AP English Language Practice Set 4

Questions 31–38 refer to the passage below.

The passage below is a draft.

(1) Language and culture are deeply interconnected, each influencing the other in a profound and symbolic manner. (2) The relationship between language and culture is reciprocal, with language serving as a representation of the entire culture in the minds of its speakers. (3) Conversely, culture also encapsulates language, manifesting in the economic, religious, and philosophical systems of a nation. (4) The formation of language is a means of expressing ideas and concepts, and these expressions evolve based on the dominant cultural elements at any given time. (5) The expansion of language triggers changes in culture.

(6) An inherent advantage of human language, as a learned symbolic communication system, lies in its infinite flexibility. (7) The meaning of words can be altered, leading to the creation of new symbolism. (8) For instance, the word “Nice” in contemporary English conveys qualities such as pleasing, agreeable, polite, and kind, whereas in the 15th century, it meant foolish, wanton, lascivious, and wicked. (9) This example underscores the capacity of languages to evolve in response to historical and social conditions.

(10) The United States, characterized by a mosaic of cultures and languages, exemplifies the impact of individual cultures on the overarching American culture. (11) Various words from diverse cultural origins, like “long time no see,” originally translated from Chinese, as well as culinary terms like sushi and tofu, have become integrated into American society. (12) The acceptance and understanding of these adaptations demonstrate their assimilation into the “local” culture.

(13) Culture, defined as a learned system encompassing values, beliefs, and norms within a group, undergoes transformation through influences such as ethnic background, nationality, gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, and religion. (14) Beyond shaping values and habits, culture also exerts influence on language and behavior. (15) Cultural knowledge is indispensable for linguistic proficiency, and the language used can alter the culture of a society.

(16) Over time, language retains old words even if they are no longer culturally relevant, while new words emerge, becoming associated with specific cultural activities. (17) Slang terms evolve with each era, often influenced by factors like television programs, politics, or music, creating distinct “pop languages.” (18) The Beatles and contemporary Hop Pop music exemplify how cultural trends are shaped by language. (19) In essence, language is inherently cultural, and it should be viewed as an integral part of society and its culture.

Which of the following sentences could the writer add before sentence 1 to most effectively introduce the passage?

Questions 31–38 refer to the passage below.

The passage below is a draft.

(1) Language and culture are deeply interconnected, each influencing the other in a profound and symbolic manner. (2) The relationship between language and culture is reciprocal, with language serving as a representation of the entire culture in the minds of its speakers. (3) Conversely, culture also encapsulates language, manifesting in the economic, religious, and philosophical systems of a nation. (4) The formation of language is a means of expressing ideas and concepts, and these expressions evolve based on the dominant cultural elements at any given time. (5) The expansion of language triggers changes in culture.

(6) An inherent advantage of human language, as a learned symbolic communication system, lies in its infinite flexibility. (7) The meaning of words can be altered, leading to the creation of new symbolism. (8) For instance, the word “Nice” in contemporary English conveys qualities such as pleasing, agreeable, polite, and kind, whereas in the 15th century, it meant foolish, wanton, lascivious, and wicked. (9) This example underscores the capacity of languages to evolve in response to historical and social conditions.

(10) The United States, characterized by a mosaic of cultures and languages, exemplifies the impact of individual cultures on the overarching American culture. (11) Various words from diverse cultural origins, like “long time no see,” originally translated from Chinese, as well as culinary terms like sushi and tofu, have become integrated into American society. (12) The acceptance and understanding of these adaptations demonstrate their assimilation into the “local” culture.

(13) Culture, defined as a learned system encompassing values, beliefs, and norms within a group, undergoes transformation through influences such as ethnic background, nationality, gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, and religion. (14) Beyond shaping values and habits, culture also exerts influence on language and behavior. (15) Cultural knowledge is indispensable for linguistic proficiency, and the language used can alter the culture of a society.

(16) Over time, language retains old words even if they are no longer culturally relevant, while new words emerge, becoming associated with specific cultural activities. (17) Slang terms evolve with each era, often influenced by factors like television programs, politics, or music, creating distinct “pop languages.” (18) The Beatles and contemporary Hop Pop music exemplify how cultural trends are shaped by language. (19) In essence, language is inherently cultural, and it should be viewed as an integral part of society and its culture.

The author intends for the text to seem relevant from an anthropological and historical point of view. Which sentence, when added after sentence 15, would facilitate this perspective?

Questions 31–38 refer to the passage below.

The passage below is a draft.

