What does it look like?
The exam is composed of two parts: a multiple choice section and a free response essay section.
Multiple Choice
The multiple choice section tests the student's critical reading skills with questions regardingーbut not limited toーtheme, content, literary devices, style, and comprehension.
Here are a few strategies to remember:
1. Scan Questions before Reading PromptRead questions before to pick out possible themes of the passage, but don't spend too much time with this.
2. Annotate PassagesAs you read the passages, annotating or highlighting may help to understand the themes or locate the answers. Analyze the passages and make sure you understand to the best of your ability.
3. Try to Eliminate AnswersThough it may be difficult to eliminate a set of answers, try to get rid of any answers that you know for sure you can take out. This will raise your chances of getting the answer right!
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Free Response Essay
- 3 Free response prompts
- 2 hours to complete
- 55% of exam score
The free response section tests the student's ability to interpret and analyze literary texts through the form of essays. There are three essays to write. The essays have prompts in the following categories:
Here are some strategies to remember:
- An analysis of a poem
- An analysis of a prose fiction piece
- An analysis on a specific concept, issue, or element in a literary work selected by student.
Here are some strategies to remember:
1. Read and Annotate
Once again, make sure you have read the question to the point where you comprehend what it is asking. The readers want the essay to be straight to the point and want the question answered in its entirety.
Highlight, underline, write notes, anything to help comprehension.
Highlight, underline, write notes, anything to help comprehension.
2. Stay Organized
No one likes a paper that is all over the place. Make an outline to plan what points you need to cover, which can prevent a paper that isn't just rambling. Keep a claim in mind, but never be afraid to go back and change it if needed.
3. Pace Yourself
Work out how much time you need to spend on each response. You need to give yourself ample time to complete each question. However, you also need to be sure that you are not rushing through the questions and leaving vital information out of your essays.
4. USE EVIDENCE
Evidence is the difference between 4s and 5s, and 7-9s. Make sure to use direct quotes in essays 1 and 2, and good specific evidence that you remember to help support your claim for essay 3.