AP Review 2025 Reading

The primary purpose in the passage is to

• account for the transmission of culture during a period of global change

• dispute persistent myths about colonial life in New Spain

• define the motivations of Mexico’s European colonizers

• identify traditions that undermine contemporary understandings of Aztec culture

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

In context, the phrase “the Iberian project” in the first sentence refers to Spain’s efforts to

• actively change colonial culture

• extend Spanish power and global reach

• dispel persistent confusion about Spanish colonial intentions

• increase Spanish appreciation of colonial culture

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

In the first paragraph (“The enchanting places . . . had been subdued”), the author portrays Europeans as being

• ready to join expeditions to the Indies

• skeptical of accounts about the Indies

• apprehensive about contact with the Indies

• eager for knowledge of the Indies

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.6

CCSS.RI.11-12.6

CCSS.RL.11-12.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

In the first paragraph, the author uses the phrase “a ‘Renaissance Maecenas’ ” primarily to emphasize

• Mendoza’s extensive knowledge of classical literature

• Mendoza’s support for the work of Indian artists

• the intermingling of European and American cultural traditions

• the importance of the picture-writing tradition in Mexican history

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RI.11-12.1

In the second paragraph (“A large number . . . local situations”), the author implies that the compilation of Relaciones Geográficas and Descripciones

• helped to preserve elements of the indigenous artistic tradition

• led to superficial comparisons between indigenous and European artworks

• facilitated efforts to modify the political organization of the indigenous people

• did little to improve Spanish understanding of colonial geography

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

Which of the following best describes the function of the second paragraph?

• It details unfortunate consequences of Spain’s colonization efforts

• It emphasizes events that reoriented the interests of Spanish overseers

• It accounts for circumstances that increased European access to native culture

• It explains the unique circumstances that challenged Spain’s leaders

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

In the context in which it appears, “stimulation” in the third paragraph most nearly means

• excitement

• motivation

• responsibility

• agitation

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

Which of the following best characterizes the author’s treatment of the Mendicant friars in the third paragraph?

• He minimizes the importance of the friars’ role in the developing colony

• He denounces the imperialistic nature of the friars’ mission

• He is skeptical of the friars’ commitment to transforming Indian consciousness

• He appreciates the wealth of cultural knowledge amassed by the friars

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.6

CCSS.RI.11-12.6

CCSS.RL.11-12.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

Based on the tone and content of the passage as a whole, its author is most likely

• an opponent of colonial rule

• a scholar intrigued by cultural evolution

• a biographer of the Spanish monarchy

• an apologist for the actions of Philip II

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.6

CCSS.RI.11-12.6

CCSS.RL.11-12.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.6

CCSS.RI.8.6

The passage is most likely excerpted from

• an educational article exploring the ethical issues surrounding colonization

• a research report promoting art history as a field of study

• a scholarly work explaining historical developments in indigenous arts

• a descriptive analysis examining the effect of geography on art

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RI.8.2