AP® English Language Practice Tests & Questions
Practice That Makes 5’s Easy
Try Free AP English Language Practice Test Questions
AP English Language Practice Test: Rhetorical Situation: Reading
Passage: "The Crisis" by Carrie Chapman Catt
The European woman has risen. She may not realize it yet, but the woman "door-mat" in every land has unconsciously become a "door-jamb"! She will have become accustomed to her new dignity by the time the men come home. She will wonder how she ever could have been content lying across the threshold now that she discovers the upright jamb gives so much broader and more normal a vision of things. The men returning may find the new order a bit queer but everything else will be strangely unfamiliar too, and they will soon grow accustomed to all the changes together. The "jamb" will never descend into a "door-mat" again. The male and female anti-suffragists of all lands will puff and blow at the economic change which will come to the women of Europe. They will declare it to be contrary to Nature and to God's plan and that somebody ought to do something about it. Suffragists will accept the change as the inevitable outcome of an unprecedented world's cataclysm over which no human agency had any control and will trust in God to adjust the altered circumstances to the eternal evolution of human society. They will remember that in the long run, all things work together for good, for progress and for human weal.
The economic change is bound to bring political liberty. From every land, there comes the expressed belief that the war1 will be followed by a mighty, oncoming wave of democracy for it is now well known that the conflict has been one of governments, of kings and Czars, Kaisers and Emperors; not of peoples. The nations involved have nearly all declared that they are fighting to make an end of wars. New and higher ideals of governments and of the rights of the people under them, have grown enormously during the past two years. Another tide of political liberty, similar to that of 18482, but of a thousandfold greater momentum, is rising from battlefield and hospital, from camp and munitions factory, from home and church which, great men of many lands, tell us, is destined to sweep over the world. On the continent, the women say, "It is certain that the vote will come to men and women after the war, perhaps not immediately but soon. In Great Britain, which was the storm centre of the suffrage movement for some years before the war, hundreds of bitter, active opponents have confessed their conversion on account of the war services of women. Already, three great provinces of Canada, Manitoba, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, have given universal suffrage to their women in sheer generous appreciation of their war work. Even Mr. Asquith3, world renowned for his immovable opposition to the Parliamentary suffrage for British women, has given evidence of a change of view. Some months ago, he announced his amazement at the utterly unexpected skill, strength and resource developed by the women and his gratitude for their loyalty and devotion. Later, in reply to Mrs. Henry Fawcett, who asked if woman suffrage would be included in a proposed election bill, he said that when the war should end, such a measure would be considered without prejudice carried over from events prior to the war. A public statement issued by Mr. Asquith in August, was couched in such terms as to be interpreted by many as a pledge to include women in the next election bill.
In Great Britain, a sordid appeal which may prove the last straw to break the opposition to woman suffrage, has been added to the enthusiastic appreciation of woman's patriotism and practical service and to the sudden comprehension that motherhood is a national asset which must be protected at any price. A new voters' list is contemplated. A parliamentary election should be held in September, but the voters are scattered far and wide. The whole nation is agitated over the questions involved in making a new register. At the same time, there is a constant anxiety over war funds, as is prudent in a nation spending 50 millions of dollars per day. It has been proposed that a large poll tax be assessed upon the voters of the new lists, whereupon a secondary proposal of great force has been offered and that is, that twice as much money would find its way into the public coffers were women added to the voters' list. What nation, with compliments fresh spoken concerning women's patriotism and efficiency, could resist such an appeal?
So it happens that above the roar of cannon, the scream of shrapnel and the whirr of aeroplanes, one who listens may hear the cracking of the fetters which have long bound the European woman to outworn conventions. It has been a frightful price to pay but the fact remains that a womanhood, well started on the way to final emancipation, is destined to step forth from the war.
Question
Which of the following best describes the author's exigence in the passage?
| A. Public resentment toward women's changing role in the workplace | |
| B. Recent promises from politicians to support women's suffrage | |
| C. The growing threat of war to economic prosperity | |
| D.The sudden reduction of women's rights in Canada |
Explanation
An author's exigence is the author's source of motivation for writing. Summarize the main ideas in each paragraph and draw a conclusion about what problem or situation inspired the argument.
| P1: | Both women and men will need time to adjust to women's new economic and social roles. |
| P2: | Due to their work during WWI and their changed economic roles, women have received more political support in pursuing political liberties, like the right to vote. |
| P3: | Great Britain's actions and economic concerns may accelerate women's suffrage, as long as politicians keep their word. |
| P4: | European women will finally be freed from their restricted role in society. |
The author focuses on how women's roles have changed due to the war and politicians' acknowledgement of women's contributions. She also notes that political leaders have promised women the right to vote. Because the author mentions these promises and their importance to her audience—primarily women—she is likely motivated by the recent promises from politicians to support women's suffrage.
(Choice A) Due to the war, women had taken over men's role in the workplace. Instead of society's resentment, the author suggests that women earned its respect and will likely be rewarded with rights such as voting.
(Choice C) P3 only briefly mentions Great Britain's need for money to fund the war, so concern for economic prosperity is not likely to have motivated the author's argument about women's suffrage in America, Canada, and Great Britain.
(Choice D) The author mentions that three Canadian provinces enacted "universal suffrage," which means that the right to vote was given to all women. This detail indicates an increase, not a reduction, in women's rights in Canada.
Things to remember:
Look for repeated discussion of a problem or recent situation to help determine what inspired the author's argument.
Passage: "Personality and Character" by Robert Louis Stevenson
There are few women, not well sunned and ripened, and perhaps toughened, who can thus stand apart from a man and say the true thing with a kind of genial cruelty. Still there are some—and I doubt if there be any man who can return the compliment. The class of men represented by Vernon Whitford1 in "The Egoist" says, indeed, the true thing, but he says it stockishly. Vernon is a noble fellow, and makes, by the way, a noble and instructive contrast to Daniel Deronda2; his conduct is the conduct of a man of honor; but we agree with him, against our consciences, when he considers "its astonishing dryness." He is the best of men, but the best of women manage to combine all that and something more. Their very faults assist them; they are helped even by the falseness of their position in life. They can retire into the fortified camp of the proprieties. They can touch a subject, and suppress it. The most adroit employ a somewhat elaborate reserve as a means to be frank, much as they wear gloves when they shake hands. But a man has the full responsibility of his freedom, cannot evade a question, can scarce be silent without rudeness, must answer for his words upon the moment, and is not seldom left face to face with a damning choice, between the more or less honorable wriggling of Deronda1 and the downright rudeness of Vernon Whitford2.
To two classes we pay court: women and the aged. But the superiority of women is perpetually menaced; they do not sit throned on infirmities like the old; they are suitors as well as sovereigns; their vanity is engaged, their affections are too apt to follow; and hence much of the talk between the sexes degenerates into something unworthy of the name. The desire to please, to shine with a certain softness of luster and to draw a fascinating picture of oneself, banishes from conversation all that is sterling and most of what is humorous. As soon as a strong current of mutual admiration begins to flow, the human interest triumphs entirely over the intellectual, and the commerce of words, consciously or not, becomes secondary to the commercing of eyes. Each simply waits on the other to be admired, and the talk dwindles into platitudinous piping. Coquetry and fatuity are thus the knell of talk. But even where this ridiculous danger is avoided, and a man and woman converse equally and honestly, something in their nature or their education falsifies the strain. An instinct prompts them to agree; and where that is impossible, to agree to differ. Should they neglect the warning, at the first suspicion of an argument, they find themselves in different hemispheres. About any point of business or conduct, any actual affair demanding settlement, a woman will speak and listen, hear and answer arguments, not only with natural wisdom, but with candor and logical honesty. But if the subject of debate be something in the air, an abstraction, an excuse for talk, a logical Aunt Sally3, then may the male debater instantly abandon hope; he may employ reason, adduce facts, be supple, be smiling, be angry, all shall avail him nothing; what the woman said first, that (unless she has forgotten it) she will repeat at the end. Hence, at the very junctures when a talk between men grows brighter and quicker and begins to promise to bear fruit, talk between the sexes is menaced with dissolution. The point of difference, the point of interest, is evaded by the brilliant woman, under a shower of irrelevant conversational rockets; it is bridged by the discreet woman with a rustle of silk, as she passes smoothly forward to the nearest point of safety. And this sort of prestidigitation, juggling the dangerous topic out of sight until it can be reintroduced with safety in an altered shape, is a piece of tactics among the true drawing-room queens.
The drawing-room is, indeed, an artificial place; it is so by our choice and for our sins; the subjection of women; the ideal imposed upon them from the cradle; and worn, like a hair-shirt, with so much constancy; their motherly, superior tenderness to man's vanity and self-importance; their managing arts—the arts of a civilized slave among good-natured barbarians—are all painful ingredients and all help to falsify relations. It is not till we get clear of that amusing artificial scene that genuine relations are founded, or ideas honestly compared.
Question
Which of the following best describes a strategy the author uses to gain the trust of his audience?
| A. Creating an opportunity for readers to disagree with his central argument | |
| B. Highlighting the dire consequences of maintaining current gender norms | |
| C. Addressing readers from the beginning as compassionate people | |
| D. Establishing his credibility by presenting a balanced criticism |
Explanation
After reading the entire passage, skim the text and look for evidence of strategies that would make the audience more likely to trust the author. Select the strategy for which evidence can be found.
Throughout the passage, the author praises men and women, saying men can be considered "noble" and women can be considered "superior" in some ways. However, he also criticizes each gender, saying that both act ridiculously in the "artificial scene" of the drawing room (formal living room where guests sit and talk).
By complimenting and criticizing BOTH men and women, the author appears unbiased and therefore credible (trustworthy). So, the author's strategy to gain the trust of his audience involves establishing his credibility by presenting a balanced criticism.
(Choice A) Although a reader may disagree with the author's central argument, promoting disagreement wouldn't gain the credibility of the audience.
(Choice B) In P1, the author notes differences between men and women, but he does not mention any dire (awful) consequences of maintaining current gender norms (expectations).
(Choice C) The author does not indicate that he considers his audience to be compassionate (caring).
Things to remember:
Authors can establish their credibility by showing how they have considered multiple perspectives and have presented a fair and balanced analysis of their subject.
Passage: "Reconceptualizing Cultural Globalization: Connecting the 'Cultural Global' and the 'Cultural Local'" by Stephen Magu
In the early 1980s, originating in Japan, a new cultural artifact was introduced to the personal entertainment industry: the Walkman.1 Du Gay and others2 argue that the "Walkman" concept by itself had no meaning; however, the associations that were connoted by the "Walkman" gave it meaning. Du Gay et al. contend that "as well as being social animals, men and women are also [cultural] beings. They also assert that we use language and concepts to make sense of what is happening, even of events which may never have happened to us before, trying to 'figure out the world,' to make it mean something."
As a technological invention without functional value, the Walkman (or portable cassette player, until it gained wide following and recognition as the Walkman), was not transformative, but the connotations and interpretations that came attached to it were instrumental in its widespread use and acceptability across cultures. As Du Gay et al. suggest, notions associated with the Walkman included "Japanese", which stood for "superior, quality product," "technologically modern," "youth," "advancement" and other appeals that helped the "text"3 find its place and wide following. Its acceptability as a personalized, individualized means of listening to music, both including and excluding the surrounding environment, and therefore its popularity, also borrowed from concepts of mass information practices, i.e., advertising.
By constructing the ownership—promoting the concepts of enabling the individual to enjoy "private-listening-in-public-places" according to Du Gay et al., as well as reproduction and identification with the urban—the busy yet connected individual was propagated. The differences separating it from other forms of entertainment (for example, portable radios), and the specific market segment constructed through advertising (young, urban people) created a meaning for "the Walkman" and therefore transformed it from a simple technological device to a representation of a modern, "hip" urban youth. The role of advertising served to give it legitimacy, publicity and validity, and allowed individuals to conceptualize themselves as being part of that identity.
Personal preferences lead to personal choices, which in turn "globalize" works of art. In the age of mechanical production and globalization, art has begun to take on specific purposes: while the iPhone is a work of art, Apple must consider how the "text" will find a market niche and thereby be used all over the world, thereby altering the aura of an iPhone—or other similar phones—as a cultural object to emphasize its use. On the other hand, due to increasing globalization, the iPhone is a cultural text for the globalized, rather than just for the localized audience. Such artifacts then begin to enable us to conceptualize a truly global culture, since the iPhone is adaptable to different languages and uses in different parts of the world.
One other example deserves mention. The World Wide Web is, as far as cultural artifacts go, a "novel" invention, less than thirty years into its development, yet it has become one of the most visible "globalizers." The advent of Google has been one of the most technology-changing modern developments, redefining how communication affects transmission of specific and global cultural texts. One of its contributions to globalizing the local and localizing the global is scanning of out-of-print and non-copyrighted textbooks, journals and other media into a world-wide database, accessible by anyone who has a computer and an internet connection….
In developing the Google-Swahili language interface, Google collaborated with East African academics and Swahili scholars to verify maintenance of the language's integrity. The "global" came to the "local" to learn and adapt, and then the local became global after Google's interaction with the Swahili scholars. Suddenly, a language that was localized to Greater East Africa (in a few pockets of diasporic communities) found its way to global availability. Now, with a computer, one can learn Swahili from anywhere in the world, as is the case with many other languages. Thus, Swahili is re-defined through cultural artifacts that originated in the "West"—computers, internet, Google—and globalized to anyone that has access.
Does the global then affect the local and/or necessarily change the cultural purity of other cultures and their artifacts? While the Swahili language now "lives" in a different media, accessible to different people, the essence of the language and traditions has not changed; [this change] has, however, almost ensured longevity beyond the current speakers. This is illustrated by the case of preservation of the Latin language. Language preservation, especially for extinct and near-extinct language, ensures that they will be available in the future for study and/or re-introduction, even though some of the actual cultural practices may be lost forever.