(1) Language and culture are deeply interconnected, each influencing the other in a profound and symbolic manner. (2) The relationship between language and culture is reciprocal, with language serving as a representation of the entire culture in the minds of its speakers. (3) Conversely, culture also encapsulates language, manifesting in the economic, religious, and philosophical systems of a nation. (4) The formation of language is a means of expressing ideas and concepts, and these expressions evolve based on the dominant cultural elements at any given time. (5) The expansion of language triggers changes in culture.

(6) An inherent advantage of human language, as a learned symbolic communication system, lies in its infinite flexibility. (7) The meaning of words can be altered, leading to the creation of new symbolism. (8) For instance, the word “Nice” in contemporary English conveys qualities such as pleasing, agreeable, polite, and kind, whereas in the 15th century, it meant foolish, wanton, lascivious, and wicked. (9) This example underscores the capacity of languages to evolve in response to historical and social conditions.

(10) The United States, characterized by a mosaic of cultures and languages, exemplifies the impact of individual cultures on the overarching American culture. (11) Various words from diverse cultural origins, like “long time no see,” originally translated from Chinese, as well as culinary terms like sushi and tofu, have become integrated into American society. (12) The acceptance and understanding of these adaptations demonstrate their assimilation into the “local” culture.

(13) Culture, defined as a learned system encompassing values, beliefs, and norms within a group, undergoes transformation through influences such as ethnic background, nationality, gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, and religion. (14) Beyond shaping values and habits, culture also exerts influence on language and behavior. (15) Cultural knowledge is indispensable for linguistic proficiency, and the language used can alter the culture of a society.

(16) Over time, language retains old words even if they are no longer culturally relevant, while new words emerge, becoming associated with specific cultural activities. (17) Slang terms evolve with each era, often influenced by factors like television programs, politics, or music, creating distinct “pop languages.” (18) The Beatles and contemporary Hop Pop music exemplify how cultural trends are shaped by language. (19) In essence, language is inherently cultural, and it should be viewed as an integral part of society and its culture.

In sentence 12 (reproduced below), the writer is considering deleting the underlined text.

“The acceptance and understanding of these adaptations demonstrate their assimilation into the ‘local’ culture.”

Should the writer keep or delete the underlined text?

Questions 31–38 refer to the passage below.

The passage below is a draft.

(1) Language and culture are deeply interconnected, each influencing the other in a profound and symbolic manner. (2) The relationship between language and culture is reciprocal, with language serving as a representation of the entire culture in the minds of its speakers. (3) Conversely, culture also encapsulates language, manifesting in the economic, religious, and philosophical systems of a nation. (4) The formation of language is a means of expressing ideas and concepts, and these expressions evolve based on the dominant cultural elements at any given time. (5) The expansion of language triggers changes in culture.

(6) An inherent advantage of human language, as a learned symbolic communication system, lies in its infinite flexibility. (7) The meaning of words can be altered, leading to the creation of new symbolism. (8) For instance, the word “Nice” in contemporary English conveys qualities such as pleasing, agreeable, polite, and kind, whereas in the 15th century, it meant foolish, wanton, lascivious, and wicked. (9) This example underscores the capacity of languages to evolve in response to historical and social conditions.

(10) The United States, characterized by a mosaic of cultures and languages, exemplifies the impact of individual cultures on the overarching American culture. (11) Various words from diverse cultural origins, like “long time no see,” originally translated from Chinese, as well as culinary terms like sushi and tofu, have become integrated into American society. (12) The acceptance and understanding of these adaptations demonstrate their assimilation into the “local” culture.

(13) Culture, defined as a learned system encompassing values, beliefs, and norms within a group, undergoes transformation through influences such as ethnic background, nationality, gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, and religion. (14) Beyond shaping values and habits, culture also exerts influence on language and behavior. (15) Cultural knowledge is indispensable for linguistic proficiency, and the language used can alter the culture of a society.

(16) Over time, language retains old words even if they are no longer culturally relevant, while new words emerge, becoming associated with specific cultural activities. (17) Slang terms evolve with each era, often influenced by factors like television programs, politics, or music, creating distinct “pop languages.” (18) The Beatles and contemporary Hop Pop music exemplify how cultural trends are shaped by language. (19) In essence, language is inherently cultural, and it should be viewed as an integral part of society and its culture.

In sentence 17 (reproduced below), the writer wants to modify the underlined text to introduce an argument supported by evidence within the paragraph.

“Slang terms evolve with each era, often influenced by factors like television programs, politics, or music, creating distinct “pop languages”.”

Which of the following versions of the underlined text best accomplishes this goal?

Questions 31–38 refer to the passage below.

The passage below is a draft.

