AP Language Exam
Which of the following phrases illustrates "the germ theory of politics" (lines 23-24)?
(A) "and rapidly—I was about to say fearfully—growing" (lines 21-22)
The writing style of the passage as a whole can best be described as
(A) reflective and nostalgic.
The attitude of the author toward exiles is primarily one of
(A) sympathy.
According to the passage, the most important reason for men to acquire knowledge is
(A) to fulfill their destinies as humans.
The style of the passage can best be described as
(B) graphic and lucid.
The word "null" in line 86 derives force from which of the following? I. Its connotation II. Its sound III. Its location in the sentence
(C) I and III only
Which of the following best describes the rhetorical function of the sen- tence "To us, in our generation . . . ." (lines 9-11)?
(C) It introduces a contrast between the past and the present.
The main contrast employed by the narrator in the passage is between
(C) human impulses and faith in the laws of physics.
The speaker justifies his occasional fasting with which of the following reasons? I. To increase his appetite II. To overeat without feeling guilty III. To give his digestive system a rest IV. To derive greater enjoyment from his meals
(D) I, III, and IV
In arguing against some of the potential effects of the technological revo- lution (lines 51 - 56), the author uses
(D) analogy.
It may be inferred that the purpose of the passage is to
(D) expose the dangers of scientific domination.
The main intention of the author of the passage is to
(D) expose the shortcomings and omissions of the beauty cult.
In discussing the "ideal" world of the future (lines 8-36), the author's tone is
(D) satirical.
The author of the passage can be described in all of the following ways EXCEPT
(D) scientifically objective.
Several sections of the passage appear in capital letters and with almost no punctuation. This can be explained by all of the following reasons EXCEPT
(D) to separate spoken words from narration and description.
In paragraph 3 (lines 14-18), which of the following rhetorical devices is most in evidence?
(E) Visual imagery
In line 24 "lower ground" refers to
(E) lack of faith in Scripture.
The description of the delicate balance (Line 41) achieved at jazz jam sessions contributes to the unity of the passage in which of the following ways?
A. As a constrast to the situation in the speakers neighborhood
The author's illusion to the stock-jobber (line 50) serves to
A. Cite an example of selfish behavior
Which of the following sentences best represents the author's main point of the passage?
A. Franklin has a particular resonance in twenty-first century America. (Lines 1-2)
The author's observation in the sentence beginning "it is clear" (Lines 49-51) is best descibed as an example of which of the following?
A. Mocking tone
Which of the following words is grammatically and thematically parallel to "tone"? (Line 21)
A. Solemnity (Line 21)
Which of the following best describes the first sentence of paragraph 4 (lines 34-35)?
A. The author's interperation of China in the eighteen century
With respect to the entire passage, the statement in the first sentence is
B. A piece of common wisdom that the passage will illustrate
Line 7 (Continually knocking his head, heart, and hands ) provides an example of
B. Alliteration
According to the speaker, the jazz musicians he knew as a boy attempted to do all the following except
B. Blend forms such as the slave song and the spiritual into carefully constructed performances
Both of the writers quoted in paragraph 2 (lines 18-32) view elaborately decorated machinery as
B. Inherently impractical
The author characterizes Bentham primarily as an individual who
B. Lacks poetic insight
The second paragraph is significant in that the speaker
B. Makes use of the power of personal experiences
In the last sentence of the footnote, the word "it" refers to
B. Meritocracy (line 2 of the footnote)
Taken as a whole, the footnotes suggest that
B. The author of the passage relies heavily on Kasson's book
"This power" (line 17) refers to
"Imagination" (Line 9)
With which of the following pairs does the speaker illustrate what she means by "schizoid'' in line 17?
"plate-glass store fronts" (Line 17) and "splendid white stucco bathhouses (Line 18)
Lines 81-84 contain which of the following grammatical structures?
(A) A compound sentence
The phrase "this second alternative" (line 23) refers to which of the following?
