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CLEP ANALYZING & INTERPRETING LITERATURE
Based on today’s official CLEP exam
Are you prepared to excel on the CLEP?
* Take the first practice test to discover what you know and what you should know
* Set up a flexible study schedule by following our easy timeline
* Use REA's advice to ready yourself for proper study and success
Study what you need to know to pass the exam
* The book's on-target subject review features coverage of all topics on the official CLEP exam, including prose, poetry, drama, plot structure, and more
* Smart and friendly lessons reinforce necessary skills
* Key tutorials enhance specific abilities needed on the test
* Targeted drills increase comprehension and help organize study
Practice for real
* Create the closest experience to test-day conditions with 3 full-length practice exams including 3 samples of the optional free-response section
* Chart your progress with full and detailed explanations of all answers
* Boost your confidence with test-taking strategies and experienced advice
Specially Written for Solo Test Preparation!
REA is the acknowledged leader in CLEP preparation, with the most extensive library of CLEP titles and software available. Most titles are also offered with REA's exclusive TESTware software to make your practice more effective and more like exam day. REA's CLEP Prep guides will help you get valuable credits, save on tuition, and advance your chosen career by earning a college degree.
EXCERPT
About Research & Education Association
Research & Education Association (REA) is an organization of educators, scientists, and engineers specializing in various academic fields. Founded in 1959 with the purpose of disseminating the most recently developed scientific information to groups in industry, government, high schools, and universities, REA has since become a successful and highly respected publisher of study aids, test preps, handbooks, and reference works.
REA's Test Preparation series includes study guides for all academic levels in almost all disciplines. Research & Education Association publishes test preps for students who have not yet completed high school, as well as high school students preparing to enter college. Students from countries around the world seeking to attend college in the United States will find the assistance they need in REA's publications. For college students seeking advanced degrees, REA publishes test preps for many major graduate school admission examinations in a wide variety of disciplines, including engineering, law, and medicine. Students at every level, in every field, with every ambition can find what they are looking for among REA's publications.
While most test preparation books present practice tests that bear little resemblance to the actual exams, REA's series presents tests that accurately depict the official exams in both degree of difficulty and types of questions. REA's practice tests are always based upon the most recently administered exams, and include every type of question that can be expected on the actual exams.
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CHAPTER 1: PASSING THE CLEP ANALYZING AND INTERPRETING LITERATURE CBT
ABOUT THIS BOOK
This book provides you with an accurate and complete representation of the CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature CBT. Inside you will find a review of literature, as well as tips and strategies for test-taking. Three full-length practice tests and an optional free-response section - with another three practice tests - are provided, all based on the official CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature CBT. Our practice tests contain every type of question that you can expect to encounter on the actual exam. Following each multiple-choice practice test, you will find an answer key with detailed explanations designed to help you more completely understand the test material. For the free-response practice tests, analysis is provided after each model essay to give you in-depth guidance on how to write your own essays.
ABOUT THE EXAM
Who takes the CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature CBT and what is it used for?
CLEP (College-Level Examination Program) examinations are usually taken by people who have acquired knowledge outside the classroom and wish to bypass certain college courses and earn college credit. The CLEP Program is designed to reward students for learning - no matter where or how that knowledge was acquired. The CLEP is the most widely accepted credit-by-examination program in the country.
Although most CLEP candidates are adults returning to college, many graduating high school seniors, enrolled college students, and international students also take the exams to earn college credit or to demonstrate their ability to perform at the college level. There are no prerequisites, such as age or educational status, for taking CLEP examinations. However, you must meet any specific requirements of the particular institution from which you wish to receive CLEP credit.
There are two categories of CLEP examinations:
1. CLEP General Examinations, which are five separate tests that cover material usually taken as requirements during the first two years of college. CLEP General Examinations are available for English Composition (with or without essay), Humanities, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences and History.
2. CLEP Subject Examinations, which include material usually covered in an undergraduate course with a similar title. The CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature CBT is one of 29 subject examinations.
Who administers the exam?
The CLEP is developed by the College Board, administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), and involves the assistance of educators throughout the country. The test development process is designed and implemented to ensure that the content and difficulty level of the test are appropriate.
When and where is the exam given?
The CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature CBT is administered each month throughout the year at more than 1,400 test centers in the U.S. and can be arranged for candidates abroad on request. To find the test center nearest you and to register for the exam, you should obtain a copy of the free booklets CLEP Colleges and CLEP Information for Candidates and Registration Form, which are available at most colleges where CLEP credit is granted, or by contacting the CLEP program at:
CLEP Services
P.O. Box 6601
Princeton, NJ 08541-6601
Phone: (609) 771-7865
Website: http://www.collegeboard.com
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
What do I study first?
It's best to read over the course review, along with our suggestions for test-taking, first. Then take Practice Test 1 to pinpoint your area(s) of weakness.
For details on how to utilize your study time, follow our Independent Study Schedule in the front of this book. The schedule is based on a six-week program, but can be condensed to three weeks if necessary by collapsing each two-week period into one.
In effect, this book offers a blueprint for how to put yourself in the best possible position for success on the CLEP CBT. Follow it all the way the through, and you'll be well on your way to a good score!
When should I start studying?
It is never too early to start studying for the CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature CBT. The earlier you begin, the more time you will have to sharpen your skills. Do not procrastinate! Last-minute cramming is not an effective way to study, since it does not allow you the time needed to learn the test material. The sooner you learn the format of the exam, the more time you will have to familiarize yourself with it.
FORMAT OF THE CLEP ANALYZING AND INTERPRETING LITERATURE CBT
The CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature is composed of 80 multiple-choice questions, each with five possible answer choices, to be answered in 90 minutes. In this book we give you 10 additional multiple-choice questions for extra practice.
The subject material on the exam is what is usually covered in a two semester college level class. Although knowledge of specific works is not required, the student is assumed to have an extensive background in the areas of prose, poetry, and drama. Those are covered in the following proportions:
35-45% Poetry
35-45% Prose (fiction and nonfiction)
15-30% Drama
The three forms of literary expression are broken down as follows:
30-45% American Literature
50-65% British Literature
5-15% Works in Translation
The above areas are further broken down into these time periods:
3-7% Classical and Pre-Renaissance
20-30% Renaissance and Seventeenth Century
35-45% Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries
25-35% Twentieth Century
ABOUT OUR COURSE REVIEW
The literature review in this book is designed to further students' understanding of the test material. It is broken down into the three exam areas of prose, poetry, and drama. Along with a discussion of the literary genres, terms, and devices found on the exam, the review also provides techniques that students can use to enhance their analytical skills.
SCORING YOUR PRACTICE TESTS
How do I score my practice tests?
The CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature CBT is scored on a scale of 20 to 80. To score your practice tests, count up the number of correct answers. This is your total raw score. Convert your raw score to a scaled score using the conversion table on the following page. (Note: The conversion table provides only an estimate of your scaled score. Scaled scores can and do vary over time, and in no case should a sample test be taken as a precise predictor of test performance. Nonetheless, our scoring table allows you to judge your level of performance within a reasonable scoring range.)
When will I receive my score report?
A scoring printout will be made available to you immediately after you finish. A score report for the optional free-response section (which is graded by human readers), however, will arrive about three weeks after you take the test. Your scores are reported only to you, unless you ask to have them sent elsewhere. If you want your scores reported to a college or other institution, you must ask that this be done at the time you take the CBT. Since your scores are kept on file for 20 years, you may also request transcripts from ETS at a later date.
The optional 90-minute free-response section, three samples of which you will find in the back of this book, is required by some colleges in addition to the 90-minute multiple-choice test. It is graded by the faculty of the college you designate. Check with your college for details.
STUDYING FOR THE CLEP ANALYZING AND INTERPRETING LITERATURE CBT
It is very important for you to choose the time and place for studying that works best for you. Some students may set aside a certain number of hours every morning, while others may choose to study at night before going to sleep. Other students may study during the day, while waiting on a line, or even while eating lunch. Only you can determine when and where your study time will be most effective. But be consistent and use your time wisely. Work out a study routine and stick to it!
When you take the practice tests, try to make your testing conditions as much like the actual test as possible. Turn your television and radio off, and sit down at a quiet table free from distraction. Make sure to time yourself. Start off by setting a timer for the time that is allotted for each section, and be sure to reset the timer for the appropriate amount of time when you start a new section.