Culture is not static; it is dynamic and adaptive. It "learns," "adapts" and "grows" to include "texts" that previously did not belong, integrating them and localizing their uses, thereby taking that which is global and localizing it and completing the circle. Similarly, the local often becomes globalized. In fact, tourists visiting foreign lands often visit the local markets in search of "texts" that are representative of the cultures in the foreign countries and bring them to their own foreign "local."
Question
Which of the following best describes the author's exigence in the passage?
| A. The proliferation of certain technologies that he believes significantly impact culture | |
| B. The rapidly progressing role of advertising and its impact on local tourism | |
| C. The tendency for youth culture to be overrepresented in product marketing | |
| D.The need for more awareness surrounding key globalization issues and potential solutions |
Explanation
An author's exigence is the situation, problem, or experience that motivated the writing. Note the author's claims to determine what likely inspired him to write the passage.
| P1–P3: | The Walkman came to represent "'hip' urban youth" and helped to create the image of the "busy yet connected individual." |
| P4: | Widespread iPhone use helped to create the concept of global culture. |
| P5–P7: | The World Wide Web and Google helped redefine and globalize communication and its "transmission of…cultural texts," which allowed for the preservation of locally isolated and 'near extinct' languages like Swahili. |
Each claim explores the proliferation (rapidly increasing use) of a technological invention and its impact on culture. Because the awareness of such inventions and their impact likely inspired the author's writing, the exigence is best described as the proliferation of certain technologies that he believes significantly impact culture.
(Choices B, C, and D) Because the author doesn't discuss all the parts of these ideas, there is no evidence they inspire his writing.
-
Choice B: P2–P3 mention the role of advertising in establishing the Walkman and its image. P8 mentions tourism's role in sharing isolated cultural artifacts globally. However, these discussions are not connected to one another.
-
Choice C: P2–P3 mention "youth" and its place in Walkman culture. However, the author does not assert that such culture is overrepresented in advertising.
-
Choice D: The passage includes claims about how technological inventions have impacted global society, but it doesn't explore any issues with such globalization or offer any solutions.
Things to remember:
An author's exigence is often reflected in the claims he makes in the passage.
AP English Language Practice Test: Rhetorical Situation: Writing
Passage: Mexican Gray Wolves
(1) Since 1998, when dwindling numbers of Mexican gray wolves prompted the federal government to protect them under the Endangered Species Act, the number of these wolves in New Mexico has steadily increased (by 12 percent last year). (2) The frustration of New Mexico ranchers who feel they have no recourse against the predator has also increased, as the number of livestock lost to wolf attacks grows at an alarming rate.
(3) Federal reports identify the Mexican gray wolf as responsible for the deaths of 188 domestic animals in the past year, making it clear that the New Mexico state legislature needs to consider adding more protected wilderness areas. (4) As the native wolf population has recovered throughout the American West under similar protections, states like Wyoming and Idaho are considering delisting the native gray wolf from their endangered species lists, providing needed help to ranchers wanting to protect their stock. (5) Mexican gray wolf protections in New Mexico have ranchers there feeling helpless.
(6) A subspecies of the more common western gray wolf, Mexican gray wolves were hunted to near extinction before 1998; environmental groups like the Defenders of Wildlife were instrumental in lobbying to protect the predators. (7) State law continues to protect its wolf population, but like other western states, many in New Mexico see a need for their state legislature to reconsider that protection. (8) Recently, the Defenders of Wildlife proposed solutions that were well intentioned but burdensome to ranchers; the Sierra Club has proposed similar animal protection measures throughout the United States. (9) A limited wolf hunting season is a much more practical solution for decreasing the growing number of attacks on the herds of New Mexico's ranchers, who would certainly welcome utilizing the state's 69,000 hunters to thin the numbers of Mexican gray wolves.
(10) Changing the attitude of environmentalists toward protecting the Mexican gray wolf—and quieting their vocal opposition in the state capital—may seem like an impossible task. (11) Consider this grim scene repeated on the state's ranches: the tracks of a Mexican gray wolf around a dead calf on the property of a rancher already beset by drought and rising costs. (12) The time has come for the state legislature to ensure that this picture becomes a distant memory.
Question
Which of the following sentences, if placed before sentence 1, would introduce the paragraph's topic and capture the audience's interest?
| A. The Mexican gray wolf appears often in the mythology of the indigenous peoples of the American Southwest. | |
| B.A photo in the May 28 issue of the Albuquerque Journal pictures a scene familiar to New Mexico's ranchers: a dead calf killed by a hungry Mexican gray wolf. | |
| C. As part of a recent series of articles on America's vanishing wildlife, the New York Times featured a photo essay on the wolves of the Southwest. | |
| D.Taxonomically a unique species, the Mexican gray wolf of the American Southwest is often mistaken for its more numerous relative, the western gray wolf. |
Explanation
Summarize the first paragraph to determine the paragraph's topic. Then, select the sentence that captures the reader's interest and draws the reader into that topic.
 |
A writer can pull the reader into a topic by using one of several tools: compelling facts, quotes, anecdotes, statistics, shocking statements, dramatic images, and thought-provoking questions. |
| P1 | New Mexico ranchers are frustrated with the wolf attack problem. |
One sentence connects to the topic—ranchers' frustration with wolf attacks—and creates interest by describing a dramatic image: A photo in the May 28 issue of the Albuquerque Journal pictures a scene familiar to New Mexico's ranchers: a dead calf killed by a hungry Mexican gray wolf.
(Choices A and C) These choices mention general facts about wolves, but they don't provide a specific connection to the ranchers' problems with the Mexican gray wolf that would draw readers into the topic.
(Choice D) This choice is too general to connect with the ranchers' problems, and its language doesn't grab the audience's attention.
Things to remember:
When a question asks about two elements required in a sentence, make sure to address both elements.
Passage: Why the World Needs a Universal Sign Language
(1) The DOE also cites the importance of early language acquisition: it plays a pivotal role in developing literacy, social and emotional learning skills, and an understanding of how to access key services. (2) Given the central role of language in communicating effectively and functioning successfully in society, extra care must be given to children who are deaf and hard of hearing to prevent them from falling behind developmentally.
(3) Recent studies have found that approximately 1 in 1,000 children is born with some type of hearing loss. (4) One way to ensure their success is by teaching them sign language between 8 and 12 months of age. (5) Those with this learning experience tend to perform better in school, understand more of other languages, and have better life power in general. (6) Early language acquisition also reduces feelings of isolation and, as a result, instances of depression later in life. (7) Unfortunately, most deaf and hard of hearing people depend on lip reading, which isn't always a reliable method of communicating. (8) During the recent Covid-19 pandemic, more than 85% of deaf and hard of hearing people reported difficulty communicating due to masking, as well as increased feelings of isolation and depression.
(9) In places like the United States, only 1% of deaf and hearing-impaired people use sign language, likely because only several hundred schools in the US offer American Sign Language (ASL). (10) So, even if deaf and hearing-impaired students are knowledgeable in ASL, their classmates typically are not. (11) Additionally, more than 300 different types of sign language exist across the globe, with great variation even among the most popular versions: Chinese, Brazilian, and Indo-Pakistani. (12) This makes it extremely difficult for global agencies to standardize sign language curricula, largely resulting in deaf and hard of hearing people being unable to communicate with people in other countries.
(13) Despite any obstacles, the documented benefits of sign language use by those with severe hearing loss are irrefutable. (14) If countries are able to work together to streamline sign language into a more universal model, the benefits could be even greater. (15) A 2017 World Health Organization report concluded that the global cost of lost productivity due to unemployment among the deaf and hearing impaired was around $105 billion annually. (16) Isolation-related issues cost another $573 billion a year. (17) Even though a universal sign language would help provide those impacted by hearing loss with a better quality of life, it would free up global spending for other areas of need. (18) Let's march down to our local schools and get them to make a change today!
Question
Which of the following sentences, if placed before sentence 1, would best introduce the topic to the audience and help set up the main argument of the passage?
| A. The US Department of Education (DOE) was created in 1979 when Congress passed the Department of Education Organization Act, which combined several federal agencies into one. | |
| B. The US Department of Education (DOE) published a report in 2009 that found 37% of fourth grade students in the United States have failed to achieve basic levels of literacy, with low-income and minority groups facing the biggest challenges. | |
| C. A 2020 report by the US Department of Education (DOE) shows that acquiring basic language skills is particularly difficult for children impacted by severe hearing loss. | |
| D. American Sign Language uses approximately 4,000 different signs to enable deaf and hard of hearing people to communicate with one another. |
Explanation
An opening sentence helps introduce readers to the subject that follows. Summarize each paragraph to determine the issue the passage focuses on and select the sentence that introduces this issue.
| P1: | Learning language early is important in developing key life skills, and deaf and hard of hearing children need extra help to achieve that goal. |
| P2: | Those with hearing impairment should learn sign language early to ensure success in school and life and to prevent feelings of isolation and depression. |
| P3: | Learning sign language is more challenging than many realize because it's rarely taught in schools and has many variations worldwide. |
| P4: | Learning sign language has clear benefits, and countries should collaborate to create a universal sign language. |
Because each paragraph focuses on the importance of language acquisition and the challenges hard of hearing and deaf individuals face in acquiring language, the new sentence should address this issue. One sentence does so: A 2020 report by the US Department of Education (DOE) shows that acquiring basic language skills is particularly difficult for children impacted by severe hearing loss.
(Choice A) This sentence mentions the Department of Education, which is the focus of (1), but does not introduce the focus of the passage: the challenges deaf and hard of hearing people face when acquiring key language skills.
(Choice B) This sentence mentions the literacy levels of fourth grade students. However, it doesn't mention the passage's focus: the challenges deaf and hard of hearing people face in acquiring key language skills.
(Choice D) This sentence examines the number of signs deaf and hard of hearing people use to communicate. Although it examines one aspect of sign language, it does not address the focus of the passage: the importance of acquiring language and the challenges the deaf and hard of hearing people face in doing so.
Things to remember:
Summarize each paragraph to determine the passage's focus and choose the sentence that introduces that issue.
Passage: Finnish Education
(1) Following WWII, Finland was in a difficult economic position, and its politicians debated how their country might become more globally competitive. (2) At first, many political leaders and educators questioned the reckless changes required to join the trade liberalization movement. (3) However, after decades of debate, they reached a consensus on the importance of such comprehensive reform; a national core curriculum based on the recommendations and feedback of hundreds of teachers was developed over a five-year period.
(4) In addition to standardizing the curriculum, the students were redivided into two schools—a basic school for grades 1–9 and a secondary school for grades 10–12—each with its own nationally dictated curriculum. (5) Although critics still didn't understand the logic of combining such diverse ages into one basic school building, officials hoped it would encourage increasing numbers of students to pursue secondary education. (6) According to many international reports, and the country's PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) standings, the move paid off; in 1970, only 30% of Finnish citizens had obtained a diploma compared with 90% of today's citizens. (7) In addition, the country consistently scores at the top of international education rankings above the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Korea.
(8) In addition to changing the grade structure, the Finns also instituted a later start time to accommodate the needs of developing brains: their school days typically begin between 9:00 and 9:45 am and end between 2:00 and 2:45 pm, with several long breaks in between. (9) Educational expert Pasi Sahlberg has provided a definitive introduction to universal international reform: he urges countries to consider whether their education is "too high stakes" and should be "loosening up a little bit, [with] less top-down control and a bit more professional autonomy for teachers." (10) In addition, according to Sahlberg, globally, creators of educational policy, "need to be careful of myths about foreign education systems, such as Finland's, and what has made them successful; what has made an education system work well in one country won't necessarily work in another."
Question
The writer intends the passage to be read by a general audience. Which of the following sentences, if added after sentence 1, would best aid a reader's understanding of the passage?
| A. After World War II ended, Finland lost 10% of its territory and was saddled with high war reparation payments to the Soviet Union. | |
| B. Until 1960, 62% of Finland's population was scattered throughout the countryside, with little interaction taking place between villages. | |
| C. Educators and political leaders realized that systematic reform of the education system could result in the well-educated, unified society necessary to move toward globalized trade. | |
| D. The number of small towns in Finland led to a lack of unity in the country's national ideals, which was reflected in its policymaking. |
Explanation
Summarize the surrounding sentences, then choose the added sentence that clarifies an unknown concept by connecting the surrounding sentences with relevant information.
| (1) | After WWII, Finland found itself if a difficult economic position and wanted to be globally competitive. |
| (2) | Officials questioned the changes needed to join the trade liberalization movement. |
| (3) | Comprehensive educational reform followed decades of debate. |
Based on the context, the writer's audience may not be familiar with the "trade liberalization movement" and the required "comprehensive educational reform." In addition, the passage jumps from discussing Finland's desire to be more globally competitive to their officials questioning the proposed changes. However, the changes are not mentioned.
Therefore, the sentence that would help connect the surrounding ideas by mentioning the proposed changes and aid a reader's understanding of the passage by describing trade liberalization is: Educators and political leaders realized that systematic reform of the education system could result in the well-educated, unified society necessary to move toward globalized trade.
(Choice A) Although this choice clarifies Finland's "difficult economic position," it does not provide information that explains "trade liberalization movement" or how this led to comprehensive educational reform.
(Choice B) This sentence provides information about Finland's population after WWII. However, it does not provide clarifying information about the "trade liberalization movement" or why it required educational reform.
(Choice D) Although this choice discusses how small towns led to a lack of unity in Finland, it does not contain clarifying information about the "trade liberalization movement" or the educational reform the movement required.
Things to remember:
When asked which sentence would aid the understanding of a general audience, locate any unknown concepts and select the sentence that clarifies those concepts and connects the surrounding ideas.
