AP Lang
16th- As used in Paragraph 4, "gainsay" is best interpreted to mean (A) deny (B) deplore (C) articulate (D) reiterate (E) emphasize
(A) deny
child- In context, the word "sport" (line 15) is best interpreted to mean (A) competition (B) entertainment (C) politeness (D) instruction (E) struggle
(B) entertainment
Mars- The author uses the word "obscure" in the first sentence of paragraph 3 to mean (A) ambiguous (B) incomprehensible (C) not well known (D) uncertain (E) unusually small
(C) not well known
NASA- The writer wants to add a phrase at the beginning of sentence 5 (reproduced below), adjusting the capitalization as needed, to set up a comparison with the idea discussed in sentence 4. The imperial measurement system used in the United States assigns values haphazardly: one mile is 5,280 feet long, while one pound is 16 ounces. Which of the following choices best accomplishes this goal? (A) Furthermore, (B) For example, (C) Similarly, (D) By contrast, (E) In fact,
(D) By contrast,
child- The author's tone in lines 42-45 ("Now why . . . the insulter") can best be described as (A) defensive (B) witty (C) elated (D) exasperated (E) ingratiating
(D) exasperated
Franklin- Which of the following sentences best represents the author's main point in the passage? (A) "Franklin has a particular resonance in twenty-first century America." (Paragraph 1). (B) "We would admire both his earnestness and his self-aware irony." (Paragraph 1) (C) "Some who see the reflection of Franklin in the world today fret about a shallowness of soul and spiritual complacency that seem to permeate a culture of materialism." (Paragraph 2) (D) "They regard Franklin as an exemplar of the personal character and civic virtue that are too often missing in modern America." (Paragraph 2) (E) "Both sides too often confuse him with the striving pilgrim he portrayed in his autobiography." (Paragraph 3)
(A) "Franklin has a particular resonance in twenty-first century America." (Paragraph 1).
NASA- In sentence 2 (reproduced below), the writer wants an effective transition from the introductory paragraph to the main idea of the passage. The culprit was a discrepancy in the software that controlled the spacecraft's thrusters: one team of engineers had calculated the force needed from the thrusters in pounds, an imperial unit, while another team calculated the force in newtons, a metric unit. Which of the following versions of the underlined text best achieves this purpose? (A) (as it is now) (B) thrusters; the data from the spacecraft and the data from NASA's computers on the ground had not been matching up for months since the launch of the Orbiter (C) thrusters (two different engineering teams—one from Lockheed Martin Astronautics and another from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory—had worked on creating different parts of the software) (D) thrusters—software that was used to calculate the trajectory the Orbiter needed to take in order to enter Mars's orbit successfully (E) thrusters: four thrusters were used for trajectory correction maneuvers as well as pitch and yaw control, while another four were used for roll control
(A) (as it is now)
child- In the passage as a whole, the author contrasts which of the following? (A) The treatment of children and the treatment of adults (B) The language use of children and the language use of adults (C) The teaching of language to children and the teaching of language to foreigners (D) The behavior of children and the behavior of foreigners (E) The philosophy held by children and the philosophy held by adults
(A) The treatment of children and the treatment of adults
Mars- In the context of sentence 7, the words "one is retired" are best described as (A) a detail that makes a critical situation even more precarious (B) a fact that is puzzling to the author and other biologists (C) a claim that is of equal concern to scientists and the general public (D) an excuse for outdated designs for research projects (E) an aside that undermines the point about taxonomy that is being made
(A) a detail that makes a critical situation even more precarious
16th- The speaker uses Paragraph 2 ("I could not ... largely excluded") primarily to (A) emphasize the effects of racism by cataloging his experiences (B) criticize past social practices in discriminatory countries (C) signal a shift in focus that will be discussed subsequently (D) illustrate the fear that made it difficult for him to write (E) decry the injustices suffered by all peoples in subordinate stations
(A) emphasize the effects of racism by cataloging his experiences
Mars- The primary rhetorical strategy in the passage is the (A) exemplification of key concepts and ideas (B) narration of stories and use of personal references (C) description of research methodologies (D) comparison and contrast of differing viewpoints (E) reevaluation of traditional notions of cause and effect
(A) exemplification of key concepts and ideas
if i were a man- In the opening paragraph, the author contrasts a hypothetical rhetorical situation with her own primarily to (A) illustrate the double standards for men and women in the political realm (B) explain why women are more reluctant to adopt revolutionary methods than men (C) emphasize the influence of women on democratic culture in the United States (D) suggest that American women's civil rights have been eroded in the twentieth century (E) highlight the obstacles women encounter when emigrating from other countries
(A) illustrate the double standards for men and women in the political realm
if i were a man- In the third paragraph, the author criticizes the logic of those who dismiss the methods of British feminists as "irrational" (paragraph 3, sentence 2) on the grounds that they have (A) misconstrued the feminists' reasons for employing the strategies they have chosen to employ (B) failed to verify the identities of those responsible for acts of vandalism (C) overlooked accounts that present a less provocative view of feminist activism in Britain (D) ignored a key distinction between American feminists and British feminists (E) assumed that feminists do not understand the normal political process
