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English Literature Multiple Choice

4 min readapril 18, 2023

Candace Moore

Candace Moore

Candace Moore

Candace Moore

The Basics of the AP Literature Multiple Choice

On Exam Day

You will have 60 minutes to answer 55 questions, and this section is first on the exam.  The multiple choice section of the exam will have at least four passages -- at least two passages, and at least two poetry passages.  For each passage, there will be between 8 and 13 questions that vary in difficulty.

There are various question types (more on that later), but the sequence of the questions will go through the passage from beginning to end, and then the last questions will ask about overarching ideas like tone or .

Pro Tip

Read the blurb above each passage before beginning to actually read the passages or answer the questions.  They will give publication and topic information such as “The following passage is excerpted from a first published in 1952.”  Reading these will help you decide the order in which you’d like to answer each set of questions and allow you to play to your own strengths. 💪

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2Fdownload-10.png?alt=media&token=1feafdaf-c9a5-447a-bbfa-0e66736821a8

Example:

The following poem was originally published in 1921 by an .

Beyond the cities I have seen,

Beyond the wrack and din,

There is a wide and fair demesne

Where I have never been.

 

Away from desert wastes of greed,

Over the peaks of pride,

Across the seas of mortal need

Its citizens abide.

 

And through the distance though I see

How stern must be the fare,

My feet are ever fain to be

Upon the journey there.

 

In that far land the only school

The dwellers all attend

Is built upon the ,

And man to man is friend.

 

No war is there nor war’s distress,

But truth and love increase—

It is a realm of pleasantness,

And all her paths are peace.

The poem as a whole is best understood as

a. an for religious freedom

b. a celebration of cultural knowledge

c. a of America’s potential

d. an of death

e. an impossible ideal of life

The Skills You’ll Need

The multiple choice questions assess the same skill categories that are studied in your AP Lit class all year, but they are meant to be challenging and to plumb the depths of not only the texts, but your brain as well. 💥

The College Board gives the following information about skill categories and their weights on the exam.

🎥 Watch: AP Lit - Multiple Choice Intro

Skill Category

Exam Weight

Explain the function of setting

3-6%

Explain the function of word choice, , and

10-13%

Explain the function of comparison

10-13%

Develop textually substantiated arguments about interpretations of part or all of a text

10-13%

Explain the function of

16-20%

Explain the function of character

16-20%

Explain the function of the or

21-26%

The questions will ask about the kinds of devices and techniques that you will write about in the free-response questions, and require that you build your analysis skills in the above categories.  But there will most likely not be device identification questions (where the answer choices would list devices like or synecdoche), so you don’t want to spend time memorizing semi-obscure terms. 😟

Let's look at some examples of those skills in questions.

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2Fdownload-11.png?alt=media&token=4dd426fc-6d3f-4d94-89fa-ee4bbf4ec327

Example: The Function of the Narrator or Speaker

The ’s perspective throughout the passage might be described as that of

a. a person in crisis

b. a hopeful dreamer

c. a reluctant realist

d. an accommodating artist

e. a pessimistic slave

Example: Explain the function of word choice, imagery, and symbols

The mentions “the ” in the fourth stanza to highlight the

a. lack of empathy found in real society

b. true nature of humanity

c. beauty in the poem’s artificial world

d. genuine need for human interaction

e. substandard education received by most students

Question Structure

You’ve probably practiced Lit multiple choice until your eyes cross, so you’ve seen the possible types.  

MOST of the questions you’ll see have specific line references.  But it is NOT a recommendation that you read only the lines specific to the questions.  Often, those line references are the tip of the iceberg, and the question is actually asking about a thread through the paragraph or stanza, or the passage as a whole.  Even in the example above, it’s important to know the rest of the poem to know where the fits.

🎥 Watch: AP Lit - Prose MC Strategies and Practice

Other Common Question Stems …

  • The function of the words “______” and “_______” is primarily to …

  • Which of the following statements best conveys …

  • Which of the following can be reasonably inferred from ...

  • In line _, “___________” refers to …

  • One effect of the shift in line/stanza ___ is to ...

