1. AP Multiple Choice Strategies
& MC Sample Stems

2. What the Multiple Choice Section looks like:
60 minutes long
Usually consists of approximately 55 questions
Expect about 4 – 5 reading passages (about 300 – 800 words in length)
Each passage is followed by 10 – 15 questions
Passages may be up to 400 years old

3. The MC questions require the ability to:
Analyze rhetorical and linguistic choices
Identify stylistic effects that result from word choice
Critically examine prose selections
Understand an author’s meaning and purpose
Recognize structural organization
Evaluate legitimacy and purpose of sources
Comprehend rhetorical modes
Analyze syntax, figurative language, style, and tone

4. NEW to the AP Lang. Test:
Beginning in 2007 – you can expect at least a couple of questions about footnotes
BE FAMILIAR WITH MLA CITATIONS!!! (Be able to decipher the type of source & the purpose of footnotes used by the author)

5. Documentation and Citation Stems
Which of the following is an accurate reading of footnote…
The purpose of the footnote…is to inform the reader that the quotation in line…
Take as a whole, the footnotes suggest that…
From reading footnote…, the reader can infer that…

6. Parts of the MC Question
The entire question is called an item. The stem is the part of the item that asks the question (e.g., “The tone of the passage is best described as…”) The options are the five answer choices. The key is the correct answer. The distracters are the incorrect answer choices.

7. Suggested Testing Strategy:
1st – Skim the question stems BEFORE you read the passage
2nd – Read the passage ACTIVELY
3rd - Underline &/or paraphrase the passage as you go
4th – Read each question completely & carefully AFTER you’ve read the passage
5th – Read every answer choice completely & carefully to determine the best answer!
Any questions you cannot use POE to answer quickly – circle them & return to those questions if you have time!

8. Question Categories to Expect:
Questions about Rhetoric (syntax, diction, P.O.V., figurative language & its effect!)
Questions about the Author’s Meaning & Purpose (get inside the author’s head)
Questions about the Main Idea (The Big Picture, tone, theme, etc.)
Questions about Organization & Structure
Questions about Rhetorical Modes (know the difference between: Narration, Description, Argumentation, & Exposition)

9. Reasons Answers Could Be Wrong
Contradictory to the passage (can be ruled out if you’ve read the entire passage)
Irrelevant or Not Addressed in Passage (can be ruled out if you’ve read the entire passage)
Unreasonable (can usually be spotted quickly)
Too Vague/General or Too Specific (compare them to the question stem to see which answer they are asking for!)

10. To Sum Up:
TIME MANAGEMENT is crucial to making sure you complete the test
Read the Question Stems before the Passages
Read the Passages – ACTIVELY
Then read the Questions & Answer choices COMPLETELY
Use POE to rule out any of the 4 types of wrong answers
Choose the BEST answer available!

11. To Sum Up:
Make sure that you answer the questions that you are able to eliminate 2+ answers on FIRST
Then circle any questions that you are unsure about
Return to the circled questions AFTER you have completed every passage in the Multiple Choice Section

12. Main Idea Questions
Main Idea Questions: These very common questions measure your ability to identify the author’s ideas, attitudes, and tone. They may also ask you to identify the subject of the passage or determine which choice best tells what the passage is about. Often, these questions require you to make an inference based on facts that you have to piece together from the passage. Main idea questions usually include one of these key words: think, predict, indicate, feel, probably, seem, imply, suggest, assume, infer, and most likely.

13. Main Idea Question Stems
Here are some of the ways these questions may be worded:
The theme of the second paragraph is . . .
The speaker's attitude is best described as one of . . .
In context, the sentence "_____" is best interpreted as which of the following?
The atmosphere is one of . . .
Which of the following would the author be LEAST likely to encourage?

14. Rhetoric Questions
Rhetoric questions, which are also very common, ask about syntax, point of view, or figurative language. To answer these you must be able to recognize these elements and understand their effect on the entire passage.

