2016 AP Lang Practice Exam: Multiple Choice
27. The author uses the word "obligations" in line 51 to expand on the meaning of (A) "charged" (line 38) (B) "tolerated" (line 43) (C) "detached (line 44) (D) "constituted" (line 45) (E) "demonstrated" (line 48)
(A) "charged" (line 38)
11. In line 60, italicization is used to (A) emphasize a difference between appearance and reality (B) signal an ironic point of view (C) cite a specific source (D) underscore the author's own sincerity (E) suggest a conventional way to understand a situation
(A) emphasize a difference between appearance and reality
54. According to the author, we know that a decision we have made is right largely through our (A) individual intuition (B) moral certitude (C) philosophical training (D) use of logic (E) educated taste
(A) individual intuition
24. The third paragraph (lines 36-49) asserts that letter writing was significant because it (A) provided women with a means of exercising power as individuals (B) caused women to feel resentment for the roles they were forced to assume (C) kept women from exploring other challenges outside the home (D) presented women with the opportunity to become professional writers (E) gave women a vehicle for building close personal relationships
(A) provided women with a means of exercising power as individuals
42. In this passage, the author mainly promotes (A) the assertion of Black women's agency (B) the liberal education of children (C) broader circulation of works by Black writers (D) social programs that support rural communities (E) respect for the uniqueness of different cultures
(A) the assertion of Black women's agency
16. The author uses the "not only" construction in line 1 to (A) minimize the importance of everyday literary activities (B) convey a heightened degree of involvement in shared literary activities during a period (C) recommend ways of giving literary activities a broader cultural significance (D) suggest that literary activities were best reserved for group settings (E) argue that literary activities should reflect common values rather than personal ones
(B) convey a heightened degree of involvement in shared literary activities during a period
44. By saying "Pragmatism is an account of the way people think" (lines 1-2), the author implicitly acknowledges that (A) the thinking process is probably impossible to comprehend intellectually (B) there may be other theories that explain the way we think (C) he is skeptical about philosophical explanations in general (D) pragmatism has come to dominate current philosophical discourse (E) pragmatism can reconcile differences among belief systems
(B) there may be other theories that explain the way we think
51. In the third paragraph (lines 36-62), the author emphasizes which of the following aspects of thinking? (A) Its amorality (B) Its opaqueness (C) Its complexity (D) Its irrationality (E) Its consistency
(C) Its complexity
30. Which statement best sums up the central argument of the passage? (A) Genres defined as feminine gave women the chance to assert their influence and express themselves. (B) Women used seemingly conservative genres to engage in social reform. (C) Diary and letter writing provided women with a foothold in the publishing world. (D) Women modified traditional genres in the nineteenth century to express a unique point of view. (E) Women's correspondence provides insightful commentaries on nineteenth-century culture at large.
(A) Genres defined as feminine gave women the chance to assert their influence and express themselves.
38. Which of the following adjectives best describe the "right speech of womanhood" as discussed in lines 45-51 versus how it is discussed in lines 58-67 ? (A) Repressed versus unheard (B) Astute versus confused (C) Contrived versus unadorned (D) Candid versus tactful (E) Analyzed versus admired
(A) Repressed versus unheard
19. In lines 26-35 ("Whatever . . . 1870s"), the author suggests that (A) diaries helped girls experiment privately with different personas (B) girls were punished for voicing rebellious thoughts in their diaries (C) girls exchanged diaries to communicate with each other confidentially (D) girls became socially ambitious as a result of diary keeping (E) diary keeping declined once critics spoke out against the practice
(A) diaries helped girls experiment privately with different personas
45. In the first paragraph (lines 1-21), the author is mainly concerned with (A) distinguishing between two frames of reference (B) defining what we mean by "thinking" (C) establishing his own credentials as a thinker (D) presenting a personal account of pragmatism (E) describing two sharply different points of view
(A) distinguishing between two frames of reference
10. In context, "eloquence" (line 52) most closely reiterates the meaning of which of the following words used earlier in the passage? (A) "fancies" (line 16) (B) "Expression" (line 22) (C) "Secrecy" (line 28) (D) "assurances" (line 34) (E) "complaint" (line 45)
(B) "Expression" (line 22)
5. Which of the following are contrasted in the third paragraph? (A) Speech and distress (B) Expression and reserve (C) Exaggeration and unhappiness (D) Expression and exaggeration (E) Secrecy and salvation
(B) Expression and reserve
39. Which of the following best describes the effect of the sentence fragment in lines 72-74 ? (A) It mimics the radical loss of agency the author experienced as a child. (B) It conveys the absorption of the author in the memory recounted in the previous sentence. (C) It provides an example of "the sharing of speech" (line 67) among Black women. (D) It shows how dissatisfied the author was with the speech of "the black male preacher" (line 61). (E) It provides an example of how the speech of Black women became "a kind of background music" (lines 65-66).
