Advanced Placement English Language and Composition
Deconstruction of 2007 Multiple Choice Exam
Paul Stevenson, Edison Preparatory School
The 2007 Multiple Choice Exam was published by the College Board in the AP English Language and Composition Workshop Handbook, 2009-10.
Essay 1 This essay is from Section Two of "Bentham" by John Stewart Mills, published in the Westminster Review in 1838. Mills was a proponent of Utilitarianism, an ethical theory developed by Jeremy Bentham, the subject of the essay, although Mills' conception of utilitarianism was very different from Bentham's. Utilitarianism holds that the moral worth of an action is determined by its outcome, and is often described by the phrase "the greatest good for the greatest number of people." This passage focuses on what Mills perceives as Bentham's lack of empathy, the ability to emotional identify with other people. Mills ascribes this lack of emotional depth to Bentham's life which was without the hardships or challenges most people experience.
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1. In the passage, the author's overall attitude toward Bentham can best be described as (A) grudgingly appreciative (B) cleverly nonjudgmental (C) bitterly disillusioned (D) viciously sarcastic (E) essentially negative
1. Answer: E
This passage focuses on Bentham's limited vision and is thus essentially negative (E), although it is neither vicious nor sarcastic (D). It is neither bitter nor disillusioned (C). Since it focuses on Bentham's limitations, it is judgmental (B).
2. Which of the following best describes the function of the second sentence (lines 3-9) in the first paragraph? (A) It qualifies and expands the opening sentence. (B) It focuses on qualities Bentham's language lacks. (C) It compares Bentham's skills to those of other writers. (D) It provides an example of a brief digression. (E) It signals a transition in thought from the opening sentence.
2. Answer: A
The function of the sentence is to qualify "the certain degree" of Bentham's endowments and to expand on the idea of these endowments (A). Although it does refer to the qualities Bentham's language lacked, that was not its primary function (B), nor is its primary function to compare him with other writers (C). It is not a digression nor is it a transition of thought from the opening sentence since it does not lead to a new topic (D).
3. The author's discussion of Bentham's ability to use imagery (lines 1-9) is best described as one of (A) dispassionate advice (B) contemptuous dismissal (C) witty defense (D) profuse commendation (E) qualified appreciation
3. Answer: E
The author's discussion of Bentham's ability to use imagery is best described as qualified (less than complete) appreciation since he also notes Bentham's limitations (E). He is not giving advice (A) and is not contemptuous nor does he dismiss Bentham's gifts (B). It is not a defense
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nor does it use wit, a type of dry humor (C). It is not a condemnation since he appreciates aspects of Bentham's style (D).
4. "This power" (line 17) refers to (A) "command of imagery" (lines 1-2) (B) "poetical culture" (line 4) (C) "declamatory eloquence" (line 8) (D) "Imagination" (line 9) (E) "voluntary effort" (line 12)
4. Answer: D
"This power" refers to the power of Imagination in line 9 (D). Bentham's command of imagery is an aspect of Imagination (A). The lack of "poetical culture" (emotion/empathy) is a deficiency rather than his power (B). "Declamatory eloquence" is an attribute of his ability, but not the power of it (C). The "voluntary effort "refers to the use of Imagination, not Imagination itself (E).
5. The author indicates that a writer's ability to work with metaphor and imagery is less important than (A) a high sense of morality (B) intellectual brilliance (C) awareness of the artist's role in society (D) the power to empathize with others (E) the imparting of pleasure to the reader
5. Answer: D
The author indicates that the most important ability of an author, the thing than Bentham lacks, is empathy, the ability to identify with the emotions of others, "the power by which one human being enters into the mind and circumstances of another" (D). He does not discuss morality (A) and does not question Bentham's intellectual brilliance, but his lack of emotional depth (B). He does not discuss the artist's role in society, but that of historians (C). The author implies that Bentham's prose style brings pleasure to the reader, but only to a qualified or limited degree (E).
6. The references in lines 20-26 ("It is ... history") serve to (A) establish the author's credentials as a historian (B) clarify the previous sentence (C) provide illustrative examples (D) suggest the longevity of poetry as an art (E) differentiate historians from poets
6. Answer: C
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This question focuses on the purpose of lines 20-26 which is to provide illustrative examples of the importance of historians having the knowledge of human nature which Bentham lacked (C). The author is not establishing his credentials as a historian, only that he is well read (A). He is not clarifying the previous sentence but providing examples to support it (B). He is not writing about poets, but historians (D) nor is he differentiating historians from poets, but focusing on the importance of the knowledge of human nature (E).
7. One purpose of the first paragraph is to
(A) suggest that beauty is not an essential element of good art
(B) discount the importance of imaginative thinking
(C) distinguish between two types of imagination (D) suggest that artistic creativity is compromised
by social responsibility (E) reinforce popular views of creative
imagination
7. Answer: C
One of the purposes of the first paragraph, which deals with the importance of Imagination, which the author ties to empathy, is to distinguish between Imagination in the "popular sense," which is the use of imagery and metaphor, and the author's conception of Imagination as empathy (C). He is not discussing either beauty nor art (A), and does not discount the importance of imaginative thinking, which he applies to empathy (B). He does not address the role of social responsibility (D) and is writing to discuss an alternative view of imagination, not reinforce the popular view.
8. Which of the following best describes the relationship between the first paragraph and the second paragraph?
(A) The second paragraph uses the claims made at the end of the first paragraph to examine an individual.
