AP English: Literature and Composition Prose Passage Questions

1984 - 2006
1984 Read the following passage carefully. Then write a coherent essay showing how this
passage provides a
characterization and evaluation of Emma more than Harriet.
198 The e!cerpts "elow represent early and later drafts of a prose passage that records the
writer#s thoughts on how the e!perience of war affected his attitude toward language.
$rite a well%organized essay in which you discuss the pro"a"le reasons for the writer#s
additions and deletions and the ways in which those revisions change the effect of the
paragraph.
198& The passage "elow is the opening of a novel. Read the passage carefully. Then write an
essay in which you define the narrator#s attitude toward the characters and show how he
directs the reader#s perceptions of those characters through his use of such stylistic devices
as imagery' diction' narrative structure' and choice of specific details.
198( )n the selection "elow' *eorge Eliot presents a conception of leisure that has lost its place in
the society of her own time. $rite an essay in which you descri"e her views on +old
,eisure+ and on leisure in the society of her own time and discuss the stylistic devices she
uses to convey those views.
1988 -elow is a complete short story. Read it carefully. Then write a well%organized essay in
which you analyze the "lend of humor' pathos' and the grotes.ue in the story.
1989 Read the following passage carefully. Then write an essay that descri"es the attitude of the
spea/er toward 0aptain 1ac$hirr and that analyzes the techni.ues the spea/er uses to
define the captain#s character.
1992 $rite a well%organized essay in which you analyze the style and tone of the passage "elow'
e!plaining how they help to e!press the author#s attitudes.
1991 Read the following passage from The Life of Samuel Johnson "y 3ames -oswell. Then' in a
well%organized essay' discuss the ways -oswell differentiates "etween the writing of 3oseph
4ddison and that of 5amuel 3ohnson. )n your essay' analyze -oswell#s views of "oth writers
and the devices he uses to convey those views.
1996 )n the following e!cerpts from the "eginning and ending of Tillie 7lsen#s short story +) 5tand
Here )roning'+ a mother#s reflections are prompted "y another person#s concern a"out her
daughter. Read the passage carefully. Then write an essay in which you analyze the
narrative techni.ues and other resources of language 7lsen uses to characterize the mother
and the mother#s attitudes toward her daughter.
1998 )n the following e!cerpts from an essay' ,ytton 5trachey presents his conception of 9lorence
:ightingale. )n a well%organized essay' define 5trachey#s view and analyze how he conveys
it. 0onsider such elements as diction' imagery' synta!' and tone.
1994 Read the following passage carefully. Then write an essay showing how the author
dramatizes the young heroine#s adventure. 0onsider such literary elements as diction'
imagery' narrative pace' and point of view.
199 Read the following short story carefully. Then write an essay analyzing how the author'
5andra 0isneros' uses literary techni.ues to characterize Rachel.
199& Read the following passage from :athaniel Hawthorne#s novel The House of the Seven
Gables. Then write a careful analysis of how the narrator reveals the character of 3udge
;yncheon. <ou may emphasize whichever devices =e.g. tone' selection of detail' synta!'
point of view> you find most significant.
199( Read carefully the following passage from 3oy ?ogawa#s Obasan' a novel a"out the
relocation of 3apanese 0anadians to internment campus during the 5econd $orld $ar. Then
in a well%organized essay' analyze how changes in perspective and style reflect the narrator#s
comple! attitude toward the past' )n your analysis' consider literary elements such as point
of view' structure' selection of detail' and figurative language.
1998 Read carefully the following passage from *eorge Eliot#s novel Middlemarch =18(1>. Then
write an essay in which you characterize the narrator#s attitude toward @orothea -roo/e and
analyze the literary techni.ues used to convey this attitude. 5upport your analysis with
specific references to the passage
1999 )n the following passage from 0ormac 1c0arhAtyBs novel The Crossing =1994>' the narrator
descri"es a dramatic e!perience. Read the passage carefully. Then in a well%organized
essay' show how 1c0arthyBs techni.ues convey the impact of the e!perience on the main
character.
