<p>Raller-</p>
<p>The fact that you see what you see is amazing then, I realize many of these guys think that ALL AP tests are gimmes, and to some they may be, but I don't have that many who can see the points you are making. If you can implement them, you should be able to pull a 4/5. I wouldn't worry.</p>
<p>dearsky-</p>
<p>Remeber this. College Board will give you a stinker APM/C that will eat your time, and will make you dig for answers. Best advice-If you can't get into one of the passages skip it and return after you have answered 40 other questions-all of them count one point. Secondly, read the first and last 10 lines and look for a change in tone/language/etc. Then read the passage looking for the place where is changes. Thsi is just close reading, but if you read specifically looking for the shift, you are having a "dialogue with the text", and that should get you locked in and rolling.</p>
<p>I usually get around 90% right in the MC (around 4 wrong I think it is) and what I've found to be helpful (which I actually learned on this board, figures) is to find evidence in the passage before answering each question. Usually I answered some of the questions based on assumptions or on what I thought I remembered, but going back and actually looking for concrete proof was really helpful for me.
I read fast, so I have the time to do this, and read the passages several times etc, so if you are a fast reader as well and have the time to do that, I would really recommend it.</p>
<p>For the essays, does it matter whether you "to be" verbs like "is" a lot? Do graders really care about this as long as the writing is coherent?</p>
<p>By "citizenship," I mean you have to show that you are a well-informed citizen, with knowledge of current events and issues. The best persuasive essays have very current examples.</p>
<p>Mike- I think my teacher today said he'd like us to try to use strong verbs. It matters, but it's nothing I would dwell on.</p>
<p>oh okay. thanks everybody, especially papa h! i feel a little bit more prepared now... or at least i have stopped freaking out hahaha (:</p>
<p>p.s. wow 90%... literary genius, man hahaha (:</p>
<p>Blink and Mike-</p>
<p>Eliminating to be verb is just making your voice/diction/style stronger, so it is good practice, but if you haven't been practicing that, then when you are considering writing "This is Sparta" in your book, just go back and change the easy ones to action verbs.</p>
<p>Instead of: He is attcking the peguin like a lunatic,
Say: He attacks the penguin...</p>
<p>It adds impact-comparable to a Spartan.</p>
<p>oh dont worry about it, my mediocre essay grades bring down the whole thing anyway :/</p>
<p>haha im not taking AP english despite being in ap english...cuz my school sux and has to pull a one year class into two years...grr! i say we can do MUCH better in College Admissions if we stop focusing on keeping our school's near-pristine 4.999 average on AP exams and let us take more tests and leave everyone to fend for themselves!!</p>
<p>I usually read the passage quickly and do grammar questions, then I go over it again for the harder tone/meaning questions. Try to find key words that indicate tone and be aware of possible sarcasm or the writer having a purpose that is not instantly obvious (you could definitely get a satire as passage). Also, use the information given to you about what the essay is (e.g. a short essay, an excerpt from a book, an encylopedia entry etc;). If you have "This passage is X" written on your paper that can help keep you focused on the purpose, the tone how the author regards the subject.</p>
<p>Only 4 wrong, thats godly. I'm praying for 40/55 right and 7s on the essays...good night guys and good luck, but not too much luck 'cause then the curve will kill my score.</p>
<p>does anyone know (probably papa h) if the MC progress in, like, literary chronology or something (like archaic prose --> present)?</p>
<p>b3tt that's pretty much what I've been hoping for. There's a freak in my class who only gets one or two wrong on all of our practice MC tests.</p>
<p>It is random as far as I know, but that of course doesn't mean they won't be in order. Did that sound like Pinnochio on Shrek III?</p>
<p>I had been sucking horribly on the MCs until a few days ago when my teacher shared some very insightful advice. She told us to treat the MCs just as we would the essays, since our class was pretty good at dissecting any prompt. Since then, I have a better understanding of what the questions are really asking, leading to WAY more correct answers, and now I'm just practicing to work on developing speed and stamina techniques.</p>
<p>thanks PaPa H...</p>
<p>this thread has been extremely helpful! great prep for the exam tomorrow...</p>
<p>I am getting a little punchy at this point, I am so glad I could help at all. Keep your wits about you and remember to bubble as you go-they won't give you time at the end.</p>
<p>Oh, a couple of other unsolicited tidbits:</p>
<p>Your proctor CAN'T warn the class about time, but can answer questions about time on the APMC, so if you are wondering, ask them. They will suggest you move on in the essay portion.</p>
<p>If it were me, I would annotate all three prompts before writing for this reason. By the time you get to answering the third prompt-after an hour and a half of writing-you will wish that you could manage some clarity on what good points you can argue. Most of the students I read fade on the 3rd essay because of fatigue and time, not ability to argue.</p>
<p>Very quick questions...</p>
<p>-When you cite a source, do you cite it before or after the period?
Like: Blablablabla (Source A).
Or Like: Blablablabla. (Source A)</p>
<p>-And if you have a sentence like: Bob asserts his position in Source A.
Do I still need to cite that?</p>
<p>before the period and if you're actually saying "source A" then no, but if you're saying "in [title of document]" then yes.</p>
<p>Dexter-</p>
<p>I am not sure that it matters, but I tell mine to do it MLA style, inside the period.</p>
<p>And in your example, I wouldn't think so (but I didn't get and answer about that at AP training), what may be trickier is if you were to say:</p>
<p>Source A says that ...(and you write a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooong sentence). Does Source A go back at the end?</p>
<p>I would say to do it just to be safe, but I am not sure that you MUST.</p>