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AP English
Language / Literature & Composition
Starter Kit
Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team
“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.”
~John Dewey
Dear Student,
W
elcome and congratulations on taking this very important step in your educational
journey! The Pre-AP/AP English Language Arts program strives to empower students to become
confident, independent readers, writers, and thinkers in preparation for college by engaging them in
rigorous, real-world instructional applications and curriculum. This starter kit will help familiarize you
with the program’s reading and writing expectations, academic vocabulary, sample essays, and multiple
choice questions that you will encounter throughout the year. The kit includes sample passages,
prompts and writing samples, practice tests, and helpful websites that will assist you in your studies.
We are extremely interested in your success in this course and highly recommend that you
have access to the following:
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Computer, printer, and internet access
Dictionary and thesaurus
www.collegeboard.com
If needed, the nearest Houston Public Library is:
Henington-Alief Regional Library
7979 South Kirkwood
Houston, Texas 77072
As always, please communicate with your teacher and utilize any tutorials that are offered. While the
Pre-AP/AP ELA program can sometimes be challenging, the benefits you gain are enormous. For
example, the skills you learn will improve your chance of college acceptance because your transcript
reflects that you are already behaving and learning what a college student needs for university life, not
to mention how AP boosts your GPA and the reading and writing preparation helps improve both
standardized state assessments and SAT/ACT scores.
Our hope is that you gain experience and leave high school prepared for college and a successful future.
Sincerely,
The Alief ISD English Language Arts Pre-AP/AP Vertical Team
Table of Contents
Program mission statement and philosophy……………………………………………………………………………………..2
Course description………………………………………….…………………………………………………………….…………………3
Reading………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………….4
Self-assessment of reading (diagnostic)
Academic vocabulary: Skills and behaviors …………………………….……………………………………….……………5-6
Rhetorical analysis – Knowledge and skills sets…………………………….…………………………………….……….7-11
DCA #1: Piece of AP exam with selected questions……………………………………………………………..12-14
Models of annotated reading and writing …………………………………………………….…………………………..15-21
Annotated passage: Chapter 1 from The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne…...15-16
Model of rhetorical analysis essay: Chapter 1 from The Scarlet Letter…….………….….17-19
Student practice: Annotate and write a rhetorical analysis of Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a
Woman?”………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………20-21
Resources……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………22-25
Tutorial Request Form………………………………………………………………………………………………………..22-23
Handouts
College Board rubric………………………………………………………………………………………………….…24
Modified student friendly bulleted writing rubric………………..………………………………………25
Useful Websites
The OWL at Purdue University – http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
Merriam-Webster – http://www.merriam-webster.com/
AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit
Page 1
Vertical Team
Mission Statement and Philosophy
Mission Statement
The Alief ISD Advanced Placement English Language Arts program empowers students to become
confident, independent readers, writers, and thinkers in preparation for college by engaging them in
rigorous, real-world instructional applications and curriculum.
Philosophy
Teachers : Our educational endeavor is
• To promote college today for collegiate readiness tomorrow
• To provide rigorous work for future success
• To provide support for all students (struggling and maturing)
Students will be able
• To gain access to college preparatory instruction, culture, knowledge, and behaviors
• To master skills beyond surface-level meaning
• To connote, analyze, and critique text
• To read, write, think, and speak about increasingly challenging, complex texts
• To understand how education creates equal opportunity and opens doors
• To take ownership of and participate in their own education
• To accept that a rigorous course may not result in an A, but research supports that
enrollment and participation in an AP course is more beneficial than the grade.
Parents will be able
• To understand that the AP program is a college prep program that requires involvement
• To support that the earlier good habits are developed, the more successful students will
be with all of their academic endeavors
• To understand that the Pre-AP/AP program is challenging, yet valuable
• To understand that students need their support: emotionally, physically, and financially
• To provide access to resources like libraries, computers, etc.
Administration will be able
• To provide funding, resources, and continual professional development for teachers
• To allow time for collaboration to build the program and instruction
• To support both teachers and students in program initiatives and goals
• To trust in the teacher’s professional judgment
AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit
Page 2
AP English Language Curricular Requirements
Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team
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The teacher has read the most recent AP English Course Description.
The course teaches and requires students to write in several forms (e.g., narrative, expository,
analytical, and argumentative essays) about a variety of subjects (e.g., public policies, popular
culture, personal experiences).
The course requires students to write essays that proceed through several stages or drafts, with
revision aided by teacher and peers.
The course requires students to write in informal contexts (e.g., imitation exercises, journal
keeping, collaborative writing, and in-class responses) designed to help them become
increasingly aware of themselves as writers and of the techniques employed by the writers they
read.
The course requires expository, analytical, and argumentative writing assignments that are
based on readings representing a wide variety of prose styles and genres.
The course requires nonfiction readings (e.g., essays, journalism, political writing, science
writing, nature writing, autobiographies/biographies, diaries, history, criticism) that are selected
to give students opportunities to identify and explain an author's use of rhetorical strategies and
techniques. If fiction and poetry are also assigned, their main purpose should be to help
students understand how various effects are achieved by writers' linguistic and rhetorical
choices. (Note: The College Board does not mandate any particular authors or reading list, but
representative authors are cited in the AP English Course Description.)
