Analyzing & Interpreting Literature CLEP pdf by Student IC

Test Information Guide: College-Level Examination ProgramÂŽ 2011-12 Analyzing and Interpreting Literature

CLEP TEST INFORMATION GUIDE FOR ANALYZING AND INTERPRETING LITERATURE

worldwide through computer-based testing programs and also — in forward-deployed areas — through paper-based testing. Approximately one-third of all CLEP candidates are military service members.

History of CLEP

2010-11 National CLEP Candidates by Age*

Since 1967, the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP®) has provided over six million people with the opportunity to reach their educational goals. CLEP participants have received college credit for knowledge and expertise they have gained through prior course work, independent study or work and life experience.

Under 18 9% 30 years and older 30%

18-22 years 39%

23-29 years 22%

Over the years, the CLEP examinations have evolved to keep pace with changing curricula and pedagogy. Typically, the examinations represent material taught in introductory college-level courses from all areas of the college curriculum. Students may choose from 33 different subject areas in which to demonstrate their mastery of college-level material.

* These data are based on 100% of CLEP test-takers who responded to this survey question during their examinations.

2010-11 National CLEP Candidates by Gender

Today, more than 2,900 colleges and universities recognize and grant credit for CLEP.

41%

Philosophy of CLEP Promoting access to higher education is CLEP’s foundation. CLEP offers students an opportunity to demonstrate and receive validation of their college-level skills and knowledge. Students who achieve an appropriate score on a CLEP exam can enrich their college experience with higher-level courses in their major field of study, expand their horizons by taking a wider array of electives and avoid repetition of material that they already know.

58%

Computer-Based CLEP Testing The computer-based format of CLEP exams allows for a number of key features. These include: • a variety of question formats that ensure effective assessment • real-time score reporting that gives students and colleges the ability to make immediate creditgranting decisions (except for College Composition, which requires faculty scoring of essays twice a month) • a uniform recommended credit-granting score of 50 for all exams • “rights-only” scoring, which awards one point per correct answer • pretest questions that are not scored but provide current candidate population data and allow for rapid expansion of question pools

CLEP Participants CLEP’s test-taking population includes people of all ages and walks of life. Traditional 18- to 22-year-old students, adults just entering or returning to school, homeschoolers and international students who need to quantify their knowledge have all been assisted by CLEP in earning their college degrees. Currently, 58 percent of CLEP’s test-takers are women and 52 percent are 23 years of age or older. For over 30 years, the College Board has worked to provide government-funded credit-by-exam opportunities to the military through CLEP. Military service members are fully funded for their CLEP exam fees. Exams are administered at military installations

CLEP Exam Development

The Committee

Content development for each of the CLEP exams is directed by a test development committee. Each committee is composed of faculty from a wide variety of institutions who are currently teaching the relevant college undergraduate courses. The committee members establish the test specifications based on feedback from a national curriculum survey; recommend credit-granting scores and standards; develop and select test questions; review statistical data and prepare descriptive material for use by faculty (Test Information Guides) and students planning to take the tests (CLEP Official Study Guide).

The College Board appoints standing committees of college faculty for each test title in the CLEP battery. Committee members usually serve a term of up to four years. Each committee works with content specialists at Educational Testing Service to establish test specifications and develop the tests. Listed below are the current committee members and their institutional affiliations.

College faculty also participate in CLEP in other ways: they convene periodically as part of standard-setting panels to determine the recommended level of student competency for the granting of college credit; they are called upon to write exam questions and to review forms and they help to ensure the continuing relevance of the CLEP examinations through the curriculum surveys.

Carolyn Brown, Chair

University of San Francisco

Robin Inboden

Wittenburg University

Booker T. Anthony Fayetteville State University The primary objective of the committee is to produce tests with good content validity. CLEP tests must be rigorous and relevant to the discipline and the appropriate courses. While the consensus of the committee members is that this test has high content validity for a typical introductory Analyzing and Interpreting Literature course or curriculum, the validity of the content for a specific course or curriculum is best determined locally through careful review and comparison of test content, with instructional content covered in a particular course or curriculum.

The Curriculum Survey The first step in the construction of a CLEP exam is a curriculum survey. Its main purpose is to obtain information needed to develop test-content specifications that reflect the current college curriculum and to recognize anticipated changes in the field. The surveys of college faculty are conducted in each subject every three to five years depending on the discipline. Specifically, the survey gathers information on: • the major content and skill areas covered in the equivalent course and the proportion of the course devoted to each area • specific topics taught and the emphasis given to each topic • specific skills students are expected to acquire and the relative emphasis given to them • recent and anticipated changes in course content, skills and topics • the primary textbooks and supplementary learning resources used • titles and lengths of college courses that correspond to the CLEP exam

The Committee Meeting The exam is developed from a pool of questions written by committee members and outside question writers. All questions that will be scored on a CLEP exam have been pretested; those that pass a rigorous statistical analysis for content relevance, difficulty, fairness and correlation with assessment criteria are added to the pool. These questions are compiled by test development specialists according to the test specifications, and are presented to all the committee members for a final review. Before convening at a two- or three-day committee meeting, the members have a chance to review the test specifications and the pool of questions available for possible inclusion in the exam.

At the meeting, the committee determines whether the questions are appropriate for the test and, if not, whether they need to be reworked and pretested again to ensure that they are accurate and unambiguous. Finally, draft forms of the exam are reviewed to ensure comparable levels of difficulty and content specifications on the various test forms. The committee is also responsible for writing and developing pretest questions. These questions are administered to candidates who take the examination and provide valuable statistical feedback on student performance under operational conditions.

developing, administering and scoring the exams. Effective July 2001, ACE recommended a uniform credit-granting score of 50 across all subjects, with the exception of four-semester language exams, which represents the performance of students who earn a grade of C in the corresponding college course. The American Council on Education, the major coordinating body for all the nation’s higher education institutions, seeks to provide leadership and a unifying voice on key higher education issues and to influence public policy through advocacy, research and program initiatives. For more information, visit the ACE CREDIT website at www.acenet.edu/acecredit.