(1) Language and culture are deeply interconnected, each influencing the other in a profound and symbolic manner. (2) The relationship between language and culture is reciprocal, with language serving as a representation of the entire culture in the minds of its speakers. (3) Conversely, culture also encapsulates language, manifesting in the economic, religious, and philosophical systems of a nation. (4) The formation of language is a means of expressing ideas and concepts, and these expressions evolve based on the dominant cultural elements at any given time. (5) The expansion of language triggers changes in culture.

(6) An inherent advantage of human language, as a learned symbolic communication system, lies in its infinite flexibility. (7) The meaning of words can be altered, leading to the creation of new symbolism. (8) For instance, the word “Nice” in contemporary English conveys qualities such as pleasing, agreeable, polite, and kind, whereas in the 15th century, it meant foolish, wanton, lascivious, and wicked. (9) This example underscores the capacity of languages to evolve in response to historical and social conditions.

(10) The United States, characterized by a mosaic of cultures and languages, exemplifies the impact of individual cultures on the overarching American culture. (11) Various words from diverse cultural origins, like “long time no see,” originally translated from Chinese, as well as culinary terms like sushi and tofu, have become integrated into American society. (12) The acceptance and understanding of these adaptations demonstrate their assimilation into the “local” culture.

(13) Culture, defined as a learned system encompassing values, beliefs, and norms within a group, undergoes transformation through influences such as ethnic background, nationality, gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, and religion. (14) Beyond shaping values and habits, culture also exerts influence on language and behavior. (15) Cultural knowledge is indispensable for linguistic proficiency, and the language used can alter the culture of a society.

(16) Over time, language retains old words even if they are no longer culturally relevant, while new words emerge, becoming associated with specific cultural activities. (17) Slang terms evolve with each era, often influenced by factors like television programs, politics, or music, creating distinct “pop languages.” (18) The Beatles and contemporary Hop Pop music exemplify how cultural trends are shaped by language. (19) In essence, language is inherently cultural, and it should be viewed as an integral part of society and its culture.

The writer wants to add more information after sentence 14 to support the main argument. All of the following pieces of evidence help achieve this purpose EXCEPT which one?

Questions 31–38 refer to the passage below.

The passage below is a draft.

(1) Language and culture are deeply interconnected, each influencing the other in a profound and symbolic manner. (2) The relationship between language and culture is reciprocal, with language serving as a representation of the entire culture in the minds of its speakers. (3) Conversely, culture also encapsulates language, manifesting in the economic, religious, and philosophical systems of a nation. (4) The formation of language is a means of expressing ideas and concepts, and these expressions evolve based on the dominant cultural elements at any given time. (5) The expansion of language triggers changes in culture.

(6) An inherent advantage of human language, as a learned symbolic communication system, lies in its infinite flexibility. (7) The meaning of words can be altered, leading to the creation of new symbolism. (8) For instance, the word “Nice” in contemporary English conveys qualities such as pleasing, agreeable, polite, and kind, whereas in the 15th century, it meant foolish, wanton, lascivious, and wicked. (9) This example underscores the capacity of languages to evolve in response to historical and social conditions.

(10) The United States, characterized by a mosaic of cultures and languages, exemplifies the impact of individual cultures on the overarching American culture. (11) Various words from diverse cultural origins, like “long time no see,” originally translated from Chinese, as well as culinary terms like sushi and tofu, have become integrated into American society. (12) The acceptance and understanding of these adaptations demonstrate their assimilation into the “local” culture.

(13) Culture, defined as a learned system encompassing values, beliefs, and norms within a group, undergoes transformation through influences such as ethnic background, nationality, gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, and religion. (14) Beyond shaping values and habits, culture also exerts influence on language and behavior. (15) Cultural knowledge is indispensable for linguistic proficiency, and the language used can alter the culture of a society.

(16) Over time, language retains old words even if they are no longer culturally relevant, while new words emerge, becoming associated with specific cultural activities. (17) Slang terms evolve with each era, often influenced by factors like television programs, politics, or music, creating distinct “pop languages.” (18) The Beatles and contemporary Hop Pop music exemplify how cultural trends are shaped by language. (19) In essence, language is inherently cultural, and it should be viewed as an integral part of society and its culture.

The writer wants to add the following sentence to paragraph 5 (sentences 16–19) to further elaborate on the connection between language and culture:

“Furthermore, the evolution of language not only reflects cultural shifts but also preserves historical elements, acting as a linguistic repository that mirrors the societal changes over time.”

Where would the sentence be most effective?

Questions 31–38 refer to the passage below.

The passage below is a draft.