The course teaches students to analyze how graphics and visual images both relate to written
texts and serve as alternative forms of texts themselves.
The course teaches research skills, and in particular, the ability to evaluate, use, and cite primary
and secondary sources. The course assigns projects such as the researched argument paper,
which goes beyond the parameters of a traditional research paper by asking students to present
an argument of their own that includes the analysis and synthesis of ideas from an array of
sources.
The course teaches students how to cite sources using a recognized editorial style (e.g., Modern
Language Association, The Chicago Manual of Style, etc.).
The AP teacher provides instruction and feedback on students' writing assignments, both before
and after the students revise their work, that help the students develop these skills:
o A wide-ranging vocabulary used appropriately and effectively
o A variety of sentence structures, including appropriate use of subordination and
coordination
o Logical organization, enhanced by specific techniques to increase coherence, such as
repetition, transitions, and emphasis
o A balance of generalization and specific, illustrative detail
An effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone, establishing and maintaining voice, and
achieving appropriate emphasis through diction and sentence structure
AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit
Page 3
Reading Self-Assessment: Read each statement below. Put a 1 by the items you do often, a 2 by the
items you do sometimes, and a 3 by the ones you do rarely.
When I read silently…
_____I figure out the meaning of unknown words from context clues or word parts (prefixes, root
words, suffixes).
_____I figure out the grammatical function of an unknown word.
_____I make my mind try to visualize the scene.
_____I try to figure out which parts confuse me.
_____I compare what has happened now with what happened previously.
_____I write down questions about what’s going on in the text.
_____I connect what I already know to what’s happening in the text.
_____I write down comments about what I like or don’t like.
_____I anticipate what a character/speaker might do or say next.
_____I write down comments about the speaker/author is doing to give the audience hints about the
subject, the purpose, or the occasion.
_____I wonder what the speaker/author wants me to figure out or think at this point.
_____I can predict what will happen next.
_____I try to imagine what the speaker/author is thinking or feeling in the text.
_____I think about the subject, characters, events, and try to see how they are alike or different.
_____I ask how this text is like something else I’ve read, seen, or heard.
_____I read everything at the same rate, regardless of genre.
_____I read very slowly, one word at a time.
_____I figure out if I should read on if I am confused.
_____I stop and ask myself if I understand what I’ve read so far.
Directions: Answer the following questions.
What do good readers do that makes them so “good”? _______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit
Page 4
AP English Language: Expectations for Skills and Behaviors
Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team
Behavioral Expectations: Read each statement below. Star the ones you might need to focus on in
order to be successful in AP Language.
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Student attendance – It is imperative to come to class every day and arrive on time. Missing
time requires make-up work, and often times it is based on in-class instruction. Excessive
tardiness or absences will result in disciplinary consequences, up to and including loss of credit
and removal from the program.
Appropriate conduct and a positive attitude – AP Language course work is based on freshman
college expectations. Therefore, students will also need to practice behaviors which reflect high
expectations, ability to communicate effectively in an academic setting, and open-mindedness
to controversial topics.
Willingness to work hard – Students need to understand that advancement and achievement
are based on independent determination. Because of the rigor of AP Language, students will do
well if they are self-driven and committed to the course.
Constructive criticism – Part of academic growth requires feedback in the form of constructive
criticism. We learn best from each other, and we make improvements through writing
conferences, peer editing, and evaluation of other student work. Students will be expected to
give and receive constructive criticism with a positive attitude.
Understanding the importance of the AP exam – All year we will practice for the AP Language
exam given in May. Clearly it is an important exam, and a passing score on the test may earn
you college credit. Students who take the class seriously will be well prepared, and thus the
expectation is to sign up to sit for the exam.
I have read the behavioral expectations for AP Language and Composition. Below are my notes for those
behaviors I already excel at and those I might need to focus on improving.
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AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit
Page 5
AP English Language: Expectations for Skills and Behaviors, cont’d
Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team
Skill Expectations: Read each statement below. Star the ones you might need to focus on in order to
be successful in AP Language.
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Organizational skills – Organization is one of the most important skills students need to master
in AP courses. If students are not organized, they will not be able to manage their time
properly. Some examples of organization in AP Language are Interactive Student Notebooks,
AVID binders, filing essays in portfolios, keeping up with research folders, and calendars to help
plan ahead.
Note taking skills – Another highly important skill, AP Language uses the Cornell note taking
system, just like AVID. These are also known as two column notes. Students use the different
columns for different purposes. To see an example and description, go to
http://lsc.sas.cornell.edu/Sidebars/Study_Skills_Resources/cornellsystem.pdf
Study skills – This skill is not just “looking over” or rereading notes, but really setting aside time
to review notes and memorize information, writing down potential questions during study time,
and practicing new knowledge, including homework. When students return from college, the
first aspect of college life they want to share with their friends is how much they have to study.
Also, studying is a precursor to tutorials.
Time-management – This essential skill will help students manage a heavy AP course load.
Since all Pre-AP and AP courses expect students to complete outside reading, projects, and
homework, students need to learn how to manage their time efficiently. Good planning and
working ahead is key to success.
Social skills – While we have already discussed appropriate conduct as a necessary behavior,
knowing how to speak in the appropriate time and place, knowing when to listen, and being
able to effectively work on a team or individually are all important skills that will last beyond
high school.
