MCQ AP Lang Unit 1

In the passage, the author is primarily concerned with
A cautioning her audience against repeating past mistakes
B enumerating the most pressing social issues facing women today
C offering her audience advice for the future
D garnering political support for her husband
E identifying the most important skills for adapting in uncertain times

In the opening sentences of the passage ("Now I know . . . color of my hair!"), the author refers to Alice Walker primarily to

A impress her audience with the breadth of her literary knowledge

B flaunt her access to privileged information about the planning of the commencement ceremony

C congratulate her audience for inviting her instead of a lesser-known speaker

D acknowledge the potentially embarrassing circumstances under which she is delivering her speech

E suggest that she pays more attention to her personal appearance than do other celebrities

In the second paragraph, the author makes which of the following claims regarding the Class of 1990?

A They will lead more balanced lives after leaving Wellesley.

B They will lead successful lives because of the quality of their education.

C They are unlikely to follow conventional paths in life.

D They are unlikely to change their opinions.

E They are unlikely to pursue careers in the visual arts.

In the fourth and fifth paragraphs, the author defends her decision to marry George Bush by elaborating on

A the need to pursue a sense of personal bliss

B the importance of prioritizing family over career

C her willingness to overlook her husband's dark humor

D the similarities between her husband and a fictional character

E her husband's commitment to public service

In the second-to-last paragraph, the anecdote about the complaining husband serves primarily to

A provide an example of how women should motivate their partners to take on more childcare responsibilities

B illustrate the author's claim regarding the value of devoting oneself to one's children

C reinforce the author's recommendation that women develop friendships outside the family

D encourage her audience to choose partners who will support their ambitions

E establish a contrast between the friend's dedication to her family and her husband's focus on his career

Which of the following best describes the author's exigence in the passage?

A The tension between the author's worldview and the worldview developed by Alice Walker in The Color Purple (paragraph 1, sentence 1)

B The pressure on the author to "get involved in some of the big ideas of our time" (paragraph 3, sentence 1)

C Growing indifference toward "the problems that plague our nation and our society" (paragraph 3, sentence 2)

D The fact that the audience "clapped more for Ferris" than they did at the mention of President Bush (paragraph 6, sentence 1)

E The question of how to lead a meaningful life "in a transitional period" (paragraph 9, sentence 1)

These inhabitants should leave their homes because they have been destroyed or otherwise rendered uninhabitable from flooding. Should the writer add this sentence after sentence 6 ?
A Yes, because it describes the writer's exigence for writing the passage.
B Yes, because it expresses the main claim of the paragraph.
C Yes, because it defines a potentially unfamiliar term used in sentence 6.
D No, because it fails to clarify the writer's purpose in creating the text.
E No, because it makes an ineffective claim that does not require a defense.

In sentence 7 (reproduced below), the writer wants to add the phrase "According to the country's president," to the beginning of the sentence, adjusting capitalization as needed. New islands will have to be built to ensure a safe future for its citizens, because science indicates that Kiribati will go underwater within the century. Should the writer make this addition?
A Yes, because it acknowledges the source of the information conveyed in the sentence.
B Yes, because it provides an additional perspective to set up a counterargument.
C Yes, because it introduces a key figure in the development of the passage's narrative.
D No, because it introduces new evidence that requires an adjustment to the paragraph's line of reasoning.
E No, because it fails to consider the rhetorical situation set up in the first paragraph.

The passage explores the global trend of building artificial islands to address issues like overcrowding (Hong Kong), rising sea levels (Kiribati), and urban expansion (Dubai, Japan, etc.). However, it raises concerns about environmental damage and safety risks, questioning whether artificial islands are a sustainable solution.

A According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's National Tidal Centre, there has been an average sea level rise of 7.3 millimeters a year around low-lying islands like Kiribati in the past few decades.

B A professor of biology at Old Dominion University, Kent Carpenter, notes that poaching of giant clams does more damage to marine ecosystems than island building does.

C Marine biologists contend that the urban sprawl spreading into the oceans inevitably causes havoc for marine organisms and their habitats.

D The government of South Korea expected to have 300,000 residents in the utopian smart city built on the artificial island of Songdo.

E Environmental scientists at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, have noted that those building artificial islands can use techniques like silt curtains to help minimize the environmental impact of these projects.