Multiple Choice Questions – one set per group – 40 pts.
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Each group must choose a passage or passages from the text and create multiple choice AP Lit
style questions and answers for the text. The idea is that you work together to figure out
questions and answers – discussion is a large part of the purpose of this assignment.
Create twice as many questions as there are group members.
You must include the text of the passages (and page numbers) tested as well as the questions.
You must include a key with the correct answers.
Two question types required are below. You may have more than one of these two types, but
you must have at least one of each. The remainder of questions can follow other models.
o Design at least one question that addresses tone or author’s attitude. See #9, 10, or 13
below.
o Design at least one question that requires the reader to identify the purpose of a specific
portion of the passage or the purpose of the passage as a whole.
You may design only one of the following type of questions (though you are not required to
design any of these types):
o Only one “except” type stem. Ex: "ALL of the following EXCEPT."
o Only one question that requires the reader to identify a synonym for a specified word
used in the passage. Ex: See question #2 below.
o Only one that requires the reader to identify the antecedent of a pronoun. Which of the
following is the grammatical antecedent of "it" (line __)?
Each question needs to have 5 answers, with one of the answers being the “best”
answer (even if other answers are “right”).
Be sure your answer(s) and distracter(s) are sensible. Make all the choices parallel. Be
prepared to support your answer.
Submit all questions as one typed document. Just print a typed copy – no turnitin.com.
Due November 18th.
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions from the College Board so that you can have a model
for a passage length and question types
Questions 1–13. Read the following passage carefully before you choose your answers.
Mr. Jones, of whose personal accomplishments we have hitherto said very little, was, in reality, one of the handsomest
young fellows in the world. His face, besides being the picture of health, had in it the most apparent marks of sweetness and
good-nature. These qualities were indeed so characteristical in his countenance, that, while the spirit and sensibility in his eyes,
though they must have been perceived by an accurate observer, might have escaped the notice of the less discerning, so strongly
was this good-nature painted in his look, that it was remarked by almost every one who saw him.
It was, perhaps, as much owing to this as to a very fine complexion that his face had a delicacy in it almost
inexpressible, and which might have given him an air rather too effeminate, had it not been joined to a most masculine person
and mien: which latter had as much in them of the Hercules as the former had of the Adonis. He was besides active, genteel, gay
and good-humoured, and had a flow of animal spirits which enlivened every conversation where he was present.
When the reader hath duly reflected on these many charms which all centered in our hero, and considers at the same
time the fresh obligations which Mrs. Waters had to him, it will be a mark more of prudery than candour to entertain a bad
opinion of her because she conceived a very good opinion of him.
But, whatever censures may be passed upon her, it is my business to relate matters of fact with veracity. Mrs. Waters
had, in truth, not only a good opinion of our hero, but a very great affection for him. To speak out boldly at once, she was in
love, according to the present universally received sense of that phrase, by which love is applied indiscriminately to the
desirable objects of all our passions, appetites, and senses, and is understood to be that preference which we give to one kind of
food rather than to another.
But though the love to these several objects may possibly be one and the same in all cases, its operations, however,
must be allowed to be different; for, how much soever we may be in love with an excellent sirloin of beef, or bottle of
Burgundy; with a damask rose, or Cremona fiddle; yet do we never smile, nor ogle, nor dress, nor flatter, nor endeavour by any
other arts or tricks to gain the affection of the said beef, etc. Sigh indeed we sometimes may; but it is generally in the absence,
not in the presence, of the beloved object. . . .
The contrary happens in that love which operates between persons of the same species, but of different sexes. Here we
are no sooner in love than it becomes our principal care to engage the affection of the object beloved. For what other purpose,
indeed, are our youth instructed in all of the arts of rendering themselves agreeable? If it was not with a view to this love, I
question whether any of those trades which deal in setting off and adorning the human person would procure a livelihood. Nay,
those great polishers of our manners, who are by some thought to teach what principally distinguishes us from the brute
creation, even dancing- masters themselves, might possibly find no place in society. In short, all the graces which young ladies
and young gentlemen too learn from others, and the many improvements which, by the help of a looking-glass, they add of their
own, are in reality those very spicula et faces amoris* so often mentioned by Ovid; or, as they are sometimes called in our own
language, the whole artillery of love.
1. The structure of the sentence beginning in line 5 does which of the following?
(a) It stresses the variety of Mr. Jones’s personal attributes.
(b) It implies that Mr. Jones is a less complicated personality than the speaker
suggests.
(c) It disguises the prominence of Mr. Jones’s sensitive nature and emphasizes
his less readily discerned traits.
(d) It reflects the failure of some observers to recognize Mr. Jones’s spirit and
sensibility.
(e) It belies the straightforward assertion made in the previous sentence.
