence 3 (reproduced below) to provide a more specific preview of the passage's argument. While previous theories speculated that people can only acquire a new language at a young age, new research supports a different perspective. Which of the following pieces of information is most appropriate for the writer to include in the new version of the sentence?
An overview of the new study's claim that optimal language acquisition can occur up to age 30 and that even older adults should remain hopeful about their language-learning prospects
In sentence 12, the writer wants to clarify the paragraph's line of reasoning and explain the relevance of the evidence in sentences 13 and 14 to the paragraph's main idea. Which version of sentence 12 (reproduced below) would best accomplish this goal? Not all artworks are experienced in galleries and performance halls, however.
And just as art can overcome physical divides, it can also overcome linguistic and cultural ones.
In sentence 4 (reproduced below), the writer wants to integrate the discussion of the piece Passin' on to Others into the passage's line of reasoning about how art can affirm and strengthen community bonds. Artworks created by artists outside of a particular community often do not appeal to members of that community because of a lack of connection between the artists and their intended audience. Which of the following versions of sentence 4 best accomplishes this goal?
Art can play a unique role in starting conversations and cultivating group pride by representing communities to themselves.
The writer wants to conclude the passage by supporting the specific claim made in sentence 15 with a quotation from Eliasson. Which of the following sentences, if placed after sentence 15, best accomplishes this goal?
As Eliasson puts it, this transformative experience "takes us beyond an us-and-them mentality to a broader idea of what constitutes we."
The writer wants to develop the discussion of Jane Chu's performance experiences in sentences 13 and 14. Which of the following, if added after sentence 14, would best accomplish this goal?
Contrasting descriptions of how Chu felt when she played music and how she felt when she interacted with people in nonmusical contexts
The writer is considering deleting the underlined portion of sentence 3 (reproduced below), adjusting the capitalization as needed. Most people can't resist immediately checking their phones each time they buzz, chirp, or chime, and scientists believe that compulsion is caused by a brain chemical called dopamine. Should the writer keep or delete the underlined text?
Keep it, because it provides sensory details that help the writer illustrate the concept being discussed in the paragraph.
In the tenth paragraph, the author appeals twice to "our values" in order to
claim that her family's experiences run counter to shared national ideals
The writer is working on a revision of the passage and has written the following thesis statement for it. Based on the evidence from Tyler's studies, it is clear that this condition was the primary reason for da Vinci's success. Which of the following is most likely the main claim that the writer is planning to make in the new version of the passage?
Da Vinci was a great artist because he had exotropia.
Which of the following best summarizes the author's thesis?
Gallaudet University should appoint a person who is deaf as its next president.
Which of the following best characterizes the author's mode of persuasion in the second paragraph?
He asserts his own credibility and authority on an issue
Throughout the passage the writer wants to make sure to acknowledge sources used as evidence. Which of the following changes should the writer make?
In sentence 1, changing "In 2016," to "In a 2016 essay published by the World Economic Forum,"
In the third sentence of the first paragraph, the author mentions that war "has, through the centuries, been recognized by international law as a sovereign right" primarily to
register a potential objection to a position he supports
In the context of the passage as a whole, the author's comparison between the qualities of people and of metals (paragraphs 5-6) primarily serves to
reinforce the author's overarching claim about ordinary people's capacity for success
In the second paragraph, the sentences "Throughout my childhood . . . never helped" primarily serve to appeal to the audience's
respect for the rule of law: these lines show that the author's parents made a genuine effort to legally navigate a burdensome immigration process
Which version of the underlined portion of sentence 9 (reproduced below) develops the main idea of the paragraph by explaining an effect of the art piece Passin' on to Others ? Words that previously had passed unremarked now joined other aphorisms and sayings that Kennedy has printed on posters.
spurred consideration and discussion, exchanges that many stylists chose to continue by hanging prints from the show in their salons
In the second and third sentences of the second paragraph ("It was inspired . . . that awful struggle"), the author represents the Pact of Paris as
the hopeful result of traumatic experiences
In sentence 10 (reproduced below), which of the following claims best sets up the development of the writer's line of reasoning in the third paragraph? Experiencing art doesn't just highlight existing connections; it actively forges new ones.
(as it is now)
In context, which version of sentence 5 (reproduced below) provides the most effective explanation of the "critical period" mentioned in sentence 4 ? Such a period also exists for the development of eyesight.
It designates the time in one's life during which the capacity to absorb the rules and structure of a language is maximized.
The writer is considering deleting the underlined portion of sentence 7 (reproduced below), adjusting the punctuation as needed. Our brains are aroused each time our phones buzz because of the unpredictability of what pops up on the screen: since any alert might signal something extraordinary, dopamine is released each time even though most alerts don't amount to much. Should the writer keep or delete the underlined text?
Keep it, because it adds information that helps clarify the contrasting relationship identified in sentence 6 between anticipation and reward.
The writer is considering deleting sentence 15 (reproduced below). Letting go of a desire for complete mastery of a language's grammar can enable an adult learner to strive for basic competence in communication—an outcome best achieved, the researchers note, via educational programs that immerse students in the experience of a second language rather than ones that focus on rote learning. Should the writer keep or delete sentence 15 ?
Keep it, because it draws on information discussed throughout the passage to suggest that the audience take a different, more practical approach to language learning.