AP English Language Practice Test: Claims and Evidence: Reading
Passage: "Personality and Character" by Robert Louis Stevenson
There are few women, not well sunned and ripened, and perhaps toughened, who can thus stand apart from a man and say the true thing with a kind of genial cruelty. Still there are some—and I doubt if there be any man who can return the compliment. The class of men represented by Vernon Whitford1 in "The Egoist" says, indeed, the true thing, but he says it stockishly. Vernon is a noble fellow, and makes, by the way, a noble and instructive contrast to Daniel Deronda2; his conduct is the conduct of a man of honor; but we agree with him, against our consciences, when he considers "its astonishing dryness." He is the best of men, but the best of women manage to combine all that and something more. Their very faults assist them; they are helped even by the falseness of their position in life. They can retire into the fortified camp of the proprieties. They can touch a subject, and suppress it. The most adroit employ a somewhat elaborate reserve as a means to be frank, much as they wear gloves when they shake hands. But a man has the full responsibility of his freedom, cannot evade a question, can scarce be silent without rudeness, must answer for his words upon the moment, and is not seldom left face to face with a damning choice, between the more or less honorable wriggling of Deronda1 and the downright rudeness of Vernon Whitford2.
To two classes we pay court: women and the aged. But the superiority of women is perpetually menaced; they do not sit throned on infirmities like the old; they are suitors as well as sovereigns; their vanity is engaged, their affections are too apt to follow; and hence much of the talk between the sexes degenerates into something unworthy of the name. The desire to please, to shine with a certain softness of luster and to draw a fascinating picture of oneself, banishes from conversation all that is sterling and most of what is humorous. As soon as a strong current of mutual admiration begins to flow, the human interest triumphs entirely over the intellectual, and the commerce of words, consciously or not, becomes secondary to the commercing of eyes. Each simply waits on the other to be admired, and the talk dwindles into platitudinous piping. Coquetry and fatuity are thus the knell of talk. But even where this ridiculous danger is avoided, and a man and woman converse equally and honestly, something in their nature or their education falsifies the strain. An instinct prompts them to agree; and where that is impossible, to agree to differ. Should they neglect the warning, at the first suspicion of an argument, they find themselves in different hemispheres. About any point of business or conduct, any actual affair demanding settlement, a woman will speak and listen, hear and answer arguments, not only with natural wisdom, but with candor and logical honesty. But if the subject of debate be something in the air, an abstraction, an excuse for talk, a logical Aunt Sally3, then may the male debater instantly abandon hope; he may employ reason, adduce facts, be supple, be smiling, be angry, all shall avail him nothing; what the woman said first, that (unless she has forgotten it) she will repeat at the end. Hence, at the very junctures when a talk between men grows brighter and quicker and begins to promise to bear fruit, talk between the sexes is menaced with dissolution. The point of difference, the point of interest, is evaded by the brilliant woman, under a shower of irrelevant conversational rockets; it is bridged by the discreet woman with a rustle of silk, as she passes smoothly forward to the nearest point of safety. And this sort of prestidigitation, juggling the dangerous topic out of sight until it can be reintroduced with safety in an altered shape, is a piece of tactics among the true drawing-room queens.
The drawing-room is, indeed, an artificial place; it is so by our choice and for our sins; the subjection of women; the ideal imposed upon them from the cradle; and worn, like a hair-shirt, with so much constancy; their motherly, superior tenderness to man's vanity and self-importance; their managing arts—the arts of a civilized slave among good-natured barbarians—are all painful ingredients and all help to falsify relations. It is not till we get clear of that amusing artificial scene that genuine relations are founded, or ideas honestly compared.
Question
The author mentions a stereotype about men in lines 3–4 ("The class of men…stockishly") primarily to
| A. contend that the flaws of men should not be regarded in the same way as the flaws of women | |
| B.reinforce a distinction between how men and women express their candid thoughts | |
| C. bolster a traditional argument that men are more intelligent but less polite than women | |
| D. claim that men are likely to be reserved when debating a subject with a woman |
Explanation
Paraphrase the context and lines containing the stereotype (oversimplified quality of a group) about men and then draw a conclusion about why the author mentioned it.
| "There are few women…who can thus stand apart from a man and say the true thing with a kind of genial cruelty. | Only a few women can say an unpleasant truth in a pleasant way. |
| Still there are some—and I doubt if there be any man who can return the compliment. | Although some women can do this, I doubt any man could. |
| The class of men represented by Vernon Whitford in 'The Egoist' | Vernon Whitford represents typical men. |
| [a man] says, indeed, the true thing, but he says it stockishly." | A man tells the truth, but in a stupid way. |
The description of the stereotype appears directly after the author's claim about a distinction between men and women. The stereotype about men is that they speak candidly (freely and truthfully), but "stockishly," in an unintelligent way. This fault in men stands in contrast to the skill of some women, noted in the preceding lines: the ability to speak candidly but in a "genial" (pleasant) way. Therefore, the author mentions this stereotype to reinforce a distinction between how men and women express their candid thoughts.
(Choice A) Although the author describes a fault in men, how they speak "stockishly," the author does not make any claim about women's faults or how their faults should be viewed differently.
(Choice C) Men are portrayed in these lines as less intelligent than women, so the stereotype doesn't bolster (support) an argument for their superior intelligence.
(Choice D) In P2, the author examines the stereotype that men debate women excitedly and speak their mind "stockishly" (unintelligently) when doing so. Therefore, the author does not claim that men are reserved (slow to reveal their real emotions or opinions) when debating women.
Things to remember:
Before analyzing the purpose of the author's use of particular words or ideas, paraphrase their context.
Passage: "Reconceptualizing Cultural Globalization: Connecting the 'Cultural Global' and the 'Cultural Local'" by Stephen Magu
In the early 1980s, originating in Japan, a new cultural artifact was introduced to the personal entertainment industry: the Walkman.1 Du Gay and others2 argue that the "Walkman" concept by itself had no meaning; however, the associations that were connoted by the "Walkman" gave it meaning. Du Gay et al. contend that "as well as being social animals, men and women are also [cultural] beings. They also assert that we use language and concepts to make sense of what is happening, even of events which may never have happened to us before, trying to 'figure out the world,' to make it mean something."
As a technological invention without functional value, the Walkman (or portable cassette player, until it gained wide following and recognition as the Walkman), was not transformative, but the connotations and interpretations that came attached to it were instrumental in its widespread use and acceptability across cultures. As Du Gay et al. suggest, notions associated with the Walkman included "Japanese", which stood for "superior, quality product," "technologically modern," "youth," "advancement" and other appeals that helped the "text"3 find its place and wide following. Its acceptability as a personalized, individualized means of listening to music, both including and excluding the surrounding environment, and therefore its popularity, also borrowed from concepts of mass information practices, i.e., advertising.
By constructing the ownership—promoting the concepts of enabling the individual to enjoy "private-listening-in-public-places" according to Du Gay et al., as well as reproduction and identification with the urban—the busy yet connected individual was propagated. The differences separating it from other forms of entertainment (for example, portable radios), and the specific market segment constructed through advertising (young, urban people) created a meaning for "the Walkman" and therefore transformed it from a simple technological device to a representation of a modern, "hip" urban youth. The role of advertising served to give it legitimacy, publicity and validity, and allowed individuals to conceptualize themselves as being part of that identity.
Personal preferences lead to personal choices, which in turn "globalize" works of art. In the age of mechanical production and globalization, art has begun to take on specific purposes: while the iPhone is a work of art, Apple must consider how the "text" will find a market niche and thereby be used all over the world, thereby altering the aura of an iPhone—or other similar phones—as a cultural object to emphasize its use. On the other hand, due to increasing globalization, the iPhone is a cultural text for the globalized, rather than just for the localized audience. Such artifacts then begin to enable us to conceptualize a truly global culture, since the iPhone is adaptable to different languages and uses in different parts of the world.
One other example deserves mention. The World Wide Web is, as far as cultural artifacts go, a "novel" invention, less than thirty years into its development, yet it has become one of the most visible "globalizers." The advent of Google has been one of the most technology-changing modern developments, redefining how communication affects transmission of specific and global cultural texts. One of its contributions to globalizing the local and localizing the global is scanning of out-of-print and non-copyrighted textbooks, journals and other media into a world-wide database, accessible by anyone who has a computer and an internet connection….
In developing the Google-Swahili language interface, Google collaborated with East African academics and Swahili scholars to verify maintenance of the language's integrity. The "global" came to the "local" to learn and adapt, and then the local became global after Google's interaction with the Swahili scholars. Suddenly, a language that was localized to Greater East Africa (in a few pockets of diasporic communities) found its way to global availability. Now, with a computer, one can learn Swahili from anywhere in the world, as is the case with many other languages. Thus, Swahili is re-defined through cultural artifacts that originated in the "West"—computers, internet, Google—and globalized to anyone that has access.
Does the global then affect the local and/or necessarily change the cultural purity of other cultures and their artifacts? While the Swahili language now "lives" in a different media, accessible to different people, the essence of the language and traditions has not changed; [this change] has, however, almost ensured longevity beyond the current speakers. This is illustrated by the case of preservation of the Latin language. Language preservation, especially for extinct and near-extinct language, ensures that they will be available in the future for study and/or re-introduction, even though some of the actual cultural practices may be lost forever.
Culture is not static; it is dynamic and adaptive. It "learns," "adapts" and "grows" to include "texts" that previously did not belong, integrating them and localizing their uses, thereby taking that which is global and localizing it and completing the circle. Similarly, the local often becomes globalized. In fact, tourists visiting foreign lands often visit the local markets in search of "texts" that are representative of the cultures in the foreign countries and bring them to their own foreign "local."
Question
In the second and third paragraphs, the author supports his claim that the connotations attached to the Walkman were "instrumental in its widespread use and acceptability across cultures" (line 9) by
| A. noting how various people from cultures and ethnicities used the device differently in their lives | |
| B. describing how marketing guided global consumers' opinions of the device | |
| C. explaining how youth culture was influenced by the device's rapid production | |
| D. commenting on the ways in which advertisers' misunderstanding of the device unexpectedly improved sales |
Explanation
Determine how the claim about the Walkman's connotations and their impact on culture is supported by noting the related details in P2–P3.
In P2–P3, the author claims that the connotations attached to the Walkman were "instrumental in its widespread use and acceptability across cultures," noting:
- The Walkman lacked practical use, but advertisements associated it with its Japanese inventors; this helped consumers view it as a "superior, quality product" that was "technologically modern."
- The increased use of the Walkman and acceptance of its connotations helped create and spread the image of "the busy yet connected individual."
- Advertising transformed the Walkman "from a simple technological device to a representation of a modern, 'hip' urban youth" and enabled individuals to envision themselves that way.
The surrounding discussion describes how marketing influenced people's view of the Walkman, transforming it from a relatively meaningless device to a key factor in culture and globalization. Therefore, the author's claim is supported by describing how marketing guided global consumers' opinions of the device.
(Choice A) The related discussion in P2–P3 doesn't mention differences in how the Walkman was used by people from various cultures and ethnicities.
(Choice C) Although P2 and P3 mention youth culture, they don't mention whether the Walkman was rapidly produced or influenced that culture.
(Choice D) The passage explores how advertisers associated the Walkman with its Japanese inventors and helped create a new social image. However, it doesn't mention whether advertisers misunderstood the device.
Things to remember:
Examine the details in the surrounding discussion to identify what type of evidence an author uses to support a claim.
Passage: "On Reading" by Henry David Thoreau
The works of the great poets have never yet been read by mankind, for only great poets can read them. They have only been read as the multitude read the stars, at most astrologically, not astronomically. Most men have learned to read to serve a paltry convenience, as they have learned to cipher1 in order to keep accounts and not be cheated in trade; but of reading as a noble intellectual exercise they know little or nothing; yet this only is reading, in a high sense, not that which lulls us as a luxury and suffers the nobler faculties to sleep the while, but what we have to stand on tip-toe to read and devote our most alert and wakeful hours to.
I think that having learned our letters we should read the best that is in literature, and not be forever repeating our a-b-abs2, and words of one syllable, in the fourth or fifth classes, sitting on the lowest and foremost form3 all our lives. Most men are satisfied if they read or hear read, and perchance have been convicted by the wisdom of one good book, the Bible, and for the rest of their lives vegetate and dissipate their faculties in what is called easy reading. There is a work in several volumes in our Circulating Library entitled "Little Reading," which I thought referred to a town of that name which I had not been to. There are those who, like cormorants and ostriches, can digest all sorts of this, even after the fullest dinner of meats and vegetables, for they suffer nothing to be wasted. If others are the machines to provide this provender, they are the machines to read it. They read the nine thousandth tale about Zebulon and Sophronia, and how they loved as none had ever loved before, and neither did the course of their true love run smooth—at any rate, how it did run and stumble, and get up again and go on! how some poor unfortunate got up on to a steeple, who had better never have gone up as far as the belfry; and then, having needlessly got him up there, the happy novelist rings the bell for all the world to come together and hear, O dear! how he did get down again! For my part, I think that they had better metamorphose all such aspiring heroes of universal noveldom into man weather-cocks4, as they used to put heroes among the constellations, and let them swing round there till they are rusty, and not come down at all to bother honest men with their pranks. The next time the novelist rings the bell I will not stir though the meeting-house burn down. "The Skip of the Tip-Toe-Hop, a Romance of the Middle Ages, by the celebrated author of 'Tittle-Tol-Tan,' to appear in monthly parts; a great rush; don't all come together." All this they read with saucer eyes, and erect and primitive curiosity, and with unwearied gizzard, whose corrugations even yet need no sharpening, just as some little four-year-old bencher his two-cent gilt-covered edition of Cinderella—without any improvement, that I can see, in the pronunciation, or accent, or emphasis, or any more skill in extracting or inserting the moral. The result is dullness of sight, a stagnation of the vital circulations, and a general deliquium and sloughing off of all the intellectual faculties. This sort of gingerbread is baked daily and more sedulously than pure wheat or rye-and-Indian in almost every oven, and finds a surer market.