2. In context, the word “sensibility’’ (line 6) is best interpreted to mean
(a) self-esteem
(b) forthright and honest nature
(c) capacity to observe accurately
(d) ability to ignore the unimportant
(e) awareness and responsiveness
3. The first two paragraphs indicate that the speaker assumes that
(a) accurate observers of human nature are rare
(b) spirited and sensible people are by nature rather effeminate
(c) a person’s character can be accurately discerned from his or her outward
appearance
(d) a correlation exists between an individual’s “personal accomplishments’’
(line 1) and his or her physical prowess
(e) good-naturedness in a person is usually not readily apparent
4. The shift in the speaker’s rhetorical stance from the first sentence of the second
paragraph (lines 11–16) to the second sentence (lines 16–18) can best be
described as one from
(a) subjective to objective
(b) speculative to assertive
(c) discursive to laconic
(d) critical to descriptive
(e) literal to figurative
5. The word “former’’ in line 15 refers to
(a) “face’’ (line 12)
(b) “delicacy’’ (line 12)
(c) “air’’ (line 13)
(d) “person’’ (line 14)
(e) “mien’’ (line 14)
6. The speaker’s allusion to Hercules and Adonis (lines 15–16) serves primarily to
(a) imply an undercurrent of aggressiveness in Mr. Jones’s personality
(b) suggest the extremes of physical attractiveness represented in Mr. Jones’s
appearance
(c) assert the enduring significance of mythical beauty
(d) symbolize the indescribable nature of Mr. Jones’s countenance
(e) emphasize how clearly Mr. Jones’s features reflected his personality
7. The use of the phrase “it will be’’ in line 21 indicates that the speaker
(a) wishes the reader to arrive at the same conclusion regarding Mrs. Waters as
the speaker has
(b) believes the presentation of Mr. Jones before this passage to have been
predominantly negative
(c) expects that the description of Mr. Jones will offend some of the more
conservative readers
(d) regards Mrs. Waters’ judgment concerning Mr. Jones to be impulsive rather
than sincere
(e) fears that the readers will be overly lenient in their judgment of Mrs. Waters
8. The style of the third paragraph differs from that of the first and second
paragraphs in that it is
(a) instructive rather than descriptive
(b) argumentative rather than expository
(c) interpretative rather than metaphorical
(d) objective rather than representational
(e) conversational rather than analytical
9. In the fourth paragraph, the speaker establishes the predominant tone for the
rest of the passage primarily by
(a) exaggerating the affection Mrs. Waters has for Mr. Jones
(b) contrasting the popular understanding of love with the speaker’s own view
of love
(c) describing candidly the affection Mrs. Waters has for Mr. Jones
(d) likening the popular conception of love to people’s physical
appetites
(e) insisting on the veracity of the speaker’s personal opinions concerning
Mrs. Waters
10. The speaker’s attitude toward “dancing-masters’’ (lines 50–51) might best be
described as
(a) assumed arrogance
(b) grudging respect
(c) feigned bitterness
(d) sarcastic vindictiveness
(e) wry disdain
11. The passage indicates that the speaker believes which of the following to be true
of Mr. Jones?
(a) He is principally concerned with attracting the attention of women.
(b) He is naturally suited to engage the affections of women.
(c) He has practiced extensively the arts and graces with which youths render
themselves agreeable.
(d) He is too good-natured to make full use of “the whole artillery of love’’
(lines 56–57).
(e) He has cultivated his good nature and sensibility in order to compete well
with other men.
12. The final metaphors of the last paragraph (lines 54–57) suggest that this passage
most probably precedes a description of
(a) the way in which Mr. Jones acquired his manners and good-nature
(b) a costume ball at which Mr. Jones and Mrs. Waters meet and dance
(c) a scene in which Mr. Jones prepares himself for a meeting with Mrs. Waters
(d) an attempt by Mr. Jones to engage the affections of Mrs. Waters with the
help of classical love poetry
(e) an encounter between Mr. Jones and Mrs. Waters couched in the
terminology of war
13. The speaker’s tone in the passage can best be described as which of the following?
(a) Flippant
(b) Whimsical
(c) Pretentious
(d) Satirical
(e) Contemptuous
Answers are on last page.
COMMON TYPES OF QUESTIONS
1. Situation
who? to whom? (poetry)
subject of 3rd Paragraph (prose)
2. Structure
what word in ______ relates back
to ______
what divisions represent its
structure
prose: how one paragraph relates
to another
progression of thought and overall
structure
3. Theme
whole and parts
4. Grammar and Word Meaning
pronoun references/antecedents
paraphrase word choice
prose: subject of long sentence
is…
5. Diction
prose: choice of verbs in
paragraph 4 suggests _______
speaker’s anger is implied by
________
6. Images/ Figurative language/
Literary Technique
which one? Where else in work?