(B) It conveys the absorption of the author in the memory recounted in the previous sentence.
1. The author most likely assumes which of the following about his audience? (A) It has had little experience of emotional pain. (B) It is interested in learning how to deal with personal problems. (C) It is overly concerned with keeping up appearances. (D) Its views are vehemently opposed to his own. (E) It is indifferent to the effect of its actions on others.
(B) It is interested in learning how to deal with personal problems.
47. In the third paragraph (lines 36-62), the author is principally occupied with (A) defining obscure terms (B) exemplifying a claim (C) refuting a hypothesis (D) creating a sustained metaphor (E) recounting personal anecdotes
(B) exemplifying a claim
28. In the last paragraph (lines 50-70), the author mentions Alice Hamilton and Harriet Beecher Stowe because they (A) made it popular to read letters aloud in dramatic performances at home (B) illustrate how the art of letter writing nurtured literary achievement (C) wrote letters that proved to have a major impact on questions of national importance (D) wrote letters that women studied to perfect their own writing style (E) continue to influence the practice of letter writing today
(B) illustrate how the art of letter writing nurtured literary achievement
25. In note 3, the author states that Motz's work (A) studies a broad segment of the population in the nineteenth-century United States (B) presents historical evidence that women were more closely identified with letter writing than were men (C) analyzes the style and structure of women's letters that were written on a variety of domestic topics (D) provides an intellectual basis for di Leonardo's review of women's writing in the home (E) shows how magazines influenced the writing techniques of nineteenth-century women
(B) presents historical evidence that women were more closely identified with letter writing than were men
3. In the first paragraph, the author draws a distinction between (A) reserve and deceit (B) thinking and speaking (C) recollecting and suppressing (D) reason and emotion (E) knowledge and opinion
(B) thinking and speaking
55. Which of the following is LEAST applicable to describe the author's presentation of ideas in the passage? (A) Judicious (B) Questioning (C) Dogmatic (D) Intellectual (E) Rational
(C) Dogmatic
21. Which of the following best describes the rhetorical function of the last sentence of the second paragraph ("Perhaps . . . 1870s") ? (A) It rejects the authority of "critics" (line 33) while noting that they were relatively progressive compared to their contemporaries. (B) It endorses the views of "critics" (line 33) while conceding that contemporary readers may no longer find such views tenable. (C) It ironically acknowledges the perceptiveness of "critics" (line 33) while implicitly criticizing their efforts to regulate female conduct. (D) It disputes the assumption that contemporary critics possess a more accurate understanding of the effects of diary keeping than nineteenth-century "critics" (line 33). (E) It suggests that nineteenth-century "critics" (line 33) were more liberal in their views of girls' education than is often assumed.
(C) It ironically acknowledges the perceptiveness of "critics" (line 33) while implicitly criticizing their efforts to regulate female conduct.
20. What is the effect of putting the word "presumably" (line 30) in parentheses? (A) To indicate that a possibility is not worth considering (B) To acknowledge the strength of an opposing viewpoint (C) To raise doubts about whether an assumption is warranted (D) To underscore a compelling rationale for an argument (E) To draw attention to additional evidence
(C) To raise doubts about whether an assumption is warranted
17. Which statement best describes the main idea of the first paragraph (lines 1-10) ? (A) Literary demands on children increased as they grew older. (B) Children's educational opportunities differed based on social class. (C) Writing tasks featured prominently in children's lives. (D) Creative writing was performed at home rather than at school. (E) Women rather than men studied literature throughout their lives.
(C) Writing tasks featured prominently in children's lives.