Once the questions are developed and pretested, tests are assembled in one of two ways. In some cases, test forms are assembled in their entirety. These forms are of comparable difficulty and are therefore interchangeable. More commonly, questions are assembled into smaller, content-specific units called testlets, which can then be combined in different ways to create multiple test forms. This method allows many different forms to be assembled from a pool of questions.

CLEP Credit Granting CLEP uses a common recommended credit-granting score of 50 for all CLEP exams. This common credit-granting score does not mean, however, that the standards for all CLEP exams are the same. When a new or revised version of a test is introduced, the program conducts a standard setting to determine the recommended credit-granting score (“cut score”).

Test Specifications Test content specifications are determined primarily through the curriculum survey, the expertise of the committee and test development specialists, the recommendations of appropriate councils and conferences, textbook reviews and other appropriate sources of information. Content specifications take into account: • the purpose of the test • the intended test-taker population • the titles and descriptions of courses the test is designed to reflect • the specific subject matter and abilities to be tested • the length of the test, types of questions and instructions to be used

A standard-setting panel, consisting of 15–20 faculty members from colleges and universities across the country who are currently teaching the course, is appointed to give its expert judgment on the level of student performance that would be necessary to receive college credit in the course. The panel reviews the test and test specifications and defines the capabilities of the typical A student, as well as those of the typical B, C and D students.* Expected individual student performance is rated by each panelist on each question. The combined average of the ratings is used to determine a recommended number of examination questions that must be answered correctly to mirror classroom performance of typical B and C students in the related course. The panel’s findings are given to members of the test development committee who, with the help of Educational Testing Service and College Board psychometric specialists, make a final determination on which raw scores are equivalent to B and C levels of performance.

Recommendation of the American Council on Education (ACE) The American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT) has evaluated CLEP processes and procedures for

*Student performance for the language exams (French, German and Spanish) is defined only at the B and C levels.

Analyzing and Interpreting Literature Description of the Examination The Analyzing and Interpreting Literature examination covers material usually taught in a general two-semester undergraduate course in literature. Although the examination does not require familiarity with specific works, it does assume that candidates have read widely and perceptively in poetry, drama, fiction and nonfiction. The questions are based on passages supplied in the test. These passages have been selected so that no previous experience with them is required to answer the questions. The passages are taken primarily from American and British literature. The examination contains approximately 80 multiplechoice questions to be answered in 98 minutes. Some of these are pretest questions that will not be scored. Any time candidates spend taking tutorials and providing personal information is additional to actual testing time.

• Ability to interpret metaphors, to recognize rhetorical and stylistic devices, to perceive relationships between parts and wholes, and to grasp a speaker’s or author’s attitudes • Knowledge of the means by which literary effects are achieved • Familiarity with the basic terminology used to discuss literary texts The examination emphasizes comprehension, interpretation and analysis of literary works. A specific knowledge of historical context (authors and movements) is not required, but a broad knowledge of literature gained through reading widely and a familiarity with basic literary terminology is assumed. The following outline indicates the relative emphasis given to the various types of literature and the periods from which the passages are taken. The approximate percentage of exam questions per classification is noted within each main category.

An optional essay section can be taken in addition to the multiple-choice test. The essay section requires that two essays be written during a total time of 90 minutes. For the first essay, candidates are asked to analyze a short poem. For the second essay, candidates are asked to apply a generalization about literature (such as the function of a theme or a technique) to a novel, short story or play that they have read.

Genre

Candidates are expected to write well-organized essays in clear and precise prose. The essay section is graded by faculty at the institution that requests it and is still administered in paper-and-pencil format. There is an additional fee for taking this section, payable to the institution that administers the exam.

30%–45% American Literature

Knowledge and Skills Required

20%–30% Renaissance and 17th Century

Questions on the Analyzing and Interpreting Literature examination require candidates to demonstrate the following abilities.

35%–45% 18th and 19th Centuries

35%–45% Poetry 35%–45% Prose (fiction and nonfiction) 15%–30% Drama National Tradition 50%–65% British Literature 5%–15% Works in Translation Period 3%–7%

Classical and pre-Renaissance

25%–35% 20th and 21st Centuries

• Ability to read prose, poetry and drama with understanding • Ability to analyze the elements of a literary passage and to respond to nuances of meaning, tone, imagery and style

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Sample Test Questions

3. The speaker assumes that “every man” (line 6) is

The following sample questions do not appear on an actual CLEP examination. They are intended to give potential test-takers an indication of the format and difficulty level of the examination and to provide content for practice and review. Knowing the correct answers to all of the sample questions is not a guarantee of satisfactory performance on the exam.

(A) averse to idolizing other men as gods (B) likely to underestimate his own abilities (C) prone to turn down a challenge too quickly (D) vulnerable to fate and his own destiny (E) capable of accomplishing great feats

Directions: Each of the questions or incomplete statements below is followed by five suggested answers or completions. Select the one that is best in each case.

4. In the context of the passage, to “Presume on his good fortune” (line 8) is best interpreted as (A) assume bad luck must turn to good (B) believe that happiness will endure (C) try to gain wealth and prosperity (D) plan for good fortune before it comes (E) make judgments on those who are poor or unlucky

Questions 1–5

Line (5)

L I T E R A T U R E

CHORAGOS: Men of Thebes: look upon Oedipus. This is the king who solved the famous riddle And towered up, most powerful of men. No mortal eyes but looked on him with envy, Yet in the end ruin swept over him.

5. The passage can best be described as (A) a warning against hubris or pride (B) a poetic rejection of bad fortune (C) an acceptance of catharsis (D) a poetic affirmation that all is vanity (E) God’s promise of final happiness

Let every man in mankind’s frailty Consider his last day; and let none Presume on his good fortune until he find Life, at his death, a memory without pain. 1. Line 3 primarily suggests that Oedipus (A) was an unusually tall and intimidating man (B) became a figure of great fame and authority (C) waged war against the men of Thebes (D) was stronger and more agile than other men (E) proved to be a persuasive, if corrupt, politician 2. Which of the following is the best paraphrase of “No mortal eyes but looked on him with envy” (line 4)? (A) Even the gods were envious of him. (B) The gods considered him an envious person. (C) Everyone wished to have his advantages. (D) Only envious people would seek him. (E) Everyone longed to be immortal like him.

