AP Italian Language and Culture w/ Audio CDs (Advanced Placement (AP) Test Preparation)

Excelling on the AP Italian Language and Culture Exam

 

About This Book

This book provides an accurate and complete representation of the Advanced Placement Examination in Italian Language and Culture. Our practice tests are based on the format of the most recently administered Advanced Placement Italian Language and Culture exam. Each model exam lasts three hours and includes every type of question that you can expect to encounter on the real test. Following each of our practice exams is an answer key, complete with detailed explanations designed to clarify the material for you.

By using the subject review, completing the practice tests, and studying the explanations that follow, you will pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses and, above all, put yourself in the best possible position to do well on the actual test.

 

About the Advanced Placement Program

The AP Italian Language and Culture examination is offered each May at participating schools and multi-school centers throughout the world. The Advanced Placement Program is designed to allow high school students to pursue college-level studies while attending high school. The participating colleges, in turn, grant credit and/or advanced placement to students who do well on the examinations.

 

The Advanced Placement Italian Language and Culture course is designed to be the equivalent of a college introductory Italian language class For registration bulletins or more detailed information about the AP Italian Language and Culture exam, contact:

 

AP Services Educational Testing Service

P.O. Box 6671

Princeton, NJ 08541-6671

Phone: (609) 771-7300 or (888) 225-5427

E-mail: apexams@ets.org

Website: www.collegeboard.com

 

Format and Content of the

AP Italian Language and Culture Exam

The AP Italian Language and Culture exam is approximately three hours long. It tests your ability to understand both written and spoken Italian. It also tests the ease and fluency with which you can respond in speaking and writing. The exam is divided into two sections:

 

Section I: The multiple-choice section of the exam assesses the test-taker’s

listening and reading comprehension.

 

Part A requires the student to listen to dialogues or short narratives and answer multiple-choice questions based on what the student heard. Students are given time to read the printed questions before listening to the recorded segment. This section contains 30 to 34

questions and 35 minutes is allowed for completion.

 

Part B, the reading portion, requires the student to read passages and answer multiple-choice questions based on the passages. This 55-minute section can contain up to 48 questions.

 

Section II: This free-response section assesses the test-taker’s writing and speaking abilities and contains three parts:

 

Part A assesses the student’s writing ability by requiring the student to complete two fill-in exercises and write a composition. The first fill-in exercise tests verb forms and the second exercise tests other grammar points. The essay portion, which is 30 minutes long, requires the student to write a 150-word essay in Italian on a general topic.

 

Part B assesses the student’s cultural knowledge by requiring the student to write a 150-word essay on a cultural topic normally covered in an AP Italian Language and Culture course. Students are allowed 30 minutes to complete their composition.

 

Part C of the exam assesses the student’s speaking skills. Students are required to narrate a story suggested by a series of pictures and also to respond to a series of questions based on a general topic.

 

Each of the five parts of the exam has the same value for scoring purposes and each part contributes 20 percent to the student’s final AP grade.

 

About the Multiple-Choice Sections

Listening and reading skills are tested with multiple-choice questions. You will be expected to choose the correct answer from four possibilities for each question. You mark your answer choice (A, B, C or D) on an answer grid that is provided in your test booklet.

In the listening portion of the exam, you will generally hear a series of dialogues between two speakers, or a short narrative. Each dialogue or narration is heard only once. You then answer five multiple-choice questions for each recorded segment. You will be able to read the questions but you will not see the spoken dialogues. You have about 25 minutes to complete this listening portion of the exam.

 

You will then have approximately 55 minutes to complete the reading segment of the test. The passages vary in length and subject matter. They usually come from Italian media, newspaper or magazine articles, or virtually any non-technical text or literary excerpt. Each passage is followed by a series of questions with four answer choices. Again, mark your answer choice by blackening the corresponding letter on the answer grid in your text booklet.