31. The author's overall tone is best described as (A) arch and witty (B) whimsical and irreverent (C) assured and informative (D) strident and polemical (E) emotional and apologetic
(C) assured and informative
41. The author develops a simile in lines 93-96 primarily to (A) demonstrate the type of household chore she must attend to (B) compare the complexity of her writings to the woven fabric hanging on the clothesline (C) convey an experience of betrayal (D) emphasize the need to contextualize domestic life within the world at large (E) present an activity that the reader can easily picture
(C) convey an experience of betrayal
34. In lines 17-24 ("Black men . . . participate"), the author juxtaposes two versions of "preaching" primarily to (A) dismiss the notion that men and women inhabit separate spheres (B) suggest that women use language for less useful ends than men do (C) convey her appreciation for Black women's eloquence in the home (D) express dismay at the extent to which preaching in Black churches has declined (E) underline the constraints on Black women both in church and at home
(C) convey her appreciation for Black women's eloquence in the home
40. The image of "cheap diaries that soon fell apart from too much handling" (lines 84-85) serves primarily to (A) evoke the fleeting nature of childhood (B) underline the destructive effects of self-expression (C) convey indirectly the author's childhood compulsion to write (D) convey the author's desire for a wider audience (E) suggest the limitations of a particular genre
(C) convey indirectly the author's childhood compulsion to write
12. In context, the series of adjectives before "fright" (line 63) is meant to (A) convey the author's surprise on experiencing an emotion (B) insinuate the foolishness of betraying an emotion (C) evoke the mounting intensity of an emotion (D) question the wisdom of concealing emotion (E) appeal to the audience's sense of compassion
(C) evoke the mounting intensity of an emotion
35. The emphasis on endlessness in lines 32-35 highlights the author's dilemma by suggesting that (A) women's struggle to be heard requires boundless patience (B) children usually lack the maturity necessary to speak decorously (C) her intense desire to speak is met with equally strong resistance (D) she wishes to enter into a never-ending philosophical debate (E) the silence she is forced to endure is inexpressible
(C) her intense desire to speak is met with equally strong resistance
2. The author implies that the speech of "Some people" (line 5) is likely to be (A) polite and refined (B) imaginative and original (C) ill-considered and impetuous (D) frivolous and tiresome (E) awkward and inarticulate
(C) ill-considered and impetuous
48. The questions the author poses in lines 41-44 are used to (A) reveal his own decision-making process (B) suggest that the difficulty of finding a solution to a problem is often illusory (C) illustrate the difficulty of making a decision based on one's values (D) oblige the reader to abandon moral certainties (E) indicate the author's uncertainty about solving dilemmas through a pragmatic approach
(C) illustrate the difficulty of making a decision based on one's values
4. In the second paragraph, the author suggests that one way to lessen the suffering of others is to get them to believe that their troubles are (A) largely self-created (B) likely to be short-lived (C) not unique to them (D) not without cause (E) not likely to return
(C) not unique to them
15. In the passage as a whole, the author recommends that "we" adopt which of the following personal characteristics? (A) Sincerity and forthrightness (B) Generosity and charitableness (C) Humility and deference (D) Circumspection and self-reliance (E) Independence and aloofness
(D) Circumspection and self-reliance
8. The use of the passive voice in the sentence "By . . . friendship" (lines 40-42) has which of the following effects? (A) It shifts the purpose of the paragraph. (B) It calls into question the author's sincerity. (C) It throws a different light on the central thesis. (D) It makes a generalization seem less personal. (E) It emphasizes the author's authority on the subject.
(D) It makes a generalization seem less personal.
50. By calling rightness "the compliment you give" (lines 57-58), the author suggests that rightness is (A) derived from philosophical theory (B) almost impossible to determine (C) rarely in line with conventional morality (D) contingent on personal choices (E) largely a matter of chance
(D) contingent on personal choices
43. The author's tone in this passage can best be characterized as (A) militant, with imperative constructions establishing her sense of purpose (B) sentimental, with flashbacks evoking childhood scenes and memories of the past (C) terse, with short sentences delineating the major ideas of her argument (D) determined, with repetition conveying a sense of insistence (E) anxious, with passive sentences underscoring her hesitation
(D) determined, with repetition conveying a sense of insistence
9. In line 50, "this torture" refers to the (A) inability to care properly for a loved one (B) failure to recognize another person's pain (C) inability to express our true feelings (D) sense that we have been a burden to others (E) belief that we create our own troubles
(D) sense that we have been a burden to others
36. Within the first three paragraphs (lines 1-44), the author shifts from discussing (A) the artistic production of other people to the literary compositions she started writing (B) the ease she enjoyed in the past to the problems she would confront in the future (C) the personal issues that dominated her thoughts to the political issues that defined her time (D) the limitations imposed on her as a child to the need to express herself as an individual (E) the customs of her birthplace to the mores she encountered in other communities
(D) the limitations imposed on her as a child to the need to express herself as an individual
14. The author uses which of the following to develop his ideas in the passage? (A) Anecdotes drawn from his own experience (B) An extended metaphor for describing the nature of suffering (C) A series of assertions followed by counterexamples (D) Logical argument in support of several different theses (E) A series of generalizations supported by reasoning and hypothetical instances
(E) A series of generalizations supported by reasoning and hypothetical instances
33. All of the following are true of the first paragraph (lines 1-11) EXCEPT: (A) It conveys one of the main ideas that the author develops in the passage. (B) It establishes personal experience as the primary source of evidence. (C) It describes the method of upbringing in the author's childhood environment. (D) It defines key terms that will be further explored in the passage. (E) It reveals the author's dismissal of the community in which she was raised.
(E) It reveals the author's dismissal of the community in which she was raised.