Key Terms to Review (14)

Character Development

: Character development refers to the process of creating and evolving a character throughout a story, allowing them to grow, change, and become more complex.

Imagery

: Imagery refers to the use of vivid and descriptive language that appeals to the reader's senses, creating a mental image. It helps to enhance the reader's understanding and experience of the text.

Golden Rule

: The Golden Rule is a moral principle that encourages treating others the way you would like to be treated. It emphasizes empathy and kindness towards others.

Metaphor

: A figure of speech that compares two unlike things by stating that one thing is another, without using "like" or "as". It adds depth and imagery to writing.

Utopian View

: An idealized vision of society where everything is perfect and harmonious. It often explores themes such as social justice, equality, and peace.

Allegorical Description

: A narrative technique in which characters, events, and settings are used symbolically to convey a deeper meaning or moral lesson.

British novel

: A British novel refers to any fictional prose narrative written by an author from Great Britain. These novels often reflect aspects of British culture, history, society, and explore various themes relevant to British life.

Theme

: The theme of a literary work refers to the central message or insight about life that the author conveys through their writing. It is the underlying idea or concept that can be inferred from the characters, plot, and other elements of the story.

Prose Fiction

: Prose fiction refers to any form of written work that tells a story using ordinary language and sentence structure, without the use of poetic devices.

Plot and Structure

: Plot refers to the sequence of events that make up a story. Structure refers to how those events are organized within the narrative framework. Together, they shape the overall flow and development of a literary work.

Symbols

: Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts in a literary work. They add depth and layers of meaning to the text.

Speaker

: In literature, a speaker refers to the voice behind a poem or any written work. It may not necessarily represent the author but rather an imagined persona created by them.

Narrator

: A narrator is the voice or character that tells a story. They provide insight into events, characters, and settings, shaping our understanding of the narrative.

African-American poet

: An African-American poet is a poet who identifies as being of African descent and whose work often explores the experiences, history, culture, and identity of Black people in America. Their poetry may address themes such as racism, discrimination, resilience, heritage, and the pursuit of equality.

English Literature Multiple Choice

4 min readapril 18, 2023

Candace Moore

Candace Moore

Candace Moore

Candace Moore

The Basics of the AP Literature Multiple Choice

On Exam Day

You will have 60 minutes to answer 55 questions, and this section is first on the exam.  The multiple choice section of the exam will have at least four passages -- at least two passages, and at least two poetry passages.  For each passage, there will be between 8 and 13 questions that vary in difficulty.

There are various question types (more on that later), but the sequence of the questions will go through the passage from beginning to end, and then the last questions will ask about overarching ideas like tone or .

Pro Tip

Read the blurb above each passage before beginning to actually read the passages or answer the questions.  They will give publication and topic information such as “The following passage is excerpted from a first published in 1952.”  Reading these will help you decide the order in which you’d like to answer each set of questions and allow you to play to your own strengths. 💪

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2Fdownload-10.png?alt=media&token=1feafdaf-c9a5-447a-bbfa-0e66736821a8

Example:

The following poem was originally published in 1921 by an .

Beyond the cities I have seen,

Beyond the wrack and din,

There is a wide and fair demesne

Where I have never been.

 

Away from desert wastes of greed,

Over the peaks of pride,

Across the seas of mortal need

Its citizens abide.

 

And through the distance though I see

How stern must be the fare,

My feet are ever fain to be

Upon the journey there.

 

In that far land the only school

The dwellers all attend

Is built upon the ,

And man to man is friend.

 

No war is there nor war’s distress,

But truth and love increase—

It is a realm of pleasantness,

And all her paths are peace.

The poem as a whole is best understood as

a. an for religious freedom

b. a celebration of cultural knowledge

c. a of America’s potential

d. an of death

e. an impossible ideal of life

The Skills You’ll Need

The multiple choice questions assess the same skill categories that are studied in your AP Lit class all year, but they are meant to be challenging and to plumb the depths of not only the texts, but your brain as well. 💥

The College Board gives the following information about skill categories and their weights on the exam.