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Questions 6 –11

Line (5)

(10)

(15)

(20)

(25)

L I T E R A T U R E

7. The point of the scene described in lines 15–22 is that

How many thousand of my poorest subjects Are at this hour asleep! O sleep, O gentle sleep, Nature’s soft nurse, how have I frightened thee That thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down And steep my senses in forgetfulness? Why rather, sleep, liest thou in smoky cribs, Upon uneasy pallets stretching thee And hushed with buzzing night-flies to thy slumber, Than in the perfumed chambers of the great, Under the canopies of costly state, And lulled with sound of sweetest melody? O thou dull god, why liest thou with the vile In loathsome beds, and leavest the kingly couch A watch-case or a common ’larum bell? Wilt thou upon the high and giddy mast Seal up the ship-boy’s eyes, and rock his brains In cradle of the rude imperious surge And in the visitation of the winds, Who take the ruffian billows by the top, Curling their monstrous heads and hanging them With deafening clamor in the slippery clouds, That, with the hurly, death itself awakes? Canst thou, O partial sleep, give thy repose To the wet sea-son in a hour so rude, And in the calmest and most stillest night, With all appliances and means to boot, Deny it to a king? Then happy low, lie down! Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.

(A) death is an inevitable extension of sleep (B) common folk are accustomed to danger even though the king is not (C) fear is best overcome by sleep (D) evil inevitably overtakes the weak (E) sleep comes to common folk even in perilous circumstances 8. In the context of the passage, “partial” (line 23) means (A) biased (B) unsatisfying (C) half-waking (D) two-faced (E) favorite 9. In line 27, “low” refers to (A) “my poorest subjects” (line 1) (B) “sweetest melody” (line 11) (C) “rude imperious surge” (line 17) (D) “O partial sleep” (line 23) (E) “a king” (line 27)

6. The dramatic situation suggested by the speech is that of a king

10. The speaker’s tone in addressing sleep changes from

(A) cast down from high estate (B) concerned about the poverty of his subjects (C) setting forth on a dangerous journey (D) fearful of death (E) restless with cares

(A) confident to insecure (B) bitter to victorious (C) pleading to reproachful (D) outraged to sarcastic (E) angry to bewildered 11. With minor variations, the passage is written in (A) elegy form (B) blank verse (C) free verse (D) heroic couplets (E) the form of an ode

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Questions 12–19

Line (5)

(10)

(15)

(20)

(25)

(30)

12. The phrase “now with God” (line 3) reveals that Sarah Battle

“A clear fire, a clean hearth, and the rigor of the game.” This was the celebrated wish of old Sarah Battle (now with God) who, next to her devotions, loved a good game at whist. She was none of your lukewarm gamesters, your half-and-half players, who have no objection to take a hand, if you want one to make up a rubber; who affirm that they have no pleasure in winning; that they like to win one game, and lose another; that they can while away an hour very agreeably at a card table, but are indifferent whether they play or no; and will desire an adversary, who has slipt a wrong card, to take it up and play another. These insufferable triflers are the curse of a table. One of these flies will spoil a whole pot. Of such it may be said, that they do not play at cards, but only play at playing at them. Sarah Battle was none of that breed. She detested them, as I do, from her heart and soul; and would not, save upon a striking emergency, willingly seat herself at the same table with them. She loved a thorough-paced partner, a determined enemy. She took, and gave, no concessions. She hated favors. She never made a revoke, nor ever passed it over in her adversary without exacting the utmost forfeiture. She fought a good fight: cut and thrust. She held not her sword (her cards) “like a dancer.” She sat bolt upright; and neither showed you her cards, nor desired to see yours. All people have their blind side—their superstitions; and I have heard her declare, under the rose,* that Hearts was her favourite suit. *sub

L I T E R A T U R E

(A) was a religious person (B) had an unexpected religious experience (C) placed devotion to God ahead of whist (D) has decided to give up cards (E) is no longer alive 13. In line 3, “next to” is best paraphrased as (A) second only to (B) besides (C) before (D) in addition to (E) even more than 14. To Sarah Battle, the most significant characteristic of the triflers described in lines 5–15 is their (A) amiable sociability (B) generosity toward their opponents (C) nonchalant attitude toward whist (D) ability to keep the game in perspective (E) inability to play whist well 15. It can be inferred from the description of Sarah Battle’s behavior at the whist table that she (A) would respect a superior opponent (B) had an ironic sense of humor (C) would do anything to win (D) did not really enjoy playing whist (E) enjoyed being catered to in whist

rosa, in confidence

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16. The most apparent metaphor in this character sketch is drawn from

L I T E R A T U R E

19. Which of the following best summarizes the structure of the passage?

(A) nature (B) religion (C) finance (D) swordplay (E) gamesmanship

(A) The first paragraph concentrates on Sarah Battle’s serious side; the second, on her fun-loving side. (B) The first paragraph defines Sarah Battle by what she is not; the second, by what she is. (C) The passage interprets, in turn, what Sarah Battle would regard as “A clear fire, a clean hearth, and the rigor of the game” (lines 1–2). (D) The passage moves from a discussion of the refinements of whist to an explanation of what makes Sarah Battle like the game. (E) The first paragraph describes Sarah Battle as a gambler; the second, as a soldier of reform.

17. The attitude of the narrator toward Sarah Battle is chiefly one of (A) sarcastic anger (B) affectionate respect (C) tolerant understanding (D) arrogant condescension (E) fearful regard 18. The passage suggests all of the following about the narrator EXCEPT that the narrator (A) has a sense of humor (B) has spent time in Sarah Battle’s presence (C) is an excellent whist player (D) scorns casual whist players (E) sees Sarah Battle’s weakness

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Questions 20–24

Line (5)

(10)

(15)

(20)

L I T E R A T U R E

22. The speaker objects to “almost immortal habitations” (lines 15–16) because they

All towns should be made capable of purification by fire, or of decay, within each half century. Otherwise, they become the hereditary haunts of vermin and noisomeness, besides standing apart from the possibility of such improvements as are constantly introduced into the rest of man’s contrivances and accommodations. It is beautiful, no doubt, and exceedingly satisfactory to some of our natural instincts, to imagine our far posterity dwelling under the same rooftree as ourselves. Still, when people insist on building indestructible houses, they incur, or their children do, a misfortune analogous to that of the Sibyl, when she obtained the grievous boon of immortality. So, we may build almost immortal habitations, it is true; but we cannot keep them from growing old, musty, unwholesome, dreary, full of death scents, ghosts, and murder stains; in short, such habitations as one sees everywhere in Italy, be they hovels or palaces.

