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Question of the Day: AP English Literature
Passage adapted from Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad (1899).
He was the only man of us who still "followed the sea." The worst that could be said of him was that he did not represent his class. He was a seaman, but he was a wanderer, too, while most seamen lead, if one may so express it, a sedentary life. Their minds are of the stay-at-home order, and their home is always with them—the ship; and so is their country—the sea. One ship is very much like another, and the sea is always the same.
In the immutability of their surroundings the foreign shores, the foreign faces, the changing immensity of life, glide past, veiled not by a sense of mystery but by a slightly disdainful ignorance; for there is nothing mysterious to a seaman unless it be the sea itself, which is the mistress of his existence and as inscrutable as Destiny.
For the rest, after his hours of work, a casual stroll or a casual spree on shore suffices to unfold for him the secret of a whole continent, and generally he finds the secret not worth knowing. The yarns of seamen have a direct simplicity, the whole meaning of which lies within the shell of a cracked nut.
But Marlow was not typical (if his propensity to spin yarns be excepted), and to him the meaning of an episode was not inside like a kernel but outside, enveloping the tale which brought it out only as a glow brings out a haze, in the likeness of one of these misty halos that sometimes are made visible by the spectral illumination of moonshine.
Within the passage, the main purpose of the third paragraph is to __________.
Cast aspersions on working class people for being unintelligent
Provide a background of the narrator's journey
Introduce a contrast between the simplicty of the seamen and Marlow's complex worldview suggested by the way he tells stories
Bely the narrator's distrust of the seamen
Explain how sailing legends originated
The study of English Literature can be a time-consuming task, simply because in order to truly grasp the concepts of it, you sometimes have to read lengthy passages. Because of this, it can be difficult to find resources that are truly effective when it comes to the study of English literature. However, one study tool that you may find to be helpful is the AP English Literature Question of the Day, one of Varsity Tutors’ Learning Tools. Through the practice you get using the Question of the Day, plus the information and tools it provides, you can work to improve your English literature skills on a daily basis. Whether you need English tutoring in Tampa, English tutoring in Denver, or English tutoring in Seattle, working one-on-one with an expert may be just the boost your studies need.
The AP English Literature Question of the Day allows you to study one concept each day. The Question of the Day provides a passage to read, along with a multiple-choice AP English Literature sample question that pertains to the passage. The questions vary in difficulty, so on any given day, you may receive a question that will test you at a different level. The question will typically relate to a passage from a written work. The types of material that is covered by the Question of the Day will be similar to those that are on the actual AP English Literature test. This may allow you to become more comfortable with the style, content, and type of questions that will be asked. Varsity Tutors offers resources like free AP English Literature Practice Tests to help with your self-paced study, or you may want to consider an AP English Literature tutor.
Once you have answered the Question of the Day, you will see a number of statistics that will evaluate your performance and compare your answer to that of other students studying for the AP English Literature exam. One such statistic is the amount of time it took you to answer your question as opposed to how long it took other test-takers. By knowing how your speed compares to that of others, you may be able to learn to manage your time more efficiently. Another statistic you may find valuable is the percentage of users who answered the question correctly. By knowing specific information about how many others are answering a question correctly, you can help to prepare yourself better by knowing what you need to work on. Finally, the AP English Literature sample questions’ answers also provide explanations and links to relevant concepts. This provides you with insight into the answer, and allows you to further improve your skills by giving additional review opportunities. In addition to the AP English Literature Question of the Day and AP English Literature tutoring, you may also want to consider taking some of our AP English Literature Flashcards.
When it comes to AP English Literature, your success will rely on being able to fully grasp the intricacies of the English language. You will also have to have an understanding of what the authors of great works of literature were trying to convey in their writing. With the help of Varsity Tutors’ Learning Tools, like the Question of the Day, you will get a daily reminder of what you need to know in order to succeed on your upcoming exam. The Question of the Day is a perfect way to work some AP English Literature review into every day.
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