The best books are not read even by those who are called good readers. What does our Concord culture amount to? There is in this town, with a very few exceptions, no taste for the best or for very good books even in English literature, whose words all can read and spell. Even the college-bred and so-called liberally educated men here and elsewhere have really little or no acquaintance with the English classics; and as for the recorded wisdom of mankind, the ancient classics and Bibles, which are accessible to all who will know of them, there are the feeblest efforts anywhere made to become acquainted with them. I know a woodchopper, of middle age, who takes a French paper, not for news as he says, for he is above that, but to "keep himself in practice," he being a Canadian by birth; and when I ask him what he considers the best thing he can do in this world, he says, beside this, to keep up and add to his English. This is about as much as the college-bred generally do or aspire to do, and they take an English paper for the purpose. One who has just come from reading perhaps one of the best English books will find how many with whom he can converse about it? Or suppose he comes from reading a Greek or Latin classic in the original, whose praises are familiar even to the so-called illiterate; he will find nobody at all to speak to, but must keep silence about it.
Question
The effectiveness of the second paragraph (lines 7–30) is primarily a result of its
| A. reliance on personal anecdotes | |
| B.tone of approval | |
| C. systematic rebuttal of a claim | |
| D. use of figurative descriptions |
Explanation
Look for evidence in P2 of each rhetorical strategy listed in the answer choices to identify which is present and helps to effectively communicate the author's points about reading.
| (Choice A) personal anecdotes | Although the author expresses his thoughts and opinions in P2, there is no evidence of personal anecdotes (short stories about the author's related personal experiences). |
| (Choice B) approving tone | In these lines, the author expresses a critical—not approving—tone by comparing those who prefer simple reading to animals like "cormorants and ostriches" and by making fun of the repetitive nature of the simple stories they read. |
| (Choice C) rebuttal of a claim | The author opens P2 by claiming that "having learned our letters we should read the best that is in literature" instead of simple stories. He then supports, rather than rebuts, this claim with evidence of the machine-like readers who read only simple stories and, as a result, enter a "general deliquium [trance]," ignoring any "intellectual faculties [intelligent thoughts]." |
| (Choice D) figurative descriptions | In P2, the author uses figurative descriptions to characterize simple readers and their reading. He describes those who prefer simple reading as "cormorants and ostriches" who can digest anything and to machines who read the same stories over and over, without caring about their repetition and mindlessness. He also describes simple reading as "gingerbread," which has little nutritional value. |
Things to remember:
Skim the paragraph for evidence of rhetorical strategies before deciding which makes it effective.
AP English Language Practice Test: Claims and Evidence: Writing
Passage: School and Business Partnerships
(1) When you attend a school sports game, like dugout walls, fences, and concession stands, sponsoring business advertisements are hung everywhere on school playing field structures. (2) You may also have seen those businesses' names on student athlete uniforms. (3) Over the last few decades, these partnerships have expanded beyond the athletic field to provide benefits in the classroom: business employees often have children in school.
(4) School and business partnerships can offer many benefits, but also require extensive planning and monitoring to ensure that both sides feel fulfilled. (5) If both sides do not communicate, the partnership often degrades over time, leading to disappointment and animosity. (6) However, when all sides are engaged, these partnerships provide a wealth of advantages to students and businesses alike.
(7) Historically, school and business partnerships started at the college level, providing students with valuable career experience. (8) However, relationships were formed between medical programs and hospitals or between business programs and financial institutions. (9) Partnerships expanded to secondary classrooms as the demand for highly skilled workers increased and research revealed the benefits—especially in STEM—of gaining fundamental knowledge and experience at an earlier age. (10) For corporations like Verizon and Integris Health, these things have paid off.
(11) Such relationships provide important educational benefits to schools, including access to technology and specialized equipment, as well as interaction with employees experienced in the corresponding field. (12) Schools covet such access and often reach out to businesses to form a partnership, but there are often few businesses that are interested. (13) Businesses consider themselves more aware of the types of programs and contributions that will be most beneficial to a school and community in the long run.
(14) A partnership program initiated by Cincinnati Bell has proved advantageous for one local school. (15) Now named the Robert A. Taft Information Technology High School, the previously underperforming school with a graduation rate of 20% became a top-performing school—earning a state rating of "Excellent"—with a graduation rate over 90%. (16) Calls to close the school have quieted, and the school now serves as a model to others wishing to experience a similar turnaround. (17) In return, when Cincinnati Bell needs highly qualified graduates to fill its positions, the neighborhood students are happy to apply, leading to a wealth of opportunities for everyone.
Question
Which version of the underlined text in sentence 3 (reproduced below) provides the most effective claim to set up the discussion that follows in the passage?
Over the last few decades, these partnerships have expanded beyond the athletic field to provide benefits in the classroom: business employees often have children in school.
| A.(as it is now) | |
| B.such partnerships have brought much-needed supplies and internships to high school classrooms and provided well-trained associates to businesses | |
| C. Texas has instituted an Employers for Education Excellence program that recognizes Texas employees who volunteer in local schools | |
| D. even schools without official partnerships often host volunteers from local businesses with experience in areas relevant to course curriculum |
Explanation
To identify the most effective claim, determine the writer's position by summarizing each paragraph and select the version that reflects this position.
| P1 | Businesses sponsor school sports teams, and this sponsorship has recently expanded to support classrooms. |
| P2 | School and business partnerships must be well-planned with clear communication to be successful. |
| P3 | Historically, partnerships started between colleges and businesses; they expanded into high schools because of research showing the benefits of and increased demand for such partnerships. |
| P4 | Partnerships provide schools with technology, equipment, and mentorship; businesses believe they know best what their partnerships can provide to schools. |
| P5 | An example of a successful partnership, Cincinnati Bell and the Robert A. Taft Technology High School, created a model school with increased graduation rates and well-qualified graduates for Cincinnati Bell's positions. |
Based on the summaries, the author's position is that school and business partnerships are beneficial for both business and schools, if they are well planned with clear communication. Only one version of the claim discusses those benefits: such partnerships have brought much-needed supplies and internships to high school classrooms and provided well-trained associates to businesses.
(Choice A) This version mentions business employees having their children in partnership schools. However, it does not discuss any evidence of benefits to schools and businesses.
(Choices C and D) These pieces of evidence examine employees who volunteer in schools but do not mention any benefits from such partnerships.
Things to remember:
Effective claims support the writer's position and contribute to the related discussion.
Passage: School and Business Partnerships
(1) When you attend a school sports game, like dugout walls, fences, and concession stands, sponsoring business advertisements are hung everywhere on school playing field structures. (2) You may also have seen those businesses' names on student athlete uniforms. (3) Over the last few decades, these partnerships have expanded beyond the athletic field to provide benefits in the classroom: business employees often have children in school.
(4) School and business partnerships can offer many benefits, but also require extensive planning and monitoring to ensure that both sides feel fulfilled. (5) If both sides do not communicate, the partnership often degrades over time, leading to disappointment and animosity. (6) However, when all sides are engaged, these partnerships provide a wealth of advantages to students and businesses alike.
(7) Historically, school and business partnerships started at the college level, providing students with valuable career experience. (8) However, relationships were formed between medical programs and hospitals or between business programs and financial institutions. (9) Partnerships expanded to secondary classrooms as the demand for highly skilled workers increased and research revealed the benefits—especially in STEM—of gaining fundamental knowledge and experience at an earlier age. (10) For corporations like Verizon and Integris Health, these things have paid off.
(11) Such relationships provide important educational benefits to schools, including access to technology and specialized equipment, as well as interaction with employees experienced in the corresponding field. (12) Schools covet such access and often reach out to businesses to form a partnership, but there are often few businesses that are interested. (13) Businesses consider themselves more aware of the types of programs and contributions that will be most beneficial to a school and community in the long run.
(14) A partnership program initiated by Cincinnati Bell has proved advantageous for one local school. (15) Now named the Robert A. Taft Information Technology High School, the previously underperforming school with a graduation rate of 20% became a top-performing school—earning a state rating of "Excellent"—with a graduation rate over 90%. (16) Calls to close the school have quieted, and the school now serves as a model to others wishing to experience a similar turnaround. (17) In return, when Cincinnati Bell needs highly qualified graduates to fill its positions, the neighborhood students are happy to apply, leading to a wealth of opportunities for everyone.
Question
The writer has discovered several pieces of new information about school and business partnerships. Which of the following would most likely cause the writer to alter the line of reasoning in the passage?
| A. A research study by the Department of Education that reports how the partnership between Commack School District in New York and several local businesses has led to increased authentic learning and improved graduation rates | |
| B. An Edlanta article that discusses the partnership between ACME Technology and Woodrow Hills Middle School and describes the increased positive relationships among the company, the school, and their surrounding community, which has led to higher business revenues in that area | |
| C. A Harvard Business School report that described how businesses who participated in partnerships with local schools financially outperformed those who did not participate in such partnerships | |
| D. A survey of American parents and students, published by the U.S. Department of Education, that found that school and business partnerships interfered with students' learning because businesses were overly involved in school curriculum |
Explanation
To determine which information would alter the passage's line of reasoning, outline the writer's argument by noting the claims in each paragraph and select the information that does not match the existing discussion.
| P1 | School and business partnerships provide benefits inside the classroom. |
| P2 | Communication and planning are key in partnership success. |
| P3 | Because of the benefits and increased demand, partnerships have expanded into secondary classrooms. |
| P4 | Partnerships provide students with increased technological and expert access; businesses are typically aware of their beneficial contributions. |
| P5 | Partnerships can result in improved schools and better candidate pools for businesses. |
The existing discussion examines partnerships' benefits to schools and businesses and what is needed to achieve advantageous partnerships. It does not examine any specific negative effects to students' learning. Therefore, the information that would cause the writer to alter the passage's line of reasoning would be a survey of American parents and students…that found that school and business partnerships interfered with students' learning….
(Choice A) Most of the passage describes the benefits of partnerships for students; therefore, this research study about increased graduation rates would support the existing line of reasoning.
(Choice B) P2 describes the importance of communication in these partnerships so that both sides benefit from them, and P4 mentions long-term community benefits. Therefore, information about increased positive relationships and higher business revenues would support the existing line of reasoning.
(Choice C) P3 and P5 discuss the overall benefits of these partnerships for businesses and specifically mention the increased pool of qualified candidates. Therefore, evidence of higher financial performance due to those partnerships support the existing line of reasoning.
Things to remember:
Summarize the writer's claims to determine the overall line of reasoning in the passage.
Passage: Artificial Intelligence
(1) Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer merely a myth, referenced only as some futuristic possibility looming over humanity. (2) It is now an integral piece of society's fabric, used across the globe by sectors such as the military, education, and business. (3) Unfortunately, advancements in AI raise a number of concerns. (4) Will AI take our jobs? (5) Can people compete with this swiftly improving technology? (6) However, as recent research illustrates, AI may be surpassing people's job performance in some fields, even though AI would likely have eliminated those jobs anyway.
(7) Perhaps not unexpectedly, AI can easily perform some tasks better than humans based on computations or predictions. (8) For example, Nasdaq is using a deep learning AI system to help monitor over 17.5 million daily stock trades for evidence of false inflation or fraud. (9) When it finds suspicious activity, the system flags that activity and alerts human specialists to investigate. (10) The specialist will then enter their findings into the AI system to help improve its accuracy and "understanding."
(11) People have exhibited willingness to work with different types of AI. (12) In fact, in 2019, over 66 million U.S. adults owned an Alexa, a smart speaker with a voice-activated AI assistant. (13) Despite abundant headline-grabbing incidents of unauthorized recordings, the dissemination of such recordings, and unsolicited creepy laughs and retorts, people are ignoring such invasions of privacy and focusing instead on convenience. (14) In fact, quite a few people view them as a means of ultimate convenience that can control their lights, play music, and even monitor their children.
(15) Children are particularly engrossed by things with AI, as recent studies report. (16) Children have played with toys containing AI components since the Furby's invention in 1998. (17) As a reaction to this, MIT recently developed a summer program that teaches children between 9 and 14 a bunch of stuff. (18) One child described her delight at working with AI: it was like working with a developing brain, teaching it to help it grow. (19) Studies also show that such technological exposure helps to build better critical thinking and problem-solving skills in curious children.
(20) Many people wonder what future generations of AI will be capable of and the implications of such advancements.
Question
The writer wants to avoid expressing the argument of the passage in absolute terms. Which of the following changes should the writer make to achieve this goal?
| A. In sentence 2, deleting "by sectors such as the military, education, and business" | |
| B. In sentence 11, adding "more and more" before "people" | |
| C. In sentence 14, deleting "quite a few" | |
| D. In sentence 19, adding "possibly" before "helps" |
Explanation
When asked to make the passage argument less absolute, read through each suggested change and select the one that provides a limitation or exception.
| (Choice A) In sentence 2, deleting "by sectors such as the military, education, and business" | This revision would remove limitations and make the passage more absolute by eliminating the examples of sectors that widely use AI. |
| (Choice B) In sentence 11, adding "more and more" before "people" | This change would add a limitation, saying that "more and more people" have exhibited willingness to use AI, rather than implying that all people have done so. Therefore, this change makes the passage less absolute. |
| (Choice C) In sentence 14, deleting "quite a few" | This change would make the passage more absolute because the new version would imply that all people, rather than "quite a few people," view smart speakers as a means of "ultimate convenience." |
| (Choice D) In sentence 19, adding "possibly" before "helps" | This revision would limit the statement that exposure to AI "helps to build" certain skills in children by adding "probably." However, because the original statement is a fact supported by data, rather than a claim, making it conditional would be illogical. |
Things to remember:
An absolute statement about a subject does not allow for exceptions or limits, whereas a conditional statement does.
AP English Language Practice Test: Reasoning and Organization: Reading
Passage: "Speech in the Virginia Convention" by Patrick Henry
Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with these war-like preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. 1 These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask, gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done, to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. 2 Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne. In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free, if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending, if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us!
They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance, by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations; and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.
It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!