(A) History's ability to suggest the future
In the paragraph that begins with line 66, devices is most evident?
(A) Rhetorical questions
What is the primary rhetorical function of the quotation: "Brothers . . . fol- low virtue and knowledge" (lines 10-15)?
(A) To add a new dimension to the thesis stated in lines 3-6
It can be inferred from the passage that a distinguishing feature of an industrial society is
(A) a division of labor.
The word "cult" (line 1) as used in the passage means primarily
(A) a group with a particular obsession.
"The surface of the human vessel is affected by the nature of its spiritual contents" (lines 38-39) is a statement best decribed as
(A) an epigram.
The point made by the analogy in lines 19-28 is that
(A) it is morally wrong to reject learning.
The locution "masculine ideal and feminine ideal, respectively" (lines 31-32) (lines may best be described as
(A) legalistic jargon.
In the description of the take-off (lines 28-34) the author employs all of the following EXCEPT
(A) paradox.
The primary rhetorical function of the last sentence in paragraph 2 ("What is it like . . . more or less forever?") is to
(A) provide evidence to support an idea proposed earlier in the paragraph.
By comparing an "astrologer's horoscope" (line 25) and a "navigator's chart" (line 26), the author intends to convey the idea that
(A) unlike our ancestors we have the wherewithal to avoid mistakes of the past.
The author mentions settlers in Africa, Asia, and Australia (lines 32-33) chiefly as examples of
(A) voluntary exiles.
It can be inferred that the sentence in lines 4-6 ("Nor have I . . . spring) refers to
(A) widely held superstitions.
The passage as a whole might best be described as
(B) a melodramatic evocation.
The passage as a whole can best be characterized as
(B) an analysis of the problems faced by exiles.
The principal contrast drawn by the author of the passage is between
(B) conventions and individual preferences.
The attitude of the author toward the closing of the frontier is primarily one of
(B) historical interest.
Throughout the passage the author's tone might best be characterized as
(B) inspiring and hortatory.
The questions asked by the author in the final paragraph of the passage (lines 50-60) can best be described as
(B) statements put in the form of questions.
The principal contrast employed by the author in the passage is between
(B) the drill instructors and the recruits.
In the last paragraph, (lines 61-65), which of the following words is paral- lel in function to "dread" (line 61)?
(C) "initiation" (line 64)
Which of the following best captures the main theme of the passage?
(C) Expansion to the West has helped to define America's character.
Which of the following best describes the relationship between knowledge and happiness discussed in the last paragraph of the passage?
(C) Knowledge may lead to unhappiness.
In the passage the author employs which of the following rhetorical strategies?
(C) Testimony from authority
Which of the following most accurately describes the author's intent throughout the passage?
(C) To speculate on the validity of a historical principle
The first paragraph raises expectations that the remainder of the passage will be
(C) a "pro" and "con" kind of discussion.
The passage as a whole can best be described as
(C) an account of one man's tastes.
The author's reference to classical epics (lines 44-54) serves primarily to
(C) contrast epic tales with European novels.
The author claims to have a "dainty tooth for fish" (line 13) primarily because
(C) he likes fish better than meat.
In lines 47 - 53, the author employs a metaphor that compares
(C) ignorance and a run-down dwelling.
The sentence in line 27 ("On a long . . . same") has all of the following functions EXCEPT
(C) illustrating how pilots on long flights sometimes become disoriented.
In its context, the word "savants" in line 66 is used
(C) ironically.
In its context, the phrase "vital forces" (line 14) refers to
(C) new laws and regulations passed to deal with changing social and economic conditions
The main rhetorical function of the description of Hudson and Burley (lines 19-21) is to
(C) prepare for the contrast made in the following sentence.
In line 15 the word "scriptures" is best interpreted to mean
(C) ruins.
The point of view expressed in "In fact . . . day" (lines 25-29) is that of
(C) the Marine Corps.