Tutorial skills – Tutorial time is for students who have paid attention in class, studied their notes
at home, practiced the new material, and still face difficulties understanding aspects of
classroom instruction. Students will complete a tutorial request form (TRF) prior to attending
tutorials. Tutorials are mandatory for students on probation. Make-up work or completing
missing assignments is not a justifiable reason to attend tutorials.
I have read the behavioral expectations for AP Language and Composition. Below are my notes for
those behaviors I already excel at and those I might need to focus on improving.
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AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit
Page 6
AP English Language: Knowledge and Skills Sets
Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team
Outline of Diction
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Diction – device of pathos
o Levels
 Formal
 Informal
• Colloquialisms
• Slang
• Regionalisms
• Nonstandard English
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o
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Tone
Mood
Denotation/connotation of
Specific/general words
Abstract/Concrete words
Euphemisms
Pun/Double Entendre
Outline of Figurative Language
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Compare and Contrast
o Simile
o Metaphor
o Analogy
o Personification
o Anthropomorphism
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Suggestion or Reference
o Symbol
o Pun
o Allusions
 Historical
 Biblical
 Literary/mythological/Shakespearean
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Sound Devices
o Alliteration
 assonance
 consonance
o Onomatopoeia
o apostrophe
Substitution
o Metonymy
o Synechdoche
Satiric Devices – see page 9
Outline of Imagery, Detail, POV, Organization
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Imagery
o Visual
o Auditory
o Tactile
o Olfactory
o Gustatory
o Kinesthetic
Detail
o Specific
o Concrete
Point of View
st
o 1 person
nd
o 2 person
rd
o 3 person
 Limited
 Omniscient
 Limited omniscient
AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit
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Organization
o Cause/effect
o Chronological
o Emphatic order
o General to specific (syllogism)
o Flashback
o Narration
o Description
o Process Analysis
o Exemplification
o Comparison/Contrast
o Classification/Division
o Definition
Page 7
Outline of Grammar and Syntax
I.
Grammar
II.
A.
Parts of Speech
1. noun
2. pronoun
3. adjective
4. verb
5. adverb
6. preposition
7. conjunctions
8. interjection
9. objects
B.
Parts of the Sentence
1. phrases
a. prepositional
1) adjectival
2) adverbial
b. infinitive
c. appositive
d. participial
e. gerund
f. absolute
2. clauses
a. independent
b. dependent/subordinate
C.
Usage
1. Direct/Indirect Objects
2. Predicate Nominatives/Adjectives
3. Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement
4. Subject/Verb Agreement
a. passive voice
b. active voice
5. Use of Subjective and Objective Pronouns
6. Relative pronouns
D.
Mechanics
1. Capitalization
2. Spelling
3. Punctuation
a. period
b. question mark
c. exclamation mark
d. comma
e. apostrophe
f. quotation marks
g. hyphens
h. semicolons
i. colons
j. dashes
k. parentheses
AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit
Grammar and Syntax (Word Order and
Sentence Structure)
A.
Sentence Purposes
1. declarative
2. imperative
3. interrogative
4. exclamatory
B.
Sentence Structures
1. simple
2. compound
3. complex
4. compound-complex
5. loose/cumulative
6. periodic
7. parallel
8. balanced
9. antithetical
10. hypotactic
11. paratactic
C.
Sentence Variety
1. Sentence Beginnings
2. Sentence Combining
D.
Advanced Syntax Techniques
1. Natural Order of a
Sentence
2. Antithesis
3. Juxtaposition
4. Omission
a. asyndeton
b. ellipsis
5. Parallelism
6. Parataxis vs. hypotaxis
7. Repetition
a. polysyndeton
b. anadiplosis
c. anaphora
d. epanalepsis
e. epistrophe
8. Reversal
a. antimetabole
b. inverted order
(inversion)
c. chiasmus
9. Gradation
10. Rhetorical Fragment
11. Rhetorical Question
Page 8
AP English Language: Knowledge and Skills Sets for Logic and Satire
Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team
Outline of Logic
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Logic
Proposition v Sentence
Argument
o Premise
o Major v Minor
o Conclusion
o Warrant
Devices
o Counterargument
 Concession
 Refutation
o Deductive Reasoning
o Syllogisms
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Inductive Reasoning
 Inductive Leap
Facts as Evidence
Research
Reliance on Authority
Tradition
Cause and Effect
Effective Metaphors
Bias
Assumption
Hypothesis
Logical Fallacy (see page
Outline of Satire
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Satire and its purpose
o History
o Modes
 Formal
 Indirect
o Types
 Horatian
 Juvenalian
o Devices
 Exaggeration
 Hyperbole
 Understatement
 Litotes
 Irony
• Verbal
• Situation
• Dramatic
AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit
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Paradox & Oxymoron
Satiric Tones
Satiric Purposes
• Travesty
• Burlesque
• Parody
• Farce
• Knaves and Fools
• Malapropism
Other Devices
• Euphemisms
• Double entendres
• Juxtaposition
• Point of View
• Selection of Detail
Page 9
AP English Language: Knowledge and Skills Sets for Logical Fallacies
Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team
Outline of Fallacies
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Fallacy
Formal Fallacies
Informal Fallacies
Taxonomy
Fallacies That Distract
o Ad Hominem
o Argumentum ad Populum
 Bandwagon
 Patriotic
 Snob
 Christian
o Fallacist’s Fallacy
o Fallacy of Composition
o Division
o Gambler’s Fallacy
o Irrelevant Conclusion (Ignorantio Elenchi)
 Red Herring
 Chewbacca Defense
o Genetic Fallacy
 Guilt by Association
 Honor by Association
o Straw Man Arguments
o Weak/Faulty/False Analogy
• Fallacies That Omit or are Ambiguous
