Passage 1 (Prose)
The fact that "the watching eyes of the sweetbacks are more satisfying than hers" (line 13) suggests that...
A. Joe doesn't know what he wants.
B. Joe is oblivious to his surroundings.
C. Reputation is important to Joe.
D. The girl invites trouble.
E. The sweetbacks ignore the salesman.
C. Reputation is important to Joe.
Explanation: Joe gets satisfaction not only from her eyes but from others as well; he is concerned about what the sweetbacks notice, know, and think. In fact, even when a woman "gives more than the time of day" (lines 12-13), he still find the looks of the sweetbacks "more satisfying than hers" (line 12), suggesting reputation is important to Joe.
The speaker or author's attitude or emotion.
Tone.
When the author’s language does not mean exactly what it says.
Figurative Language.
Which of the following most accurately conveys the three PRIMARY/ MAIN metaphors of the poem?
A. A yellow leaf, a sunset, and ash.
B. A tree bough (branch), death's second self, and a deathbed.
C. An empty choir, a black night, a deathbed.
D. Autumn, a sunset, and a deathbed.
E. Autumn, twilight, and a dying fire.
E. Autumn, twilight, and a dying fire.
Each quatrain (four lines) focuses on establishing a different metaphor. The first four lines show the speaker comparing himself to autumn - "that time of year... when yellow leaves... hang upon those boughs which shake against the cold" (lines 1-3). The imagery in this quatrain supports the metaphor.
The second quatrain shows the speaker comparing himself to "the twilight of such a day". The imagery in this quatrain supports the metaphor.
In the third quatrain, the speaker compares himself to a dying fire. The imagery in this quatrain supports the metaphor.
What are the three types of FRQ on the Exam?
1. Poem (read the poem provided and answer the prompt, with evidence from the poem).
2. Prose Passage (read the passage provided and answer the prompt, with evidence from the passage).
3. Open-ended Literary Argument (answer the prompt with paraphrased evidence from a text you've read - from memory).
In the context of the passage as a whole, Joe can be characterized as someone who...
A. Does not care what others think of him.
B. Has lost his sense of youthfulness.
C. Has no regard for his physical appearance.
D. Longs for something more.
E. Shows concern only for himself.
D. Longs for something more.
Joe's thoughts are "loose" (line 9); he is "free to do something wild" (lines 19-20); and is "hungry for the one thing everybody loses" (line 27). And the narrator state that when Joe looks at the sweetbacks, "There is something they have that he wants" (lines 9-10). All of these indicate that Joe wants something more.
When the narrative shifts to reveal events or information from before the beginning of the story.
Flashback.
The main message of a literary work, the observation developed about a specific topic or aspect of life.
Theme
The speaker's role in lines 7-8 is to...
Lines 7-8: "Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death's second self, that seals up all in rest."
A. Emphasize the poem's central metaphor.
B. Clarify the poem's message.
C. Amplify the poem's mood.
D. Heighten the tension between "night" and "death".
E. Reject the idea of a "peaceful" slumber.
B. Clarify the poem's message.
This is the first time the reader sees any mention of death, but its appearance halfway through the poem should trigger a clear realization. The poet is talking about what happens when people are about to die. The images and metaphors throughout should make more sense as clues that the poem is actually about death and dying.
What must be included in a thesis statement?
A specific claim that fully answers the prompt and a line of reasoning (supporting reasons or examples).
The phrase "His real one is carrying both the beat and the guitar's weight" (line 2) serves to emphasize...
A. The artistry of Morrison's writing.
B. The contrast between the man and the musician.
C. The harsh reality of the musician's life.
D. The juxtaposition of appearance versus reality.
E. The range of items that the singer had to bear.
E. The range of items that the singer had to bear.
Reread the sentence containing the phrase in question. Note that the singer has a peg leg. Thus, his "real leg" is used two different ways; to carry the beat is a different action than is to carry the weight of a guitar. The pairing of words invites comparison, suggesting subtle but significant parallels between things. The one-legged musician keeps time with his "real leg" as it simultaneously literally bears the weight of his instrument.