The writer is considering deleting sentence 7 (reproduced below) from the passage. Kennedy's transformation and display of sayings such as "higher the hair, closer to heaven" celebrated the daily experiences of salon patrons, reinforcing the self-esteem of stylists and patrons alike and getting everyone talking. Should the writer keep or delete the sentence?
Keep it, because it provides commentary that helps explain how the example of Kennedy's artwork is significant in relation to the passage's overall argument.
In sentence 10 (reproduced below), the writer is considering deleting the underlined parenthetical text. And while the Sun may well have had a twin at some point (a 2017 study of the Perseus molecular cloud suggests that most stars like the Sun were formed with companions), most experts now agree that if Nemesis ever existed, it broke free of the solar system early in the Sun's history, long before there was life on Earth, and thus could not have figured in any extinctions. Should the writer keep or delete this text?
Keep it, because it provides direct support for the concession made earlier in the sentence.
The writer wants to add a sentence that introduces the topic of the passage. Which of the following sentences, if added to the beginning of the first paragraph, would most effectively accomplish this goal?
Language experts have long observed that children are better than adults at mastering a second language.
The writer is considering adding the following sentence to the passage after sentence 3. Though the phenomenon has been observed throughout history by philosophers, historians, and novelists, the term "confirmation bias" itself wasn't invented until the 1960s by British psychologist Peter Wason. Should the writer add this sentence after sentence 3 ?
No, because it gives evidence that is not relevant to the passage's overall line of reasoning and therefore does not strengthen the validity of the writer's argument.
Which of the following best captures how the author presents the relationship between public opinion and peace in the third paragraph?
Public opinion is the most effective means of safeguarding peace.
In the second paragraph, the author defines femininity as a "challenge" primarily to support which of the following points?
Reconciling the demands of femininity with her ambition presented difficulties.
The writer would like to introduce the quotation in sentences 12 and 13 (reproduced below) in a way that relates it to the argument presented in the passage. Redouan Bshary offered his opinions on the study: "I never saw a cleaner swimming on its back, and I never saw a cleaner scratching its throat. These are new behaviors that are apparently tightly linked to the mirror." Which of the following versions of the underlined text would best accomplish this goal?
Redouan Bshary, a biologist familiar with cleaner wrasse behavior, found the study remarkable, stating,
Which of the following sentences in the passage can best be described as the writer's thesis statement?
Sentence 11
Which of the following best describes the organization of the second paragraph?
The author makes an assertion; then he lists strategically selected evidence in support of his assertion.
Which of the following best characterizes the relationship between the first and the second paragraphs?
The first paragraph describes a trend in international relations; the second paragraph expands on how a specific example mentioned in the first paragraph contributes to that trend.
Which of the following best describes the function of the first two clauses of the passage's final sentence ("It is natural . . . despised") in the context of the passage as a whole?
They urge a change in attitude that should follow logically from the author's argument.
Which of the following best describes how the author organizes the reasoning of his argument in the opening lines of the passage ("Warned by the disaster . . . ever adopted by nations") ?
Tracing a sequence of events resulting in a positive outcome
The writer is working on a new version of the passage and wants to include an explicit statement of the passage's thesis. Which of the following would best serve as a thesis statement for the passage?
While the theory was initially promising, the existence of Nemesis (a supposed companion star to the Sun) and its effect on extinction events on Earth, is highly doubtful.
The writer is considering adding the following sentence after sentence 9. Indeed, Kane persuasively argues that diplomacy works best "if we bring it down to our individual communities and the people in the communities." Should the writer add this sentence after sentence 9 ?
Yes, because it lends further support to the idea expressed in sentence 9 by incorporating an additional clarifying quotation from the expert.
At the beginning of the third paragraph, the author refers to "those who believe that peace will not be attained until some super-tribunal is established" primarily to
acknowledge an alternative perspective
In the fourth paragraph, the author calls Gallaudet University "a symbol of leadership and opportunity" in order to
appeal to his audience's pride in the institution
The writer wants to add information to the end of sentence 2 (reproduced below) to preview the line of reasoning in the passage. Unsurprisingly, neuroscientists warn that the constant use of smartphones alters the brain. Which version of the underlined portion of sentence 2 most effectively accomplishes this goal?
brain, with potentially serious physiological and emotional costs
At the end of the first paragraph, the author's commentary regarding "[e]ach one of these treaties" (sentence 6) primarily serves to
establish a logical relationship between the treaties he lists and a claim he makes earlier in the paragraph
In the final paragraph, the author concludes her argument by
highlighting the context in which women may choose to embrace femininity's restrictions
In the first two paragraphs, the author describes experiences from her girlhood and early adulthood primarily to
introduce two different attitudes toward femininity
Throughout the passage, the author includes narrative details to support the thesis that King Jordan
possesses tremendous drive and stamina
In sentence 7 (reproduced below), the writer wants to provide another piece of relevant evidence to elaborate on the claim made in the previous sentence about how subsequent research seemed to confirm the Nemesis theory. And in 2003, when astronomers discovered a dwarf planet in the outer reaches of the solar system, far from the Sun, they were surprised. Which of the following versions of the underlined text would best accomplish this goal?
they concluded that its huge, elliptical orbit might well be attributable to the gravitational pull of an unseen twin
Which version of the underlined text in sentence 2 (reproduced below) provides the most effective claim to set up the discussion that follows in the passage? In fact, sister-city programs can matter a great deal: civic organizations and local businesses are often involved in sister-city relationships.
when effectively cultivated, they bring people together to create mutually beneficial cultural and economic ties.