For which of the following reasons does the writer use the expression, "put his cards on the table" (lines 40-41)? I. To win the reader's confidence II. To indicate that he hasn't yet made up his mind on the question III. To admit a personal bias
(D) I and III
The best title for this passage is
(D) Inner versus Outer Beauty.
Which of the following best describes the rhetorical function of lines 33-34 in the passage?
(D) They reiterate an idea presented in the previous paragraph.
In the context of the passage as a whole, the quotation from the Super- intendent of the Census (lines 1-7) presents
(D) a statement on which the passage will build.
The passage contains all of the following EXCEPT
(D) a sympathetic presentation of the yearning for eternal youth.
The "different phenomenon" mentioned in lines 27-28 refers to all the following EXCEPT
(D) growth within a limited geographical area.
The function of the sentence in line 52 ("The American frontier . . . . pop- ulation) is to
(D) help summarize the passage.
In its context, the word "intelligence" (line 27) can best be defined as
(D) insightfulness.
The author of the passage can best be described as a person who
(D) is willing to stretch the truth to make a point.
The second sentence of the passage, "It is the unhealable . . ." (lines 2-4) functions in all of the following ways EXCEPT
(D) limiting the subject matter of the passage.
'Old ladies' are already becoming rare" (line 10) is an idea that the author develops primarily by means of
(D) parallel sentences.
The speaker's allusion to going back to "where I began" (line 58) refers to
(D) putting on a cap to keep his head warm.
The point in the passage at which the writer turns to his principal theme is
(D) the beginning of paragraph 3.
In context, the word "chase" (line 50) is best interpreted to mean
(D) the expulsion of the indigenous population.
The sentence structure of the last sentence of paragraph 4 (lines 32-34) is most similar to the sentence structure of
(D) the seventh sentence of paragraph 4 (lines 30-32)..
Which of the following phrases is probably exaggerated for effect?
(E) "a hare's skin or a vulture's plumage" (lines 55-56)
Which of the following best captures the author's attitude toward the events and people described in the passage?
(E) "an initiation . . . anachronism" (lines 63-65)
In line 8, "daring" modifies
(E) "recruits" (line 8).
Which of the following phrases does the author use to illustrate the concept of knowledge?
(E) "the daylight" (line 54)
Which of the following best describes the initial sentence of paragraph 6 (lines 55-57)?
(E) An idea that further develops the author's portrait of exiles
Which of the following does the author use as an illustration of an exile who suffers "resentment" (line 10)?
(E) Dante
The best title for this passage is
(E) Revising Human Values and Goals.
The best title for the passage is
(E) The Need for Learning.
The rhetorical functions of the sentence in lines 38 - 39 ("Perhaps . . . a little") include all of the following EXCEPT
(E) anticipating objections raised by ideas presented in the previous paragraph.
The end of the first paragraph (lines 22-30) rhetorical features EXCEPT
(E) hyperbole.
The author's use of the expression "crone of the future" (line 13) reveals an undercurrent of
(E) irony.
Lines 13-17 contain all of the following EXCEPT
(E) onomatopoeia.
To create the greatest effect, all of the following rhetorical techniques are used in lines 45-50 EXCEPT
(E) subordinate clause set off by dashes.
In line 9, the phrase "an open book" refers to
(E) the mistakes of civilizations now fallen into ruin.
In line 52, "those" refers to which of the followinng?
A. "words" - I only
Lines 39-43 ("Yet . . . severity") imply that human beings share which of the following?
A. A preference for some sort of embellishment
In the passage, the philosopher, the pleuter, and the preacher share which of the following traits?
A. An alleged interest in the general welfare of others
Which of the following rhetorical devices is used in lines 35-38? (He had neither....saiety"
A. Antithesis
The attitude of the speaker toward the gamblers from Chicago is primarily one of
A. Awe
In context, which of the following changes to the sentence in lines 5-8, reproduced below, would make it more parallel to the preceding sentences?
