Sarah Kells: Class Notes Oct 4-8

AP Test:
Multiple Choice Questions: 50-55 questions, counts for 45% of the score.  Different levels of question, from easy (1) to very difficult, possibly with a couple of right answers (5).  Don't worry about getting all of the questions correct because that is not the goal.  The goal is to get the 1-3 questions right, most of the 4 questions right, and about half of the 5 questions.
For questions and answers to a sample multiple choice test, go to http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap08_english_coursedesc.pdf
Response Questions: Three questions: one that analyzes poetry, one that analyzes prose, and one where the test taker picks a piece of work and analyzes it.  Always discuss meaning, because the questions are basically "what is the meaning and how does the author use various techniques to make this clear?"  A good score is a seven.  Anything higher than a seven requires a very unique point of view.  Remember that no matter how amazing an essay is, if it misses one direction the highest score that it can get is a three.
For examples of these questions, see the following website: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/english_lit/samp.html?englit
The AP English test is truly a vocabulary test.  To know vocab that might be on the test, take these quizzes: http://quizlet.com/1123826/ap-survival-terms-flash-cards/ , http://quizlet.com/393195/danforth-ap-english-iii-semester-one-vocabulary-1-15-flash-cards/ , http://quizlet.com/701081/danforth-ap-english-iii-semester-two-vocabulary-1-12-flash-cards/ (the two later websites simply have advanced vocabulary that might be found on the AP test.)
Allusion:
Allusion is when a piece of literature references a past event, usually to explain what is happening without writing it all out.  The effectiveness of this technique depends upon who is reading it: if the allusion refers to something that most people known of, such as something in mythology or the Bible, most people will understand the work.  If the piece refers to something very specific, though, perhaps something that occurred in a small country where only inhabitants of that country would understand, the idea will be much more vague to many people.  The following website contains a list of very popular Biblical allusions used in literature: http://www.faqs.org/shareranks/4146,Most-Popular-Biblical-Allusions-in-Literature
Meaning and Ideas:
Meaning is the summary of what the piece of literature itself really is saying.
Prose Meaning can be picked out from the piece of work.
Suspend your disbelief in order to achieve the full experience: even in you do not fully agree with what is being said by the poem, still read it to get the experience that the author is attempting to portray.