I’m honestly very scared for the MC.
@dsi411 I usually make up examples for argumentative if I have trouble thinking of one. My teacher doesn’t have a problem with this. I did the same on the ACT and scored pretty high. I think the main thing is just making sure that the example ties back to your argument.
@Defeat When we did the practice MC in class we were under a time constraint ( I believe we were give 35-40 minutes for 3 passages) and I still managed to read every passage thoroughly. If you read the passage thoroughly you’ll be able to breeze through the questions. And the 2013 practice exam is online. You should try that one.
@dsi411 Wow, I always go through the questions first then read the prompt. Maybe i’ll try that way, it sounds much more efficient. Thanks, i’ll take a look at the 2013 exam. Also, are these things actually reflective of the exam? I did the 2012 version of this one, and I did pretty well, and I would be happy if this was about the same difficulty as the actual exam.
Got an 82 on the mc on 2012 exam but a 40 on the mc in Barron’s (I didn’t finish it in the time ) . Why are my scores so different :-S ?? Does anyone else do a lot better on the released exams than on the ones in the prep books ?
@Kitsyxoxo
Same, I do way better on the practice exams swhich is why I am concerned if the practice exams are the “real thing”.
@Kitsyxoxo: Barron’s often has more difficult questions, so that could be the reason for the drastic difference in scores.
@Mathman97: I don’t think they would dock off points for that. As long as the sentence structure makes sense and the readers can understand what you wrote, I believe you’ll be fine.
By the way, is anyone taking AP Literature next year?
@Mochis1 im taking lit next year
@mochis1 I am 
@Mochis1 haha it depends on how this exam goes. This is my first year taking AP classes, so I want to see how well I do on the exams before I sign up for more.
And does anyone have any general tips for the MC questions? My biggest problem is really understanding what passages are about. Most of the passages on the practice exams drag on and on about nonsense it seems…
lmao you only need 40ish right and 7s on each essay to get a 5. Not the easiest AP, but definitely not hard.
@madmik I’m so worried about the multiple choice too! Sometimes, the multiple choice questions themselves will kind of analyze the passage for you or hint at the meaning of passage just in the way the question is worded, so maybe try to look for that? Try to read each passage quickly, but thoroughly, and focus on it intently, I think that would minimize how much time would be used for looking back in the passage for answers.
For questions that ask about the passage as a whole (not specific lines, word meaning, etc) or that ask about how something in the passage relates to the passage as a whole (so that could be how a line or paragraph relates to the whole passage) it may be a good idea to reread a little of it to help you in choosing your answer.
The essays will be way easier than the MC I think. I took a practice mc test in CliffNotes and made a 32/55 which means I need 8s on all my essays for a 5 :-S
I’m feeling good about this test, I’ve been getting consistent 40+ on the MC and 7s on my essays. I’m hoping for a 5, but 4 is the lowest.
This curve seems weird.
Does anyone know if ethos, logos, and pathos will suffice for an 8/9 on the rhetorical analysis essay? Or should you be prepared to use some of the more complex ones (hypophora, metonymy, double entendre, etc.)?
Honestly, there’s really not much you can do to prepare: either you are good at English or not. And there is not magic bullet for essays. If anything, diverging from traditional formulaic approaches may be encouraged, if only for a sight for sore eyes (and creativity, strong handling of style, etc.).
I think any rhetorical strategies would suffice. I would not go for obscure ones. Whichever ones contribute most greatly to meaning would be beneficial, especially if a subtle trail is given. For example, ethos, logos and pathos may not all contribute to a work. Often times, only perhaps pathos or logos has a strong hold on the work. In such a case, discussing the effect of a double entendre in expressing irony, or some form of subtlety, would be helpful to demonstrate sophistication and an expanded understanding.
Especially for 8/9, I would say to try to garner your piece to the specific work given. In response to satire, a formulaic approach would be prosaic. In response in an academic piece, it would be appropriate. In response to an anecdote, perhaps countering with a similar anecdote would be beneficial, while of course, still maintaining the purpose you are trying to achieve, whether it be rhetorical analysis, synthesis, or argument.
Overall, don’t stress. Not much you can do about MC or Essay. Even if you memorize terms, I doubt (unless you are exceptional) you would be able to actually identify the terms. For example, despite the ubiquity of strategies such as anecdotes, nostalgia, irony, satire, metaphor, anadiplosis, or even alliteration, they are overlooked. Simply try to exert your best in your work on the day of, read critically and quickly, and express the breadth of your understanding.
*I’m no expert btw. Just another student giving a few thoughts. I may be completely mistaken, but I personally don’t view this as a “crammable” AP (though perhaps massive BS can be salvation in cases of lack of understanding in obscure archaic text?)
@pathospablo I don’t think ethos, pathos, and logos are enough, but I don’t know what those other ones you are talking about are, except double entendre. Some things I usually talk about include:
-diction (add some sort of adjective in front of it, like “harsh diction”)
-syntax
-juxtaposition
-repetition
-rhetorical questions
-parallelism
-imagery
-analogy (including simile and metaphor)
-tone
-emotional appeals
-allusion
And make sure to talk about how the author uses these strategies to develop his purpose. Tying it back to the purpose is very important. Talking about hypophora (what is that?) will be useless if you can’t talk about how he uses that to develop his argument.
Does anyone know if the 2008 multiple choice was considered to be an easier test? I scored much higher than I normally do on it, but I’m taking it with a grain of salt. Did anyone else have a similar experience with it?
I scored much higher on 2012 than in the prep book that I used . So I think that is normal . Also if you don’t mind sharing where did you find the 2008 exam ? @emm098