Michael+Usewick

AP style multiple choice mimic

Part one: Questions 1-9 refer to the following selection. Read the passage carefully, then answer the following questions by selecting the answer choice that most appropriately answers the question. Taken from George Orwell’s //Shooting an Elephant//.

But at that moment I glanced round at the crowd that had followed me. It was an immense crowd, two thousand at the least and growing every minute. It blocked the road for a long distance on either side. I looked at the sea of yellow faces above the garish clothes-faces all happy and excited over this bit of fun, all certain that the elephant was going to be shot. They were watching me as they would watch a conjurer about to perform a trick. They did not like me, but with the magical rifle in my hands I was momentarily worth watching. And suddenly I realized that I should have to shoot the elephant after all. The people expected it of me and I had got to do it; I could feel their two thousand wills pressing me forward, irresistibly. And it was at this moment, as I stood there with the rifle in my hands, that I first grasped the hollowness, the futility of the white man's dominion in the East. Here was I, the white man with his gun, standing in front of the unarmed native crowd--seemingly the leading actor of the piece; but in reality I was only an absurd puppet pushed to and fro by the will of those yellow faces behind. I perceived in this moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys. He becomes a sort of hollow, posing dummy, the conventionalized figure of a sahib. For it is the condition of his rule that he shall spend his life in trying to impress the "natives," and so in every crisis he has got to do what the "natives" expect of him. He wears a mask, and his face grows to fit it. I had got to shoot the elephant. I had committed myself to doing it when I sent for the rifle. A sahib has got to act like a sahib; he has got to appear resolute, to know his own mind and do definite things. To come all that way, rifle in hand, with two thousand people marching at my heels, and then to trail feebly away, having done nothing--no, that was impossible. The crowd would laugh at me. And my whole life, every white man's life in the East, was one long struggle not to be laughed at.

But I did not want to shoot the elephant. I watched him beating his bunch of grass against his knees, with that preoccupied grandmotherly air that elephants have. It seemed to me that it would be murder to shoot him. At that age I was not squeamish about killing animals, but I had never shot an elephant and never wanted to. (Somehow it always seems worse to kill a large animal.) Besides, there was the beast's owner to be considered. Alive, the elephant was worth at least a hundred pounds; dead, he would only be worth the value of his tusks, five pounds, possibly. But I had got to act quickly. I turned to some experienced-looking Burmans who had been there when we arrived, and asked them how the elephant had been behaving. They all said the same thing: he took no notice of you if you left him alone, but he might charge if you went too close to him.

1. At the end of the first paragraph, the author has been convinced of what? A. He must not shoot the elephant

B. He must shoot the elephant

C. He must wait for the owner to arrive to shoot the elephant

D. He should let a native shoot the elephant

E. He should claim the elephant as his own

2. In the first paragraph, the speaker’s attitude towards shooting the elephant can best be described as A. Wanting badly to shoot the elephant. B. Scared of shooting the elephant. C. Reluctant, yet accepting of the inevitability of shooting the elephant. D. Peer pressured out of shooting the elephant. E. Indifferent towards shooting the elephant.

3. Contrast between the first and second paragraphs is shown in what area? A. The author’s conclusion as to shoot the elephant or not. B. The author’s use of poetic strategies C. The author’s method of storytelling D. The main character of the story E. None of the above

4. The line “…in reality I was only an absurd puppet pushed to and fro by the will of those yellow faces behind” is an example of which of the following? A. Allusion B. Simile C. Personification D. Metaphor E. Irony

5. The author thought it “…would be murder to shoot him” for which of the following reasons? A. The elephant had young it was trying to protect B. The author had a strong personal connection to the elephant C. The elephant exhibited human-like qualities and seemed too gentle a creature to shoot D. The elephant was young and full of life E. All of the above

6. What was George Orwell’s purpose in writing this passage?A. To raise awareness for an endangered species B. To share an important life story and personal lesson with readers C. To provide helpful information on African elephants to researchers D. To give a helpful guide on how to successfully bring down an elephant E. To brag about an impressive achievement

7. The tone of the passage can best be described asA. Urgent B. Frantic C. Contemplative D. Suspicious E. Bored

8. In the line “I perceived in this moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys,” __ Perceived __ most closely means A. Discerned B. Thought C. Imagined D. Judged E. None of the above

9. What rhetorical strategy is used in the line “I watched him beating his bunch of grass against his knees, with that preoccupied grandmotherly air that elephants have”?A. Analogy B. Metaphor C. Allusion D. Personification E. Mimicry

Part 2: Read the following selection, from //The Lottery// by Chris Abani, carefully, then answer the following questions by selecting the best possible answer.