A. Change "the tender" to "Its tender"
The author most likely includes the clause "He saw accordingly in man little but what the vulgarest eye can see" (Lines 59-60) in order to
A. Convey the limitation of Bentham's perception
As used in line 55, "gainsay" is best interpreted to mean
A. Deny
The author's attitude toward Bentham's abilities as a writer might best be described as
A. Dismissive because of the narrowness of Bentham's experience and understanding
The speaker uses lines 30-40 (I could not....largely excluded) primarily to
A. Emphasize the effects of racism by cataloging his experiences
In relation to the rest of the passage, the first paragraph provides
A. Historical information that illuminates the speaker's own circumstances
In relation to the first sentence (Line 1) the second sentence (Lines 2-6) serves to
A. Introduce a persona that constrasts with the one introducted in the first sentence
The main purpose of the footnote is to
A. Introduce readers to an ongoing dicussion
The speaker in the passage can best be described as a person who
A. Is committed to developing his skills as a writer
Which of the following best describes the function of the second sentence (lines 3-9) in the first paragraph?
A. It qualifies and expands the opening sentence
Which of the following best describes the relationship between the first paragraph and the second paragraph?
A. The second paragaph uses the claims made at the end of the first paragraph to examine an individual
The author's attitude toward visionary scientists can best be described as
A. cynical.
In the second line of the footnote, the number 31 most probably indicates the
A. page of the weekly standard on which the reference appears
In line 28, "bearing'' modifies
B. "Strangers" (Line 27)
The sentence structure and diction of lines 28-37 ("Lots of other horsebooks . . . travel to Churchill Downs'') suggest that the scene is viewed by
B. A fascinated bystander
Which best describes the syntax of lines 17-18 (JCO...Texts)
B. A pair of negations followed by an assertion
In the passage, the drunk, the jazz musicians, and the singer all share which of the following
B. An intense application to a single activity
Lines 18-21 (Some...sun) rely primarily on
B. Analogy
The misunderstanding dicussed in lines 35-37 is that many who study Franklin
B. Confuse Franklin's public statements with his private beliefs
To make his point in lines 15-19 the author uses which of the following?
B. Emphasis through antithetitical statements
The passage indicates that the author's position on ethics is that
B. Ethicists have not yet succeeded in accurately defining what is good and what is bad
The author alludes to a burgular as an example of person who
B. Has desires at odds with the desires of others
The device used in lines 8-17 (we can...values) to convey Franklin's character is
B. Hypothetical examples
In line 1, the phrase "to that other" primarily does which of the following?
B. Identifies the one to whom "nothing ever happens" (Line 1)
Which of the following characteristics of Imperial China or Britain is most emphasized in paragraph 4?
B. Imperial China's aloof and insular attitude toward Europeans
The author's tone in the passage as a whole is best described as?
B. Informal and analytical
Lines 14-17 contain which of the following?
B. Parallel syntax
The speaker's attitude toward jazz musicians is best described as one of
B. Profound admiration
The final sentence of the passage (lines 58-64) moves from
B. Relating an incident to decrying its implications
The stylistic feature most evident in lines 32-62 (by these may read) is the use of
B. Repeated syntactical patterns
In paragraph 2, which of the following rhetorical devices is most in evidence?
B. The massing of factual information
The terms "Middletown, Everyplace'' (line 41) are best interpreted as
B. epithets referring to the homogenity of American suburbs
Which of the following is being referred to by the abstract term "characteristics" (line 9)?
C. "A number of elaborate scrolls" (lines 7-8)
The word "importunate'' (line 35) is reinforced by the author's later reference to
C. "Knocking on its doors" (Line 40)
The passage as a whole is best characterized as
C. A critical evaluation
According to the passage, which of the following best describes the relationship between ethics and personal desire?
