Blog #1: Multiple Choice Reflection

Recently, our class took our first practice multiple choice AP test. Although this wasn't a true representation of the actual exam, as we only attempted 25 questions in a short period of time, I was able to distinguish my weaker areas from my stronger ones and envision the amount of work I would need to put in to master this part of the exam. I have realized that the area in need of most practice is my comprehension of poetry, possibly due to my lack of ability to grasp the meaning of a passage when presented in a more inventive and unconventional manner than regular prose passages. For me, this was the most important realization that arose from this assignment, as most of the questions that I had answered incorrectly were from Shakespeare's Richard II.

A resulting effect of not being able to comprehend some passages efficiently is not being able to use context when a question asks about specific lines. This is especially significant as often times, the answer choices include an option that pertains to only the lines mentioned, but does not correspond well with the overall context of the passage. This was another hinderance that prevented me from answering both specific questions and those based on the passage as a whole. Having learned through this experience, I now know that I must act upon this weakness of mine to significantly improve my skills and analytical abilities, which can be done by increasing my exposure to poetry in order to gain training in comprehension over time.