AP Literature &
Composition
Mastering the Multiple
Choice
BRIEF EXAM OVERVIEW
PART 1: Multiple Choice Questions
60 minutes
approximately 55 questions
4 to 5 texts with approximately 15 questions each
45% of your total grade
PART 2: Essay/Free Response Questions
120 minutes (three essays)
55% of your total grade
Essay Types:
(1) Prose Essay (2) Poetry Essay
(3) “Open” Essay—response is based on one full work of
fiction
MULTIPLE CHOICE SCORING
On average, to score a 3 (minimum passing score on
the exam), students must get at least ½ of the
multiple choice questions right.
Incorrect answers do NOT count against you.
Therefore, answer all questions.
Do not skip any questions.
TYPES OF MC QUESTIONS
Required Thinking Skills
Requires
MORE
Thought
ANALYSIS
(Analysis,
Synthesis,
Evaluation)
INDENTIFICATION
(Application)
Requires
LITTLE
Thought
COMPREHENSION
(Recall,
Understanding)
TYPES OF MC QUESTIONS
Levels of Multiple Choice Questions
The MC Exam questions range from easy, medium, to hard – in no particular order
The questions are generally arranged sequentially, moving from the beginning of the passage
toward the end.
Level 1: Content Questions (Easy)
1. Which of the following is the primary meaning of the word _________ as it is used in the
passage?
2. Which of the following best paraphrases lines ___________?
3. From the context, the reader can infer that _________is…
4. The speaker’s view of __________ might best be described as…
5. In line ____, “________” refers to…
6. In line ____, “_________” is best understood to mean…
7. In lines ______, the speaker asserts that…
8. From the passage, we can infer that all of the following would be true EXCEPT…
9. The speaker views __________ as…
10. Throughout the passage ____________is addressing…
11. Lines _________ chiefly serve to show that…
12. Which of the following best summarized the main point?
13. Which of the following best defines the phrase…
14. It can be inferred that…
15. What is the function of ______ in lines _______?
TYPES OF MC QUESTIONS
Level 2: Style Questions (Medium)
1. In lines ____, the speaker makes use of all of the following EXCEPT…
2. The comedy of the passage derives chiefly from…
3. In line ____, ___________ most probably refers metaphorically to…
4. In line ____, “________” is a metaphorical way of saying…
5. Grammatically, the word “____________” functions as…
6. In the simile in line ____, “________” is used to stand for…
7. Which of the following is used most extensively in the passage?
8. Which of the following best describes the diction and style of the passage?
9. The prose is best described as…
10. The imagery of the prose is characterized by…
11. The style of the passage is best characterized as…
12. The structure of the ______(number, i.e. third) sentence is best described as…
13. The shift in point of view from ________ to _________ has the effect of…
14. The syntax of the sentence in lines _________ serves to…
TYPES OF MC QUESTIONS
Level 3: Tone, Theme, Universal Implications (Hard)
1. The tone of the passage is…
2. The theme of the passage is…
3. One effect of “______________” is to emphasize the speaker’s feeling of…
4. Lines _____ most strongly convey the speaker’s…
5. What does the speaker convey in lines __________?
6. The chief effect of the imagery and figures of speech in lines _______ is to…
7. The excerpt is chiefly concerned with…
8. What is the author’s attitude toward the subject?
9. In the work the author is asserting that…
10. The theme of the second paragraph involves which of the following?
11. The major purpose of the statement _____________ is to…
12. The author believes that we should…
13. It can be inferred by ______that _______.
TACKLING THE EXAM:
First, look for key words in the question to
identify the type of question.
Main Idea/Meaning Questions - these questions
refer to “the intent of the passage”
Examples:
“The primary purpose of the passage is . . .”
“The central contrast in the passage is . . . “
“Taken as a whole, the passage can best be
described as . . .”
“The intent of the first paragraph serves to . . .”
TACKLING THE EXAM
Refers to . . ./Functions Questions – these questions
often center around pronoun antecedents or difficult
vocabulary functions.
Speaker/Tone Questions
Figurative Device Questions
Examples:
“The overall tone of the piece is . . .”
“The following words sustain the primary tone of the first paragraph
except”
“Which of the following best summarizes the poet’s message?”
Examples:
“In lines ______, what is the effect of using a metaphor?”
“In lines _____, Juxtaposing _____ and _____ serves the purpose of________. “
“What thought is reflected in the allusion _____?”
Inference Questions
Examples:
“ It can be inferred from the description of--- ________that the qualities of
______________ are valued by the speaker.”
TACKLING THE EXAM
Tone Questions or Speaker’s Attitude—tone
refers to author’s attitude, but remember,
questions can ask about the speaker’s attitude as
well.
Examples:
“The speaker's attitude toward_____is best described as one
of ______.”
“What is the tone of the passage?”
TACKLING THE EXAM: READ THE
PASSAGE
Read
and Annotate the Passage
Read ACTIVELY! Mark the passage as you read.
Why annotate? Improves focus; keeps mind from drifting
What do I annotate?
Main ideas
Figurative devices
Shifts (change content, author’s tone, point of view)
Tone words
Motifs, which lead to theme ideas
TACKLING THE EXAM: ANSWER THE
QUESTIONS
Additional Strategies
Anticipate Answers – While reading the passage, read the
anticipate answers to the questions you skimmed.
Annotate Questions and Responses – Underline key
words in question; mark on responses.
Simplify– break the question and answer options down and
put them in simplistic terms.
Re-read – When a question refers to a part of a sentence or
line, read the sentence, the sentence before it, and the
sentence after it to clarify meaning in context.
REFERENCES:
Tilly, Andrea L. “Multiple Choice Strategies for AP Language and Composition Exam.” AP Central: AP
Courses and Exams. 9 Sept. 2009. College Board.
<http:apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/courses/teachers_corner >.
Counsil, Shirley. “Strategies to Approach Multiple-Choice Questions in the Classroom and on the Exam.”
AP Central: AP Courses and Exams. 9 Sept. 2009.
<http:apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/courses/teachers_corner/155791.html >.
Fast Track to a 5: Preparing for the AP English Language and Composition Exam. Eds. Steve Olson and
Eveline Bailey. Evanston: McDougal Littell, 2009.
SHANNA M. PATTON, AP LANGUAGE TEACHER, SCOTT CO. HIGH
SCHOOL created this PowerPoint originally for AP Language. I have
modified it slightly to completely suit AP Literature.