o Undistributed Middle Term
 Non Sequitur
o Equivocation
 Accent fallacies
o Amphiboly
o Stacking the Deck
o Argument from the Negative
o Appeal to a Lack of Evidence
o Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
o Contradictory Premises
AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit
•
Fallacies of Presumption
o Affirming the Consequent
o Argument from Ignorance
o Begging the Question (Petitio Principii)
o Circular Reasoning
o Complex Question/Loaded Question
o Cum Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc
o False Dilemma/Bifurcation (a.k.a. Either/Or or
the Black or White fallacy)
o Hasty Generalizations
o No True Scotsman
o False Cause
 Non Causa Pro Causa
 Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc
 Sweeping Generalizations
o Slippery Slope
 Sweeping Generalizations
 Tu Quoque (Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right)
 Argument for Revenge (Two wrongs Make a
Right)
• Emotional Appeals
o Appeal to Antiquity/Tradition
o Appeal to an Improper Authority or Appeal to
an Biased Authority
o Appeal to fear
o Appeal to flattery
o Appeal to ridicule
o Appeal to spite
o Appeal to consequences
o Appeal to force
o Appeal to novelty
o Appeal to pathos/emotion or pity
o Appeal to poverty
o Appeal to wealth
o Wishful thinking
Page 10
AP English Language: Connecting Appeals of Pathos and Logos to Appeals of Ethos
Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team
Create an appeal of Ethos through Logos Appeals of Ethos (Ethical Appeals) Create an appeal of Ethos through Pathos
• Concession
• Counterargument =
• Syntax
(concession + refutation)
• Imagery
• Reliance on Authority
• Reliance on Authority
• Concrete Detail
• Facts as Evidence
• Figurative Language
• Allusions (relevant)
• Research
• Diction
• Tradition/Precedent
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Tone
• Reasonable language
• Effective Metaphors
• Assumption
Non-inflammatory tone
• Cause/Effect
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Logical Fallacies (notes to follow)
• 1st person, plural pronouns
• Deductive Reasoning/Syllogisms
which establish a relationship
• Inductive Reasoning (Hypothesis,
with the audience
Evidence, Inductive Leap, Conclusion)
AP English Language: Other Important Skills
Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team
Outline of MLA and Research
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Research
o Definition
o Best practices
 Databases
 How to use search engines
 How to evaluate websites
Modern Language Association
o Format for essay writing
o Parenthetical citations
 Works Cited
SOAPSTone
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Rhetorical Modes
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Speaker of text
Occasion
AP English Language: Connecting Appeals of Pathos and
o Larger
Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical
o immediate
Audience (intended for occasion)
Purpose
Subject
Tone
AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit
Argument
Cause and Effect
Classification and Division
Comparison and Contrast
Definition
Description
Exemplification
Exposition
Narration
Process Analysis
Logos to Appeals of Ethos
Team
Page 11
AP English Language: DCA #1 – Released Multiple Choice AP Language Exam
Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team
Read the following excerpt from “Learning to Read and Write,” Chapter 7, from The Narrative of the
Life of Frederick Douglass. Annotate while you read. Answer the questions that follow.
I lived in Master Hugh's family about seven years. During this time, I succeeded in learning to read and write.
In accomplishing this, I was compelled to resort to various stratagems. I had no regular teacher. My mistress,
who had kindly commenced to instruct me, had, in compliance with the advice and direction of her husband,
not only ceased to instruct, but had set her face against my being instructed by any one else. It is due,
however, to my mistress to say of her, that she did not adopt this course of treatment immediately. She at
first lacked the depravity indispensable to shutting me up in mental darkness. It was at least necessary for her
to have some training in the exercise of irresponsible power, to make her equal to the task of treating me as
though I were a brute.
My mistress was, as I have said, a kind and tender-hearted woman; and in the simplicity of her soul she
commenced, when I first went to live with her, to treat me as she supposed one human being ought to treat
another. In entering upon the duties of a slaveholder, she did not seem to perceive that I sustained to her the
relation of a mere chattel, and that for her to treat me as a human being was not only wrong, but
dangerously so. Slavery proved as injurious to her as it did to me. When I went there, she was a pious, warm,
and tender-hearted woman. There was no sorrow or suffering for which she had not a tear. She had bread
for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and comfort for every mourner that came within her reach. Slavery
soon proved its ability to divest her of these heavenly qualities. Under its influence, the tender heart became
stone, and the lamblike disposition gave way to one of tiger-like fierceness. The first step in her downward
course was in her ceasing to instruct me. She now commenced to practise her husband's precepts. She finally
became even more violent in her opposition than her husband himself. She was not satisfied with simply
doing as well as he had commanded; she seemed anxious to do better. Nothing seemed to make her more
angry than to see me with a newspaper. She seemed to think that here lay the danger. I have had her rush at
me with a face made all up of fury, and snatch from me a newspaper, in a manner that fully revealed her
apprehension. She was an apt woman; and a little experience soon demonstrated, to her satisfaction, that
education and slavery were incompatible with each other.