(A) start as palaces and end as hovels (B) are full of unpleasant memories and gloom (C) are unhealthy for growing children (D) burden families with their upkeep (E) are structurally unsound 23. The speaker apparently regards changes brought about by modernization with (A) approval (B) indifference (C) resentment (D) hesitancy (E) bewilderment 24. The speaker’s attitude toward houses in Italy is best described as one of

20. The first sentence of the passage serves primarily to

(A) envy (B) aversion (C) ambivalence (D) enthusiasm (E) defensiveness

(A) state a fact (B) express a generally accepted opinion (C) startle by its unorthodoxy (D) say the opposite of what the speaker means (E) present an unwarranted conclusion 21. What misfortune of the Sibyl is implied in lines 11–15 ? (A) She lived in an indestructible house. (B) She remained young forever. (C) She did not get what she asked for. (D) Her children lived in old houses. (E) She could not die but continued to age.

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Questions 25–29

Line (5)

(10)

(15)

(20)

(25)

L I T E R A T U R E

26. What quality of Mrs. Freeman’s character does the controlling image of the passage suggest?

Besides the neutral expression that she wore when she was alone, Mrs. Freeman had two others, forward and reverse, that she used for all her human dealings. Her forward expression was steady and driving like the advance of a heavy truck. Her eyes never swerved to left or right but turned as the story turned as if they followed a yellow line down the center of it. She seldom used the other expression because it was not often necessary for her to retract a statement, but when she did, her face came to a complete stop, there was an almost imperceptible movement of her black eyes, during which they seemed to be receding, and then the observer would see that Mrs. Freeman, though she might stand there as real as several grain sacks thrown on top of each other, was no longer there in spirit. As for getting anything across to her when this was the case, Mrs. Hopewell had given it up. She might talk her head off. Mrs. Freeman could never be brought to admit herself wrong on any point. She would stand there and if she could be brought to say something, it was something like, “Well, I wouldn’t of said it was and I wouldn’t of said it wasn’t,” or letting her gaze range over the top shelf where there was an assortment of dusty bottles, she might remark, “I see you ain’t ate many of them figs you put up last summer.”

(A) Her forbearance (B) Her insecurity (C) Her rigidity (D) Her proper manners (E) Her sense of irony 27. That Mrs. Freeman “might stand there as real as several grain sacks thrown on top of each other” (lines 15–16) suggests that she is all of the following EXCEPT (A) plain and down-to-earth (B) undecided in her opinions (C) clearly visible (D) part of the country scene (E) closed and contributing nothing at present 28. Mrs. Freeman’s remark in lines 23–24 can best be described as (A) a cliché (B) a paradox (C) an equivocation (D) a circular argument (E) a metaphoric contrast

25. The metaphor suggested by “forward and reverse” in the opening sentence is also suggested by all of the following words EXCEPT

29. Mrs. Freeman’s remarks are best described as (A) self-protective (B) self-censuring (C) self-analytical (D) aggressive (E) contemptuous

(A) “advance” (line 5) (B) “swerved” (line 6) (C) “turned” (line 7) (D) “retract” (line 10) (E) “stop” (line 11)

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Questions 30–34

32. The image of the lead coffin (line 14) functions to

The Child at Winter Sunset

Line (5)

(10)

(15)

L I T E R A T U R E

The child at winter sunset, Holding her breath in adoration of the peacock’s tail That spread its red—ah, higher and higher— Wept suddenly. “It’s going!” The great fan folded; Shortened; and at last no longer fought the cold, the dark. And she on the lawn, comfortless by her father, Shivered, shivered, “It’s gone!” “Yes, this time. But wait, Darling. There will be other nights—some of them even better.” “Oh, no. It died.” He laughed. But she did not. It was her first glory.

(A) diminish and caricature the child’s sorrow at the sunset (B) confirm the significance of the child’s feelings of loss (C) indicate that the sunset symbolizes the child’s own death (D) suggest that the father is now mourning his dead child (E) represent the specter of death hovering over the father 33. The last two lines of the poem suggest that the father (A) laments his own losses, both past and future (B) fears that he will ultimately lose his daughter (C) has come to mourn the sunset in the same way that his daughter does (D) dreads his own inevitable death (E) realizes that his child faces future sorrows that he cannot prevent

Laid away now in its terrible Lead coffin, it was the first brightness she had ever Mourned. “Oh, no, it’s dead.” And he her father Mourned too, for more to come. “The Child at Winter Sunset” from COLLECTED AND NEW POEMS 1924–1963 by Mark Van Doren. Copyright © 1963 by Mark Van Doren. Copyright renewed © 1991 by Dorothy G. Van Doren. Reprinted by permission of Hill & Wang, a division of Farrar, Straus & Giroux, LLC.

30. The central subject of the poem is (A) the indifference of fathers to the sensibilities of their daughters (B) facing one’s own death (C) dealing with loss and sorrow (D) the cruelty of time and the seasons (E) the difficulty parents have in understanding their children 31. Which of the following lines most clearly presents the difference in perspective between the father and the daughter? (A) “And she on the lawn, comfortless by her father” (line 7) (B) “‘Darling. There will be other nights—some of them even better.’” (line 10) (C) “‘Oh, no. It died.’ He laughed. But she did not.” (line 11) (D) “It was her first glory.” (line 12) (E) “And he her father / Mourned too, for more to come.” (lines 15–16)

34. At the end of the poem, the father’s attitude toward his daughter’s crying is best characterized as (A) patronizing and selfish (B) patient but stern (C) sympathetic and understanding (D) condescending and detached (E) good-humored but naïve

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Questions 35–38

36. Which of the following is the antecedent of “their” (line 11)?

In My Craft or Sullen Art

Line (5)

(10)

(15)

(20)

(A) “lovers” (line 4) (B) “griefs” (line 5) (C) “strut and trade of charms” (line 8) (D) “ivory stages” (line 9) (E) “wages” (line 10)

In my craft or sullen art Exercised in the still night When only the moon rages And the lovers lie abed With all their griefs in their arms, I labour by singing light Not for ambition or bread Or the strut and trade of charms On the ivory stages But for the common wages Of their most secret heart.