Question
In the first paragraph, the writer criticizes the logic of those who dismiss the actions of the British as those of "love and reconciliation" (line 3) on the grounds that they have
| A.falsified Britain's reasons for assigning naval forces to the colonies | |
| B.allowed themselves to be pacified by their own hope to avoid conflict | |
| C. failed to recognize their disagreements with British allies | |
| D. refused to look at the situation in a way that is fair to both the British and the colonies |
Explanation
Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with these war-like preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation?... Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort.
When asked why a writer would criticize a group's logic, note who the writer is criticizing and summarize the context. Use the summary to decide the grounds (reasons) for the writer's criticism.
In the surrounding lines, the writer addresses those who pretend that the British "fleets and armies" are an act of "love and reconciliation" because they hope the situation will resolve peacefully, without war. The writer questions why someone who wishes to make peace would send an army.
The writer begs those people not to be falsely pacified (deceived into peace) and points out that the outcome of "love and reconciliation" that they hope for is logically at odds with Britain's "implements of war." Therefore, the writer criticizes their logic on the grounds that they have allowed themselves to be pacified by their own hope to avoid conflict.
(Choice A) Falsified means intentionally misled. The writer does not state that the people who ignore the truth have intentionally misled others. For this to be true, those in denial about Britain's true motives would have to know the truth and intentionally hide it from other citizens. Instead, the writer states that those in denial have ignored what was really happening in hopes of maintaining peace.
(Choice C) The writer doesn't mention British allies, so there is no evidence that he believes those who view Britain's acts positively have failed to recognize disagreements with British allies.
(Choice D) In P1, the writer states that the colonists have "held the subject up in every light," meaning they have looked at it in every way possible and that there are no more ways to consider Britain's actions. This directly contradicts the idea that they refused to look at the situation in a way that was fair to both the British and the colonies.
Things to remember:
When asked about a writer's criticism of a group, examine the context to identify who is being criticized and why.
Passage: "The Crisis" by Carrie Chapman Catt
The European woman has risen. She may not realize it yet, but the woman "door-mat" in every land has unconsciously become a "door-jamb"! She will have become accustomed to her new dignity by the time the men come home. She will wonder how she ever could have been content lying across the threshold now that she discovers the upright jamb gives so much broader and more normal a vision of things. The men returning may find the new order a bit queer but everything else will be strangely unfamiliar too, and they will soon grow accustomed to all the changes together. The "jamb" will never descend into a "door-mat" again. The male and female anti-suffragists of all lands will puff and blow at the economic change which will come to the women of Europe. They will declare it to be contrary to Nature and to God's plan and that somebody ought to do something about it. Suffragists will accept the change as the inevitable outcome of an unprecedented world's cataclysm over which no human agency had any control and will trust in God to adjust the altered circumstances to the eternal evolution of human society. They will remember that in the long run, all things work together for good, for progress and for human weal.
The economic change is bound to bring political liberty. From every land, there comes the expressed belief that the war1 will be followed by a mighty, oncoming wave of democracy for it is now well known that the conflict has been one of governments, of kings and Czars, Kaisers and Emperors; not of peoples. The nations involved have nearly all declared that they are fighting to make an end of wars. New and higher ideals of governments and of the rights of the people under them, have grown enormously during the past two years. Another tide of political liberty, similar to that of 18482, but of a thousandfold greater momentum, is rising from battlefield and hospital, from camp and munitions factory, from home and church which, great men of many lands, tell us, is destined to sweep over the world. On the continent, the women say, "It is certain that the vote will come to men and women after the war, perhaps not immediately but soon." In Great Britain, which was the storm centre of the suffrage movement for some years before the war, hundreds of bitter, active opponents have confessed their conversion on account of the war services of women. Already, three great provinces of Canada, Manitoba, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, have given universal suffrage to their women in sheer generous appreciation of their war work. Even Mr. Asquith3, world renowned for his immovable opposition to the Parliamentary suffrage for British women, has given evidence of a change of view. Some months ago, he announced his amazement at the utterly unexpected skill, strength and resource developed by the women and his gratitude for their loyalty and devotion. Later, in reply to Mrs. Henry Fawcett, who asked if woman suffrage would be included in a proposed election bill, he said that when the war should end, such a measure would be considered without prejudice carried over from events prior to the war. A public statement issued by Mr. Asquith in August, was couched in such terms as to be interpreted by many as a pledge to include women in the next election bill.
In Great Britain, a sordid appeal which may prove the last straw to break the opposition to woman suffrage, has been added to the enthusiastic appreciation of woman's patriotism and practical service and to the sudden comprehension that motherhood is a national asset which must be protected at any price. A new voters' list is contemplated. A parliamentary election should be held in September, but the voters are scattered far and wide. The whole nation is agitated over the questions involved in making a new register. At the same time, there is a constant anxiety over war funds, as is prudent in a nation spending 50 millions of dollars per day. It has been proposed that a large poll tax be assessed upon the voters of the new lists, whereupon a secondary proposal of great force has been offered and that is, that twice as much money would find its way into the public coffers were women added to the voters' list. What nation, with compliments fresh spoken concerning women's patriotism and efficiency, could resist such an appeal?
So it happens that above the roar of cannon, the scream of shrapnel and the whirr of aeroplanes, one who listens may hear the cracking of the fetters which have long bound the European woman to outworn conventions. It has been a frightful price to pay but the fact remains that a womanhood, well started on the way to final emancipation, is destined to step forth from the war.
Question
In the second paragraph, the author commends the perspective of an individual who once opposed women's suffrage with "immovable opposition" (line 25) on the grounds that he has
| A. provided statistics to support the positive influence of women's services | |
| B. altered his opinion based on women's wartime ingenuity | |
| C. continued to support women's needs in the domestic sphere | |
| D. encouraged others to develop their own positions based on personal experience |
Explanation
Even Mr. Asquith, world renowned for his immovable opposition to the Parliamentary suffrage for British women, has given evidence of a change of view. Some months ago, he announced his amazement at the utterly unexpected skill, strength and resource developed by the women and his gratitude for their loyalty and devotion.
To determine the author's reasons for commending (praising) someone who once opposed women's suffrage, summarize what the author says about that person.
In these lines, the author discusses Mr. Asquith, stating that even he, who was well-known for his opposition to women's suffrage, "has given evidence of a change of view" based on women's ingenuity, or "skill, strength and resource" during the war. Therefore, the author commends this former bitter opponent of women's suffrage—Mr. Asquith—because he altered his opinion based on women's wartime ingenuity.
(Choice A) P2 does not include any statistics provided by anyone who previously opposed suffrage.
(Choice C) The author has commended Mr. Asquith, a former suffrage opponent, for changing his mind; she does not discuss whether he supports women's current domestic (household) needs.
(Choice D) Although the author praises Mr. Asquith for changing his mind about suffrage, she does not mention whether he encouraged others to develop new positions based on their experiences.
Things to remember:
Summarize what an author says about a subject to determine the reason for praising it.
Passage: "Reconceptualizing Cultural Globalization: Connecting the 'Cultural Global' and the 'Cultural Local'" by Stephen Magu
In the early 1980s, originating in Japan, a new cultural artifact was introduced to the personal entertainment industry: the Walkman.1 Du Gay and others2 argue that the "Walkman" concept by itself had no meaning; however, the associations that were connoted by the "Walkman" gave it meaning. Du Gay et al. contend that "as well as being social animals, men and women are also [cultural] beings. They also assert that we use language and concepts to make sense of what is happening, even of events which may never have happened to us before, trying to 'figure out the world,' to make it mean something."
As a technological invention without functional value, the Walkman (or portable cassette player, until it gained wide following and recognition as the Walkman), was not transformative, but the connotations and interpretations that came attached to it were instrumental in its widespread use and acceptability across cultures. As Du Gay et al. suggest, notions associated with the Walkman included "Japanese", which stood for "superior, quality product," "technologically modern," "youth," "advancement" and other appeals that helped the "text"3 find its place and wide following. Its acceptability as a personalized, individualized means of listening to music, both including and excluding the surrounding environment, and therefore its popularity, also borrowed from concepts of mass information practices, i.e., advertising.
By constructing the ownership—promoting the concepts of enabling the individual to enjoy "private-listening-in-public-places" according to Du Gay et al., as well as reproduction and identification with the urban—the busy yet connected individual was propagated. The differences separating it from other forms of entertainment (for example, portable radios), and the specific market segment constructed through advertising (young, urban people) created a meaning for "the Walkman" and therefore transformed it from a simple technological device to a representation of a modern, "hip" urban youth. The role of advertising served to give it legitimacy, publicity and validity, and allowed individuals to conceptualize themselves as being part of that identity.
Personal preferences lead to personal choices, which in turn "globalize" works of art. In the age of mechanical production and globalization, art has begun to take on specific purposes: while the iPhone is a work of art, Apple must consider how the "text" will find a market niche and thereby be used all over the world, thereby altering the aura of an iPhone—or other similar phones—as a cultural object to emphasize its use. On the other hand, due to increasing globalization, the iPhone is a cultural text for the globalized, rather than just for the localized audience. Such artifacts then begin to enable us to conceptualize a truly global culture, since the iPhone is adaptable to different languages and uses in different parts of the world.
One other example deserves mention. The World Wide Web is, as far as cultural artifacts go, a "novel" invention, less than thirty years into its development, yet it has become one of the most visible "globalizers." The advent of Google has been one of the most technology-changing modern developments, redefining how communication affects transmission of specific and global cultural texts. One of its contributions to globalizing the local and localizing the global is scanning of out-of-print and non-copyrighted textbooks, journals and other media into a world-wide database, accessible by anyone who has a computer and an internet connection…
In developing the Google-Swahili language interface, Google collaborated with East African academics and Swahili scholars to verify maintenance of the language's integrity. The "global" came to the "local" to learn and adapt, and then the local became global after Google's interaction with the Swahili scholars. Suddenly, a language that was localized to Greater East Africa (in a few pockets of diasporic communities) found its way to global availability. Now, with a computer, one can learn Swahili from anywhere in the world, as is the case with many other languages. Thus, Swahili is re-defined through cultural artifacts that originated in the "West"—computers, internet, Google—and globalized to anyone that has access.
Does the global then affect the local and/or necessarily change the cultural purity of other cultures and their artifacts? While the Swahili language now "lives" in a different media, accessible to different people, the essence of the language and traditions has not changed; [this change] has, however, almost ensured longevity beyond the current speakers. This is illustrated by the case of preservation of the Latin language. Language preservation, especially for extinct and near-extinct language, ensures that they will be available in the future for study and/or re-introduction, even though some of the actual cultural practices may be lost forever.
Culture is not static; it is dynamic and adaptive. It "learns," "adapts" and "grows" to include "texts" that previously did not belong, integrating them and localizing their uses, thereby taking that which is global and localizing it and completing the circle. Similarly, the local often becomes globalized. In fact, tourists visiting foreign lands often visit the local markets in search of "texts" that are representative of the cultures in the foreign countries and bring them to their own foreign "local."
Question
Which of the following best describes the relationship between the fifth paragraph and the sixth paragraph?
| A. Paragraph 6 questions the validity of the assertion presented in paragraph 5. | |
| B. Paragraph 6 suggests a solution to the issue presented in paragraph 5. | |
| C. Paragraph 6 provides additional evidence for a claim presented in paragraph 5. | |
| D. Paragraph 6 outlines the result of the situation described in paragraph 5. |
Explanation
Summarize P5 and P6 and then compare their functions to identify their relationship.
| P5: | Makes a general claim that the World Wide Web has contributed to globalization and supports it with an example: Google has enabled texts to be shared globally |
| P6: | Provides an additional example: Google's Swahili interface helped this localized language become globally accessible, ensuring its longevity |
Based on the above summaries, paragraph 6 provides additional evidence for a claim presented in paragraph 5.
(Choice A) Because P6 provides a specific example that reinforces the assertion in P5, P6 supports P5's validity (accuracy), instead of questioning it.
(Choice B) P5 makes a claim about how the World Wide Web and Google have changed local language and culture, but it does not raise an issue with that change. P6 cannot suggest a solution to an issue that isn't raised.
(Choice D) P5 introduces a situation—the invention of the World Wide Web and Google—and introduces one result of that invention—change in how local language and texts are communicated. P6 provides a detailed example that supports the results already discussed in P5 rather than outlining several general results.
Things to remember:
Summarize the ideas in the specified paragraphs and compare their functions to determine how their relationship should be described.
AP English Language Practice Test: Reasoning and Organization: Writing
Passage: Why the World Needs to Fund Renewable Energy Technology
(1) Nature provides a wealth of untapped possibilities, from tides to biomass, solar to wind; yet the world's fuel consumption is composed of only 10%–20% renewable energy. (2) Instead, fossil fuel consumption increases year after year and so does the emission of harmful greenhouse gasses: Iceland and Costa Rica alone, despite using almost 100% clean energy, cannot save the Earth single-handedly.
(3) Limited accessibility to renewable energy is one reason the world's most prosperous economies must team up and pool money to improve the technology used to acquire such energy. (4) Many developed nations already use some form of renewable energy—the United States creates about 10% of its energy using wind and solar power, and the European Union currently draws 20% of its power from various renewables—and those percentages would likely increase if the associated costs were lower. (5) Solar panel manufacturing requires creating specialized silicon wafers, placing contacts, and encapsulating the cells—a complicated process. (6) These processes are often costly, use excessive energy, and release toxic chemicals into the environment.
(7) Luckily, with a little investment in upgrading the technology associated with renewable energy, some vast improvements can easily be made. (8) More complex technological improvements could increase the efficiency of converting solar rays into energy—currently only about 25% becomes electricity—and prevent toxic metals such as cadmium and by-products such as nitrogen trifluoride from entering the environment. (9) Such technological upgrades would be universally beneficial: in fact, Nicaragua adopted a Guatemalan law to increase its renewable energy use from 15% to 52%. (10) Additionally, these updates would render renewable energy superior to environmentally harmful fossil fuels.
