AP English Literature and Composition Unit 1: Short Fiction I — Free with Answer Explanations

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Unit 1: Short Fiction I

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Question 1

Passage 1 (from Kate Chopin, "The Story of an Hour," 1894 — public domain).

She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms. When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her.

There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul.

She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which someone was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves.

Which choice best describes the SETTING shift in this excerpt?

A.From a quiet bedroom to a noisy street.B.From an interior space of grief to an exterior view of vibrant life.C.From her sister's arms to a public square.D.From day to night.

Question 2

Passage 2 (from Edgar Allan Poe, "The Cask of Amontillado," 1846 — public domain).

The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitely settled — but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.

It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.

Based on Passage 2, what does the narrator believe is required for revenge to be successful?

A.The avenger must remain anonymous to all parties.B.The avenger must escape consequences AND ensure the victim knows who is responsible.C.The act must be quick and final.D.The victim must believe the avenger has forgiven them.

Question 3

Passage 1 (from Kate Chopin, "The Story of an Hour," 1894 — public domain).

She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms. When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her.

There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul.

She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which someone was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves.

Passage 2 (from Edgar Allan Poe, "The Cask of Amontillado," 1846 — public domain).

The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitely settled — but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.

It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.

Passage 3 (from Stephen Crane, "The Open Boat," 1897 — public domain).

None of them knew the color of the sky. Their eyes glanced level, and were fastened upon the waves that swept toward them. These waves were of the hue of slate, save for the tops, which were of foaming white, and all of the men knew the colors of the sea. The horizon narrowed and widened, and dipped and rose, and at all times its edge was jagged with waves that seemed thrust up in points like rocks.

Many a man ought to have a bath-tub larger than the boat which here rode upon the sea. These waves were most wrongfully and barbarously abrupt and tall, and each froth-top was a problem in small-boat navigation.

The cook squatted in the bottom and looked with both eyes at the six inches of gunwale which separated him from the ocean. His sleeves were rolled over his fat forearms, and the two flaps of his unbuttoned vest dangled as he bent to bail out the boat. Often he said: "Gawd! That was a narrow clip." As he remarked it he invariably gazed eastward over the broken sea.

Across Passages 1, 2, and 3, which feature is most consistently used by all three writers?

A.First-person narration.B.Use of sensory detail to externalize an inner emotional state.C.Use of dialogue as the primary technique.D.Heavy use of metaphor.

Question 4

Passage 2 (from Edgar Allan Poe, "The Cask of Amontillado," 1846 — public domain).

The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitely settled — but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.

It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.

Based on Passage 2, the disparity between the narrator's 'smile' and his actual intention chiefly creates:

A.Comic relief from the violent subject matter.B.Dramatic irony, since the reader knows what Fortunato cannot perceive.C.An implication that the narrator may not actually carry out the revenge.D.Confusion about whether the narrator and Fortunato are friends.

Question 5

Passage 1 (from Kate Chopin, "The Story of an Hour," 1894 — public domain).

She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms. When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her.

There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul.

She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which someone was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves.

Based on the passage from "The Story of an Hour," the open window functions chiefly as:

A.A literal source of fresh air for the exhausted character.B.A symbol of new possibility framed against the character's grief.C.A barrier between her and the outside world.D.A reminder of the husband she has lost.

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Question 6

Passage 2 (from Edgar Allan Poe, "The Cask of Amontillado," 1846 — public domain).

The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitely settled — but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.

It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.

Based on Passage 2, the narrator's address "You, who so well know the nature of my soul" suggests that:

A.The narrator is speaking to a specific intimate listener or reader.B.The narrator is asking the reader to vote on a course of action.C.The narrator is uncertain about who his audience is.D.The narrator is unaware that he has a reader.

Question 7

Passage 2 (from Edgar Allan Poe, "The Cask of Amontillado," 1846 — public domain).

The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitely settled — but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.

It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.

Which choice best describes the NARRATOR of Passage 2?

A.A third-person omniscient narrator describing a feud.B.A first-person narrator who is also the agent of the planned revenge.C.A witness reporting events from the outside.D.The character Fortunato.

Question 8

Passage 1 (from Kate Chopin, "The Story of an Hour," 1894 — public domain).

She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms. When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her.

There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul.

She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which someone was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves.