 

About the Writing Sections

There are four writing exercises in the AP Italian Language and Culture exam—two fill-in exercises and two essays. The first fill-in exercise is related to supplying verbs. The blank will indicate the infinitive form of the verb you are to use. You must provide the

correct tense. The verb could also be a command form, or you may have to determine whether to use the indicative or the subjunctive. The verb you supply must match its subject. If the verb is reflexive, you will need to include the reflexive pronoun that matches it. If the verb is in a compound tense you will need the correct auxiliary verb, the correct past participle, and possibly agreement.

 

The second fill-in exercise requires you to write in single words that are missing in the passage provided. The missing words are represented by numbered blanks. You are expected to write out the missing word in a column of blanks to the right of the text. None of the answers in this second fill-in segment will be verbs.

 

The final writing segment requires you to write two compositions in Italian. There is no choice of topic for the essay questions given. You are expected to write a coherent and well-organized essay in response to the given question. Your answer should showcase your mastery of verbs and grammatical structures. Your vocabulary must be varied, well-chosen, and as idiomatic as possible. That means you should not think in English and

then try to translate into Italian. Being idiomatic means thinking like an Italian, or at least asking yourself how an Italian would express what you mean. Plan to write a minimum of three paragraphs and at least 150 words per essay. You will have one hour and twenty minutes to complete the writing section of the test. Always read over what you have written, check your spelling, accent marks, and agreement.

 

Don’t be nervous about the essays. The general question essay topic is always very open-ended and usually requires your thoughtful opinion rather than specific facts. You will definitely be able to think of an answer.

 

Your challenge will be how to express it as best you can. The cultural essay gives you an opportunity to showcase what you know about Italian culture. The range of topics is very broad. You could be asked to discuss an Italian custom of your choice, an industry, a facet of art, architecture, music, literature, film, politics, food, geography, or a well-known tourist destination. Again, there is the same open quality in these questions that will allow you to answer comfortably.

 

About the Speaking Sections

You will be recording your own voice during the two speaking segments of the exam. These sections are entirely free-response, that is, you may say whatever you think best answers the question. You will have approximately 15 minutes for these segments of the exam.

 

The first speaking section asks you to comment on a series of six simple sketches. The sketches invariably depict a typical life experience and, in that respect, are not difficult at all. You must tell what takes place in the sequence of drawings. You may also add your own personal commentary as you narrate your story. Observe carefully as you look over the sketches.

 

You will have two minutes to look at and think about the drawings. Jot down details and ideas if you like. You will then have two minutes to record your actual narration.

 

The second part of the speaking segment is a simulated conversation in Italian. You will hear a series of questions that relate to a single topic. Each question is heard twice. You do not have to answer the first question! It is given as a practice question. It cues you into the coming topic and gives you a chance to compose yourself and to get ready to answer the next five questions on the same topic. The remaining questions will also be spoken twice.

 

After each question you will hear a tone. Once you hear the tone, you have exactly 20 seconds to record your response. Begin speaking as soon as you hear the tone. It will sound again 20 seconds later to signal the end of the time allowed. Be sure to use all of the time allotted. If you make an error that you can correct, do it and move on. Keep talking! If the end tone sounds before you have finished, stop talking or you will miss the next question. It is not a cause for concern if you don’t finish what you were saying. Remain focused and continue on.

 

It is important that you make an effort to familiarize yourself with the recording equipment you will be using. Ask about this well in advance. If your testing location is your school, ask to see the equipment. Get permission to practice using the device well before the exam. This will help you so much! If you are experienced using the equipment, you will be calm during the exam. You will be able to concentrate on what you are going to say, rather than worrying about whether or not the volume is adequate or if you’re close enough to the microphone. Work out all of those details before the exam, and practice until using the equipment is a cinch for you. Some schools allow students to use their own recording device. This is ideal. If you’re expected to use your own recording device, purchase it well ahead of time and get comfortable using it.

 

Tools to Help You Prepare for the Exam

Read and study this book thoroughly and do all of the drills provided. Keep a notebook in which you can compile all your written answers. Keep track of what you have completed and what you have yet to cover. Make notes on things you’ve mastered. Identify your weaknesses and devote extra effort to those areas. Take your time. Work no more than two or three hours at a sitting.

