AP Lang "Night and Moonlight" by Henry David Thoreau

1. What rhetorical task does the author set for himself in the first paragraph?

• (A) To list and analyze all the facts he knows about the moon.

• (B) To present the theme of moonlight by describing effects of moonlight at night.

• (C) To compare the dreariness of an Arctic night to a moonlit night in a forest.

• (D) To present themes of moonlight in poetry and romantic fiction.

• (E) To walk through an unfamiliar landscape at night guided only by the moonlight.

Answer explanation

(B) To present the theme of moonlight by describing effects of moonlight at night.
Explanation: In the first paragraph, Thoreau states that "he whose theme is moonlight... must, as it were, illustrate it with the light of the moon alone," establishing his intent to explore and describe moonlight’s unique effects, which he does throughout the passage.

2. In line 8, the word “novelties” refers to

• (A) the moon and stars

• (B) tricks of the light

• (C) birds and animals that look like toys

• (D) wonders rarely seen

• (E) new ideas for describing the moonlight

Answer explanation

(D) wonders rarely seen
Explanation: The context of "On all sides novelties present themselves" (line 8) introduces a series of unusual nighttime sights (e.g., moon and stars, whip-poor-wills, fireflies), suggesting "novelties" refers to rare or remarkable phenomena not typically seen by day.

3. Which of the following best conveys the main idea in lines 21–28?

• (A) The moonlight reduces every feature of the landscape to a rough and shadowy sameness.

• (B) The landscape is easier to negotiate in the moonlight than by day.

• (C) Shadows take on frightening shapes in the moonlight.

• (D) The moonlight makes everything appear smooth and silvery.

• (E) The moonlight serves to exaggerate the features of the landscape.

Answer explanation

(E) The moonlight serves to exaggerate the features of the landscape.
Explanation: Lines 21-28 describe how shadows make objects "more conspicuous" and reveal "slightest irregularities," while the landscape becomes "more variegated and picturesque than by day," indicating moonlight amplifies and diversifies features.

4. The details Thoreau presents in lines 25-30 function as examples or illustrations for which of the following statements?

• (A) It is a very different season. (line 5)

• (B) On all sides novelties present themselves. (line 8)

• (C) But above all, the wonderful trump of the bullfrog, ringing from Maine to Georgia. (lines 15–16)

• (D) On our open river terraces once cultivated by the Indian (line 18)

• (E) The slightest irregularities in the ground are revealed by the shadows. (lines 23–24)

Answer explanation

(E) The slightest irregularities in the ground are revealed by the shadows. (lines 23--24)
Explanation: Lines 25-30 (e.g., "smallest recesses... dim and cavernous," "ferns... tropical size," "sweet fern and indigo... wet you with dew") provide vivid examples of how moonlight and shadows highlight subtle details, directly supporting the claim in lines 23-24.

5. Evidence for a claim that Thoreau has personified the moon can be found in

• (A) lines 7–8

• (B) lines 9–11

• (C) lines 21–24

• (D) lines 32–33

• (E) lines 34–35

Answer explanation

(E) lines 34--35
Explanation: In lines 34-35, Thoreau writes, "as if she selected what to shine on," attributing the moon a human-like ability to choose, which is a clear instance of personification.

6. Thoreau’s rhetorical purpose in lines 21–28 is accomplished through

• (A) analogy

• (B) anecdote

• (C) refutation

• (D) exemplification

• (E) allusion

Answer explanation

(D) exemplification
Explanation: Thoreau uses specific examples (e.g., shadows of rocks, irregularities in the ground, variegated landscape) in lines 21-28 to illustrate how moonlight transforms the scene, making exemplification the primary rhetorical strategy.

7. What is the function of the quoted material from the Purana (lines 30–31)?

• (A) To add credibility to the author’s claim in the previous sentence

• (B) To deepen the overall argument by use of a biblical allusion

• (C) To expand the argument by including facts about the ocean

• (D) To present the counterargument for later rebuttal

• (E) To illustrate that ancient poets also considered natural subjects

Answer explanation

(A) To add credibility to the author's claim in the previous sentence
Explanation: The quote, "The light of the day takes refuge in their bosoms," follows "The pools seen through the trees are as full of light as the sky" (line 30), reinforcing Thoreau’s observation with an authoritative, poetic parallel from the Purana.

8. Which of the following best describes the author’s exigence in this passage?

• (A) Recognition of the dangers of exploring the effects of the moon at night

• (B) Concern over the desire to awaken his fellows to the marvels of the world at night

• (C) The need for citizens to protect nocturnal species

• (D) Concern over the fact that most explorers, particularly arctic explorers, fail to describe landscapes sufficiently

• (E) The growing disinterest in lunar effects on the earth, particularly bodies of water

Answer explanation

(B) Concern over the desire to awaken his fellows to the marvels of the world at night
Explanation: Thoreau contrasts those "asleep in their beds" (line 37) with the traveler who values moonlight (lines 38-40), suggesting a purpose of inspiring readers to appreciate the overlooked beauty of night, evident throughout his vivid descriptions.

9. The style of the passage as a whole is most accurately characterized as

• (A) clever and satirical

• (B) disjointed and querulous

• (C) lyrical and descriptive

• (D) terse and transparent

• (E) complex and scholarly

Answer explanation

(C) lyrical and descriptive
Explanation: The passage features poetic language (e.g., "winged sparks of fire," "wonderful trump of the bullfrog") and rich, sensory descriptions of the nighttime landscape, aligning with a lyrical and descriptive style.