37. The phrase “the towering dead / With their nightingales and psalms” (lines 15–16) alludes to the (A) oppressive weight of time and eternity (B) poet’s physical and spiritual future (C) voices of nature and the supernatural (D) artificiality and futility of human institutions (E) great poets and poetry of the past

Not for the proud man apart From the raging moon I write On these spindrift* pages Nor for the towering dead With their nightingales and psalms But for the lovers, their arms Round the griefs of the ages. Who pay no praise or wages Nor heed my craft or art. *wind-blown

L I T E R A T U R E

38. How does the speaker feel about the response of the lovers to his efforts? (A) The speaker wishes to get vengeance by revealing the secrets of the lovers. (B) The speaker will stop writing out of resentment for their indifference. (C) The speaker will seek a new audience and relegate the lovers to the position of the proud man. (D) The speaker will continue to write for the lovers regardless of their response. (E) The speaker really writes only for himself and does not desire an audience.

sea spray

35. The negative constructions “Not . . . But” (lines 7 and 10) and “Not . . . Nor . . . But” (lines 12, 15, and 17) are a feature of the structure of the poem that emphasizes a contrast between the (A) typical human motivations and the motivation of the speaker (B) attitudes of the speaker toward himself and toward the lovers (C) lovers embracing their own griefs and embracing the griefs of the ages (D) attitude of the speaker toward the lovers and their attitude toward the speaker (E) common craft of writing light verse and the sublime art of writing poetry

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Questions 39–44

40. In context, lines 7–8 are best understood as a call for

Now Winter Nights Enlarge

Line (5)

(10)

(15)

(20)

L I T E R A T U R E

(A) shocking revelations of truth (B) stimulating intellectual debates (C) informal discussions of religious issues (D) poetry in honor of the natural world (E) pleasing and compelling songs

Now winter nights enlarge The number of their hours; And clouds their storms discharge Upon the airy towers. Let now the chimneys blaze And cups o’erflow with wine, Let well-tuned words amaze With harmony divine. Now yellow waxen lights Shall wait on honey love While youthful revels, masques, and courtly sights Sleep’s leaden spells remove.

41. In context, “leaden spells” (line 12) implies that sleep is (A) a period of dullness (B) detrimental to health (C) one way to endure the night (D) subtly bewitching (E) an occasion for fantasy

This time doth well dispense With lovers’ long discourse; Much speech hath some defense, Though beauty no remorse. All do not all things well; Some measures comely tread, Some knotted riddles tell, Some poems smoothly read. The summer hath his joys, And winter his delights; Though Love and all his pleasures are but toys, They shorten tedious nights.

42. Lines 13–14 suggest that winter nights are suitable times for (A) lovers to talk less (B) lovers to say goodbye (C) lovers to meet (D) talking about lovers (E) not talking at all

39. In the first stanza (lines 1–12), the poet contrasts the

43. In lines 21–22, “his” refers to the (A) lover talking with his beloved in lines 13–16 (B) person who has none of the talents described in lines 18–20 (C) “Love” described in line 23 (D) summer and winter seasons, respectively (E) lover whose pleasures have been cut short by each season in turn

(A) cold weather during winter with the heat of summer (B) experience of living alone with that of receiving guests (C) beginning of the winter season with its ending (D) energy of the natural world with the relative stupor of civilization (E) stark chill outdoors with the warm cheer indoors

44. The speaker’s attitude toward winter nights is characterized by (A) dread of their loneliness and cold (B) regret that they will never return (C) anticipation of the joy they afford (D) a fear that they will be lengthy (E) criticism of how wastefully they can be spent

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Questions 45–50

47. In line 23, “moral center” refers to an individual’s

The following was written in 1955.

Line (5)

(10)

(15)

(20)

(25)

(A) sense of dismay at the world’s injustices (B) values shared with like-minded people (C) obsession with ethical issues (D) essential beliefs that govern actions (E) attitude about extreme views

About my interests: I don’t know if I have any, unless the morbid desire to own a sixteenmillimeter camera and make experimental movies can be so classified. Otherwise, I love to eat and drink—it’s my melancholy conviction that I’ve scarcely ever had enough to eat (this is because it’s impossible to eat enough if you’re worried about the next meal)—and I love to argue with people who do not disagree with me too profoundly, and I love to laugh. I do not like bohemia, or bohemians, I do not like people whose principal aim is pleasure, and I do not like people who are earnest about anything. I don’t like people who like me because I’m a Negro; neither do I like people who find in the same accident grounds for contempt. I love America more than any other country in the world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually. I think all theories are suspect, that the finest principles may have to be modified, or may even be pulverized by the demands of life, and that one must find, therefore, one’s own moral center and move through the world hoping that this center will guide one aright. I consider that I have many responsibilities, but none greater than this: to last, as Hemingway says, and get my work done. I want to be an honest man and a good writer.

48. The last sentence in the first paragraph (lines 24–27) suggests that the speaker (A) realizes he will never achieve literary fame (B) views life as a struggle in which only the fit survive (C) thinks that he is exempt from the laws followed by others (D) respects the writings of others more than he does his own (E) sees his writing as his most important contribution 49. It can be inferred from the passage that the speaker would disapprove most strongly of

45. Which of the following best describes the passage? (A) A literary tribute to the writer’s profession (B) A detailed chronicle of the writer’s past experiences (C) A personal statement revealing the writer’s character (D) A critique of various philosophical outlooks (E) A plea for the reader to examine the meaning of existence 46. In line 15, “accident” is best understood to refer to (A) education (B) ethnicity (C) mood (D) behavior (E) philosophy

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(A) crusaders who are zealously devoted to their cause (B) American citizens who criticize national policy (C) those who fail to explain the moral principles underlying their actions (D) young rebels who refuse to listen to wiser, more experienced advisers (E) those who insist that experience is the best teacher of moral values 50. The tone of the passage is best described as (A) cynical (B) flippant (C) reflective (D) agitated (E) nostalgic

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Questions 51–57

51. The speaker of the poem specifically addresses (A) an unnamed woman (B) lusty young men (C) Queen Bess (D) an admirer of his poems (E) a noble patron

Time to Be Wise

Line (5)

(10)

(15)

Yes; I write verses now and then, But blunt and flaccid is my pen, No longer talk’d of by young men As rather clever; In the last quarter are my eyes, You see it by their form and size; Is it not time then to be wise? Or now or never.