Purpose of a metaphor
analogy in 2nd paragraph
7. Tone
8. Rhetoric
function of last sentence
effect of shift in point of view
DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF
QUESTIONS
1. FACTUAL
phrase presents example of…
all are Figurative language except
Man in line ___ is pictured mainly
in his role as ___
in line ___ the ___ is seen chiefly
as …
in line ___ the speaker regards
himself as …
beginning in ___ speaker does
which …
excerpt is written in …
according to the speaker, …
“they” in line ___ refers to …
the object of “to” in line ___ is …
2. MAIN IDEA
______ hated ______ because
_____
parable of _______ serves to
_______
_______ believed human nature is
________
which best describes ______ at
the end
tone
which describes how ____ felt
about …
passage is concerned with …
relation between line ____ and line
___ is best described as …
main point about ___ is …
line ___ speaker attempts to …
style is characterized by …
irony rests chiefly on ______
3. HIDDEN IDEA
____ interpreted to mean
phrase evokes ______
image of _______ refers to …
________ most likely represents
______
can be inferred
in line ___ the phrase “ ____”
means _____
line ___ suggests that …
can be inferred speaker would
agree with …
REASONS ANSWERS ARE
WRONG
1. Irrelevant to the question
2. Contradictory to the passage
3. Unreasonable (the “Huh?”
choice)
4. Too general or too specific
5. Never addressed in the passage
6. Look for the SPECIFIC WORDS
that make the answer wrong
7. Intentional distracters:
Remember the difference between
a right answer and the BEST
(credited) answer. More than one
can be right; look for the best.
Rhetorical Analysis / Close Reading: Typical Multiple-Choice Stems
1.
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7.
What is the author's attitude toward the subject of the essay?
What is this passage about?
What does the phrase, ______________, mean?
How is the style of the passage best characterized?
Which of the following best summarizes the main point in lines _____?
What is the main point in _____? (the passage, the second paragraph, etc.)
How would you restate the meaning of _______________?
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How would you define the phrase ___________?
What is the speaker’s purpose in _____________?
What thought is reflected in the allusion ____________?
What is the tone of the passage?
How would you define the word ____________?
How would you describe the diction and style of the passage?
In lines _____, what is the speaker asserting?
Why is ___________ described as __________?
What is significant about the structure of sentence #____ in lines ____?
In sentences _____, what contrasts are developed or implied?
In lines ________, why does the author pair quotations?
In lines ________, what is the effect of pairing quotations?
What is the dominant technique used in lines ______?
In lines ______, what is the effect of using a metaphor?
In lines _____, juxtaposing _________ and ___________ serves the purpose of
________________.
What does the speaker accomplish in using __________?
By using the words _______, the speaker shows the belief that _____.
In lines _____, how is the speaker portrayed?
The shift in point of view from...has the effect of...
What is the theme of the ____________ (e.g., second paragraph, whole piece)?
In lines ____, the passage shifts from _________ to __________.
Why does the author represent _______________ as ______________ in lines ____?
What is the purpose of the syntax in sentence _____?
What does __________________ symbolize in lines ____?
The speaker's attitude toward ___________ is best described as one of _________________.
In _____, the author is asserting that __________________.
The term _____ conveys the speaker's belief that ______________.
The speaker assumes that the audience's attitude toward ____________will be one of
____________.
In the _______ (e.g., first, second, last) paragraph, the speaker seeks to interest us in the
subjects of the discussion by stressing the __________.
It can be inferred by ____________ that __________________.
The ________ (e.g., first, second) sentence is unified by metaphorical references pertaining to
_________________.
The speaker's mention of _________is appropriate to the development of the argument as an
illustration of ______________.
As the sentence in lines _____ is constructed, _____________ is parallel to
___________________.
It can be inferred from the description of __________ that the qualities of ______________ are
valued by the speaker.
According to the passage, ___________ is ____________ because
______________________________.
In the context of the passage, __________is best interpreted as ______.
Sentence _________ is best described as _______________.
The antecedent for ________in line ________is ________.
What type of argument does the writer employ in lines ______?
Why does the speaker use the sequence of ideas in lines _____?
We can infer from ______________ that __________________.
What pattern of exposition does the writer use in this passage?
What is the point of view in this passage/poem?
What is the purpose of the statement in lines _____?
52.
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1–d
2–e
3–c
4–b
What atmosphere or mood is established in lines _______?
The _______ (e.g., first, fourth) sentence is coherent because of its use of _______________.
What qualities are present in the scene described in lines _____?
What words and details suggest a _________ (adjective) attitude on the part of the author?
In line _______, the use of __________instead of ___________accomplishes _____________.
In line__________, the author emphasizes _______because he/she_______.
The use of _________suggests that ____________.
What is the function of the __________ (sentence, detail, clause, phrase, and so on) in lines
_______?
The subject of the sentence in lines _________is ________.
What assertions does the author make in the passage, and what is his/her purpose in doing this?
By ________, the author most probably means ______.
What meanings are contained in the word ______ in line _____?
What can we infer from the passage about _________________________?
The author apparently believes that __________________________.
In lines________, the phrase_________ is used to refer to _______.
The author believes that we should_______________________________.
The _________ (e.g., first, last, third) sentence of the passage is chiefly remarkable for
its____________________________________.
What does the author want to encourage in a person?
What is the function of ______________ in relation to __________?
5–a
6–b
7–a
8–a
9–d
10 – e
11 – b
12 – e
13 – d