(11) Now is the time for governments around the world to share their greatest minds—to help expand the technology—and create subsidies to bring down costs for consumers. (12) Although converting to renewable energy might seem expensive and time-consuming, with world electricity consumption expected to rise over 90% in the next few decades, an aging existing power grid, accelerated climate change, and dwindling fossil fuel sources, steps must be taken now to avoid the looming catastrophic consequences.
Question
In sentence 2 (reproduced below), the writer wants an effective transition from the introductory paragraph to the main idea of the passage.
Instead, fossil fuel consumption increases year after year and so does the emission of harmful greenhouse gasses: Iceland and Costa Rica alone, despite using almost 100% clean energy, cannot save the Earth single-handedly.
Which of the following versions of the underlined text best achieves this purpose?
| A.(as it is now) | |
| B.gasses: this brings Earth closer to an energy crisis while unnecessarily compounding Earth's climate change | |
| C. gasses; greenhouse gas emissions have increased by over 25% in the last decade due to increased industrialization on a global scale | |
| D. gasses—including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons, and hydrofluorocarbons, which are harmful to the Earth's ozone layer |
Explanation
Summarize each paragraph to determine the main idea of the passage and select the version that addresses both the introduction and the main idea.
| P1 | The world uses too much fossil fuel and not enough renewable resources, which is harmful to the environment. |
| P2 | Accessibility to renewable energy is limited and expensive; it would be used more if it were cheaper and widely available. |
| P3 | A small financial investment in renewable energy–related technology would make this type of energy cheaper, more efficient, and therefore superior to fossil fuels. |
| P4 | Governments must work together and share scientists and funding to improve renewable energy technology before fossil fuels run out and create an energy crisis. |
Main idea: Countries need to work together to improve renewable energy technology, making it cheaper and more accessible, before there's an energy crisis.
Only one version mentions both the fossil fuels' harm to the environment—climate change—presented in P1 and the passage's main idea of preventing an energy crisis when such fuels run out: this brings Earth closer to an energy crisis while unnecessarily compounding Earth's climate change.
(Choice A) Although this version mentions renewable energy, it does not connect that type of energy to the need to prevent a future energy crisis.
(Choices C and D) These versions discuss the harmful emission of greenhouse gasses mentioned in the first paragraph but do not connect these ideas to the need for an increased use of renewable resources before a future energy crisis arises.
Things to remember:
When asked which version of a sentence most effectively transitions between two parts of the passage, summarize each part and select the version that connects them.
Passage: Edible Insects
(1) Entomophagy, the practice of eating the eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults of certain insects, has been part of the culinary culture of numerous ethnic groups since prehistoric times. (2) Suddenly, though, updated folk recipes that incorporate insects have become part of an emerging trend: renewed interest in family ancestry has prompted many Americans to reconnect with the cuisine of their cultural heritage.
(3) Because increasing numbers of Americans are seeking alternative food sources for nutritional and environmental reasons, they should include insects in their diets more often. (4) An estimated 30% of the world's population eat insects as a part of their everyday diet—most commonly mealworms and crickets—but over 1,900 species worldwide have been identified as edible. (5) The taboo that surrounds eating insects has been primarily an American attitude. (6) As products such as protein bars and snack chips made from insects begin to show up on some grocery store shelves, that notion is changing.
(7) Consumers who read nutrition labels printed on packaged foods are happy to learn that, pound for pound, edible insects offer superior nutritional benefits; since much of the world's population regularly eats insects, they are likely to become the most frequently consumed food item within the next 50 years. (8) This is good news at a time when ecological resources are strained by the effort to meet the nutritional needs of a growing population. (9) In fact, a report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations urged the global community to limit its livestock farming and consumption of meat, indicating that traditional livestock are responsible for 18% of all greenhouse gasses and 8% of all freshwater use. (10) By comparison, farmed insects—which are high in protein—use only a fraction of the feed and water required for meat-producing livestock, emit no methane or ammonia, and thus have a much lower environmental impact.
(11) Despite the benefits, some people fear that eating insects is dangerously unsanitary. (12) If most of the world has found a tasty way to serve them up, they deserve a place on the plates of healthy and responsible American gourmands.
Question
In sentence 2 (reproduced below), the writer wants an effective transition from the introductory paragraph to the main idea of the passage.
Suddenly, though, updated folk recipes that incorporate insects have become part of an emerging trend: renewed interest in family ancestry has prompted many Americans to reconnect with the cuisine of their cultural heritage.
Which of the following versions of the underlined text best achieves this purpose?
| A. (as it is now) | |
| B. trend: dishes that feature insects are well suited for those who have recently committed to healthy and sustainably sourced diets | |
| C. trend—in some cases, turning them into powder or baking them into treats so that the insects' bodies are not even recognizable | |
| D. trend: some celebrity chefs are gaining notoriety by transforming traditional insect dishes into gourmet recipes and serving them to their most fashionable clientele |
Explanation
Summarize each supporting paragraph and determine the main idea they all address. Then, select the version of sentence 2 that connects the introduction to this main idea.
| P2 | Increasing numbers of Americans are seeking alternative food sources for nutritional and environmental reasons. |
| P3 | Insects are high in protein and require few resources, so they provide a sustainable source of food to feed a growing population. |
| P4 | People who want to be healthy and responsible should consider eating insects. |
| Main idea: | Eating insects provides both health and environmental benefits. |
P1 introduces the old practice and renewed trend of eating insects. The main idea of the rest of the passage is that insects are healthy to eat and sustainably sourced (good for the environment). Therefore, the most effective transition from the introduction to the main idea is: dishes that feature insects are well suited for those who have recently committed to healthy and sustainably sourced diets.
(Choice A) This version addresses the trend of interest in family ancestry, but not the main topic of the passage: the trend of eating insects.
(Choice C) The detail that crickets and grasshoppers can be turned into powder is related to the general trend of eating insects. However, this details is not related to the health and environmental benefits of eating insects, so it doesn't present the main idea of the passage.
(Choice D) Transforming traditional insect dishes into gourmet recipes is related to the general trend of eating insects; however, this version does not include the main idea— that insects can be part of a healthy diet and their cultivation benefits the environment.
Things to remember:
Determine the main idea of a passage by identifying the idea that all the paragraphs address.
Passage: School and Business Partnerships
(1) When you attend a school sports game, like dugout walls, fences, and concession stands, sponsoring business advertisements are hung everywhere on school playing field structures. (2) You may also have seen those businesses' names on student athlete uniforms. (3) Over the last few decades, these partnerships have expanded beyond the athletic field to provide benefits in the classroom: business employees often have children in school.
(4) School and business partnerships can offer many benefits, but also require extensive planning and monitoring to ensure that both sides feel fulfilled. (5) If both sides do not communicate, the partnership often degrades over time, leading to disappointment and animosity. (6) However, when all sides are engaged, these partnerships provide a wealth of advantages to students and businesses alike.
(7) Historically, school and business partnerships started at the college level, providing students with valuable career experience. (8) However, relationships were formed between medical programs and hospitals or between business programs and financial institutions. (9) Partnerships expanded to secondary classrooms as the demand for highly skilled workers increased and research revealed the benefits—especially in STEM—of gaining fundamental knowledge and experience at an earlier age. (10) For corporations like Verizon and Integris Health, these things have paid off.
(11) Such relationships provide important educational benefits to schools, including access to technology and specialized equipment, as well as interaction with employees experienced in the corresponding field. (12) Schools covet such access and often reach out to businesses to form a partnership, but there are often few businesses that are interested. (13) Businesses consider themselves more aware of the types of programs and contributions that will be most beneficial to a school and community in the long run.
(14) A partnership program initiated by Cincinnati Bell has proved advantageous for one local school. (15) Now named the Robert A. Taft Information Technology High School, the previously underperforming school with a graduation rate of 20% became a top-performing school—earning a state rating of "Excellent"—with a graduation rate over 90%. (16) Calls to close the school have quieted, and the school now serves as a model to others wishing to experience a similar turnaround. (17) In return, when Cincinnati Bell needs highly qualified graduates to fill its positions, the neighborhood students are happy to apply, leading to a wealth of opportunities for everyone.
Question
The writer wants to use an appropriate transitional word or phrase to introduce the evidence in sentence 8.
However, relationships were formed between medical programs and hospitals or between business programs and financial institutions.
| A.(As it is now) | |
| B.Afterwards, | |
| C.Furthermore, | |
| D. For instance, |
Explanation
To determine which transition best connects two sentences, restate them and identify the relationship between their ideas. Then, select the word or phrase that best expresses that relationship.
| (7) | School and business partnerships originally started in colleges. |
| (8) | Those partnerships were often between medical programs and hospitals or business programs and financial institutions. |
Because (8) gives two examples of (7), the word or phrase that best connects the two sentences is "for instance"; therefore the sentences should read:
(7) Historically, school and business partnerships started at the college level, providing students with valuable career experience. (8) For instance, relationships were formed between medical programs and hospitals or between business programs and financial institutions.
(Choice A) "However" indicates an opposing idea; (8) provides an example of, rather than any opposition to, the ideas in (7).
(Choice B) "Afterwards" indicates that one thing happened after another thing. The ideas in (8) indicate an example of (7), not something that occurred later.
(Choice C) "Furthermore" indicates that a conclusion is being drawn based on multiple reasons. However, (8) gives an example of (7), rather than drawing a conclusion based on it.
Things to remember:
The transitional word or phrase that best connects two sentences must reflect the relationship between those sentences.
AP English Language Practice Test: Style: Reading
Passage: "Personality and Character" by Robert Louis Stevenson
There are few women, not well sunned and ripened, and perhaps toughened, who can thus stand apart from a man and say the true thing with a kind of genial cruelty. Still there are some—and I doubt if there be any man who can return the compliment. The class of men represented by Vernon Whitford1 in "The Egoist" says, indeed, the true thing, but he says it stockishly. Vernon is a noble fellow, and makes, by the way, a noble and instructive contrast to Daniel Deronda2; his conduct is the conduct of a man of honor; but we agree with him, against our consciences, when he considers "its astonishing dryness." He is the best of men, but the best of women manage to combine all that and something more. Their very faults assist them; they are helped even by the falseness of their position in life. They can retire into the fortified camp of the proprieties. They can touch a subject, and suppress it. The most adroit employ a somewhat elaborate reserve as a means to be frank, much as they wear gloves when they shake hands. But a man has the full responsibility of his freedom, cannot evade a question, can scarce be silent without rudeness, must answer for his words upon the moment, and is not seldom left face to face with a damning choice, between the more or less honorable wriggling of Deronda1 and the downright rudeness of Vernon Whitford2.
To two classes we pay court: women and the aged. But the superiority of women is perpetually menaced; they do not sit throned on infirmities like the old; they are suitors as well as sovereigns; their vanity is engaged, their affections are too apt to follow; and hence much of the talk between the sexes degenerates into something unworthy of the name. The desire to please, to shine with a certain softness of luster and to draw a fascinating picture of oneself, banishes from conversation all that is sterling and most of what is humorous. As soon as a strong current of mutual admiration begins to flow, the human interest triumphs entirely over the intellectual, and the commerce of words, consciously or not, becomes secondary to the commercing of eyes. Each simply waits on the other to be admired, and the talk dwindles into platitudinous piping. Coquetry and fatuity are thus the knell of talk. But even where this ridiculous danger is avoided, and a man and woman converse equally and honestly, something in their nature or their education falsifies the strain. An instinct prompts them to agree; and where that is impossible, to agree to differ. Should they neglect the warning, at the first suspicion of an argument, they find themselves in different hemispheres. About any point of business or conduct, any actual affair demanding settlement, a woman will speak and listen, hear and answer arguments, not only with natural wisdom, but with candor and logical honesty. But if the subject of debate be something in the air, an abstraction, an excuse for talk, a logical Aunt Sally3, then may the male debater instantly abandon hope; he may employ reason, adduce facts, be supple, be smiling, be angry, all shall avail him nothing; what the woman said first, that (unless she has forgotten it) she will repeat at the end. Hence, at the very junctures when a talk between men grows brighter and quicker and begins to promise to bear fruit, talk between the sexes is menaced with dissolution. The point of difference, the point of interest, is evaded by the brilliant woman, under a shower of irrelevant conversational rockets; it is bridged by the discreet woman with a rustle of silk, as she passes smoothly forward to the nearest point of safety. And this sort of prestidigitation, juggling the dangerous topic out of sight until it can be reintroduced with safety in an altered shape, is a piece of tactics among the true drawing-room queens.
The drawing-room is, indeed, an artificial place; it is so by our choice and for our sins; the subjection of women; the ideal imposed upon them from the cradle; and worn, like a hair-shirt, with so much constancy; their motherly, superior tenderness to man's vanity and self-importance; their managing arts—the arts of a civilized slave among good-natured barbarians—are all painful ingredients and all help to falsify relations. It is not till we get clear of that amusing artificial scene that genuine relations are founded, or ideas honestly compared.
Question
The tone of lines 9–11 ("Their very faults…suppress it") is most accurately characterized as
| A.irreverent | |
| B.evasive | |
| C. commending | |
| D. surprised |
Explanation
To interpret the tone of a selected text, paraphrase the lines and examine the author's attitude toward the subject.
| "Their very faults assist them; | Women may have flaws, but they use them to their advantage; |
| they are helped even by the falseness of their position in life. | the illusion that women are inferior helps them. |
| They can retire into the fortified camp of the proprieties. They can touch a subject, and suppress it." | Women shield themselves from conflict by hiding behind the expectation of proper manners. They can bring up a subject and prevent a full discussion of it. |
The author expresses repeated admiration for women's abilities to gain advantages, despite the lower status imposed on them. He suggests they are strategic by hiding behind the expectation of proper social behavior, and so are able to control a discussion. The tone, then, can be most accurately characterized as praising, or commending.
(Choice A) The author notes that women have faults, but he is not irreverent (disrespectful of a serious matter) toward them; he respects the way they use their situation to their advantage.