(A) misconstrued the feminists' reasons for employing the strategies they have chosen to employ
child- In the sixth paragraph (lines 42-56), the author advances her argument by (A) offering and then eliminating potential explanations (B) acknowledging and then accepting common assumptions (C) recognizing and then conceding to several challenges to her reasoning (D) identifying and then examining the motivations of different groups of people (E) introducing and then elaborating on examples from her own personal experiences
(A) offering and then eliminating potential explanations
NASA- The writer wants to add the following sentence to the third paragraph (sentences 6-9) to provide additional explanation. This means that the United States must convert to metric units whenever it is dealing with the rest of the world. Where would the sentence best be placed? (A) Before sentence 6 (B) After sentence 6 (C) After sentence 7 (D) After sentence 8 (E) After sentence 9
(B) After sentence 6
NASA- Which of the following sentences, if placed before sentence 1, would both capture the audience's interest and provide the most effective introduction to the topic of the paragraph? Scoring Guide AP Language and Composition Final Exam AP English Language and Composition Page 3 of 22 (A) NASA's Mars Climate Orbiter was launched on December 11, 1998, from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. (B) On September 23, 1999, NASA officials were aghast when the $125 million Mars Climate Orbiter vanished as it prepared to enter the red planet's orbit. (C) As part of a new set of missions intended to survey the planet Mars, the Mars Climate Orbiter was launched by NASA scientists to study Mars's climate and weather. (D) When NASA officials lost contact with their Mars Climate Orbiter on September 23, 1999, they immediately instigated a search for the spacecraft using NASA's Deep Space Network of radio antennae. (E) The Mars Climate Orbiter carried two instruments when it attempted and failed to enter Mars's orbit in September, 1999: the Mars Climate Orbiter Color Imager (MARCI) and the Pressure Modulated Infrared Radiometer (PMIRR).
(B) On September 23, 1999, NASA officials were aghast when the $125 million Mars Climate Orbiter vanished as it prepared to enter the red planet's orbit.
Mars- The author's tone is best described as (A) polite yet condescending (B) concerned yet hopeful (C) critical and indignant (D) eager and amazed (E) pessimistic and discouraged
(B) concerned yet hopeful
Franklin- The misunderstanding discussed in Paragraph 3 is that many who study Franklin (A) ascribe greater geniality to Franklin than his actions support (B) confuse Franklin's public statements with his private beliefs (C) believe that Franklin had a fundamental faith that in fact he lacked (D) do not study the public Franklin enough to understand him thoroughly (E) rely too much on government records in their analysis of Franklin
(B) confuse Franklin's public statements with his private beliefs
child- The analogies presented in line 59 ("like a machine-top") and in lines 60-61 ("as the cat plays with her kittens") serve to (A) make a distinction between the kinds of games that children play and those that adults play (B) exemplify a difference between how people typically treat children and how they should strive to treat children (C) set up a paradox to cause readers to question what they know about interacting with children (D) illustrate the unintended consequences of a particular approach to child rearing (E) present a series of pleasant images to soften the tone of the author's argument about respect
(B) exemplify a difference between how people typically treat children and how they should strive to treat children
child- The author uses the pronoun "we" throughout the passage to (A) include adults and children in the same group (B) highlight norms of adult behavior (C) acknowledge readers' solidarity with her ideals (D) underscore children's lack of respect for adults (E) identify herself with other writers
(B) highlight norms of adult behavior
NASA- The writer wants to add more information to the third paragraph (sentences 6-9) to support the main argument of the paragraph. All of the following pieces of evidence help achieve this purpose EXCEPT which one? (A) An airplane that ran out of fuel mid-flight because of a conversion error by the pilots when they calculated how much fuel they needed (B) A mechanical failure on an amusement park ride that occurred because the imperial size of a particular part was ordered instead of the metric size (C) A quote from Thomas Jefferson's eighteenth-century proposal for a new decimal system to standardize weights and measures (D) Data from a United States company demonstrating an increase in profits because of its conversion to the metric system (E) A map showing the countries that use the metric system shaded in one color and those that use the imperial system shaded in another color
(C) A quote from Thomas Jefferson's eighteenth-century proposal for a new decimal system to standardize weights and measures
if i were a man- Which of the following best describes the author's exigence in the passage? (A) The lack of interest among eligible voters in the political process (B) The growing trend of using violence to address women's employment concerns (C) The limited resources available to women for changing existing power structures (D) Widening disparities in the socioeconomic circumstances of American and British women (E) Public resentment of the high tax rate imposed by the government
(C) The limited resources available to women for changing existing power structures