The council of elders was the highest court in my community, besides, of course, the civil system. It arbitrated on everything from murder to marital disputes, and its authority was never questioned. I felt certain the man would be safe there. This was the mob justice I had read about in the newspaper editorials that my father made my homework. Rife with condemnations of the mob lynchings that were becoming the norm in the 70's, the editorials pointed out that these victims of vigilante justice received no trials and that the crimes they were accused of were never investigated. The editorials went a step further to suggest that most of those killed this way were probably innocent. But in the terror of that moment, editorials were of little use to the man running for his life and would do little to placate the angry horde. My aunt dragged me along behind the crowd that swept past us. The man stood in the middle of the clearing facing the elders while the crush of people pressed around them. In the center of this sacred space, the sole elder to stand up and call for tolerance was booed and pelted with rotten fruit. He sat down quickly and turned his face away. I was sure that the man was about to be lynched. How could the crowd ignore the elder's intervention? And why didn't the other elders speak out? The mob was oddly silent; its loud breathing filled the space. The accused man began to beg, but people were too busy picking up stones and tree branches, anything that could be used as a weapon. A young man broke through the crowd carrying an old rubber tire and a metal can. He hung the tire from the accused's neck. This singular action ended the man's pleas for mercy. Resigned, he sobbed softly, mumbling inaudibly, but he didn't move as the young man emptied the contents of the can onto him. The young man smiled and talked as he went about his task: ''You see why crime doesn't pay? I am doing this for you, you know. If you burn here, you won't burn in hell. God is reasonable.'' 10. Contrast between the first paragraph and the third is shown inA. The speaker’s level of admiration for the accused man B. The fear expressed by the accused man C. The speaker’s thoughts toward the safety of the man D. The speaker’s outward appearance E. The accused man’s outward appearance

11. Why does the author refer to the elders’ circle as a “sacred space”? A. The people undergo religious practices there B. The author had a religious experience at that spot C. The People believe the ground itself to be holy D. The Elders hold a high position in society, so their space is treated as if holy E. The author was using sarcasm

12. In the second sentence of the passage, the word __ arbitrated __, in context, most closely means A. Decided B. Understood C. Thought D. Judged E. None of the above

13. Why was the elder who stood to call for tolerance “booed and pelted with rotten fruit”? A. The elder was being unreasonable B. The elder was being mean to the accused man C. The mob already disliked this elder D. The crowd did this for no given reason E. None of the above

14. Throughout the passage, the speaker accomplishes all of the following EXCEPT A. The depiction of an important moment in the speaker’s life B. A look into how mob rule can result in rash decisions C. A vivid depiction of a lynching D. Shows the social position of elders in the community E. A young man’s confusion and frustration with regard to mob rule

15. The tone in the first paragraph of the passage can be best described as A. Matter-of-fact B. Morose C. Optimistic D. Sardonic E. Solemn

16. At the end of the second paragraph, the word __ placate __ most closely means A. Endanger B. Please C. Enrage D. Enlighten E. Pacify

17. Why does the accused man stop resisting once the tire is brought out? A. The man is hit with the tire, and therefore cannot resist B. The man knows that the tire means death, and therefore loses hope C. The man is plotting an escape through the crowd D. In this culture, the tire is a symbol that he will be freed E. None of the above

Part 3: Questions 18-25 refer to the following selection. Read the passage carefully, then answer the questions by selecting the answer choice that most correctly completes the statement or answers the question. Taken from Abraham Lincoln’s //Gettysburg Address// given on November 19, 1863.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

18. The phrase “conceived in liberty” is an example of which of the following? A. Alliteration B. Irony C. Personification D. Simile E. Metaphor

19. What does the line “The world will little note…” most closely mean? A. The world will not understand B. People will not remember C. The world will not give great recognition/importance to D. The world does not know this is happening E. No one will tell anyone else what happened there

20. The tone of this passage can be best described as A. Solemn B. Sarcastic C. Pessimistic D. Lyrical E. Indignant

21. According to the passage, the battle fought at Gettysburg could be concluded to have been A. A terrible loss B. A huge victory C. Costly for the enemy D. Characterized by numerous casualties on both sides E. Very long and treacherous

22. The theme of the passage shifts from the first paragraph to the third in what way? A. From about the war to about honoring the dead B. In chronological order C. From talking about strategy, to discussing funeral arrangements D. From the speaker’s life, to that of the soldiers E. No theme change

23. What is the speaker’s given reason for not honoring, or consecrating, this battlefield? A. There have been so many deaths that they cannot make such an awful place holy B. The man and women who died have already consecrated the place enough C. The government does not believe in such religious acts D. The men and women would not have wanted the place honored after their deaths E. None of the above

24. The speaker is making this speech from a point of view of A. Battle survivor B. Concerned political leader, talking mainly about the politics of the battle C. Angry general that so many casualties were suffered D. Consoling and explaining leader, getting people through a rough time and ready for more E. Saddened relative of a dead soldier, trying to end the war as quickly as possible

25. At the beginning of the second paragraph, the word __ struggled __ most closely means A. Died B. Lived C. Fought D. Survived E. None of the above

Mike's Answer Key