AP Lang MCQ Writing: Automation & Job Security

Which of the following can best be described as the passage's thesis?

• Sentences 1 and 2

• Sentence 4

• Sentences 5 and 6

• Sentence 13

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

The writer is considering deleting sentence 3 (reproduced below).

A 2018 article in the Los Angeles Times reported that 63 percent of tasks performed by workers in three California cities-Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ontario-could be automated in the future.

Should the writer keep or delete sentence 3?

• Keep it, because it sets up the idea of California exploring the basic income program detailed later in the passage.

• Keep it, because it provides evidence from a credible source that supports the writer's line of reasoning in the passage.

• Delete it, because it fails to show how the author of the Los Angeles Times article obtained the information that is summarized in the sentence.

• Delete it, because it offers irrelevant information that distracts from the passage's concern with younger generations of workers.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

In the context of the second paragraph, which of the following versions of the underlined portion of sentence 8 (reproduced below) best expresses the writer's attitude toward the courses offered at Chaffey College?

Chaffey College, for instance, in Rancho Cucamonga, California, has started offering cutting-edge courses in construction and logistics, two of the fastest growing industries in the region.

• (as it is now)

• fascinating

• optional

• popular

After sentence 8, the writer wants to cite a source that supports the claim that Chaffey College successfully models the type of education reform needed to adapt to automation. Which of the following sources would best accomplish this goal?

• A quote from a recent college graduate who was hired by a technology firm that recruits at Chaffey College

• A list of the most recent job postings in the technology industry in California

• A research study that analyzes the long-term effects of education reform

• An overview of the most recent course offerings at Chaffey College

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

The writer is considering changing the underlined word in sentence 12 (reproduced below) to "skeptical."

Some business and labor union leaders are dismissive of this new social safety net, suggesting that it discourages people from working, but tech industry leaders argue persuasively that BI can provide workers with needed resources and flexibility to take jobs in the freelance or "gig" economy.

Should the writer make this change to sentence 12?

• Yes, because the tone of the underlined word suggests the writer is hostile toward the business and labor union leaders' attitudes.

• Yes, because the change replaces a vague word with a more precise one and clarifies the meaning of the sentence.

• No, because replacing the underlined word would require the writer to revise the line of reasoning in the rest of the paragraph.

• No. because the underlined word appeals to the likely beliefs of the audience and therefore helps make the writer's perspective more appealing.

The writer is considering adding the following sentence after sentence 14 to strengthen the case that basic income should be more widely accepted.

Some news outlets suggest that since the trend is growing, it is only a matter of time before BI becomes a reality.

Should the writer add this sentence after sentence 14?

• Yes, because this sentence shows that the writer is addressing an objection that the audience is likely to have basic income programs.

• Yes, because the writer cannot support the line of reasoning in the paragraph without stating that the basic income trend is growing.

• No, because the absence of specific sources or statements from those sources makes the claim of the sentence seem unsupported.

• No, because these ideas were already developed earlier in the passage and do not need to be repeated.

Which version of sentence 15 (reproduced below) most effectively maintains the style and tone of the writer's argument in the passage?

We can't just sit around twiddling our thumbs as new tech keeps changing the game in a bunch of businesses.

• (As it is now)

• As a song by Irving Berlin famously states, it's time for us to "face the music and dance" when it comes to the effects of automation.

• It is indubitably the case that actions of a significant nature must be taken by us to ward off changes in various employment sectors.

• We cannot afford to be passive at the dawn of this new industrial revolution.

The writer wants to add a sentence at the end of the passage to summarize the main claim of the passage. Which of the following choices, if added after sentence 15, best accomplishes this goal?

• In fact, some people view the current age as ushering in a significant shift in the world of work, driven not by coal or electricity, but by automation and artificial intelligence.

• Instead, we should only adopt automated technologies in cases where it is absolutely necessary.

• We must follow the example of other countries and adopt basic income programs.

• Although large-scale change is likely in many sectors, education reform and a progressive BI program will help us offset risk and protect social stability.

After doing additional research, the writer found the following sources. Which of the following would require the writer to adjust the line of reasoning in the passage?

• An article that argues that basic income programs would be too costly for governments to support

• A case study about a town that implemented a basic income program for its residents

• A study that compares the differences between basic income pilots in different countries

• Documentation that provides a framework for education reform that supports technological innovation

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1