Franklin- The final paragraph functions as (A) a repetition of the views previously established (B) a diatribe against those who devalue Franklin (C) an authorial judgment about a preceding discussion (D) a critique of Franklin's autobiography (E) a controversial conclusion to a contentious debate
(C) an authorial judgment about a preceding discussion
child- According to the author, "the obvious ground" (lines 46-47) can be ruled out because it (A) makes unfounded claims about the seriousness of an infraction (B) relies on a distinction that is actually rather subtle (C) cannot be generalized to other similar situations (D) is too simple an explanation for such a complex issue (E) does not account for the widespread occurrence of a behavior
(C) cannot be generalized to other similar situations
child- One contrast presented in the first paragraph (lines 1-5) is between (A) talkative and uncommunicative children (B) graceful and clumsy movement (C) formal and informal learning (D) substantive and superficial mistakes (E) mandatory and optional instruction
(C) formal and informal learning
16th- The series of phrases in Paragraph 1 ("in muscles ... become divine") suggests the (A) uncertainty that people felt about their own social class (B) internal conflicts rampant in a rigid class system (C) many ways that class structure was maintained (D) inability of government to rule without the support of religion (E) transition from a society ruled by force to one ruled by law
(C) many ways that class structure was maintained
NASA- In sentence 3 (reproduced below), which of the following versions of the underlined text best establishes the writer's thesis in the passage? The Orbiter mission failure is just one reason, albeit an extremely expensive one, that the United States needs to abandon future Mars survey missions. (A) (as it is now) (B) should consider privatizing space exploration (C) needs to adopt the metric system (D) should partner with other countries on future missions to outer space (E) must stress STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education starting at an early age
(C) needs to adopt the metric system
union- The speaker's primary purpose in the passage is to (A) describe a series of unprecedented events (B) characterize an idyllic era (C) portray an unusual character (D) depict an inequitable situation (E) comment on a popular assumption
(C) portray an unusual character
Mars- One important purpose of the passage is to (A) urge the public to contribute money to a proposed taxonomy project (B) argue that the public should focus on identifying and saving a few key species (C) suggest that ecological conservation is a beneficial enterprise (D) question why some species are better protected than others (E) promote specific organizations devoted to improving global well-being
(C) suggest that ecological conservation is a beneficial enterprise
16th- The effectiveness of the final paragraph is primarily a result of its (A) demand for immediate action (B) reliance on extended metaphor (C) use of specific example (D) tone of defensiveness (E) investigation of a claim
(C) use of specific example
NASA- In sentence 9 (reproduced below), the writer wants to provide a convincing explanation for why switching to the metric system would benefit United States industries. Switching to the metric system would also benefit United States industries; the European Union, for example, has been requiring its member states to standardize their metric systems since 1971. Which version of the underlined text best accomplishes this goal? (A) (as it is now) (B) industries: since most of the world already uses the metric system, it is likely to be the only measuring system in the future (C) industries; in fact, the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan, encouraged United States industries to adopt the metric system (D) industries: those with products in both domestic and international markets would no longer need to design in and produce to two different measurement systems, reducing both product overlap and manufacturing inefficiencies (E) industries; the United States Metric Board was established in 1975 as part of the Metric Conversion Act to encourage the adoption of the metric system in the United States, something it continued to do until it was abolished in 1982
(D) industries: those with products in both domestic and international markets would no longer need to design in and produce to two different measurement systems, reducing both product overlap and manufacturing inefficiencies
NASA- In the fourth paragraph (sentences 10-11), the writer wants to provide further evidence to rebut the claim that converting to the metric system might be difficult. Which of the following pieces of evidence would best achieve this purpose? (A) A 2012 petition, signed by over 25,000 people, urging the White House to adopt the metric system in the United States (B) An interview from an opponent of adopting the metric system in the United States (C) A personal anecdote about a failed attempt to make a cake because of a measurement conversion error (D) A description of the successful adoption of the metric system by Great Britain, which had previously used the imperial system (E) A United States government report estimating the cost of converting highway signs on state roads at $334 million dollars
(D) A description of the successful adoption of the metric system by Great Britain, which had previously used the imperial system
child- Which of the following best describes the rhetorical function of the third paragraph (lines 22-25)? (A) It makes an urgent appeal to the authority of experts. (B) It offers a stern retort to the author's critics. (C) It makes a concession to an opposing point of view. (D) It restates the author's argument at a transitional place in the passage. (E) It introduces a claim that is undermined in the following paragraph.