As you complete each practice test, score your test and thoroughly review the explanations to the questions you answered incorrectly; however, do not review too much at one time. Concentrate on one problem area at a time by reviewing the question and explanation, and by studying our review until you are confident that you completely understand the material.
Keep track of your scores. By doing so, you will be able to gauge your progress and discover general weaknesses in particular sections. You should carefully study the reviews that cover your areas of difficulty, as this will build your skills in those areas.
TEST-TAKING TIPS
Although you may not be familiar with computer-based standardized tests such as the CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature exam, there are many ways to acquaint yourself with this type of examination and help alleviate your test-taking anxieties. Listed below are ways to help you become accustomed to the CLEP, some of which may be applied to other standardized tests as well.
Become comfortable with the format of the exam. CLEP CBTs are not adaptive but rather fixed-length tests. In a sense, this makes them kin to the familiar paper-and-pencil exam in that you have the same flexibility to go back and review your work in each section. Moreover, the format hasn't changed a great deal from the paper-and-pencil CLEP. When you are practicing, simulate the conditions under which you will be taking the actual test. Stay calm and pace yourself. After simulating the test only a couple of times, you will boost your chances of doing well, and you will be able to sit down for the actual exam with greater confidence. One more thing: you're likely to see some so-called pretest questions on the CBT, but you won't know which they are and they won't be scored.
Read all of the possible answers. Just because you think you have found the correct response, do not automatically assume that it is the best answer. Read through each choice to be sure that you are not making a mistake by jumping to conclusions.
Use the process of elimination. Go through each answer to a question and eliminate as many of the answer choices as possible. By eliminating just two answer choices, you give yourself a better chance of getting the item correct, since there will only be three choices left from which to make your guess.
Work quickly and steadily. You will have only 90 minutes to work on 80 questions, so work quickly and steadily to avoid focusing on any one question too long. Taking the practice tests in this book will help you learn to budget your time.
Learn the directions and format for each section of the test. Familiarizing yourself with the directions and format of the exam will save you valuable time on the day of the actual test. Familiarize yourself with the CLEP CBT screen beforehand by logging on to the College Board Website. Waiting until test day to see what it looks like in the pretest tutorial risks injecting needless anxiety into your testing experience.
Be sure that your answer registers before you go to the next item. Look at the screen to see that your mouse-click causes the pointer to darken the proper oval. This takes far less effort than darkening an oval on paper, but don't lull yourself into taking less care!
THE DAY OF THE EXAM
On the day of the test, you should wake up early (after a decent night's rest, one would hope) and have a good breakfast. Make sure to dress comfortably, so that you are not distracted by being too hot or too cold while taking the test. Also plan to arrive at the test center early. This will allow you to collect your thoughts and relax before the test, and will also spare you the anxiety that comes with being late. As an added incentive to make sure you arrive early, keep in mind that no one will be allowed into the test session after the test has begun.
Before you leave for the test center, make sure that you have your admission form and another form of identification, which must contain a recent photograph, your name, and signature (i.e., driver's license, student identification card, or current alien registration card). You will not be admitted to the test center if you do not have proper identification. Consult College Board publications (including the Collegeboard.com Website) for details.
During the Exam
Once you enter the test center, follow all of the rules and instructions given by the test supervisor. If you do not, you risk being dismissed from the test and having your scores canceled.
Finally, the exam will be upon you. Here's what to expect:
- Scrap paper will be provided to you for all CLEP CBT examinations.
- At times your computer may seem to slow down. Don't worry: the built-in timer will not advance until your next question is fully loaded and visible on screen.
- Just as you can on a paper-and-pencil test, you'll be able to move freely between questions within a section.
- You'll have the option to mark questions and review them.
- You may wear a wristwatch to the test center, but it cannot make any noise, which could disturb your fellow test-takers.
- No computers, dictionaries, textbooks, notebooks, scrap paper, briefcases, or packages will be permitted into the test center; drinking, smoking, and eating are prohibited.
After the Exam
Once you have informed the test center administrator that you've finished, you will end your session on the computer, which in turn will generate the printout of a score report. Then, go home and relax - you deserve it!