(B) The second paragraph continues to expand the definition of imagination begun in the first paragraph.
(C) The second paragraph supports the claim in the opening sentence of the first paragraph.
(D) The second paragraph presents a more balanced view of Bentham than does the first paragraph.
(E) The second paragraph supports the theme of the first paragraph by references to scholarly research.
8. Answer: A
The best description of the relationship between the first and second paragraph is that the second paragraph applies the general points made in the first paragraph to a specific individual, Bentham (A). It does not continue to expand the definition but to apply it to an individual (B), nor does it support, but contradicts the first sentence, focusing on Bentham's limitations (C). The first
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paragraph is primarily about the concept of Imagination rather than Bentham (D). There is no reference to scholarly research, only allusions to respected authors (E).
9. The stylistic feature most evident in lines 32-62 ("By these ... may read") is the use of (A) series of prepositional phrases (B) repeated syntactical patterns (C) metaphor (D) analogy (E) allusion
9. Answer B
This question asks for the identification of a stylistic feature. The most evident is the use of metaphors such as "He was a boy...." "never was awakened in him" "never been made alive" (B) There is no repetition of prepositional phrases (in time, at home) (A) nor repeated syntactical (sentence) patterns (C). There are neither direct analogies (comparisons) (D) nor allusions (references to books or other things outside the text) (E).
10. Which of the following rhetorical devices is used in lines 35-38 ("He had neither ... satiety")? (A) Antithesis (B) Oxymoron (C) Euphemism (D) Personification (E) Apostrophe
10. Answer A
This question asks for the identification of a rhetorical device. It is antithesis, the contrasting of ideas in a balanced phrase, "internal experience nor external..." (A). It is not oxymoron, the combining of contradictory terms (deafening silence) (B). It is not Euphemism, an inoffensive or indirect expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive or too harsh (passed away for died) (C). It is not Personification, a description of something nonhuman in human form (the sun smiled at us) (D). It is not Apostrophe, an address some absent person or thing (Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts....) (E).
11. In lines 35-48 ("He had neither ... in him"), the author suggests that Bentham (A) writes without a clear purpose (B) has a fear of human aberration (C) cannot understand strong human feelings (D) does not value information based on observation (E) has little respect for others' opinions
11. Answer: C
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The author suggests that Bentham cannot understand strong human feeling, his major weakness (C). He is not referring to Bentham's writing style (A) nor is there any indication of a fear of human aberration or deviance (B). Bentham does value information based on observation but had limited life experience which limited his observation to the empirical (factual/scientific) (D). There is no reference to other's opinions (E).
12. In the context of lines 43-48, "Self-consciousness" means
(A) awkwardness (B) caution (C) shame (D) idealism (E) introspection
12. Answer E
In the context of lines 43-48, "Self-consciousness" means consciousness of oneself or introspection (E). There is no indication of awkwardness (A), caution (B), or shame (C). Bentham was not idealistic (D).
13. The author most likely includes the clause "He saw accordingly in man little but what the vulgarest eye can see" (lines 59-60) in order to
(A) convey the limitation of Bentham's perception
(B) illustrate Bentham's preoccupation with base and coarse actions
(C) suggest that Bentham could see nothing good in others
(D) imply that Bentham had no sympathy for others' misfortunes
(E) suggest that Bentham understood the common people best
13. Answer A
The author includes the clause "He saw accordingly in many little but what the vulgarest eye can see" in order to elaborate on Bentham's lack of emotional depth and understanding (A). Bentham is not preoccupied with common or crude actions (B). The author does not suggest that Bentham could see nothing good in others, just that his emotional understanding was limited (C). Bentham is not unsympathetic, just lacked empathy (D) and had no special understanding of anyone (E).
14. The author's attitude toward Bentham's abilities as a writer might be best described as
(A) dismissive because of the narrowness of Bentham's experience and understanding
(B) jealous because of Bentham's undeserved success and happiness
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(C) undecided because of the paucity of information about Bentham's life
(D) disapproving because of the uniformly serious tone of Bentham's prose
(E) appreciative because of the accuracy of Bentham's observations
14. Answer A
Overall, the author's attitude toward Bentham's ability as a writer is negative or dismissive because of Bentham's limitations (A). There is no indication of jealously, only an element of pity (B). He clearly is not undecided, nor is there any indication of a lack of information (C). The author's negativity does not come from Bentham's tone, but Bentham's limitations (D). The author does not really address Bentham's observations except that they are limited (E).
15. The author characterizes Bentham primarily as an individual who (A) has been wrongly ignored (B) lacks poetic insight (C) is too uncompromising (D) has a childlike sense of fantasy (E) has a highly idiosyncratic style
15. Answer B
The author's primary characterization of Bentham is as someone who lacks poetic (emotional) insight (B). He does not say that Bentham has been ignored (A). There is no discussion of Bentham as uncompromising (C). While Bentham may be childlike in his lack of emotional depth, he is not characterized as childlike (D). The author's primary concern is emotional depth, not style (E).
16. The area of experience of which Bentham is said to be most ignorant is the (A) intellectual (B) practical (C) emotional (D) analytical (E) moral
16. Answer C
The area of experience of which Bentham is most ignorant is emotional, due to the lack of challenge in his personal life (C). His lack is not intellectual (A) or analytical (D) but emotional/empathetic. He is practical (B) and there is no indication that he is immoral (E).
17. The passage as a whole is best characterized as (A) a personal reminiscence
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