From this time I was most narrowly watched. If I was in a separate room any considerable length of time, I
was sure to be suspected of having a book, and was at once called to give an account of myself. All this,
however, was too late. The first step had been taken. Mistress, in teaching me the alphabet, had given me
the inch, and no precaution could prevent me from taking the ell.
The plan which I adopted, and the one by which I was most successful, was that of making friends of all the
little white boys whom I met in the street. As many of these as I could, I converted into teachers. With their
AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit
Page 12
kindly aid, obtained at different times and in different places, I finally succeeded in learning to read. When I
was sent of errands, I always took my book with me, and by going one part of my errand quickly, I found time
to get a lesson before my return. I used also to carry bread with me, enough of which was always in the
house, and to which I was always welcome; for I was much better off in this regard than many of the poor
white children in our neighborhood. This bread I used to bestow upon the hungry little urchins, who, in
return, would give me that more valuable bread of knowledge. I am strongly tempted to give the names of
two or three of those little boys, as a testimonial of the gratitude and affection I bear them; but prudence
forbids;--not that it would injure me, but it might embarrass them; for it is almost an unpardonable offence
to teach slaves to read in this Christian country. It is enough to say of the dear little fellows, that they lived on
Philpot Street, very near Durgin and Bailey's ship-yard. I used to talk this matter of slavery over with them. I
would sometimes say to them, I wished I could be as free as they would be when they got to be men. "You
will be free as soon as you are twenty-one, but I am a slave for life! Have not I as good a right to be free as
you have?" These words used to trouble them; they would express for me the liveliest sympathy, and console
me with the hope that something would occur by which I might be free.
1. The overall organization of this excerpt can best be described as
a. A chronological sequence of events
b. A first-person narrative with little analytical commentary by the speaker
c. An angry polemic against the evils of slavery
d. A statement of the narrator’s accomplishment followed by an explanation of how he
reached it
e. A sympathetic portrayal of a system that victimized both the oppressor and the
oppressed
2. The final sentence in paragraph 1 includes which of the following?
I.
understatement
II.
figurative language
III.
a complex sentence
a. I only
b. II only
c. I and II only
d. II and III only
e. I, II, and III
3. In paragraph 2, Douglass uses all of the following except
a. metonymy
b. personification
c. anaphora
d. allusion
e. connotation
AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit
Page 13
4. What does Douglass mean by his description of the mistress as an “apt woman” (paragraph 2)?
a. admirable
b. appropriate
c. deceptive
d. intelligent
e. shrewd
5. What is the rhetorical purpose of paragraph 3?
a. to qualify points made in the previous paragraphs
b. to emphasize how Douglass’s reactions turned to action
c. to offer a counterargument to the one presented in the previous paragraph
d. to qualify Douglass’s understanding of the importance of learning to read
e. to provide a transition from Douglass’s past experiences to those in the present
6. What is Douglass’s attitude toward the young boys he describes in paragraph 4?
a. angry reproach
b. studied indifference
c. condescending pity
d. reflective appreciation
e. grudging respect
7. In the context of these four paragraphs, all of the following are examples of irony except
a. “lacked the depravity” (paragraph 1)
b. “the simplicity of her soul” (paragraph 2)
c. “anxious to do better” (paragraph 2)
d. First step had been taken” (paragraph 3)
e. “I was much better off in this regard” (paragraph 4)
8. The primary audience that Douglass is addressing in this excerpt is/are
a. slaveholders
b. Master Hugh’s family
c. sympathizers to the abolitionist cause
d. other ex-slaves
e. readers of The Columbian Orator
9. Which of the following best describes Douglass’s tone throughout paragraphs 1 through 4?
a. sympathetic and reflective
b. respectful but firm
c. sarcastic and angry
d. passionate and determined
e. irate but carefully judicious
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AP English Language: Model Rhetorical Analysis
Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team
This sample essay was the final product of a processed piece. A student who could write two of the
shorter paragraphs or one of the longer paragraphs in a timed setting will perform well throughout the
year.
In the first chapter, “The Prison Door,” from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter,
theme plays a key component in determining the author’s tone towards the Puritans. Hawthorne’s
powerful use of language provides the reader with an image of a prison door and a rose bush, a group of
citizens that have gathered outside of the prison, and important concrete details which describe the
historical background of the inhabitants of the town. These inhabitants are the Puritans, and the mood
surrounding these people is gloomy at best. Although the chapter is quite brief, Hawthorne clearly
indicates the theme of the entire novel. Whoever resides in the prison has been punished by those
members of the society in which he or she lives, yet a sense of redemption from the crime committed
undoubtedly exists. Moreover, Hawthorne establishes his tone towards this aforementioned society,
the Puritans, and subsequently the chapter’s theme. Using a combination of the stylistic elements of
concrete detail, diction, figurative language, and imagery, Hawthorne conveys an attitude towards the
Puritans that is slightly contemptuous and sarcastic. Yet the reader must keep in mind the theme:
offenders are capable of learning an important lesson from their crime. Thus, in conclusion of the first
chapter, the tone shifts and offers the reader a sense of hope to alleviate the gloomy atmosphere in
which these Puritans resided.
