AP Lit Midterm
In the sixth paragraph, the description of Tom's father, the "fifth character in the play," introduces which idea?
The void created by the father's absence serves as an important character itself.
In the first three sentences of the second paragraph ("At such . . . connection"), the narrator suggests which of the following about himself and his cousins?
They don't want to disrupt a particular mood.
In the fourth paragraph, Shamengwa's decision to place his awards "on a triangular scrap of shelf high in one corner of his house" suggests that he
attaches little importance to external recognition
CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES PASSAGE By juxtaposing the narrator's commentary on Ignatius' appearance with the narrator's account of Ignatius' inner thoughts, the first two paragraphs of the passage highlight the inconsistency between Ignatius'
judgmental attitude and his questionable clothes and grooming
MENDING WALL PASSAGE In line 6, "them" refers to
"hunters" (line 5)
The events recounted in the third through eighth paragraphs ("Without . . . 'I guess'") establish which of the following about Nathan?
His feelings of discomfort
In the last sentence of the first paragraph, Ignatius' reference to "theology and geometry" conveys which of the following?
His pretentious use of abstract concepts to justify his own preferences
In the fifth paragraph, Tom's description of the "gentleman caller" has which effect?
It prompts Tom to admit that he is prone to attaching figurative meaning to characters.
Which of the following does the speaker imply about her "plain English and good writing" (line 6) ?
That she had mistakenly believed that these skills would be sufficient to get her a job
Toward the end of the first paragraph, the references to what goes on "in one of the upstairs rooms" and to Jim Crenfew's "explosive laugh" suggest which of the following about the narrator?
The past is very vivid to him.
Which details from the passage would best support a reader's interpretation that escape is a central theme of the passage?
Tom's description of the gentleman caller and his reference to the postcard from Mazatlan
The second paragraph ("Mrs. De Ropp . . . entrance") suggests that Conradin is able to cope with his situation primarily by
retreating to the security of an interior world
Ignatius' actions and thoughts in the final paragraph of the passage most clearly serve to convey his
self-centered focus on his own needs
Overall, the poem can best be interpreted as a
social commentary using a historical period
In lines 21-40 ("There . . . home"), the speaker's juxtaposition of her life in New Orleans with her life at "home" primarily serves to emphasize
the harsh reality of her situation
In context, Ignatius' observations contrasting his own clothing with that of the people around him (paragraph 1) most clearly serve to emphasize
the unconventional nature of Ignatius' priorities and values
In lines 26-27 ("Displaces . . . nest"), the metaphor of "endangered hatchlings" suggests that "Like"
threatens to eliminate more sophisticated language
In line 40 ("like . . . armed"), the speaker uses a simile to draw attention to the contrast between
two distinct perspectives of the world
Lines 27-28 ("Their . . . to me") emphasize the speaker's sense that her
past life and true identity are always present
Lines 29-34 ("I thought . . . ends") suggest that the speaker imitated Miss J— primarily because she
regarded speech like Miss J—'s as a means of self-improvement
The repetition of line 1 ("Something . . . wall") in line 35 most clearly reflects the speaker's
unfulfilled impulse to share his personal reflections with the neighbor
According to Tom, the presence of the "gentleman caller" mentioned in the fifth paragraph reinforces a conflict between
waiting and fulfillment
Which word best represents the way the narrator describes the setting as related in the seventh paragraph?
Peaceful
Which of the following best describes the structure of the passage?
A sequential account of an activity sheds light on an individual's character.
The simile in lines 21-22 ("like . . . subtitles") primarily serves to illustrate
how crucial the word "like" is to people's ability to communicate with each other
Which lines from the passage would best support a reader's claim that one of the central themes of the passage is independence?
"Such few pleasures as he could contrive for himself gained an added relish from the likelihood that they would be displeasing to his guardian, and from the realm of his imagination she was locked out—an unclean thing, which should find no entrance" (paragraph 2)
Which of the following effects does the "large polecat-ferret" mentioned toward the end of the final paragraph have on the development of Conradin's character?
It fulfills Conradin's imaginative ideal because he is able to transform it into "a god and a religion" (paragraph 3).
In context, the term "marched" in the third sentence of the third paragraph suggests which of the following about Sofia?
