Skill Drill Category 2_AP Lang

The writer is considering changing the end of sentence one (reproduced below) to better

introduce the topic and engage the reader’s attention: (2.A)

“Thomas Jefferson was one of the Founding Fathers during the American Revolution, and played a

big part in shaping the country, ”

Which of the following versions of the underlined portion of sentence one best accomplishes

this goal?

• As it is Now

• “...country, including writing the Declaration of Independence, serving on George

  Washington’s Cabinet, and being Vice President and President”

• “...country, as you are already aware, due to his status as a founding father.”

• “...country, even though he became hypocritical, especially in his treatment of slaves,

  later in his career"

The writer is considering adding the following sentence after sentence one: (2.A)

“At the beginning of his career, Jefferson became known for certain “Jeffersonian Principles,” such

as the advocation for states rights and being involved in global affairs.”

Should the writer make this addition after sentence one?

• Yes, because it provides a compelling image at the beginning of the passage that

  complements other details regarding Jefferson’s career

• Yes, because the reader might otherwise wonder about the term “Jeffersonian” and its

  associated principles

• No, because it undermines the unity of the passage’s introduction by adding a detail

  that does not add to the discussion of Jefferson’s legacy

• No, because the details it provides are not rendered in clear enough terms to be

  accessible to the audience.

The writer wants to avoid giving the impression of bias against any point of view in the

passage. To accomplish this goal, which of the following phrases from the passage should the

writer change? (2.B)

• “logical” (Sentence 7)

• “foolishly” (Sentence 11)

• “rebelled” (Sentence 14)

• “jeopardized” (Sentence 19)

The writer is considering adding the following sentence after sentence 17: (2A)

“This idea reinforces the argument that Jefferson was, indeed, a hypocritical leader with a

controversial role in shaping the foundation of America. “

Should the writer make this addition after sentence 17?

• Yes, because it strengthens the passage by providing evidence in favor of the writer’s

  main claim

• Yes, because it provides an interesting detail that helps to hold the reader’s interest. Yes,

  because the reader might otherwise wonder how the writer’s evidence impacts

  Jefferson’s legacy

• No, because the intended audience is likely to be bored by discussions of Jefferson’s

  career

• No, because it detracts from the discussion of who was more Jeffersonian and thus

  interrupts the flow of the passage’s conclusion.

The writer is considering deleting the underlined portion of sentence 11: (2B)

“For example, when he chose to sign the Louisiana Purchase, he foolishly went against his own

principle to restrict the power and size of the federal government, as the purchase agreement largely

expanded the federal government’s power, since presidents were not previously able to purchase

land on their own accord.”

Should the writer keep or delete this item?

• Keep it, because it explains an aspect of history that may be unfamiliar to some readers.

• Keep it, because it provides more description of Jefferson’s presidential characteristics.

• Delete it, because it does not enhance the discussion of Jefferson’s actions.

• Delete it, because it reflects the writer’s bias against Jefferson.

The writer wants to avoid revealing any potential biases in sentence 10 (reproduced below):

(2.B)

“However, when Jefferson entered his presidency in 1801, he was forced to stray away from many of

his principles and could only follow a few of them”

Which of the following versions of the underlined portion of sentence 10 best accomplishes this

goal?

• As it is now

• “started to stray away from”

• “begrudgingly strayed away from”

• “easily began to stray away from”

Which of the following sentences, if added after sentence 18, would provide the best

concluding sentence for the passage?: (2.A)

• “Ultimately, Jefferson’s legacy can be scrutinized when looking at his subpar alliance to

  his own Jeffersonian principles, as they expose a level of hypocrisy not often examined

  in history books.”

• “Furthermore, Patrick Henry proves to be a highly underrated historical figure, one who

  if often forgotten simply because he never became president and didn’t get to sign the

  Declaration of Independence.”

• “Despite their varying levels of adherence to Jeffersonian principles, both Patrick Henry

  and Thomas Jefferson highly influenced America’s birth, and each should be

  remembered for their widespread political contributions.”

• “In the end, it doesn’t matter who proved more Jeffersonian, as the principles soon

  became outdated and overrated, eventually being replaced with an entirely new

  forward-thinking mindset that has come to predominate modern day politics.”