SAISD AP MC Passage #2

In context, the author's primary purpose in the first paragraph (lines 1-12) is to

• show his familiarity with Lincoln's favorite stories

• point out different errors that scholars have made

• introduce a challenge that his topic poses

• critique the views of Lincoln's friends

• explain his skepticism regarding the state of the field

How does the author use note 1 to extend his argument in the first paragraph (lines 1-12)?

• He relates a disagreement between McClure and Arnold and then mentions Zall's inquiry into the matter.

• He claims McClure is "reliable" and then notes that MCClure's collection appears in Zall's "trustworthy" notebook.

• He questions McClure based on Arnold's comments and then offers Zall as an alternative source.

• He characterizes McClure as "an intimate friend of Lincoln's" and then asserts that Zall is more "scholarly" than McClure.

• He criticizes McClure and Arnold's reliance on "hearsay evidence" and then praises Zall's research methods.

In the second paragraph (lines 13-20), the author primarily

• lists the challenges others have experiences in cataloging Lincoln's jokes

• celebrates the timeless appeal of Lincoln's jokes

• describes how Lincoln's skills in telling jokes improved over the years

• distinguishes between the content and the delivery of Lincoln's jokes

• details the difficulty in verifying when Lincoln's jokes were recounted

In the third paragraph (lines 21-26), the author cites Whitney primarily to

• confirms Lincoln's exceptional storytelling skills

• argue that Lincoln's jokes were occasionally distateful

• stress that people thought Lincoln was unattractive

• show that Lincoln loved to laugh at himself

• reveal the moral lessons within Lincoln’s stories

Note 3 primarily serves which purpose?

• It represents Davis as an important influence on Lincoln’s political career

• It shows how humor advanced both Lincoln’s and Davis’ careers

• It suggests that Davis’ appreciation of Lincoln’s humor was politically motivated.

• It indicates the extent to which Davis shaped Lincoln as storyteller.

• It establishes Davis as a reliable source of information on Lincoln.

Which of the following does the fourth paragraph (lines 27-37) describe?

• Lincoln's full immersion in storytelling

• Audience's responses to Lincoln's stories

• The true significance behind Lincoln's stories

• Lincoln's typical mood when he was with people

• Lincoln's compulsive need to entertain people

The anecdote in the fifth paragraph (lines 38-52) primarily demonstrates

• how Lincoln's storytelling spoke to a broad audience

• how Lincoln improved his tales by listening to other storytellers

• when people began envisioning Lincoln as a potential president

• why Lincoln was relaxed and easygoing in the 1840s

• why colleagues were uncertain of Lincoln's political loyalty

In note 6, "Thomas's note" indicates that

• Lincoln was indifferent to his father's moralizing

• Lincoln observed his father estranged friends by telling jokes

• Lincoln's father gave great speeches during his son's campaign

• Lincoln's father was a better storyteller than Lincoln was

• Lincoln acknowledges his father's storytelling talents.

What purpose does the "Editor's note serve in note 6?

• It contextualizes a personal source of information about Lincoln.

• It offers the reader sources to conduct additional research on Parks.

• It suggests that Howells’ book is readily available in major libraries.

• It presents an alternative assessment of Parks’s friendship with Lincoln.

• It confirms that Lincoln expressed his approval of Howells’ book.

The description in lines 62-68 (When he spoke...voice") suggests that Lincoln

• described fantastic creatures to amaze and inspire people

• tailored the delivery of his stories as well as the stories themselves to emphasize the message he was trying to convey

• used mixed metaphors to support each point he was trying to make

• dramatized the lives of real people to emphasize the significance of their actions

• drew examples from current events as well as history to exploit his audience’s anxieties