(Choice B) The author's description of women here shows that they can be evasive (tending to avoid a subject or be indirect). However, the author himself is not attempting to be evasive.
(Choice D) The author shows he respects particular qualities women have, which others may not have noticed. However, he does not indicate that he is surprised by these qualities.
Things to remember:
Search the specified lines for words or phrases that indicate how the author feels about the subject.
Passage: "The Crisis" by Carrie Chapman Catt
The European woman has risen. She may not realize it yet, but the woman "door-mat" in every land has unconsciously become a "door-jamb"! She will have become accustomed to her new dignity by the time the men come home. She will wonder how she ever could have been content lying across the threshold now that she discovers the upright jamb gives so much broader and more normal a vision of things. The men returning may find the new order a bit queer but everything else will be strangely unfamiliar too, and they will soon grow accustomed to all the changes together. The "jamb" will never descend into a "door-mat" again. The male and female anti-suffragists of all lands will puff and blow at the economic change which will come to the women of Europe. They will declare it to be contrary to Nature and to God's plan and that somebody ought to do something about it. Suffragists will accept the change as the inevitable outcome of an unprecedented world's cataclysm over which no human agency had any control and will trust in God to adjust the altered circumstances to the eternal evolution of human society. They will remember that in the long run, all things work together for good, for progress and for human weal.
The economic change is bound to bring political liberty. From every land, there comes the expressed belief that the war1 will be followed by a mighty, oncoming wave of democracy for it is now well known that the conflict has been one of governments, of kings and Czars, Kaisers and Emperors; not of peoples. The nations involved have nearly all declared that they are fighting to make an end of wars. New and higher ideals of governments and of the rights of the people under them, have grown enormously during the past two years. Another tide of political liberty, similar to that of 18482, but of a thousandfold greater momentum, is rising from battlefield and hospital, from camp and munitions factory, from home and church which, great men of many lands, tell us, is destined to sweep over the world. On the continent, the women say, "It is certain that the vote will come to men and women after the war, perhaps not immediately but soon." In Great Britain, which was the storm centre of the suffrage movement for some years before the war, hundreds of bitter, active opponents have confessed their conversion on account of the war services of women. Already, three great provinces of Canada, Manitoba, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, have given universal suffrage to their women in sheer generous appreciation of their war work. Even Mr. Asquith3, world renowned for his immovable opposition to the Parliamentary suffrage for British women, has given evidence of a change of view. Some months ago, he announced his amazement at the utterly unexpected skill, strength and resource developed by the women and his gratitude for their loyalty and devotion. Later, in reply to Mrs. Henry Fawcett, who asked if woman suffrage would be included in a proposed election bill, he said that when the war should end, such a measure would be considered without prejudice carried over from events prior to the war. A public statement issued by Mr. Asquith in August, was couched in such terms as to be interpreted by many as a pledge to include women in the next election bill.
In Great Britain, a sordid appeal which may prove the last straw to break the opposition to woman suffrage, has been added to the enthusiastic appreciation of woman's patriotism and practical service and to the sudden comprehension that motherhood is a national asset which must be protected at any price. A new voters' list is contemplated. A parliamentary election should be held in September, but the voters are scattered far and wide. The whole nation is agitated over the questions involved in making a new register. At the same time, there is a constant anxiety over war funds, as is prudent in a nation spending 50 millions of dollars per day. It has been proposed that a large poll tax be assessed upon the voters of the new lists, whereupon a secondary proposal of great force has been offered and that is, that twice as much money would find its way into the public coffers were women added to the voters' list. What nation, with compliments fresh spoken concerning women's patriotism and efficiency, could resist such an appeal?
So it happens that above the roar of cannon, the scream of shrapnel and the whirr of aeroplanes, one who listens may hear the cracking of the fetters which have long bound the European woman to outworn conventions. It has been a frightful price to pay but the fact remains that a womanhood, well started on the way to final emancipation, is destined to step forth from the war.
Question
In context, lines 36–41 ("At the same time...an appeal") could best be used to support which of the following claims about the author's tone?
| A.She employs a despondent tone when discussing the additions to the voters' list. | |
| B.She employs a pragmatic yet chiding tone when discussing an additional outcome of adding to the voters' list. | |
| C.She employs an inspirational tone when describing responses to women's patriotism. | |
| D. She employs a skeptical yet rational tone when examining the likelihood of a new poll tax. |
Explanation
At the same time, there is a constant anxiety over war funds, as is prudent in a nation spending 50 millions of dollars per day. It has been proposed that a large poll tax be assessed upon the voters of the new lists, whereupon a secondary proposal of great force has been offered and that is, that twice as much money would find its way into the public coffers were women added to the voters' list. What nation, with compliments fresh spoken concerning women's patriotism and efficiency, could resist such an appeal?
Examine the details and language the author uses to express an opinion in lines 36–41 and then determine which claim about the tone in that section can be supported.
The author details the:
- "constant anxiety over" money which is "prudent" (reasonable) because of the high spending war requires.
- proposed "large poll tax" on new voters to help fund recovery from the war.
- "secondary proposal of great force," which would enable the collection of "twice as much money" by allowing women to vote.
She concludes by asking what nation, which just complimented women's roles during the war, could resist women's request to vote when it would also bring in much-needed money.
The author presents a financial problem and a potential, pragmatic (practical) solution—allowing and taxing women's votes. Then, her question, "What nation…could resist such an appeal?" chides (teases) those who have recently complimented women's patriotism and work by implying their appreciation of women is insufficient without the practical advantage of generating money through a poll tax. Therefore, she employs a pragmatic yet chiding tone when discussing an additional outcome of adding to the voters' list.
(Choice A) The author wants to add women to the voters' list and explains why doing so would benefit the government's financial situation. She believes this proposal would be welcomed, so she does not discuss this topic despondently (lacking hope).
(Choice C) The author mentions the public's response to women's patriotism somewhat sarcastically, suggesting that however genuine it is, it is less of a motivation than the money that could be gained through a poll tax on more voters. Therefore, her tone when discussing responses to women's patriotism is more ironic than inspirational.
(Choice D) The author argues that a proposed poll tax would be more profitable if women were allowed to vote. She accepts the premise of the poll tax as a likelihood, so she does not discuss the new poll tax with skepticism.
Things to remember:
When determining the tone of specific lines, consider their details and language, as well as how they connect to the author's overall opinion of the subject.
Passage: "Speech in the Virginia Convention" by Patrick Henry
Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with these war-like preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. 1 These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask, gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done, to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne. In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free, if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending, if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us!
They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance, by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations; and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.
It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!
Question
In context, lines 31–36 ("Besides, sir...let it come") could be used to support which of the following about the writer's tone?
| A.His tone when discussing the colonists' lack of options is sarcastic. | |
| B. His tone when discussing the colonists' destiny is disapproving. | |
| C.He adopts a passionate, unsympathetic tone in examining his subject. | |
| D. He adopts a forceful, direct tone in discussing his subject. |
Explanation
To identify the writer's tone (attitude toward a subject), note how the lines demonstrate the writer's opinion and select the answer that best matches that attitude.
In the specified lines, the writer states:
- "we shall not fight our battles alone" because God will "raise up friends to fight our battles"
- "we have no election [choice]" but to fight
- "it is now too late to retire from the contest" and giving up will result in "slavery!"
- "the war is inevitable and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come!"
The writer provides reasons why colonists are ready for a fight and insists that war will result only in a positive outcome—freedom. In addition to appealing directly to his audience and providing strong, persuasive evidence, the writer uses exclamation points to show the force of his enthusiasm and commitment to the cause; therefore, in the specified lines, he adopts a forceful, direct tone in discussing his subject.
(Choice A) A sarcastic tone would mock or communicate disrespect. In these lines, the writer is direct in advocating for freedom and genuine in his respect for the colonists' plight.
(Choice B) In these lines, the writer states that the "war is inevitable" and that because of God's support, the colonists will not fight alone. Because he sees the battle to come as positive, bringing the colonists freedom, his tone is approving, not disapproving.
(Choice C) Although the exclamation points in these lines convey the writer's passion, the writer is not unsympathetic to a cause that he supports.
Things to remember:
Examine how the writer's opinion is communicated in specified lines to determine his tone.
AP English Language Practice Test: Style: Writing
Passage: School and Business Partnerships
(1) When you attend a school sports game, like dugout walls, fences, and concession stands, sponsoring business advertisements are hung everywhere on school playing field structures. (2) You may also have seen those businesses' names on student athlete uniforms. (3) Over the last few decades, these partnerships have expanded beyond the athletic field to provide benefits in the classroom: business employees often have children in school.
(4) School and business partnerships can offer many benefits, but also require extensive planning and monitoring to ensure that both sides feel fulfilled. (5) If both sides do not communicate, the partnership often degrades over time, leading to disappointment and animosity. (6) However, when all sides are engaged, these partnerships provide a wealth of advantages to students and businesses alike.
(7) Historically, school and business partnerships started at the college level, providing students with valuable career experience. (8) However, relationships were formed between medical programs and hospitals or between business programs and financial institutions. (9) Partnerships expanded to secondary classrooms as the demand for highly skilled workers increased and research revealed the benefits—especially in STEM—of gaining fundamental knowledge and experience at an earlier age. (10) For corporations like Verizon and Integris Health, these things have paid off.
(11) Such relationships provide important educational benefits to schools, including access to technology and specialized equipment, as well as interaction with employees experienced in the corresponding field. (12) Schools covet such access and often reach out to businesses to form a partnership, but there are often few businesses that are interested. (13) Businesses consider themselves more aware of the types of programs and contributions that will be most beneficial to a school and community in the long run.
(14) A partnership program initiated by Cincinnati Bell has proved advantageous for one local school. (15) Now named the Robert A. Taft Information Technology High School, the previously underperforming school with a graduation rate of 20% became a top-performing school—earning a state rating of "Excellent"—with a graduation rate over 90%. (16) Calls to close the school have quieted, and the school now serves as a model to others wishing to experience a similar turnaround. (17) In return, when Cincinnati Bell needs highly qualified graduates to fill its positions, the neighborhood students are happy to apply, leading to a wealth of opportunities for everyone.
Question
Which of the following versions of sentence 1 (reproduced below) is most clear?
When you attend a school sports game, like dugout walls, fences, and concession stands, sponsoring business advertisements are hung everywhere on school playing field structures.
| A.(as it is now) | |
| B.Sponsoring business advertisements are hung everywhere on school playing field structures, when you attend a school sports game, like dugout walls, fences, and concession stands. | |
| C. Sponsoring business advertisements, like dugout walls, fences, and concession stands, are hung everywhere on school playing field structures, when you attend a school sports game. | |
| D. When you attend a school sports game, sponsoring business advertisements are hung everywhere on school playing field structures, like dugout walls, fences, and concession stands. |
Explanation
When asked which version of a sentence is most clear, read through the choices and select the version that places any clarifying details after the noun they describe.
For this sentence to be clear, the clarifying details must be placed after the noun they describe. Only one version places the two in that order: when you attend a school sports game, sponsoring business advertisements are hung everywhere on school playing field structures, like dugout walls, fences, and concession stands.
(Choices A and B) These versions are not clear because "dugout walls, fences, and concession stands" are not a type of "school sports game."
(Choice C) In this version, "like dugout walls, fences, and concession stands" are placed after "advertisements." This version is unclear because these structures are not "advertisements."
Things to remember:
When asked which version of a sentence is most clear, look for a phrase that can clarify only one noun and select the sentence where that clarifying phrase is placed immediately after the noun to which it refers.
Passage: Perception
(1) Many people don't take into account the importance of perception in their lives—from musicians determining pitch to drivers' expectations when turning a steering wheel—and how it impacts their actions. (2) Individuals' perceptions of the world vary, and understanding the influences and implications of those perspectives is not easy. (3) While most believe that perception, which supports fast and efficient interaction with the environment, relies solely on people's senses to inform their reactions, it also relies on life experiences.
(4) Continuing research reveals just how essential perception is in people's lives. (5) It has been found to impact how people interact with others, their decision-making process, and how they view the world around them. (6) One classic analysis of visual perception involves the Necker cube, created by Louis Albert Necker (son of botanist Jacques Necker); a person's understanding of the image, and whether the front face of the cube is above or below the back face, changes as the person's focus shifts. (7) Perception has also been found to influence significant subconscious judgments, such as how one instinctually reacts to other people's tones—and thus their attitudes—during a conversation. (8) This interpretation of tone can then influence how that person is viewed and whether or not the two have a positive or negative relationship. (9) Often, in these cases, people's interpretations were found to be influenced by prior interactions—with similar people or in similar circumstances—that were unrelated to that conversation.
(10) Admittedly, perception does have its benefits: it can provide multiple perspectives on a problem, often leading to a better, more balanced solution. (11) But in a dire situation, perception can be problematic and perpetuate conflict. (12) In a war, for example, opposing sides may view each other as the enemy and themselves as innocent victims. (13) Luckily, respected leaders like Nelson Mandela have avoided global conflict by welcoming diverse views, enabling a wider perspective, and encouraging people to work toward world peace. (14) Acknowledging one's perspective and its restrictions can also lead to positive personal outcomes. (15) In life, individuals grow and thrive by accepting the limitations of their perception and welcoming other people's points of view to expand their own.
Question
The writer is considering deleting the underlined independent clause in sentence 10 (reproduced below), adjusting the punctuation as necessary.
Admittedly, perception does have its benefits: it can provide multiple perspectives on a problem, often leading to a better, more balanced solution.
Should the writer keep or delete the underlined text?
| A.Keep it, because it examines how perception impacts different groups' abilities to problem solve. | |
| B.Keep it, because it illustrates a specific manner in which perception is beneficial to decision-making. | |
| C. Delete it, because it interrupts the flow of the paragraph by introducing information that is not relevant. | |
| D. Delete it, because it contradicts the sentence's earlier claim about perception. |
Explanation
Keep the underlined portion of the sentence only if it provides new or relevant information.