Concrete detail and diction work cooperatively to set both the chapter’s mood and depict many
visual images. Initially, the reader pictures a group of townspeople, or “a throng of bearded
men…intermixed with women,” standing outside a prison door. Evidentially, a large number of people
have chosen to assemble. Crowds usually indicate a special or important event may occur
(connotation). However, Hawthorne’s use of the word “throng” actually denotes a mob or swarm of
people. Such word choice connotes suspicion. A “throng” of people conveys a sense of anger or dislike,
very much in the sense that an indignant group of fairy tale townsmen storm a castle, armed with
pitchforks and torches, to rid the castle of a legendary monster lurking within. However, the same
“throng” wears “sad-colored garments and gray, steeple-crowned hats,” “hoods,” or even go
“bareheaded.” The use of diction in this phrase picturesquely describes the infamous Puritan garb, but
does so with a heavy sense of gloom. “Sad-colored” and “gray” suggests funeral attire. “Steeplecrowned” reminds the reader of churches, and “hoods,” which are used to cover an object, likewise
connote a degree of religious humility. The Puritans obviously place little importance on fashion, but
the atmosphere their clothing reflects obliterates any sense of life or vitality. Hawthorne even
personifies the attire by describing it as “sad,” which consequently further establishes a foreboding
sense of gloom. The combination of concrete detail and diction create the first visual image of the
people, and the effect is certainly not a positive one. The reader immediately feels a slight repulsion of
the Puritans who gather around the prison. It is evident within the first visual image that Hawthorne’s
choice of words must indicate a slight contempt for these reputedly upright colonists.
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In fact, Hawthorne continues with his description of the Puritans as just that: upright colonists.
However, he does so with a subtle, sarcastic tone. He details “the founders” as having a vision of a
“Utopia of human virtue and happiness.” However, the Puritans are faced with the undeniable fact that
what “they might [have] originally project[ed]” clashes with reality. “Utopia” describes perfection: a
perfect world with perfect citizens, all living in harmony with each other. The reality is far different.
Hawthorne details the “earliest practical necessities,” which required the construction of both a prison
and a cemetery. Thus, denotatively, crime and death exist as resulting products of a realistic human
nature, far from the “Utopia” the founders “originally project[ed].” Such phrasing emphasizes the
failure of the initial vision, since both prison and cemetery were built within the same “season” of the
other, or within the same time frame. Obviously, the Puritans are not as upright as they would initially
appear.
The prison door’s description, also, exists as another means to question the arrogant, outward
piety of the Puritans. Upon closer examination, when Hawthorne describes the “weather-stains and
other indications of age” and the “rust on the ponderous iron-work” that mark the prison door, it would
appear the author is merely exaggerating the gloomy atmosphere with yet another dreary, visual image
of the scene. However, his use of figurative language is an additional way to establish the sarcasm in
his tone. Hawthorne states, “Like all that pertains to crime, [the prison door] seemed to never have
known a youthful era.” While the prison itself denotes the holding cell of criminals, the door symbolizes
the timelessness of crime itself. Within this phrase, Hawthorne uses figurative language to question the
Puritan logic. If a colony was to be founded on Utopian ideals, then a prison would certainly not be
necessary, even a cemetery proves to be essential. The phrase is deceptive – almost melancholy –
because Hawthorne suggests crime pervades all societies, as it has “never known a youthful era;” in
other words, crime has always existed. Yet it is sarcastic, because the Puritans fully believed theirs was
to be the exception to this rule.
Nevertheless, Hawthorne’s tone shifts as he forces the reader to focus on another symbol: the
wild rose bush. Hawthorne explains that the roses “might be imagined to offer their fragrance and
fragile beauty to the prison as he went in, and to the condemned criminal as he came forth to his
doom...” Hawthorne’s superb use of language in this phrase may appear that Nature feels sympathetic
to the prisoner. Yet the roses on this wild bush are important to note because they are “delicate gems”
and offer a “fragile beauty.” Prisoners, hardened by crime and disregard for society, certainly should
not be deserving of such a frail gift. Unless, the reader must question, a person commits a “crime” that
does not warrant their imprisonment. In addition, Hawthorne states this gift is offered “in token that
the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to him.” Again, the use of figurative language may
initially strike the reader as imaginative and poetic. However, personifying nature as the only entity that
has a “deep heart,” capable of “pity” and “kindness,” suggests that the Puritans lack such characteristics.
The emphasis of concrete detail and figurative language used to describe the rose bush adds to the
imagery of the scene.
More importantly, the lack of detail about the Puritans on the same terms as the rose bush
proves Hawthorne is more than sarcastic; he is indeed contemptuous of these pretentiously moral
people. Nature is solely capable of pity and kindness. Connotatively, one pities when they feel
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sympathetic towards another, and this compassion (denotation) conveys a sense of hope for the best.
“Kindness” also stems from compassion (denotation). In other words, the poor prisoner feels both
“pity” and “kindness,” the only sense of compassion and hope, from the wild rose bush growing outside
the door of their jail cell. If the prisoner truly deserves compassion, then perhaps they have been
unjustly accused, or the punishment does not fit the crime.