52. The “entangling blooms of Beauty’s spring” (line 18) are best understood as (A) beautiful flowers (B) lush gardens (C) lovely young women (D) violent passions (E) dangerous delusions

Fairest that ever sprang from Eve! While Time allows the short reprieve, Just look at me! would you believe ’T was once a lover? I cannot clear the five-bar gate; But, trying first its timber’s state, Climb stiffly up, take breath, and wait To trundle over.

53. In context, lines 21–24 suggest that the

Through gallopade I cannot swing The entangling blooms of Beauty’s spring: I cannot say the tender thing, Be ’t true or false, And am beginning to opine Those girls are only half divine Whose waists yon wicked boys entwine In giddy waltz. 1

(20)

(25)

(30)

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(A) speaker’s eyesight is failing (B) speaker’s beloved is no longer beautiful (C) speaker has trouble choosing only one lover (D) speaker’s attitude toward women has changed over time (E) speaker treats girls as though they were goddesses

I fear that arm above that shoulder; I wish them wiser, graver, older, Sedater, and no harm if colder, And panting less. Ah! people were not half so wild In former days, when, starchly mild, Upon her high-heel’d Essex smil’d The brave Queen Bess.2 1

a lively dance

Queen Elizabeth I; the Earl of Essex was a favorite of the queen.

54. In context, the tone of the phrase “yon wicked boys” (line 23) is best described as (A) self-deprecatory (B) mock moral (C) apologetic (D) obsequious (E) euphoric

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55. In the last lines of the poem, the speaker suggests that the era of “brave Queen Bess” (line 32) would have been

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57. The speaker’s attitude in the poem is primarily one of (A) wretchedness and despair (B) regret tempered by mature insights (C) envy of the passions of younger men (D) moral disapproval of young lovers (E) mockery of polite courtship conventions

(A) too peaceful for him (B) too conscious of hierarchy and nobility (C) more conducive to amorous adventures (D) more suitable for him given his present condition (E) more appealing to the young people of his own time 56. The poem as a whole can best be described as (A) a fond remembrance of one man’s youthful days (B) a tearful complaint about the indignities of old age (C) an ironic commentary on the traps beauty sets for the unwary (D) a dispassionate analysis of the changes that took place in an ill-fated romantic relationship (E) a wry reflection on the changes age has wrought in a man who once considered himself a lover

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Questions 58–63

(45)

Dr. Trench is engaged to marry Blanche, the daughter of Mr. Sartorius.

Line (5)

(10)

(15)

(20)

(25)

(30)

(35)

(40)

SARTORIUS: Live on your income! Impossible: my daughter is accustomed to a proper establishment. Did I not expressly undertake to provide for that? Did she not tell you I promised her to do so? TRENCH: Yes, I know all about that, Mr Sartorius; and I’m greatly obliged to you; but I’d rather not take anything from you except Blanche herself. SARTORIUS: And why did you not say so before? TRENCH: No matter why. Let us drop the subject. SARTORIUS: No matter! But it does matter, sir. I insist on an answer. Why did you not say so before? TRENCH: I didnt know before. SARTORIUS [provoked] Then you ought to have known your own mind on a point of such vital importance. TRENCH [much injured] I ought to have known! Cokane: is this reasonable? [Cokane’s features are contorted by an air of judicial consideration; but he says nothing; and Trench again addresses Sartorius, this time with a marked diminution of respect]. How the deuce could I have known? You didnt tell me. SARTORIUS: You are trifling with me, sir. You said that you did not know your own mind before. TRENCH: I said nothing of the sort. I say that I did not know where your money came from before. SARTORIUS: That is not true, sir. I— COKANE: Gently, my dear sir. Gently, Harry, dear boy. Suaviter in modo: fort—* TRENCH: Let him begin, then. What does he mean by attacking me in this fashion? SARTORIUS: Mr Cokane: you will bear me out. I was explicit on the point. I said I was a self-made man; and I am not ashamed of it. TRENCH: You are nothing of the sort. I found out this morning from your man—Lickcheese, or whatever his confounded name is—that your fortune has been made out of a parcel of unfortunate creatures that have hardly enough to keep body and soul together—made by screwing, and bullying, and threatening, and all sorts of pettifogging tyranny. SARTORIUS [outraged] Sir! [They confront one another threateningly]. COKANE [softly] Rent must be paid, dear boy. It is inevitable, Harry, inevitable. [Trench turns

(50)

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away petulantly. Sartorius looks after him reflectively for a moment; then resumes his former deliberate and dignified manner, and addresses Trench with studied consideration, but with a perceptible condescension to his youth and folly]. *The

first part of a Latin proverb meaning “gently in manner: forcibly in deed”

58. The passage is most concerned with (A) a plea for help (B) a clash of values (C) an argument for austerity (D) a denunciation of pride (E) an examination of marriage conventions 59. In context, the phrase “proper establishment” (line 2) means (A) appropriate home and standard of living (B) socially prominent family and friends (C) respectable work and business associates (D) access to the finest modern university education (E) involvement in charitable and philanthropic activities 60. The tone of Trench’s responses to Sartorius in lines 5–7 (“Yes . . . herself”) is best described as (A) reproachful (B) inquisitive (C) embarrassed (D) enthusiastic (E) courteous

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61. The stage directions in lines 44–50 (“Trench . . . folly”) suggest that

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63. The movement of the passage is from

(A) Trench is looking forward to a discussion with Sartorius (B) Trench is reserved and Sartorius is preparing to be aggressive (C) Trench is sulking and Sartorius is preparing to patronize him (D) Sartorius is about to compliment Trench’s ethical stance (E) Sartorius is determined to make Trench end the engagement 62. Cokane’s role in this scene is best described as (A) a bully (B) a referee (C) an antagonist (D) a legal expert (E) a social commentator

