Customer Reviews

Cracking the AP English Literature 1998-99 Edition (Cracking the Ap English Literature Exam)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Princeton Review hits the target again by creating a student-friendly guide to preparing for the AP English Literature Exam. It may not contain as much detail as "Cliff's AP English" text but it does provide the information students want most--proven strategies to help them achieve a score of "3" or above. To aid them in their journey, the Princeton Review author, Doug McMullen, manages to educate and entertain teen readers simultaneously. Why is this not a five-star review? One minor flaw may exist in the recommended formula for writing a high-scoring essay. Rather than tell students not to underline key terms in the essay question or passage or briefly outline, the author could have left that decision up to the individual student. As an AP teacher, I encourage but don't require students to use underlining and/or outlining if they personally find it helpful (unless they struggle with the time limitations). Certainly the aforementioned ! foible should not cause an AP student (or teacher) to hesitate in purchasing this text. Most tips for dealing with the multiple-choice and essay (free-response) sections of the exam are clear, concise, and practical. Barron's, Arco, Kaplan, REA, and other test preparation publishers may provide helpful materials, but they do not equal the user-friendly nature and updated AP information maintained by Princeton Review. Most importantly, it satisfies the promise implied by the title. If students wish to "crack" open the AP English exam, this tool empowers them with them essential leverage.

This book is not only extremely helpful to anyone preparing for the AP English Literature Exam, but also very useful to those preparing for the AP English Language Exam. Many of the techniques taught apply equally well to both exams. Although I looked at several test preparation books for the AP Language Exam, I found that this book and "Cliff's Advanced Placement English Language" were the most useful. The two complement one another.

This book is no help and it should be stricken from the shelves, it is filled with mindless filler fro way too many pages. I thought it stunk