This notion proves true with Hawthorne’s historical allusion concerning Ann Hutchinson. The
use of metaphor to describe the rose bush’s origins as spontaneously springing to life from “under the
footsteps of the sainted Ann Hutchinson, as she entered the prison-door” furthermore conveys
Hawthorne’s sarcastic tone. “Saintly” denotes flawless, perfect people, similar to those the Puritan
founders had sought to implement their initial Utopian vision. Connotatively, “saints” are comparable
to deities, worthy of worship, angels who live among fallen humans. Yet the deliberate use of the word
“sainted” to describe a specific Puritan heretic ironically suggests that perhaps the Puritans were the
ones who committed the crime, not Ann herself.
However, Hawthorne himself declares that hopefully the rose bush may serve to “symbolize
some sweet moral blossom…to relieve the darkening close of a tale of human frailty and sorrow.”
Within this final phrase, the theme is evident. “Human frailty and sorrow” collectively describe any
person who has sinned simply due to the most powerful characteristic of human nature: weakness.
Such weakness leads to “sorrow,” denotatively describing endless regret and unhappiness. Yet, the
roses symbolize “sweet morality,” suggesting that some goodness, or redemptive quality, may
inherently result from sin, denotatively an immoral act.
Roses are ideal to juxtapose both aspects of this theme: the flower illustrates the “sweet
morals,” as the thorns represent sin. The dichotomy of good and evil, sin and redemption, exist
symbolically in the rose. Although Hawthorne’s tone is sarcastic and slightly contemptuous toward the
Puritans, he forces the reader to focus on some good which may rise from the gloomy scene. Perhaps
even Hawthorne’s sarcasm will lessen, and the author may eventually not feel so contemptuous.
Instead, he might opt to feel pity and kindness for the misguided ways of the Puritans, as Nature feels
towards the misguided criminals as they enter and exit the prison door.
As a whole, the first chapter presents the most important concepts of the entire novel. The
reader will do well to reread this chapter after finishing this “tale of human frailty and sorrow.”
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AP English Language: Practice Annotation and Rhetorical Analysis
Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team
Read the following excerpt from “Ain’t I a Woman?” by Sojourner Truth. Annotate while you read.
Answer the rhetorical analysis question that follows. Use the previous models provided to help you
understand how to write a rhetorical analysis essay.
Born Isabella Baumfree in Ulster County, New York, around 1797, Sojourner Truth, as she later renamed
herself, was freed from slavery in 1827 when New York State emancipated the slaves within its borders.
She renamed herself following a religious experience and began a career as a traveling preacher arguing
for abolition and women’s rights. “Ain’t I a Woman?” is the title for a speech Truth delivered at a
women’s rights convention in 1851 that was later transcribed and published. As you read this short,
powerful, extemporaneous speech, imagine the impact it may have had on the 1851 audience. Annotate
for purpose and devices that help Truth achieve her purpose. Connect these devices to the audience’s
reaction and be prepared to write a rhetorical analysis essay.
Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out o’ kilter. I think that 'twixt
the Negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in
a fix pretty soon.
But what's all this here talking about? That man over there says that women need to be helped into
carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into
carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place (and raising herself to her full height and her
voice to a pitch like rolling thunder, she asked,) And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm!
(And she bared her right arm to the shoulder, showing her tremendous muscular power.) I have
ploughed, and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I
could work as much and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and bear the lash as well! And
ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried
out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?
Then they talk about this thing in the head – what's this they call it? (A member of audience whispers,
"intellect".) That's it, honey. What's that got to do with women's rights or Negroes' rights? If my cup
won't hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half
measure full?
Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ
wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? (Rolling thunder could not have stilled that crowd
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as did those deep, wonderful tones, as she stood there with outstretched arms and eye of fire.) Where
did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with him. (Oh! What a
rebuke she gave the little man.)
(Turning again to another objector, she took up the defence of mother Eve. I cannot follower [sic] her
through it all. It was pointed, and witty, and solemn, eliciting at almost every sentence deafening
applause; and she ended [sic] by asserting that.) If the first woman God ever made was strong enough
to turn the world upside down, all alone, these women together (and she glanced her eye over us),
ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men
better let them. (Long-continued cheering.)
‘Bliged to you for hearing on me, and now old Sojourner ain't got nothing more to say.
Write an essay in which you analyze how Truth manipulates language to achieve her purpose with her
intended audience. Consider her use of evidence, rhetorical questions, repetition, and diction.
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AP English III Tutorial Request Form
Name ____________________________________________Period _________ Date_______________
Session # __________Topic ______________________________________________________________
Time in: ________________Time out: _______________ Teacher Initials: ________________________
Section I
Introductory Statement or Purpose: What do you hope to learn or discover as a result of the
tutorial session?________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Section II
Content Questions and Answers: On the left hand side, develop at least two questions or
state the problems that you have with the content of the class. Prior to the tutorial, ask your
peers or team mates your questions. Record their assistance and responses on the right hand
side.
Review your questions and decide which would be best to ask during tutorials. Too many
questions (especially low level ones) indicate to me that you simply need mastery of the terms
(i.e. studying) because they are new concepts.
Rewrite or rephrase questions for your tutorial session with me.
Questions/Problems
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Notes from Peer/Team Tutorials
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Section III
Teacher-Student Tutorial: Decide which question is mandatory; in other words, you can’t leave the
session without knowing the answer. Tutorials are for additional help, not re-teaching of prior content
or make-up work, so choose wisely. 