C. A desire to improve general human well-being is likely to be ethical
The final paragraph lines 30-37 functions as
C. An authorial judgement about a preceding dicussion
The passage as a whole is best described as
C. An evocation of a place
The speaker mentions the "Serve-U-Sef" plaque (line 47) chiefly as an example of
C. Attempted folksiness
In lines 35-48 ("He had neither in him" ) The author suggests that Bentham
C. Cannot understand strong human feelings
The primary imagery of the passage is that of
C. Confinement
According to the passage, determining what is ethical is made difficult by
C. Differences of perception between people
The speaker's reference to Hernando de Soto's visit to the springs in 1541 (lines 10-12) serves primarily to
C. Document the history of the springs
The area of experience of which Bentham is said be most ignorant is the
C. Emotional
One purpose of the first paragraph is to
C. Estingish between two types of imagination
The ability dicussed in lines 35-38 is referred to elsewhere as which of the following?
C. Fine tact (Line 51)
The style of the passage as a whole is most accurately characterized as
C. Informal and descriptive
The series of phrases in lines 12-14 (in muscles became divine) suggests the
C. Many ways that class structure was maintained
The tone of lines 18-20 ("It is . . . creations") can best be described as
C. Objective
Toward the end of the passage (lines 55-75), the author emphasizes which quality of exiles?
C. Obstinacy
The references in lines 20-26 (it is history) serve to
C. Provide illustrative examples
The development of the passage can best be described as the
C. The chronological examination of an aspect of design during a particular time period
The phrase "that is to say" (Line 6) is the equivalent of the author saying
C. To be more precise
Which of the following suggests the author's purpose in using hypothetical quotations in the second paragraph? (Lines 15-16)
C. To illustrate the problem of identifying what is "good" and what is "bad"
In line 17, "common speech" refers to
C. Unaffected expression
The effectiveness of the final paragraph is primarily a result of its
C. Use of specifc example
Lines 48-55 ("It...will) have all of the following EXCEPT
C. Verbs in the imperative mood
In context, the word intimate (line 24-25) is best interpreted to mean..
C. inexorably penetrating
Which of the following is an accurate reading of footnote 2?
D. "Machine Tools at the Philadephia Exhibition" is an article published in the May 26th 1876, issue of Engineering.
This passage is most probably excerpted from
D. A biography of Franklin intended for a general audience
Which of the following best states the subject of the passage?
D. A change in the aesthetics of machine design
The speaker mentions Beethoven's 5th and Macbeth (Lines 27-28) as which of the following?
D. Artistic compositions with compelling and unforgettable elements.
The speaker's primary purpose in the passage is to
D. Convey the psychological impact of a system of segregation
The point of view expressed in "They . . . men'' (lines 29-33) is that of
D. Eighteen century Chinese
The first paragraph characterizes people in the contemporary United States primarily as
D. Genial yet self-interested
Which of the following most accurately tells what the author feels about "plutocrats (Line 34)
D. Gentle scornfulness
The author suggests all EXCEPT which of the following about the nature of good?
D. Good values aquire their "goodness" from their beneficial side effects
The word "education" (Line 24) refers to
D. Learning obtained through experience
The passage makes the point that men, to avoid being alone, have undertaken the following EXCEPT
D. Learning to fly planes
In describing the bathhouses and the Arlington hotel (lines 18-23), the speaker emphasizes their
D. Magnificence
Which of the following is an accurate reading of the source for the quotation in the last sentence of the footnote: "social order that follows the principal of careers open to talent?"
D. Rawls, John. A theory of justice. Cambridge: Harvard University Press 1971, 106.
The tone of the passage is best described as
D. Serious but faintly condescending
The narration switches from second person to first person in line 17 primarily to
D. Show that the narrator speaks from first-hand experience about issues raised in paragraphs 1 and 2.
In line 10, the phase "being alone" is stucturally parallel to the phrase
D. Such an exprience (Line 15)
The author indicates that a writer's ability to work with metaphor and imagery is less important than
D. The power to empathize with others
The speaker suggests that the jazz musicians to whom he refers accomplish which of the following by means of their art?