15. Rhetoric Question Stems
Here are some of the ways this question type may be worded on the test:
The shift in point of view has the effect of . . .
The syntax of lines _____ to _____ serves to . . .
The second sentence is unified by metaphorical references to . . .
As lines _____ and _____ are constructed, "_____" is parallel to which of the following?
The antecedent for "_____" is . . .

16. Rhetorical Mode Questions
Occasionally, the exam will feature one or more questions that require you to recognize the differences among the various rhetorical modes writers apply, including narration, exposition, description, and persuasion.

17. Rhetorical Mode Stems
Here are some of the ways these questions may be worded:
The pattern of exposition exemplified in the passage can best be described as . . .
The author's use of description is appropriate because . . .
Which of the following best describes the author's method?
Because the author uses expository format, he is able to . . .
The speaker's rhetorical strategy is to

18. Definition Questions
These are basically vocabulary questions about difficult words in the passage or about ordinary words used in unfamiliar ways. The key with these questions is to read the surrounding sentences to decipher the meaning of the word from the context of the passage.

19. Definition Questions
Follow the four steps as you work through these test items:
Go back to the passage and find the word.
Fill in your own word for the word you are asked to define.
Eliminate the answer choices that do not match your word.
Choose the best answer choice.

20. AP vocabulary question will be phrased like this:
“Amorphous” is best interpreted as……..
“Seraphic” (paragraph 2) most nearly means……..
From its context, you can deduce that “wan” (paragraph 3) must mean…….
The best synonym for the word “fastidious” is ………..
What does “vain” mean when used in this context: “The supplicant pleaded in vain”?

21. Context Clues Definition clues:
Definition clues have the definition right in the passage – the definition is a synonym and it may come before or after the unfamiliar word.
Example: “Tsunamis, or seismic sea-waves, are gravity waves set in motion by underwater disturbances associated with earthquakes.”
Explanation: “Seismic-waves” are a synonym for the unfamiliar word, tsunamis.
Contrast clues:
Contrast clues tell you what something isn’t rather than what it is. Contrast clues use words like: unlike, not, instead of, etc.
Example: “Then arrange a handful of mulch, not fresh leaves on the top.” Explanation: Mulch must be the opposite of “fresh leaves”; mulch must mean “decayed leaves”.
Common Sense:
Common sense encourages you to use what you already know to define the word.
Example: “Airplanes make daily ascents to gather data.”
Explanation: Since airplanes go into the air, the word ascent must mean “to rise.”

22. Tone/ Purpose Questions
These frequently asked questions require you to determine how or why the author wrote the material. Remember, tone reflects the writer’s attitude toward the audience and/or subject, and purpose defines the effect the author wants to have on the audience. Writers convey purpose through their use of words (diction), images, and the impression those words and images create. Think of tone as “the expression on the face of the words.”

23. Tone/Purpose Question Stems
Here are some of the ways this question type may be worded:
Which of the following best identifies the meaning of "_____"?
Which of the following best describes the author's purpose in the last sentence?
The author emphasizes "_____" in order to . . .
The sympathy referred to in line _____ is called "_____" because it . . .
What is the function of _____ ?

24. Form Questions
A writer’s method of organizing material in a particular sequence is known as form. Be aware of structure, organization, and development. Some writer’s use only one form, while others combine many forms of development, i.e., comparison/contrast, cause and effect, chronological order, order of importance, problem-solution, a series of examples, spatial order, etc.

25. Form Question Stems
Here are some of the ways this question type may be worded:
The quotation "_____" signals a shift from . . .
The speaker's mention of "_____" is appropriate to the development of her argument by . . .
The type of argument employed by the author is most similar to which of the following?
The relationship between _____ and _____ is explained primarily by the use of which of the following?

26. English Language Question
These questions may test your knowledge of grammar, punctuation, or mechanics, or they may test your understanding of literary terminology.