Questions/Problems
Notes from Teacher Tutorials
Section IV
Tutorial Summary: As a result of today’s tutorial, what do you now understand? What did you learn?
How did you contribute to the success of your tutorial session? ________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
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AP® ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION
2010 SCORING GUIDELINES
Question 2
The score should reflect a judgment of the essay’s quality as a whole. Remember that students had only 40
minutes to read and write; the essay, therefore, is not a finished product and should not be judged by
standards appropriate for an out-of-class assignment. Evaluate the essay as a draft, making certain to reward
students for what they do well.
All essays, even those scored 8 or 9, may contain occasional lapses in analysis, prose style or mechanics. Such
features should enter into the holistic evaluation of an essay’s overall quality. In no case may an essay with
many distracting errors in grammar and mechanics be scored higher than a 2.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
9 Essays earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for a score of 8 and, in addition, are especially sophisticated
in their argument, thorough in their development or impressive in their control of language.
8 Effective
Essays earning a score of 8 effectively analyze* how Banneker uses rhetorical strategies to argue against slavery.
They develop their analysis with evidence and explanations that are appropriate and convincing, referring to the
passage explicitly or implicitly. The prose demonstrates a consistent ability to control a wide range of the elements
of effective writing but is not necessarily flawless.
7 Essays earning a score of 7 meet the criteria for a score of 6 but provide more complete explanation,
more thorough development or a more mature prose style.
6 Adequate
Essays earning a score of 6 adequately analyze how Banneker uses rhetorical strategies to argue against slavery.
They develop their analysis with evidence and explanations that are appropriate and sufficient, referring to the
passage explicitly or implicitly. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally the prose is clear.
5 Essays earning a score of 5 analyze how Banneker uses rhetorical strategies to argue against slavery. The
evidence or explanations used may be uneven, inconsistent or limited. The writing may contain lapses in
diction or syntax, but it usually conveys the student’s ideas.
4 Inadequate
Essays earning a score of 4 inadequately analyze how Banneker uses rhetorical strategies to argue against slavery.
These essays may misunderstand the passage, misrepresent the strategies Banneker uses or analyze these
strategies inaccurately. The evidence or explanations used may be inappropriate, insufficient or less convincing.
The prose generally conveys the student’s ideas but may be less consistent in controlling the elements of effective
writing.
3 Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for a score of 4 but demonstrate less success in analyzing
Banneker’s use of rhetorical strategies to argue against slavery. They are less perceptive in their
understanding of the passage or Banneker’s strategies, or the explanation or examples may be
particularly limited or simplistic. The essays may show less maturity in control of writing.
2 Little Success
Essays earning a score of 2 demonstrate little success in analyzing how Banneker uses rhetorical strategies to
argue against slavery. These essays may misunderstand the prompt, misread the passage, fail to analyze the
strategies Banneker uses, or substitute a simpler task by responding to the prompt tangentially with unrelated,
inaccurate or inappropriate explanation. The prose often demonstrates consistent weaknesses in writing, such as
grammatical problems, a lack of development or organization, or a lack of control.
1 Essays earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for a score of 2 but are undeveloped, especially simplistic in
their explanation or weak in their control of language.
0 Indicates an on-topic response that receives no credit, such as one that merely repeats the prompt.
— Indicates a blank response or one that is completely off topic.
* For the purposes of scoring, refers to identifying features of a text and explaining how the author uses these to
develop the meaning or to achieve a particular effect or purpose.
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AP Essay Rubric
9
•
•
•
•
•
•
Magical at times (insightful)
Attempts more challenging concepts
Mature beginnings
Takes risks - always under control
Sophisticated language usage
All contentions extremely wellsupported
8
•
•
•
•
Strong sense of control organization
Insightful (often tied to human
condition)
Mature in style and vocabulary
Tight link of support (text references)
to author's intent
3&4
• "Listers" or "Labelers" (with
no/almost no analysis)
• Some portions may be off-topic
• Paraphrasing through over quoting
(i.e., long passages)
• Uses little evidence at all
• Limited task – no development
• Repetition
• Proving the obvious
• Immature language usage
• Colloquial diction
• Clichés
• Implied analysis, but inaccurate
• Analysis incomplete or disjointed
• Little sense of completion (abrupt)
• Needs organization
7
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Organized
More fluid in style and usage
Sections insightful
May be inconsistently developed
Clear or implied thesis
Attempts more difficult tasks
Sense of completion
5&6
• Inconsistent but adequate
• Less difficult concepts (i.e. diction rather than POV, symbolism, syntax)
• Linear in organization
• (step by step) Laborious
• Rigid organization
• Occasional insight
• Limited thesis - often 3 parts
• Summary conclusion
• Argument lightly developed
• Less mature language usage
AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit
1&2
• Off topic
• Soap Box Lecture
st
nd
• "I" and “you” – 1 or 2 POV
• Argues against writer's position
• Testimonials
• Teacher Lecture
• Defining of Terms
• Major grammatical problems
• Brevity
• 0 Analysis or 0 Argument
• Inaccuracies
• Summaries
• Paraphrased or evidence only
summaries (again, 0 analysis or
argument)
• No evidence
• Makes little sense
• Lack of organization
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