D. They create order from the disorder of their life
In the sentence beginning "There were times'' (lines 58-63), the speaker employs all of the following EXCEPT
D. Understatement
The purpose of footnote 4 is to inform the reader that the quotation in line 49
E. Appears in a book written by Wilson, Pilgrim, and Tashjian and published in 1986
Which of the following best identifies the function of the two phrases, "the act of directing your impotent craft toward the water" (lines 70-71) and "your stranger's hands" (line 73)?
E. Appositives
In lines 7-8 of the footnote, the author uses the phrase "somewhat ironically" primarily to
E. Comment on the apparent disparity between the author's views and his social rank
In the passage, the overall attitude towards Bentham can best be described as
E. Essentially negative
The reference to the first appearance of the phrase "industrial design" (line 47) serves to
E. Highlight how two seemingly unrelated terms became popularly linked
The speaker uses the word "impossible" twice at the beginning of the final paragraph (line 55) in order to
E. Highlight the strong feeling that the subject engenders
In the context of lines 43-48 "self-consciousness" means
E. Introspection
Which of the following best describes the function of the first paragraph?
E. It asserts an opinion that will be supported later in the passage
Which of the following best describes the rhetorical function of the second sentence in the passage?
E. It presents a misconception that the author will correct.
The rhetorical purpose of lines 14-17 (And we...values) is to
E. Prompt the reader to feel kinship with Franklin on the basis of the challenges he faced
The author's dicussion of Bentham's ability to use imagery (lines 1-9) is best described as one of
E. Qualified appreciation
The primary purpose of the questions in lines 63-65 is to
E. Reinforce the author's position that art functions independantly of individuals
In context, the expression "to pitch upon" (Line 34) is best interpreted as having which of the following meanings?
E. To succeed in finding
That the speaker sympathized with the drunk's obsession (Line 16-17) is ironic chiefly because the drunk
E. Was a major source of the noise in which the speaker wished to escape
The author's references to radishes and to claret (second paragraph) function in all of the following ways EXCEPT to
E. hint that the author has switched from a serious to an ironic tone.
The primary rhetorical function of lines 14-22 is to
Provide support for a thesis supplied in lines 1-2
In the last sentence of paragraph 2 (lines 18-22), which of the following words is parallel in function to "inventor'' (line 18)?
C. "Creator" (Line 20)
The principal contrast employed by the author in the passage is between
C. Imperial China and Europe
In Line 9, the author argues that the difference between "writing" and "writers" is primarily that the
C. Person doing the writing is percieved as less than real that the writing produced
In lines 10-32 of the passage, the author uses an extended analogy between
C. Writing and speaking
Which of the following phrases does the author use to illustrate the notion of an unnatural and pretentious writing style?
D. "Get upon stilts" (Line 30-31)
"They" in line 21 of the passage refers to people who
D. Have reservations about Franklin's values
The speaker's tone at the conclusion of the passage (lines 50-58) is primarily one
D. Lyrical nostalgia
Which of the following is most likely a deliberate exaggeration?
E. "ninety kinds of hamburger stand" (Line 45)
The in 1986 structure of lines 49-56 ("During . . . 1933") can best be described as
E. A claim followed by supporting details
It can be inferred that the speaker and the drunk were "fellow victims" (Line 22) in that
E. Both were tormented by distracting disturbances
The speaker's tone might best be described as
E. Civil but angry
The function of the phrase "sobbing world" (line 20) is primarily to
E. Indicate that flying serves as a release from everyday cares
The author's tone in the passage might best be characterized as
E. Instructive
In context, the phrase "sleepless vigilance" (Line 27) suggests
E. The determined enforcement of a system
The word "this" in the last sentence of the first paragraph refers to
E. The notion that emotions and facts are different
It can be inferred from the passage that people ignore the obvious truth (line 36) for which of the following reasons?
E. They misunderstand the relationship between an artistic creation and its creator.
