2020 Practice Exam 1 Mcq Ap Lang

2020 Practice Exam 1 MCQ: AP Lang—A Comprehensive Guide

The AP Language and Composition exam can be daunting, but thorough preparation is key to success. This guide delves deep into the 2020 Practice Exam 1 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), offering detailed explanations and strategies to help you master this challenging section. We'll dissect the questions, explore the underlying rhetorical concepts, and provide insights into how to approach similar questions on the actual AP exam. This isn't just about getting the right answers; it's about understanding why those answers are correct and developing a robust understanding of rhetoric and analysis.

Understanding the AP Lang Exam Structure

Before diving into the specifics of the 2020 Practice Exam 1, let's briefly review the exam's structure. The AP Language and Composition exam consists of two sections:

• Section 1: Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs): This section accounts for 45% of your final score and typically includes 55 questions based on four to five passages of prose. These passages can range from literary excerpts to speeches and essays, encompassing various rhetorical styles and purposes.

• Section 2: Free-Response Questions (FRQs): This section accounts for 55% of your final score and includes three essay questions: a synthesis essay, a rhetorical analysis essay, and an argument essay.

Analyzing the 2020 Practice Exam 1 MCQs

The 2020 Practice Exam 1 MCQs, like all AP Lang MCQs, test your ability to:

• Identify the author's purpose and main idea. What is the author trying to convey? What's the central argument or message?
• Analyze the author's rhetorical strategies. How does the author use language, tone, structure, and evidence to achieve their purpose? Look for things like diction, imagery, syntax, tone, and appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos.
• Understand the context of the passage. Is the passage from a letter, a speech, an essay? Understanding the context helps you interpret the author's intentions.
• Infer meaning and draw conclusions. You will often need to read between the lines and draw inferences based on the provided text.

Key Rhetorical Concepts to Master

To excel in the AP Lang MCQs, you must be comfortable with the following rhetorical concepts:

1. Rhetorical Appeals (Ethos, Pathos, Logos):

• Ethos (credibility): Does the author establish their credibility? How do they build trust with the audience?
• Pathos (emotion): How does the author evoke emotion in the reader? What emotional appeals are used?
• Logos (logic): Does the author use logical reasoning and evidence to support their claims? Are there fallacies present?

2. Rhetorical Devices:

Familiarize yourself with a wide range of rhetorical devices, including but not limited to:

• Metaphor: A comparison without using "like" or "as."
• Simile: A comparison using "like" or "as."
• Analogy: An extended comparison.
• Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.
• Assonance: Repetition of vowel sounds within words.
• Anaphora: Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.
• Antithesis: Juxtaposition of contrasting ideas.
• Parallelism: The use of similar grammatical structures to express related ideas.
• Irony: A contrast between expectation and reality.
• Satire: The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize folly or vice.

3. Tone and Diction:

• Tone: The author's attitude toward their subject matter. Is it serious, humorous, sarcastic, formal, informal, etc.?
• Diction: The author's word choice. Is the diction formal or informal? What connotations do the words carry?

4. Syntax and Sentence Structure:

• Sentence length and structure: How does the author's use of sentence length and structure contribute to the overall effect? Are sentences short and choppy, or long and flowing? What is the effect of this choice?

Strategies for Tackling AP Lang MCQs

• Read the passage carefully and actively: Don't just skim the text; read it closely and annotate as you go. Underline key words and phrases, identify the main idea, and note the author's rhetorical strategies.
• Preview the questions before reading the passage: This will help you focus on key aspects of the text.
• Eliminate incorrect answer choices: If you're unsure of the correct answer, eliminate the choices you know are wrong. This increases your chances of guessing correctly.
• Identify the author's purpose: Understanding the author's purpose is crucial to answering many of the questions.
• Look for evidence in the text to support your answers: Don't just rely on your intuition; always refer back to the text to find evidence to support your choices.
• Manage your time effectively: You have a limited amount of time to answer the questions, so pace yourself accordingly.

Example Question Analysis (Hypothetical, based on common MCQ structures)

Let's imagine a hypothetical MCQ based on a passage discussing the effects of social media:

Passage Excerpt: "The relentless scroll, the endless feed—it's a siren song, luring us into a digital abyss where self-worth is measured in likes and validation is sought in fleeting comments. This curated reality, this highlight reel of lives, fosters a sense of inadequacy and fuels the fires of comparison."

Question: The author's primary rhetorical strategy in the excerpt is best described as:

(a) Logical reasoning, presenting statistical data to support the claim. (b) Appealing to ethos by citing expert opinions on social media's impact. (c) Employing pathos, creating an emotional response through vivid imagery and evocative language. (d) Using satire to mock the behavior of social media users.

Correct Answer: (c)

Explanation: The excerpt uses vivid imagery ("relentless scroll," "digital abyss") and evocative language ("siren song," "fleeting comments") to create a sense of unease and anxiety in the reader. This is a clear appeal to pathos. Options (a), (b), and (d) are incorrect because the excerpt doesn't primarily rely on logical reasoning, expert opinions, or satire.

Practice Makes Perfect

The key to success on the AP Language and Composition exam is consistent practice. Work through numerous practice passages and questions, paying close attention to the explanations provided. The more you practice, the better you'll become at identifying rhetorical strategies, analyzing arguments, and formulating well-supported answers. Remember, understanding the underlying principles of rhetoric is more important than memorizing facts. Focus on developing your critical thinking skills and analytical abilities. By consistently practicing and refining your approach, you'll significantly improve your performance on the AP Language and Composition exam. Good luck!