(1) Language and culture are deeply interconnected, each influencing the other in a profound and symbolic manner. (2) The relationship between language and culture is reciprocal, with language serving as a representation of the entire culture in the minds of its speakers. (3) Conversely, culture also encapsulates language, manifesting in the economic, religious, and philosophical systems of a nation. (4) The formation of language is a means of expressing ideas and concepts, and these expressions evolve based on the dominant cultural elements at any given time. (5) The expansion of language triggers changes in culture.

(6) An inherent advantage of human language, as a learned symbolic communication system, lies in its infinite flexibility. (7) The meaning of words can be altered, leading to the creation of new symbolism. (8) For instance, the word “Nice” in contemporary English conveys qualities such as pleasing, agreeable, polite, and kind, whereas in the 15th century, it meant foolish, wanton, lascivious, and wicked. (9) This example underscores the capacity of languages to evolve in response to historical and social conditions.

(10) The United States, characterized by a mosaic of cultures and languages, exemplifies the impact of individual cultures on the overarching American culture. (11) Various words from diverse cultural origins, like “long time no see,” originally translated from Chinese, as well as culinary terms like sushi and tofu, have become integrated into American society. (12) The acceptance and understanding of these adaptations demonstrate their assimilation into the “local” culture.

(13) Culture, defined as a learned system encompassing values, beliefs, and norms within a group, undergoes transformation through influences such as ethnic background, nationality, gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, and religion. (14) Beyond shaping values and habits, culture also exerts influence on language and behavior. (15) Cultural knowledge is indispensable for linguistic proficiency, and the language used can alter the culture of a society.

(16) Over time, language retains old words even if they are no longer culturally relevant, while new words emerge, becoming associated with specific cultural activities. (17) Slang terms evolve with each era, often influenced by factors like television programs, politics, or music, creating distinct “pop languages.” (18) The Beatles and contemporary Hop Pop music exemplify how cultural trends are shaped by language. (19) In essence, language is inherently cultural, and it should be viewed as an integral part of society and its culture.

The writer is considering modifying sentence 13 (reproduced below) to eliminate the underlined parenthetical phrase.

“Culture, defined as a learned system encompassing values, beliefs, and norms within a group, undergoes transformation through influences such as ethnic background, nationality, gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, and religion.“

Should the writer eliminate the underlined text?

Questions 31–38 refer to the passage below.

The passage below is a draft.

(1) Language and culture are deeply interconnected, each influencing the other in a profound and symbolic manner. (2) The relationship between language and culture is reciprocal, with language serving as a representation of the entire culture in the minds of its speakers. (3) Conversely, culture also encapsulates language, manifesting in the economic, religious, and philosophical systems of a nation. (4) The formation of language is a means of expressing ideas and concepts, and these expressions evolve based on the dominant cultural elements at any given time. (5) The expansion of language triggers changes in culture.

(6) An inherent advantage of human language, as a learned symbolic communication system, lies in its infinite flexibility. (7) The meaning of words can be altered, leading to the creation of new symbolism. (8) For instance, the word “Nice” in contemporary English conveys qualities such as pleasing, agreeable, polite, and kind, whereas in the 15th century, it meant foolish, wanton, lascivious, and wicked. (9) This example underscores the capacity of languages to evolve in response to historical and social conditions.

(10) The United States, characterized by a mosaic of cultures and languages, exemplifies the impact of individual cultures on the overarching American culture. (11) Various words from diverse cultural origins, like “long time no see,” originally translated from Chinese, as well as culinary terms like sushi and tofu, have become integrated into American society. (12) The acceptance and understanding of these adaptations demonstrate their assimilation into the “local” culture.

(13) Culture, defined as a learned system encompassing values, beliefs, and norms within a group, undergoes transformation through influences such as ethnic background, nationality, gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, and religion. (14) Beyond shaping values and habits, culture also exerts influence on language and behavior. (15) Cultural knowledge is indispensable for linguistic proficiency, and the language used can alter the culture of a society.

(16) Over time, language retains old words even if they are no longer culturally relevant, while new words emerge, becoming associated with specific cultural activities. (17) Slang terms evolve with each era, often influenced by factors like television programs, politics, or music, creating distinct “pop languages.” (18) The Beatles and contemporary Hop Pop music exemplify how cultural trends are shaped by language. (19) In essence, language is inherently cultural, and it should be viewed as an integral part of society and its culture.

In sentence 12 (reproduced below), the writer wants to more effectively convey the integration of various cultural elements into the idea of “local” culture.

“The acceptance and understanding of these adaptations demonstrate their assimilation into the “local” culture.”

Which version of the underlined text best accomplishes this goal?