She feels confident in her environment.
LETTER HOME PASSAGE What is the source of the internal conflict acknowledged by the speaker?
She realizes that her race and gender will make it difficult for her to achieve her goals.
SHAMENGWA PASSAGE The narrator in the passage speaks from the point of view of
a member of a community with insight into its people and their experiences
The references in the first and third paragraphs to the "mini Monticello," the "bloated Tudor cottage," the "Spanish-style mansion," and the "Moorish castle" suggest that the passage is set in
a pretentious suburban neighborhood
In the second sentence of the first paragraph ("The green . . . once"), the description of Ignatius' earflaps as being "like turn signals" contributes to the narrator's overall tone of
mockery
In the second and third paragraphs, the specific references to time ("the thirties") and place ("Spain," "Chicago, Cleveland, Saint Louis") primarily serve to
reinforce the notion that the play is part of a "world of reality" (paragraph 5) that will be reconstructed from "memory" (paragraph 4)
SHREDNI VASHTAR PASSAGE In the third sentence of the first paragraph, the narrator's description of Mrs. De Ropp as "those three-fifths of the world that are necessary and disagreeable and real" suggests that
Mrs. De Ropp is a strict person who fails to appreciate Conradin's creative spirit
Which of the following best describes the structure of the passage?
The recollection of youthful memories leads to wondering about the location of an old friend.
How does the speaker's repetition of the neighbor's cherished belief about the importance of walls (lines 27 and 45) convey the poem's criticism of an undesirable social pattern?
The speaker treats the neighbor's words about fences as evidence of a world view that is closed-minded in general.
TOM RIVERS PASSAGE Based on details provided in the text, which of the following is most likely the setting for the passage?
The yard of an old family homestead
Which of the following best describes how the contrast between Ignatius' and the narrator's perspectives contributes to the portrayal of Ignatius in the passage?
While Ignatius' own thoughts and opinions indicate that he is an unusual person, the narrator's description extends his unconventionality to being peculiar.
The second half of the third paragraph ("When . . . played it") primarily serves to
explain the impact of a character's performing style
In the fourth paragraph, the narrator presents himself as
perplexed by an event that occurred long ago
The effect of the passage's overall structure is to
present Ignatius' thought processes as they occur
SECRET STREAM PASSAGE The narrator of the passage can best be described as
providing the reader access to only one character's thoughts
Line 28 ("Spring . . . wonder") most clearly marks a shift in the speaker's focus from the practical task at hand to
speculation about the nature of fences and boundaries
The repetition of versions of the word "like" at the end of each line of the poem does all of the following EXCEPT
suggest that the speaker's vocabulary is limited
In context, the discussion of "owehzhee" in the second paragraph suggests that the narrator
understands and sympathizes with Shamengwa's attentiveness to his appearance
GLASS MENAGERIE PASSAGE In the first paragraph, Tom's claim that he is "the opposite of a stage magician" and that he tells the "truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion" suggests that he
will tell the "truth" in a way that his audience can accept
In the context of the poem, which image most fully reflects the speaker's disapproval of the neighbor's attitudes?
"He moves in darkness" (line 41)
Which of the following best characterizes the passage as a whole?
A discussion of a character that provides insights into a defined community
The narrator speaks from the point of view of
a member of a close-knit family whose knowledge is limited by his experiences
SESTINA PASSAGE In lines 1-2, the speaker describes "Like" as a "semi-demi goddess" primarily to emphasize the
almost religious devotion people have to collecting "likes" on social media
Toward the end of the final paragraph, Conradin's "exchange" of "a long-secreted hoard of small silver" with the butcher-boy is significant because it
develops the idea that Conradin finds joy in acts that would be displeasing to Mrs. De Ropp
In the third sentence of the final paragraph, the "disused tool-shed" functions primarily as a setting in which Conradin
discovers meaningful solitude
In the first sentence of the passage, the description of Ignatius' head as a "fleshy balloon" contributes to the narrator's portrayal of Ignatius'
distasteful physical appearance
In the third paragraph ("There . . . tree"), the narrator's descriptions of light falling through branches and shadows moving across the field primarily serve to
emphasize a difference between the regularity of nature and the unpredictability of humans