(D) It restates the author's argument at a transitional place in the passage.
Mars- The primary purpose of the first paragraph is to Scoring Guide AP Language and Composition Final Exam Page 2 of 22 AP English Language and Composition (A) inspire students to enter scientific professions (B) argue that certain animal groups are becoming extinct (C) encourage people to follow the progress of current scientific research (D) call attention to the decline of a significant field of study (E) explain the relationship between different scientific disciplines
(D) call attention to the decline of a significant field of study
16th- The speaker's primary purpose in the passage is to (A) justify the need for class structures in the modern world (B) seek restitution for wrongs committed against him (C) establish the major distinctions between race issues and class issues (D) convey the psychological impact of a system of segregation (E) condemn physical force as a means of maintaining segregation
(D) convey the psychological impact of a system of segregation
Franklin- "They" in Paragraph 2 of the passage refers to people who Scoring Guide AP Language and Composition Final Exam AP English Language and Composition Page 9 of 22 (A) disagree that Franklin's life exemplifies commercial values (B) want to reevaluate the importance of Franklin's writings (C) believe that Franklin's legacy is not appreciated sufficiently (D) have reservations about Franklin's values (E) want others to be as inspired by Franklin as they have been
(D) have reservations about Franklin's values
if i were a man- In the second paragraph, which of the following best characterizes the author's position on the relevance of her topic for American women? (A) Because American women are "so well off" (paragraph 2, sentence 1), it is unnecessary for them to adopt the methods described by the author. (B) Because American women are "so well off" (paragraph 2, sentence 1), they have access to methods other than those described by the author. (C) By adopting the methods described by the author, American women have succeeded in winning important civil rights. (D) Although the methods described by the author are best suited for American men, American women could adapt such methods for use in the domestic sphere. (E) Although American women are perceived as "well off" (paragraph 2, sentence 1), they should nonetheless consider adopting the methods described by the author.
(E) Although American women are perceived as "well off" (paragraph 2, sentence 1), they should nonetheless consider adopting the methods described by the author.
NASA- In the fourth paragraph (sentences 10-11), the writer wants to expand on the concession that converting to the metric system may seem difficult. Which of the following claims would best achieve this purpose? (A) The imperial system the United States uses today functions perfectly well, so there's no need to change it. (B) Many attempts to make the United States adopt the metric system have already been made. (C) The units in the imperial system were first officially defined by the Office of the Exchequer in Great Britain in 1824, but they have existed as the Winchester Standards since 1588. (D) Some people in Great Britain, which adopted the metric system decades ago, want to return to the imperial system. (E) It would be extremely costly as well as confusing for the United States to manage the overwhelming task of converting everything from road signs to measuring cups to the metric system.
(E) It would be extremely costly as well as confusing for the United States to manage the overwhelming task of converting everything from road signs to measuring cups to the metric system.
child- In the course of the second paragraph (lines 6-21), the focus of the argument shifts from (A) foreigners' language acquisition to foreigners' adoption of local customs (B) adults' view of children to children's view of themselves (C) older children's learning to infants' learning (D) children's independent learning to adults' instruction of children (E) adults' language acquisition to children's learning in general
(E) adults' language acquisition to children's learning in general
16th- The speaker's tone might best be described as (A) callous and reckless (B) petulant and critical (C) resigned and reconciled (D) detached but hopeful (E) civil but angry
(E) civil but angry
16th- The speaker uses the word "impossible" twice at the beginning of the final paragraph in order to (A) contrast the ironic first use of the word with the straightforward second use (B) return to the writing style used in the first paragraph of the essay (C) explore the development of a logical argument (D) imply that all impossibilities are created by humans (E) highlight the strong feelings that the subject engenders
(E) highlight the strong feelings that the subject engenders
Imagination- In the context of Paragraph 2, "Self-consciousness" means (A) awkwardness (B) caution (C) shame (D) idealism (E) introspection
(E) introspection
Franklin- The rhetorical purpose of Paragraph 1 ("And we ... values") is to (A) assert that the contemporary view of Franklin distorts his accomplishments (B) suggest that Franklin did not balance his pursuits particularly well (C) encourage the reader to analyze present-day leaders in the light of Franklin (D) make Franklin seem more morally upright than he may actually have been (E) prompt the reader to feel kinship with Franklin on the basis of the challenges he faced
(E) prompt the reader to feel kinship with Franklin on the basis of the challenges he faced
Mars- In the passage, italics are used to highlight (A) citations from different authorities (B) ideas that scientists consider outdated (C) the hypotheses that the author challenges (D) trends that the author has encouraged (E) the major points of the author's argument
(E) the major points of the author's argument
