2014 Free-Response Questions
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2014 AP® ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION FREE-RESPONSE QUESTIONS
ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION
SECTION II
Total time—2 hours
Question 1
(Suggested time—40 minutes. This question counts for one-third of the total essay section score.)
Many recent college graduates have faced record levels of unemployment. This situation has led people to question what they value about higher education. Some high school students and their parents are wondering if a college education is worth the cost. Others, however, believe that a college education prepares students for more than just a job or career.
Carefully read the following six sources, including the introductory information for each source. Then synthesize information from at least three of the sources and incorporate it into a coherent, well-developed essay that evaluates whether college is worth its cost.
Your argument should be the focus of your essay. Use the sources to develop your argument and explain the reasoning for it. Avoid merely summarizing the sources. Indicate clearly which sources you are drawing from, whether through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. You may cite the sources as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the descriptions in parentheses.
Source A
Source B
Source C
Source D
Source E
Source F
(Crawford)
(Roth)
(chart)
(Leonhardt)
(Wieder)
(Pew)
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2014 AP® ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION FREE-RESPONSE QUESTIONS
Source A
Crawford, Matthew B. “The Case for Working with Your
Hands.” New York Times Magazine. New