Juxtaposition.
The act or an instance of placing two or more unlike/ different things side by side often to compare or contrast or to create an effect.
Allusion.
References to other texts or well-known events.
In context, the use of present tense most clearly implies the speaker's...
A. Address to his beloved in real time.
B. Sense of immediacy.
C. Aching awareness of his own mortality.
D. Terror at letting go of his lover.
E. Urgency in communicating with his lover.
C. Aching awareness of his own mortality.
The poem is about death; specifically, it is a poem to the lover of a person who will die soon. The fact that is it written in present tense is achingly bittersweet and underscores that the lovers' time together is limited, only possible in the here and now (the present), making it all the more precious.
What is paraphrasing?
The use of first and second person pronouns has which of the following effects?
A. It creates a conversational tone.
B. It enhances the imagery.
C. It introduces a character.
D. It redirects the reader.
E. It suggests a theme.
A. It creates a conversational tone.
In order to answer this question correctly, you must recognize that it is referring to the use of the words "I" and "you". While most students are told to stick to third person in formal writing, the inclusion of "I" and "you" indicates an informal, conversational tone. The narrator is speaking with the readers.
Complexity.
Two or more differing concepts, characters, emotions, perspectives, ideas, things, etc. put together. Sometimes tension is created as a result. Navigating or analyzing these differences creates complexity.
Indirect Characterization.
Reader must infer details about a character based on their actions, language, interactions, etc.
In line 4, the "bare ruined choirs" recall all of the following EXCEPT:
A. References to snow.
B. Religious imagery.
C. Allusions to emptiness and desolation.
D. Bare tree branches.
E. The ravages of age.
A. References to snow.
A. is correct because the entire first four lines are about autumn - not winter specifically, with no reference to snow. The branches may be empty, but they are not frozen yet, and "yellow leaves" still hang.
Analysis/ Commentary should...
Explain how the evidence supports the claim. Explore the connection between the quote and the claim or supporting reason. NOT summarize or restate the evidence.
Based on the details and examples in this passage, Joe's relationship with Dorcas is BEST characterized as...
A. Adventurous and attentive.
B. Innocent and charming.
C. Judicious and secretive.
D. Sneaky and stingy.
E. Transient and adolescent.
E. Transient and adolescent.
The description of Joe as "sixteen" (line 31) and a "strapling" (line 32) indicate that he and the "young girl" (line 18) have an adolescent relationship. Their relationship is transitory - not lasting - because Joe prefers the looks the "watching eyes of the sweetbacks" over hers (Dorcas) (line 13), indicating she was not his priority.
When dialogue or events that take place are the opposite of what the characters or reader expects (for example, a tall jockey or a short basketball player. A character who constantly faces danger and survives, only to later die of something mundane). Sometimes this is used to create social commentary or a comedic effect.
Irony.
Deception.
The action of deceiving someone. Lying, misleading, pretending, omitting information.
Which of the following statements is most consistent with the idea conveyed in the final couplet (last two lines)?
"This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong,
To love that well which thou must leave ere long."
A. The poem's addressee (the speaker's lover) no longer loves the speaker.
B. The speaker does not fear death.
C. The speaker is leaving his lover for another person.
D. The speaker believes that mortality preserves love.
E. The speaker is afraid of death and unwilling to pass gently into the afterlife.
D. The speaker believes that mortality preserves love.
"Love more strong" (line 13) implies that the impending death makes love stronger. The thought that love is about to be taken away makes "thy love more strong" because "you must leave ere long". In other words, when something is finite or about to be taken away, it becomes more precious. Knowing that the speaker will soon die, the lover holds on tighter before he is taken away, strengthening their love while they still have it.
Do things like grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, complete sentences, organization, etc. count for points on the FRQs?
YES!