Based on the passage, the catalog of sensory details in the third paragraph (trees, rain, peddler, song, sparrows) chiefly serves to:

A.Create dramatic irony by contrasting the world's vitality with the character's stillness.B.Indicate that the character is hallucinating from grief.C.Explain why her husband chose this neighborhood.D.Establish the time of year for narrative chronology.

Question 9

Passage 3 (from Stephen Crane, "The Open Boat," 1897 — public domain).

None of them knew the color of the sky. Their eyes glanced level, and were fastened upon the waves that swept toward them. These waves were of the hue of slate, save for the tops, which were of foaming white, and all of the men knew the colors of the sea. The horizon narrowed and widened, and dipped and rose, and at all times its edge was jagged with waves that seemed thrust up in points like rocks.

Many a man ought to have a bath-tub larger than the boat which here rode upon the sea. These waves were most wrongfully and barbarously abrupt and tall, and each froth-top was a problem in small-boat navigation.

The cook squatted in the bottom and looked with both eyes at the six inches of gunwale which separated him from the ocean. His sleeves were rolled over his fat forearms, and the two flaps of his unbuttoned vest dangled as he bent to bail out the boat. Often he said: "Gawd! That was a narrow clip." As he remarked it he invariably gazed eastward over the broken sea.

Based on Passage 3, what is the EFFECT of the opening sentence "None of them knew the color of the sky"?

A.It emphasizes how completely the men's attention is absorbed by the threat of the waves.B.It implies the men are colorblind.C.It suggests the sky has no color.D.It establishes the time of day as nighttime.

Question 10

Passage 1 (from Kate Chopin, "The Story of an Hour," 1894 — public domain).

She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms. When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her.

There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul.

She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which someone was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves.

Based on the passage, the description "a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul" most strongly suggests that:

A.The character is gravely ill and will soon die.B.Her grief has produced a depletion that extends beyond physical tiredness.C.She is feigning weakness to gain sympathy.D.She has fallen asleep.

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Question 11

Passage 3 (from Stephen Crane, "The Open Boat," 1897 — public domain).

None of them knew the color of the sky. Their eyes glanced level, and were fastened upon the waves that swept toward them. These waves were of the hue of slate, save for the tops, which were of foaming white, and all of the men knew the colors of the sea. The horizon narrowed and widened, and dipped and rose, and at all times its edge was jagged with waves that seemed thrust up in points like rocks.

Many a man ought to have a bath-tub larger than the boat which here rode upon the sea. These waves were most wrongfully and barbarously abrupt and tall, and each froth-top was a problem in small-boat navigation.

The cook squatted in the bottom and looked with both eyes at the six inches of gunwale which separated him from the ocean. His sleeves were rolled over his fat forearms, and the two flaps of his unbuttoned vest dangled as he bent to bail out the boat. Often he said: "Gawd! That was a narrow clip." As he remarked it he invariably gazed eastward over the broken sea.

Which choice best describes the situation depicted in Passage 3?

A.A peaceful fishing expedition.B.Several men in a small boat struggling against threatening waves.C.A family observing the ocean from shore.D.A naval battle.

Question 12

Passage 3 (from Stephen Crane, "The Open Boat," 1897 — public domain).

None of them knew the color of the sky. Their eyes glanced level, and were fastened upon the waves that swept toward them. These waves were of the hue of slate, save for the tops, which were of foaming white, and all of the men knew the colors of the sea. The horizon narrowed and widened, and dipped and rose, and at all times its edge was jagged with waves that seemed thrust up in points like rocks.

Many a man ought to have a bath-tub larger than the boat which here rode upon the sea. These waves were most wrongfully and barbarously abrupt and tall, and each froth-top was a problem in small-boat navigation.

The cook squatted in the bottom and looked with both eyes at the six inches of gunwale which separated him from the ocean. His sleeves were rolled over his fat forearms, and the two flaps of his unbuttoned vest dangled as he bent to bail out the boat. Often he said: "Gawd! That was a narrow clip." As he remarked it he invariably gazed eastward over the broken sea.

Based on Passage 3, the narrator's claim that the waves were 'wrongfully and barbarously abrupt and tall' suggests that:

A.The narrator personifies the sea as deliberately cruel toward the men.B.The waves are objectively measured against a known standard.C.The narrator is unfamiliar with the sea.D.The men cannot see the waves clearly.