🎥 Watch: AP Lit - Multiple Choice Intro

Skill Category

Exam Weight

Explain the function of setting

3-6%

Explain the function of word choice, , and

10-13%

Explain the function of comparison

10-13%

Develop textually substantiated arguments about interpretations of part or all of a text

10-13%

Explain the function of

16-20%

Explain the function of character

16-20%

Explain the function of the or

21-26%

The questions will ask about the kinds of devices and techniques that you will write about in the free-response questions, and require that you build your analysis skills in the above categories.  But there will most likely not be device identification questions (where the answer choices would list devices like or synecdoche), so you don’t want to spend time memorizing semi-obscure terms. 😟

Let's look at some examples of those skills in questions.

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2Fdownload-11.png?alt=media&token=4dd426fc-6d3f-4d94-89fa-ee4bbf4ec327

Example: The Function of the Narrator or Speaker

The ’s perspective throughout the passage might be described as that of

a. a person in crisis

b. a hopeful dreamer

c. a reluctant realist

d. an accommodating artist

e. a pessimistic slave

Example: Explain the function of word choice, imagery, and symbols

The mentions “the ” in the fourth stanza to highlight the

a. lack of empathy found in real society

b. true nature of humanity

c. beauty in the poem’s artificial world

d. genuine need for human interaction

e. substandard education received by most students

Question Structure

You’ve probably practiced Lit multiple choice until your eyes cross, so you’ve seen the possible types.  

MOST of the questions you’ll see have specific line references.  But it is NOT a recommendation that you read only the lines specific to the questions.  Often, those line references are the tip of the iceberg, and the question is actually asking about a thread through the paragraph or stanza, or the passage as a whole.  Even in the example above, it’s important to know the rest of the poem to know where the fits.

🎥 Watch: AP Lit - Prose MC Strategies and Practice

Other Common Question Stems …

  • The function of the words “______” and “_______” is primarily to …

  • Which of the following statements best conveys …

  • Which of the following can be reasonably inferred from ...

  • In line _, “___________” refers to …

  • One effect of the shift in line/stanza ___ is to ...

Key Terms to Review (14)

Character Development

: Character development refers to the process of creating and evolving a character throughout a story, allowing them to grow, change, and become more complex.

Imagery

: Imagery refers to the use of vivid and descriptive language that appeals to the reader's senses, creating a mental image. It helps to enhance the reader's understanding and experience of the text.

Golden Rule

: The Golden Rule is a moral principle that encourages treating others the way you would like to be treated. It emphasizes empathy and kindness towards others.

Metaphor

: A figure of speech that compares two unlike things by stating that one thing is another, without using "like" or "as". It adds depth and imagery to writing.

Utopian View

: An idealized vision of society where everything is perfect and harmonious. It often explores themes such as social justice, equality, and peace.

Allegorical Description

: A narrative technique in which characters, events, and settings are used symbolically to convey a deeper meaning or moral lesson.

British novel

: A British novel refers to any fictional prose narrative written by an author from Great Britain. These novels often reflect aspects of British culture, history, society, and explore various themes relevant to British life.

Theme

: The theme of a literary work refers to the central message or insight about life that the author conveys through their writing. It is the underlying idea or concept that can be inferred from the characters, plot, and other elements of the story.

Prose Fiction

: Prose fiction refers to any form of written work that tells a story using ordinary language and sentence structure, without the use of poetic devices.

Plot and Structure

: Plot refers to the sequence of events that make up a story. Structure refers to how those events are organized within the narrative framework. Together, they shape the overall flow and development of a literary work.

Symbols

: Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts in a literary work. They add depth and layers of meaning to the text.

Speaker

: In literature, a speaker refers to the voice behind a poem or any written work. It may not necessarily represent the author but rather an imagined persona created by them.

Narrator

: A narrator is the voice or character that tells a story. They provide insight into events, characters, and settings, shaping our understanding of the narrative.

African-American poet

: An African-American poet is a poet who identifies as being of African descent and whose work often explores the experiences, history, culture, and identity of Black people in America. Their poetry may address themes such as racism, discrimination, resilience, heritage, and the pursuit of equality.