26. In note 3, the bibliographical information provided for di Leonardo's work indicates that it is (A) a lecture transcript (B) a full-length book (C) a volume in a series (D) an essay in an anthology (E) an article in a periodical
(E) an article in a periodical
18. Lines 12-15 ("If women . . . performance") state that women were (A) viewed as oddities if they did not write more entertaining letters than men did (B) judged critically if they did not write as much correspondence as they received (C) entrusted with more household obligations if they excelled in practical forms of writing (D) regarded as responsible for the most important correspondence despite being less likely to write (E) considered to have a particular facility for writing letters and diary entries
(E) considered to have a particular facility for writing letters and diary entries
53. For the author, our decision making is most influenced by (A) philosophical principles (B) moral imperatives (C) personal taste (D) suggestions about criteria (E) particular circumstances
(E) particular circumstances
49. The series of parallel clauses in lines 51-56 ("if you thought . . . break it") is used to (A) outline a solution (B) dismiss an objection (C) question a theory (D) resolve a dilemma (E) reinforce an idea
(E) reinforce an idea
32. The passage is primarily about (A) the author's views on child development (B) the author's influence on literary tradition (C) the purpose of the author's cultural studies (D) the impact of the author's southern travels (E) the development of the author's vocation
(E) the development of the author's vocation
46. With regard to decision making, the author views admonitions like "Order what you feel like eating" (lines 17-18) and "Do the right thing" (line 25) as (A) rhetorically reassuring (B) promoting decisiveness (C) morally objectionable (D) lacking logical support (E) ultimately unhelpful
(E) ultimately unhelpful
6. In the third paragraph, the author is mainly concerned with (A) defending the verbosity of people who are experiencing personal difficulties (B) chastising people who exaggerate their troubles to gain sympathy from others (C) revealing the selflessness of those who conceal their own suffering from others (D) affirming the value of patience by explaining the psychological benefits of listening to others (E) urging verbal restraint by highlighting the impact of speech on the speaker's sense of reality
(E) urging verbal restraint by highlighting the impact of speech on the speaker's sense of reality
7. The author introduces the figure of the "man who imagines his wits are failing" (lines 31-32) primarily in order to (A) emphasize the importance of maintaining people's confidence in their own abilities (B) appeal for greater sensitivity to be shown to people with mental afflictions (C) lament the extent to which people's self-esteem depends on others' opinion of them (D) illustrate the necessity of self-reliance in coping with mental affliction (E) point to a decline in the cultural authority of medical professionals
(A) emphasize the importance of maintaining people's confidence in their own abilities
37. Which of the following best expresses the author's main point in the fourth paragraph (lines 45-57) ? (A) The views of some feminists appear surprisingly sexist when analyzed in detail. (B) The experience of Black women must be distinguished from that of White women. (C) The theoretical arguments of scholars have little impact on events in the real world. (D) Black women need to reach out and speak to members of other social groups. (E) Black women view themselves as powerful figures within their communities.
(B) The experience of Black women must be distinguished from that of White women.
29. In lines 66-70 ("In creating . . . converged"), the author describes the relationship between (A) diaries intended for self-contemplation and letters used for broader communication (B) female writers who sought attention and the audiences they attempted to please (C) the artistic freedom that female writers enjoyed and the social constraints they had to endure (D) literature that inspired women and the diaries and letters women produced (E) writing in seclusion and discussing literature in small circles with other women
(D) literature that inspired women and the diaries and letters women produced
13. In the context of the passage as a whole, the final paragraph serves to (A) restate an earlier point by way of an analogy between reason and medicine (B) qualify the earlier argument by considering the value of directly engaging one's troubles (C) persuade the audience by demonstrating facility with contemporary psychological theory (D) outline some of the difficulties that the author's discussion leaves unresolved (E) note a contradiction in the author's advice about exercising discretion
(B) qualify the earlier argument by considering the value of directly engaging one's troubles
23. In line 41, the "pattern" refers to the (A) disapproval voiced toward individuals who failed to correspond regularly (B) responsibility women had for maintaining family connections (C) expectation for men to travel and for women to stay at home (D) tendency for family members to move increasingly farther apart (E) admiration that men felt for women's skillful letter writing
(B) responsibility women had for maintaining family connections
22. Note 2 primarily promotes the exploration of which topic? (A) The reasons why women privileged diary keeping over letter writing (B) The diary entry's influence on a specific literary genre (C) The influence of diary keeping on successive generations (D) The prevalence of diary keeping in particular groups (E) Religious arguments raised by critics of diary keeping
(D) The prevalence of diary keeping in particular groups
52. In the first part of the final paragraph, the author is mainly concerned with (A) reiterating his original thesis (B) offering a series of counterexamples (C) introducing new supporting evidence (D) answering a possible objection (E) demonstrating the value of deductive reasoning
(D) answering a possible objection
