AP English Language and Composition: Unit 1 Progress Check: MCQ

In the opening sentences of the passage ("Now I know... color of my hair!"), the author refers to Alice Walker primarily to

Acknowledge the potentially embarrassing circumstances under which she is delivering her speech Why?: In the opening sentences the author acknowledges that for many in the audience their "first choice today was Alice Walker," gesturing to the controversy surrounding her delivery of the commencement speech at Wellesley. Such circumstances are potentially embarrassing for Bush and her audience: at least some members of the audience may be hostile toward Bush, and everyone is aware of the allegation that she earned the honor of speaking not by virtue of her own merits but through her husband's office. Bush, however, does not appear daunted by these rhetorical stakes. Instead of avoiding the controversy leading up to her speech, she candidly acknowledges this sensitive topic. She demonstrates her magnanimity by commending Walker's achievements and engages in self-deprecating wordplay by saying that she, by contrast, is "known for the color of [her] hair." Diffusing any hostility that the students may harbor toward her, these lines help Bush win over her audience with her candor and wit.

In the second-to-last paragraph, the anecdote about the complaining husband serves primarily to

Illustrate the author's claim regarding the value of devoting oneself to one's children Why?: The author concludes the passage by asserting that: "one thing will never change: fathers and mothers, if you have children, they must come first. You must read to your children. And you must hug your children. And you must love your children. Your success as a family, our success as a society, depends not on what happens in the White House, but on what happens inside your house." In context, therefore, the anecdote about the complaining husband reinforces the importance the author attaches to cherishing "human connections," particularly those within the immediate family ("what happens inside your house"). In the story, the wife's remonstrations offer a critique of the general tendency to view childcare as a chore ("babysitting"); instead, the author suggests that caring for "your own kids" should be viewed as an opportunity to make one of "the most important investments you will ever make."

The writer wants to provide relevant support for the claim made in sentences 12 and 13. Which of the following sentences, if added after sentence 13, would most effectively accomplish this goal?

Marine biologists contend that the urban sprawl spreading into the oceans inevitably causes havoc for marine organisms and their habitats. Why?: Marine biologists contend that the urban sprawl spreading into the oceans inevitably causes havoc for marine organisms and their habitats.

The writer is considering adding the following sentence after sentence 6. These inhabitants should leave their homes because they have been destroyed or otherwise rendered uninhabitable from flooding. Should the writer add this sentence after sentence 6 ?

No, because it makes an ineffective claim that does not require a defense. Why?: The statement that inhabitants of Kiribati have had to abandon their homes in the face of rising sea levels implies that those homes were destroyed or otherwise rendered uninhabitable. Because the proposed sentence attempts to claim something that is true in any flooding circumstances, there is little argument to be made and no need for defense.

In the passage, the author is primarily concerned with

Offering her audience advice for the future Why?: At the end of the second paragraph, the author states her hope that "many of you will consider making three very special choices." She goes on to elaborate that these choices include "believ[ing] in something larger than yourself," finding "the joy in life," and "cherish[ing] your human connections." In the passage, the author explains why each of these choices will enrich the future lives of her audience after they graduate from Wellesley.

In the fourth and fifth paragraphs, the author defends her decision to marry George Bush by elaborating on

The need to pursue a sense of personal bliss Why?:The author frames this section of her speech around the hope that "many [in the audience] will consider making three very special choices;" in the fourth paragraph, she introduces the second choice with the idea that "life really must have joy." In the fifth paragraph she explains that she chose to marry George because doing so has helped her find "the joy in life": she highlights her husband's capacity to make her laugh and emphasizes "that shared laughter has been one of our strongest bonds." She presents this as a strength of their marriage and an example of why it is important for everyone to make choices that bring them a deep sense of joy.

Which of the following best describes the author's exigence in the passage?

The question of how to lead a meaningful life "in a transitional period" (paragraph 9, sentence 1) Why?: The exigence is the part of a rhetorical situation that inspires, provokes, or prompts a writer or speaker to create a text. Since the occasion of her speech is a commencement ceremony, the author is expected, on the broadest level, to offer the graduating class some words of wisdom on an issue that is relevant to them. In the passage, the author makes it clear that the three choices she asks the audience to consider all address the larger question of how to lead a meaningful life "in a transitional period"—a question that one might assume is of great relevance to an audience of graduating seniors. She seeks to convince the audience that they will succeed as individuals and citizens if they "believe in something larger than [themselves]," "[f]ind the joy in life," and "cherish [their] human connections."

In the second paragraph, the author makes which of the following claims regarding the Class of 1990 ?

They are unlikely to follow conventional paths in life. Why?: The author tells the Class of 1990 that they "need not, probably cannot, live a 'paint-by-numbers' [formulaic or conventional] life" because they "have a first class education from a first class school." She uses this as an opportunity to offer her audience advice on how to approach the unconventional lives they should look forward to by asking them to "consider making three very special choices": to "believe in something larger than yourself," to find "the joy in life," and to "cherish your human connections."

In sentence 7 (reproduced below), the writer wants to add the phrase "According to the country's president," to the beginning of the sentence, adjusting capitalization as needed. New islands will have to be built to ensure a safe future for its citizens, because science indicates that Kiribati will go underwater within the century. Should the writer make this addition?

Yes, because it acknowledges the source of the information conveyed in the sentence. Why?: By adding the phrase, the writer correctly acknowledges the source of the summarized information, which has been syntactically embedded in the writer's ideas. For that reason, the writer should make the addition to the sentence.