6222 )n the following passage from The Spectator =1arch 4' 1(16>' the English satirist 3oseph
4ddison creates a character who /eeps a diary. Read the passage carefully. Then' in a well%
organized essay' analyze how the language of the passage characterizes the diarist and his
society and how the characterization serves 4ddisonBs satiric purpose. <ou may wish to
consider such elements as selection of detail' repetion' and tone.
6221 The passage "elow is ta/en from the novel Tom Jones =1(49> "y the English novelist and
playwright Henry 9ielding. )n this scene' which occurs early in the novel' 5.uire 4llworthy
discovers an infant in his "ed. Read the passage carefully. Then' in a well%organized essay'
analyze the techni.ues that 9ielding employs in this scene to characterize 1r. 4llworthy and
1rs. @e"orah $il/ins.
6226 )n the following e!cerpt from a recent -ritish novel' the narrator' a young man in his early
twenties' is attending a play with his new girlfriend )sa"el when she une!pectedly discovers
that her parents are in the theater. Read the passage carefully. Then write an essay in which
you analyze how the author produces a comic effect. =4lain de -otton' Kiss and Tell>
6228 =-> Read carefully the following passage from the "eginning of a contemporary novel.
:ote the authorBs use of such elements as diction' synta!' imagery' and figurative
language. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the authorBs use of language
generates a vivid impression of Cuoyle as a character.
6228 The following passage is an e!cerpt from DThe 7ther ;aris'E a short story "y the 0anadian
writer 1avis *allant. Read the passage carefully. Then' in a well%written essay' e!plain
how the author uses narrative voice and characterization to provide social commentary.
6224 The following passage comes from the opening of DThe ;upilE =1891>' a story "y Henry
3ames. Read the passage carefully. Then write an essay in which you analyze the authorBs
depiction of the three characters and the relationships among them. ;ay particular
attention to tone and point of view.
6224 =-> The following passage comes from Eliza"eth *as/ellBs Mary arton =1848>' a novel
a"out mill wor/ers living in 1anchester' England' in the 1842s. )n this scene' *eorge
$ilson' one of the wor/ers' goes to the house of 1r. 0arson' the mill owner' to re.uest
care for a fellow wor/er dying of typhus. Read the passage carefully. Then' in a well%
written essay' analyze how *as/ell uses elements such as point of view' selection of detail'
dialogue' and characterization to ma/e a social commentary.
622 ;rinted "elow is the complete te!t of a short story written in 194& "y ?atharine -rush.
Read the story carefully. Then write an essay in which you show how the author uses
literary devices to achieve her purpose. =D-irthday ;artyE>
622 =-> Read the passage "elow and write an essay discussing how the characterization in the
passage reflects the narratorBs attitude toward 1cTeague. )n your essay' consider such
elements as diction' tone' detail' and synta!.
622& The following passage is an e!cerpt from Lady !indemere"s #an' a play "y 7scar $ilde'
produced in 1896. Read the passage carefully. Then write a well%organized essay in which
you analyze how the playwright reveals the values of the charactes and the nature of their
society.
622& =-> Read the passage "elow' which comes from a nineteenth%century novel. Then' in a
well%developed essay' discuss how the narratorBs style reveals his attitudes toward the
people he descri"es.
622( Read carefully the following passage from @alton Trum"oBs novel Johnny Got His Gun
=1989>. Then write a well%organized essay in which you analyze how Trum"o uses such
techni.ues as point of view' selection of detail' and synta! to characterize the relationship
"etween the young man and his father.
6228 The following passage is ta/en from #asting$ #easting' a novel pu"lished in 1999 "y
)ndian novelist 4nita @esai. )n the e!cerpt' 4run' an e!change student from )ndia' Aoins
mem"ers of his 4merican host family for an afternoon at the "each. Reach the passage
carefully. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the author uses such literary
devices as speech and point of view to characterize 4runBs e!perience.