(A) polite disagreement to angry disputation to possible resolution (B) furious confrontation to reasoned discourse to full agreement (C) controlled anger to open discussion to deep empathy (D) physical threats to dignified atonement (E) rational analysis to self-recrimination

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Questions 64−68

Line (5)

(10)

(15)

(20)

(25)

65. In lines 6−7, the author’s attitude toward written human history is best described as

The first sparrow of spring! The year beginning with younger hope than ever! The faint silvery warblings heard over the partially bare and moist fields from the bluebird, the song-sparrow, and the redwing, as if the last flakes of winter tinkled as they fell! What at such a time are histories, chronologies, traditions, and all written revelations? The brooks sing carols and glees to the spring. The marsh-hawk sailing low over the meadow is already seeking the first slimy life that awakes. The sinking sound of melting snow is heard in all dells, and the ice dissolves apace in the ponds. The grass flames up on the hillsides like a spring fire—“et primitus oritur herba imbribus primoribus evocata”*—as if the earth sent forth an inward heat to greet the returning sun; not yellow but green is the color of its flame; the symbol of perpetual youth, the grass-blade, like a long green ribbon, streams from the sod into the summer, checked indeed by the frost, but anon pushing on again, lifting its spear of last year’s hay with the fresh life below. It grows as steadily as the rill oozes out of the ground. It is almost identical with that, for in the growing days of June, when the rills are dry, the grass blades are their channels, and from year to year the herds drink at this perennial green stream, and the mower draws from it betimes their winter supply. So our human life but dies down to its root, and still puts forth its green blade to eternity. *and

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for the first time the grass arises, called forth by the earliest rains

(A) reverent (B) respectful (C) uncertain (D) dismissive (E) condemnatory 66. The observation that the “grass flames up on the hillsides like a spring fire” (lines 12−13) calls attention to the (A) dangers inherent in spring weather (B) power and energy of the grass (C) unexpected change from winter to spring (D) ambiguous nature of the grass (E) ultimate fate of the grass at the end of the season 67. The passage presents death for humans as (A) the doorway to the afterlife (B) the pathway to revelation (C) a sobering finality (D) a cause for fear (E) part of a natural cycle 68. The mood of the passage is both (A) celebratory and reflective (B) anxious and elated (C) curious and cynical (D) optimistic and fearful (E) welcoming and guarded

64. In the third sentence (lines 2−6), the imagery of “the last flakes of winter” evokes the impression made by (A) cracking ice (B) church bells (C) birds’ songs (D) soft breezes (E) running water

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Questions 69−73

71. “To turn the keenness of the share” (line 12) is best taken to mean

Not They Who Soar

Line (5)

(10)

(15)

(A) to uncover something surprising (B) to dig deeper than necessary (C) to blunt the sharpness of the blade (D) to remove the obstacle from the path (E) to injure the worker doing the plowing

Not they who soar, but they who plod Their rugged way, unhelped, to God Are heroes; they who higher fare, And, flying, fan the upper air, Miss all the toil that hugs the sod. ’Tis they whose backs have felt the rod, Whose feet have pressed the path unshod, May smile upon defeated care, Not they who soar.

72. The poem structures its argument around an extended antithesis between imagery of (A) triumph and failure (B) heroism and villainy (C) mortals and angels (D) earth and air (E) hopefulness and despair

High up there are no thorns to prod, Nor boulders lurking ’neath the clod To turn the keenness of the share,* For flight is ever free and rare; But heroes they the soil who’ve trod, Not they who soar! *the

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part of the plow that cuts the furrow

73. The speaker’s tone is best described as one of

69. The “Not . . . but” structure in line 1 calls attention to (A) a sudden shift in religious beliefs (B) a reversal of conventional social status (C) the similarity of seemingly opposite types of people (D) the recognition that everyone is a hero (E) the danger of rampant individualism 70. As used in the poem, the word “plod” (line 1) has all of the following connotations EXCEPT (A) monotony (B) drudgery (C) perseverance (D) determined effort (E) careless indifference

(A) deep feeling (B) sincere regret (C) melancholy contemplation (D) smug satisfaction (E) anxious ambivalence

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Study Resources

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Answer Key

The most relevant preparation for the Analyzing and Interpreting Literature exam is attentive and reflective reading of the various literary genres of poetry, drama and prose. You can prepare for the test by: 1. Reading a variety of poetry, drama, fiction and nonfiction 2. Reading critical analyses of various literary works 3. Writing analyses and interpretations of the works you read 4. Discussing with others the meaning of the literature you read Textbooks and anthologies used for college courses in the analysis and interpretation of literature contain a sampling of literary works in a variety of genres. They also contain material that can help you comprehend the meanings of literary works and recognize the devices writers use to convey their sense and intent. To prepare for the exam, you should study the contents of at least one textbook or anthology, which you can find in most college bookstores. You would do well to consult two or three texts because they do vary somewhat in content, approach and emphases. Visit www.collegeboard.org/clepprep for additional literature and writing resources. You can also find suggestions for exam preparation in Chapter IV of the Official Study Guide. In addition, many college faculty post their course materials on their schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; websites.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37.

B C D B A E E A A C B E A C A D B C B C E B A B D C B C A C C B E C A A E

38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73.

D E E A A D C C B D E A C A C D B D E B B A E C B A C D B E A B E C D A

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Test Measurement Overview Format There are multiple forms of the computer-based test, each containing a predetermined set of scored questions. The examinations are not adaptive. There may be some overlap between different forms of a test: any of the forms may have a few questions, many questions, or no questions in common. Some overlap may be necessary for statistical reasons. In the computer-based test, not all questions contribute to the candidate’s score. Some of the questions presented to the candidate are being pretested for use in future editions of the tests and will not count toward his or her score.

Scoring Information CLEP examinations are scored without a penalty for incorrect guessing. The candidate’s raw score is simply the number of questions answered correctly. However, this raw score is not reported; the raw scores are translated into a scaled score by a process that adjusts for differences in the difficulty of the questions on the various forms of the test.