The first part of the sentence states that perception has advantages. The second part of the sentence clarifies the advantages mentioned by the first part of the sentence. Therefore, this portion should be kept because it illustrates a specific manner in which perception is beneficial to decision-making.
(Choice A) Although the sentence should be kept, multiple groups are not mentioned, so this reason is inaccurate.
(Choices C and D) Because the underlined portion reinforces the sentence's discussion about the benefits of perception with a relevant example, the specified portion should be kept rather than deleted.
Things to remember:
Keep the underlined portion of a sentence only if it adds new, relevant information, such as a clarifying example.
Passage: Artificial Intelligence
(1) Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer merely a myth, referenced only as some futuristic possibility looming over humanity. (2) It is now an integral piece of society's fabric, used across the globe by sectors such as the military, education, and business. (3) Unfortunately, advancements in AI raise a number of concerns. (4) Will AI take our jobs? (5) Can people compete with this swiftly improving technology? (6) However, as recent research illustrates, AI may be surpassing people's job performance in some fields, even though AI would likely have eliminated those jobs anyway.
(7) Perhaps not unexpectedly, AI can easily perform some tasks better than humans based on computations or predictions. (8) For example, Nasdaq is using a deep learning AI system to help monitor over 17.5 million daily stock trades for evidence of false inflation or fraud. (9) When it finds suspicious activity, the system flags that activity and alerts human specialists to investigate. (10) The specialist will then enter their findings into the AI system to help improve its accuracy and "understanding."
(11) People have exhibited willingness to work with different types of AI. (12) In fact, in 2019, over 66 million U.S. adults owned an Alexa, a smart speaker with a voice-activated AI assistant. (13) Despite abundant headline-grabbing incidents of unauthorized recordings, the dissemination of such recordings, and unsolicited creepy laughs and retorts, people are ignoring such invasions of privacy and focusing instead on convenience. (14) In fact, quite a few people view them as a means of ultimate convenience that can control their lights, play music, and even monitor their children.
(15) Children are particularly engrossed by things with AI, as recent studies report. (16) Children have played with toys containing AI components since the Furby's invention in 1998. (17) As a reaction to this, MIT recently developed a summer program that teaches children between 9 and 14 a bunch of stuff. (18) One child described her delight at working with AI: it was like working with a developing brain, teaching it to help it grow. (19) Studies also show that such technological exposure helps to build better critical thinking and problem-solving skills in curious children.
(20) Many people wonder what future generations of AI will be capable of and the implications of such advancements.
Question
The writer is considering deleting the underlined portion of sentence 12 (reproduced below), adjusting the punctuation as needed.
In fact, in 2019, over 66 million U.S. adults owned an Alexa, a smart speaker with a voice-activated AI assistant.
Should the writer keep or delete the underlined text?
| A.Keep it, because it contributes to the writer's existing line of reasoning by explaining what a smart speaker is. | |
| B. Keep it, because it advances the writer's purpose of showing how smart speakers have contributed to people's fascination with new technology. | |
| C.Delete it, because it introduces details about how smart speakers work that are not relevant to the writer's discussion in the paragraph. | |
| D. Delete it, because it contradicts a claim the writer makes earlier in the passage about advancements in AI. |
Explanation
Examine the discussion in (12) and note what it contributes to the passage. Keep the underlined portion only if it adds new, relevant information.
The sentence notes that over 66 million U.S. adults owned an Alexa in 2019. Some people may not have heard of Alexa and wouldn't understand how it relates to a discussion of AI. The underlined portion clarifies that Alexa is a voice-activated smart speaker; therefore, it should be kept because it contributes to the writer's existing line of reasoning by explaining what a smart speaker is.
(Choice B) Although the underlined portion should be kept, that portion does not discuss how smart speakers contribute to people's fascination with new technology.
(Choices C and D) The underlined portion provides information about Alexa and its connection to AI. This information is important to the writer's discussion and supports the writer's claims about people's concerns regarding AI, so it should be kept rather than deleted.
Things to remember:
Examine the discussion of the specified sentence in its larger context; keep the underlined portion only if it adds relevant information.
Ready to Get Started?
Make the AP English Language Exam Feel Like Practice
Create Custom
AP Lang Quizzes
Simulate Exam
Conditions
Practice with Exam-like
Questions
Score Higher with Quality Learning Tools
Detailed Explanations for Every AP English Language Question
Master the “why” behind every answer with step-by-step explanations that go beyond the surface. Each AP Lang practice question and essay prompt includes clear breakdowns of rhetorical choices, argument structure, and language techniques, helping you understand exactly what makes a response effective. You’ll also get tips for identifying common traps in multiple-choice questions and refining your analytical writing. These detailed explanations don’t just teach you to recognize the right answer, they train you to think like an AP reader, so you can write stronger essays and analyze texts with confidence.
Flashcards & Notes That Help You Actually Remember
Create digital flashcards to practice the skills you need most, like identifying rhetorical strategies or analyzing tone and syntax, so you remember them for the AP Exam, not just the next essay. Use My Notebook to organize key ideas from AP English Language practice questions in the format that works best for you, whether that’s bullet points for argument structure, outlines of essay evidence, or detailed notes on diction and style. One-click transfer from explanations to your flashcards or notebook keeps everything you need in one organized place.
Track Your Progress & Target Weak Spots
Stay on top of your AP English Language prep with smart performance tracking across all your AP English Language practice tests and practice questions. Our powerful analytics dashboard breaks down your results by skill area so you can see what you’ve mastered and what still needs work. Focus your energy where it counts, skip the material you already know, and watch your AP English Language scores soar.
Access Anywhere, Anytime
Our digital-first test prep lets you study anywhere,at home or on the go. Get instant feedback with research-based explanations for each question. Once you’ve mastered the concepts, use the timer to build your speed and confidence under pressure.
Choose How You Study and Save
Whether you need a focused study guide or a comprehensive prep course, we have you covered!
Everything you need to pass the AP Lang exam
Choose How You Study and Save
Whether you need a focused study guide or a comprehensive prep course, we have you covered!
Everything you need to pass the AP Lang exam
750+ AP English Language Practice Questions (MCQs)
Custom AP Lang Practice Tests & Quizzes
Progress Tracking Dashboard
Pick Your Study Topics
Smart Study Planner
Realistic FRQ Practice with Scoring Guide*
750+ AP English Language Practice Questions (MCQs)
Custom AP Lang Practice Tests & Quizzes
Progress Tracking Dashboard
Pick Your Study Topics
Smart Study Planner
Realistic FRQ Practice with Scoring Guide*
Score-Predicting Full-Length AP Lang Mock Exam*
Print and Digital Study Guide
100+ Check-for-Understanding Questions
Expert-led Video Lessons
Hear From Our AP QBank Students
UWorlds multiple choice questions are similar to the ones on the official AP exam and allowed me to time myself for each question. This was very helpful for me as I was able to answer questions faster and could finish the questions on the actual exam. The explanations for each question went in-depth and gave important details pertaining to events in the timeline. Through this, I was able to gain important skills for the exam and get a 5.
Before, I had a hard time studying and staying focused because it was just boring, but now with UWorld, not only can I focus, but I actually feel motivated to learn!
The explanations were clear and I could practice the question based on units. I got a 5 in the end!! So, I think it’s very helpful and I’ll be using it to study for my future exams 🙂 You guys provide so many different functions to help students like me, and I really appreciate it, it’s really worth the money.
AP English Language Practice Tests from UWorld: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do UWorld’s AP English Language practice tests cover all units and topics?
Yes, absolutely. Our AP English Language practice tests are fully comprehensive and aligned with the latest College Board® Course and Exam Description (CED). You’ll find every required unit represented so that you are prepared for all exam topics, including:
- Unit 1: Rhetorical Situation
- Unit 2: Claims and Evidence
- Unit 3: Reasoning and Organization
- Unit 4: Style
- Unit 5: Rhetorical Analysis
- Unit 6: Writing an Argument
- Unit 7: Multiple-Choice Question Strategies
- Unit 8: Synthesis and Source Analysis
- Unit 9: Exam Review and Application
Our customizable quiz builder lets you create AP English Language practice tests focused on specific skills, such as rhetorical analysis, or mix questions from all units to measure overall readiness.
How often are the UWorld AP Lang practice test questions updated?
UWorld’s AP Lang practice test questions are updated continuously to stay aligned with the latest College Board® Course and Exam Description (CED). Our team of experienced AP English Language educators regularly reviews, edits, and adds questions to reflect current exam expectations and trends.
We closely monitor official updates from the College Board®, including any new question types or rubric changes, so that every AP Lang practice test question you see represents the most current exam format. This ensures your preparation time is always focused on relevant and accurate material, never outdated content.
With UWorld, your AP English Language practice questions always reflect the most up-to-date exam style and difficulty, helping you study efficiently and confidently.
How do the UWorld AP English Language practice tests help me achieve a high score?
UWorld’s AP English Language sample questions are designed for active learning that builds real exam mastery. Instead of just memorizing rhetorical terms, you’ll engage with each question, analyze writing passages, and apply reasoning skills exactly as you will on test day.
- Build Exam-Day Confidence: Practice with hundreds of realistic AP-style questions that match the complexity and structure of the real exam, including rhetorical analysis, synthesis, and argument prompts.
- Learn the “Why,” Not Just the “What”: Each answer choice includes a clear explanation that walks you through the reasoning and writing techniques behind the correct response. You’ll learn how to analyze tone, structure, and argument effectively.
- Get Personalized Feedback: Use our performance tracking to pinpoint which rhetorical or writing skills need the most work so you can target your study sessions for maximum score improvement.
Every AP Lang practice test question helps you develop the analytical and writing precision needed to earn a top score on the AP English Language exam.
Do UWorld AP Lang practice tests reflect the actual exam?
Yes, that is one of our highest priorities. Our AP Lang practice test questions are carefully written by experts to match the format, structure, and difficulty level of the official College Board® exam. Each test serves as a true simulation of the real experience.
You will practice:
- Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs): Realistic passages with questions about rhetorical purpose, style, and evidence.
- Free-Response Questions (FRQs): Multi-part writing prompts for rhetorical analysis, argument, and synthesis, each with detailed scoring guidelines.
- Timed Test Conditions: Practice under real exam pacing to build endurance and time management for the 3-hour exam.
UWorld’s AP English Language practice tests replicate every detail of the official test, preparing you for both the format and the level of critical thinking required.
Who writes the AP English Language practice questions?
All of UWorld’s AP English Language practice questions are created by our internal team of expert educators. This group includes AP Language teachers, former AP exam readers, and English professors who deeply understand both the curriculum and the scoring process.
Each question and explanation goes through a multi-step review to ensure it is accurate, fair, and written to the exact standards of the College Board®. You can be confident that every AP Lang practice question you answer reflects authentic test content and real-world writing expectations.
Can I create AP Lang practice tests by topic?
Absolutely. This is one of the most flexible and effective tools in the UWorld platform. Our customizable quiz builder allows you to design AP Lang practice tests that match your exact study needs.
You can:
- Focus on one topic: Finished learning about rhetorical appeals? Create a quiz focused only on that skill to reinforce understanding.
- Combine specific units: Build a midterm review that blends “Rhetorical Situation,” “Claims and Evidence,” and “Style.”
- Simulate the full exam: Mix questions from all nine units in timed mode to experience a complete AP English Language practice test.
This customization lets you target the exact areas you want to strengthen, whether preparing for a classroom unit test or the final AP exam.
What’s the difference between UWorld’s AP English Language practice questions and free question sets online?
While free resources might look convenient, the UWorld AP English Language sample questions provide a far superior and more reliable learning experience. The main differences are quality, alignment, and learning depth.
- Expert Explanations: Free sites often just show answers. UWorld provides clear, step-by-step explanations for every choice, helping you understand writing techniques and reasoning.
- Accurate Alignment: Many free AP Lang practice questions are outdated or too easy. Our QBank is written by experts who align every question with the current College Board® standards, so your practice time is never wasted.
- Interactive Learning: Free resources are static. UWorld offers an adaptive learning platform with progress tracking, customizable quizzes, and a realistic testing interface.
In short, our AP English Language practice tests give you the accuracy, depth, and feedback you need to prepare effectively.
How do UWorld’s AP English Language practice tests help you learn more effectively?
UWorld’s AP English Language practice tests transform preparation into active learning. Each multiple-choice question sharpens your reading comprehension, rhetorical analysis, and critical thinking skills. The detailed explanations clarify why each answer is correct, helping you recognize tone, structure, and argument more effectively while improving your accuracy and confidence on test day.
Our AP Lang free-response questions strengthen your ability to craft thoughtful, persuasive essays. You’ll practice analyzing rhetoric, developing arguments, and synthesizing sources with clarity and precision. Step-by-step feedback and scoring guidance show you exactly what AP readers expect, helping you refine your writing style and maximize your score.
By combining multiple-choice and free-response practice, UWorld helps you build both skill and insight, the key ingredients for mastering AP English Language and Composition.
What score on AP Lang practice tests shows readiness for the exam?
There is no single number that guarantees success, but consistent performance is the best indicator. For most students, scoring around 70% to 75% on timed, mixed-topic AP Lang practice tests suggests strong readiness for a 4 or 5 on the exam.
However, readiness also means understanding how and why you earned those points. You should feel confident identifying rhetorical strategies, explaining author intent, and analyzing how evidence supports claims.
When your performance dashboard shows balanced strengths across all units and you can explain the reasoning behind both correct and incorrect answers, you are ready for the AP English Language exam.
Where can I find free AP English Language practice questions?
You can try free AP English Language practice questions by signing up for UWorld’s 7-day free trial. This trial gives you access to a sample of our high-quality multiple-choice and free-response questions, along with the detailed explanations that make UWorld so effective.
During the trial, you can also explore our complete course, which includes study guides, writing strategies, and AP Lang practice tests designed to strengthen your rhetorical and analytical skills. It’s the perfect way to experience the quality and depth of UWorld’s learning platform before upgrading to full access.