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AP English Language and Composition 2.4 Passage Drill 241 Views
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Description:
AP English Language and Composition 2.4 Passage Drill. In the context of the passage, which of the following words from the second paragraph does the speaker use with the least negative tone?
Transcript
- 00:00
[ musical flourish ]
- 00:03
And here's your Shmoop du jour, brought to you by civil war.
- 00:08
Because there's nothing more civil than lopping off the heads of your countrymen.
- 00:13
Ever heard that song by Guns N Roses?
- 00:16
[ singing ] Ain't no civil war
Full Transcript
- 00:19
[ singing indistinctly ]
- 00:20
Boy, they were good in the day. Ask your parents about them. They really were.
- 00:23
All right, you done reading?
- 00:25
[ mumbles ]
- 00:29
All right, we're done.
- 00:31
In the context of the passage, which of the following words
- 00:34
from the second paragraph does the speaker use with the least negative tone?
- 00:39
And here are the potential answers.
- 00:41
Okay, so this speaker appears to have a big bug up his butt.
- 00:45
A lot of negativity coming from over here.
- 00:48
Someone woke up on the wrong side of the castle, didn't they?
- 00:51
The question's asking of these five words, which was used least negatively?
- 00:55
Is it A - ambition?
- 00:57
Well, ambition can be a good thing.
- 00:59
Your parents keep telling your big brother they wish he had more of it.
- 01:02
But it's not such a good thing here.
- 01:04
The speaker says that it would inspire men to attain higher offices
- 01:08
where they would wreak all kinds of havoc.
- 01:10
So A is out.
- 01:11
Aspire. Uh, no.
- 01:14
It's part of the whole "aspire to office" thing the speaker is criticizing.
- 01:18
So B ain't it, either.
- 01:20
D, as in debauchery. [ chuckles ]
- 01:22
Well, we're not sure in what universe "debauchery" would be used
- 01:25
in a positive manner, unless maybe you've been invited to
- 01:28
the Playboy Mansion or something like that.
- 01:30
But that isn't the case here. In fact, it's mentioned in the same breath as
- 01:34
indolence, also never a good thing.
- 01:37
E - fitter?
- 01:39
Well, here "fitter" means "better suited,"
- 01:41
and the speaker is saying they're better suited for an easy life,
- 01:44
so it's a burn indicating that these guys aren't cut out for battle.
- 01:48
All right, which leaves C - superior.
- 01:50
Well, this word could have been used negatively, but in this paragraph,
- 01:53
it actually wasn't.
- 01:55
He's just referring to high society.
- 01:57
So C it is. And, for once, our speaker isn't being a negative Nancy.
- 02:03
[ sigh ]
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