Scaled Scores The scaled scores are reported on a scale of 20–80. Because the different forms of the tests are not always exactly equal in difficulty, raw-to-scale conversions may in some cases differ from form to form. The easier a form is judged to be, the higher the raw score required to attain a given scaled score. Table 1 indicates the relationship between number correct (raw score) and scaled score across all forms.

The Recommended Credit-Granting Score Table 1 also indicates the recommended credit-granting score, which represents the performance of students earning a grade of C in the corresponding course. The recommended B-level score represents B-level performance in equivalent course work. These scores were established as the result of a Standard Setting Study, the most recent having been conducted in 2003. The recommended credit-granting scores are based upon the judgments of a panel of experts currently teaching equivalent courses at various colleges and universities. These

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experts evaluate each question in order to determine the raw scores that would correspond to B and C levels of performance. Their judgments are then reviewed by a test development committee, which, in consultation with test content and psychometric specialists, makes a final determination. The standard-setting study is described more fully in the earlier section entitled “CLEP Credit Granting” on page 4. Panel members participating in the most recent study were: Regina Alston James Barcus Phyllis Betz Warren Carson Christine Ferguson Kathryn Henkins Lucinda Hilbrink Mary Kramer Mark Lencho Byron Nelson Roger Ochse Elaine Razzano Charles Rutherford Jamieson Spencer Alan Steinberg Robert Terry Willie Tolliver Richard Tuerk Karen VaughtAlexander

North Carolina Central University Baylor University LaSalle University University of South Carolina — Spartanburg Scottsdale Community College Mt. San Antonio College University of New Orleans University of Massachusetts — Lowell University of Wisconsin — Whitewater West Virginia University Black Hills State University Lyndon State College University of Maryland — College Park St. Louis Community College — Florissant State University of New York — Potsdam Southern Arkansas University Agnes Scott College Texas A&M University — Commerce University of Portland

To establish the exact correspondences between raw and scaled scores, a scaled score of 50 is assigned to the raw score that corresponds to the recommended credit-granting score for C-level performance. Then a high (but in some cases, possibly less than perfect) raw score will be selected and assigned a scaled score of 80. These two points — 50 and 80 — determine a function that generates a raw-to-scale conversion for the test.

Table 1: Analyzing and Interpreting Literature Interpretive Score Data American Council on Education (ACE) Recommended Number of Semester Hours of Credit: 6 Course Grade

Scaled Score

Number Correct

80 79 78 77 76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65 64 63 62 61 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50* 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20

68-70 66-67 65-66 64-65 63-64 62 61 59-60 58-59 57-58 56-57 55-56 54-55 53-54 52-53 51-52 50-51 48-49 47-48 46-47 45-46 44-45 43-44 42-43 41-42 40-41 39-40 38-39 37-38 36-37 35-36 34-35 33-34 32 31 30 29 28-29 27-28 26-27 25-26 24-25 23-24 22-23 21-22 20-21 19-20 18-19 17-18 16-17 15-16 14-15 13-14 13-14 12-13 11-12 10-11 9-10 8-9 7-8 0-7

*Credit-granting score recommended by ACE. Note: The number-correct scores for each scaled score on different forms may vary depending on form difďŹ culty.

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Validity

Reliability

Validity is a characteristic of a particular use of the test scores of a group of examinees. If the scores are used to make inferences about the examinees’ knowledge of a particular subject, the validity of the scores for that purpose is the extent to which those inferences can be trusted to be accurate.

The reliability of the test scores of a group of examinees is commonly described by two statistics: the reliability coefficient and the standard error of measurement (SEM). The reliability coefficient is the correlation between the scores those examinees get (or would get) on two independent replications of the measurement process. The reliability coefficient is intended to indicate the stability/consistency of the candidates’ test scores, and is often expressed as a number ranging from .00 to 1.00. A value of .00 indicates total lack of stability, while a value of 1.00 indicates perfect stability. The reliability coefficient can be interpreted as the correlation between the scores examinees would earn on two forms of the test that had no questions in common.

One type of evidence for the validity of test scores is called content-related evidence of validity. It is usually based upon the judgments of a set of experts who evaluate the extent to which the content of the test is appropriate for the inferences to be made about the examinees’ knowledge. The committee that developed the CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature examination selected the content of the test to reflect the content of Analyzing and Interpreting Literature courses at most colleges, as determined by a curriculum survey. Since colleges differ somewhat in the content of the courses they offer, faculty members should, and are urged to, review the content outline and the sample questions to ensure that the test covers core content appropriate to the courses at their college. Another type of evidence for test-score validity is called criterion-related evidence of validity. It consists of statistical evidence that examinees who score high on the test also do well on other measures of the knowledge or skills the test is being used to measure. Criterion-related evidence for the validity of CLEP scores can be obtained by studies comparing students’ CLEP scores with the grades they received in corresponding classes, or other measures of achievement or ability. CLEP and the College Board conduct these studies, called Admitted Class Evaluation Service or ACES, for individual colleges that meet certain criteria at the college’s request. Please contact CLEP for more information.

Statisticians use an internal-consistency measure to calculate the reliability coefficients for the CLEP exam. This involves looking at the statistical relationships among responses to individual multiple-choice questions to estimate the reliability of the total test score. The formula used is known as Kuder-Richardson 20, or KR-20, which is equivalent to a more general formula called coefficient alpha. The SEM is an index of the extent to which students’ obtained scores tend to vary from their true scores.1 It is expressed in score units of the test. Intervals extending one standard error above and below the true score (see below) for a test-taker will include 68 percent of that test-taker’s obtained scores. Similarly, intervals extending two standard errors above and below the true score will include 95 percent of the test-taker’s obtained scores. The standard error of measurement is inversely related to the reliability coefficient. If the reliability of the test were 1.00 (if it perfectly measured the candidate’s knowledge), the standard error of measurement would be zero. Scores on the CLEP examination in Analyzing and Interpreting Literature are estimated to have a reliability coefficient of 0.89. The standard error of measurement is 3.33 scaled-score points. 1

True score is a hypothetical concept indicating what an individual’s score on a test would be if there were no errors introduced by the measuring process. It is thought of as the hypothetical average of an infinite number of obtained scores for a test-taker with the effect of practice removed.

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