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Question of the Day: AP English Literature
Adapted from The Merchant of Venice V.i. 2502-2544 by William Shakespeare (1600)
LORENZO
Sweet soul, let's in, and there expect their coming.
And yet no matter: why should we go in?
My friend Stephano, signify, I pray you,
Within the house, your mistress is at hand;
And bring your music forth into the air.
Exit Stephano
How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!
Here will we sit and let the sounds of music
Creep in our ears: soft stillness and the night
Become the touches of sweet harmony.
Sit, Jessica. Look how the floor of heaven
Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold:
There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st
But in his motion like an angel sings,
Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubins;
Such harmony is in immortal souls;
But whilst this muddy vesture of decay
Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it.
Enter Musicians
Come, ho! and wake Diana with a hymn!
With sweetest touches pierce your mistress' ear,
And draw her home with music.
Music
JESSICA
I am never merry when I hear sweet music.
LORENZO
The reason is, your spirits are attentive:
For do but note a wild and wanton herd,
Or race of youthful and unhandled colts,
Fetching mad bounds, bellowing and neighing loud,
Which is the hot condition of their blood;
If they but hear perchance a trumpet sound,
Or any air of music touch their ears,
You shall perceive them make a mutual stand,
Their savage eyes turn'd to a modest gaze
By the sweet power of music: therefore the poet
Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, stones and floods;
Since nought so stockish, hard and full of rage, Why
But music for the time doth change his nature.
The man that hath no music in himself,
Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils;
The motions of his spirit are dull as night
And his affections dark as Erebus:
Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music.
Which sentence BEST summarizes the theme of Lorenzo’s response to Jessica’s concern that she is never merry when she hears sweet music?
Only people with attentive spirits will become sad when listening to sweet music.
If music does not make the listener sad, then he or she is not properly appreciating it.
Melancholy is evidence of the ability to be moved by the beauty of sweet music.
All animals, even a herd of colts, react the same way to beautiful music.
Men who never listen to music are not to be trusted and are only fit for war.
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.
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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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