 

Come back to it later when you are fresh. You will have the best possible result from a steady series of two-hour sessions spread over a long period of time. Schedule time to work with this book on a regular basis, just as you might schedule a regular fitness workout. When you have completed the drills, try your hand at the pre-exam exercises. Then move on to the three practice tests.

 

Explanations are provided for every answer! Read them carefully. No dictionaries or reference materials can be used during the exam. For studying, however, you should invest in the best and most complete Italian-English dictionary you can afford. There are many good dictionaries to choose from. Zanichelli and Oxford-Paravia are both excellent choices. You might also consider the very fine Ragazzini English and Italian Dictionary on CD-ROM that is very convenient to use.

 

It might also be useful to have access to an all-Italian dictionary such as the inimitable Garzanti. This would be a wise investment, especially if you will be continuing your study of Italian in college. Looking up a word in an all-Italian dictionary allows you to study the way the word is explained, as well as its meaning. It exposes you to authentic expression. You glimpse the actual choreography of the words in use. The more you delve into this all-Italian medium, the easier it is to come away with a truly Italic turn of phrase.

 

You should acquire a recording device with which to record your voice. You can also use your telephone answering machine to practice speaking Italian. Call yourself up and leave a message in Italian! Do it every day. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. Recording your voice allows you to hear how you actually sound. You can then evaluate what you hear. Is your accent authentic? Are your vowels pure? Are you trilling your r’s? Is your stress on the correct syllable? Once you have your recording device, record yourself reading a passage aloud, reciting a poem or singing a song in Italian. This is the best kind of activity for working on your accent and correct pronunciation. Ad-lib into the microphone; describe your room or your current state of mind. Mute the television and do your own voice-over in Italian.

 

Studying for the Exam

Ideally, you should begin your preparation six months ahead of your testing date. This deluxe approach produces the best possible result. Look at your calendar, map out your plan. Set aside time to work regularly with this book. Schedule time to watch Italian films, to read Italian novels and periodicals, to listen to Italian singers. Allow some time each week to explore Italian chat rooms and various Italian language sites on the Internet. Team up with other friends who are also preparing for the test. Vow to speak to one another in Italian on a regular basis. Send each other instant messages and e-mails in Italian.

 

Starting four months ahead of your test date will still give you enough time to do an adequate job of preparing. This is would be a “good” plan for success, provided that you remain faithful to a regular regimen of review, study, reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Planning a calendar, no matter which plan you adopt, gives you an excellent

over-view of just how much time you have at your disposal. You can schedule what you’d like to have accomplished by a certain date. It’s also a good idea to record how much time you’ve actually spent working. Time will slip by quickly. Suddenly you may notice that it’s been two weeks since you last studied. Not good!

 

The bare-bones approach gives you only two months to prepare for this behemoth of an exam. That is really not much time at all. Yet, with unswerving dedication, you could probably finish this book, possibly catch a few films and do some reading, writing, and speaking.

 

What to Read

Try to read at least two short Italian novels a month. That comes out to a dozen books in six months, eight books in four months, or four books on the bare-bones two-month plan. You will find some excellent titles to choose from on the list provided in this chapter. The books were selected for their ease in reading, their relative short length, and the pleasure that you will undoubtedly experience while reading them.

 

How do you get your hands on these books? They are all available in paperback. One of the best sources of these libri tascabili is your own Italian teacher. Happily for you, most teachers have a considerable personal library of paperbacks, which they are willing to lend to responsible students. You can also scrounge for Italian paperbacks wherever good used books congregate. If you live near a college or university, the student bookstore may have different titles at different times of the year, depending on the courses offered. Once you’ve found a good title, share it with a friend.

 

In addition to the novels listed in this chapter, make an effort to read as many Italian newspapers and magazine articles as possible. All Italian publications have websites where you can read articles daily. Simply use your search engine and type in Corriere della Sera, La Stampa, La Gazzetta dello Sport, Oggi, Gente, l’Espresso or Panorama. There is a huge variety of specialty magazines as well. Donna Moderna and Abitare are just two examples. Read about whatever interests you. There are Italian magazines

about cycling, skiing, cars, soccer, tennis, and fashion. There are also gossipy movie star magazines, if that’s what you like. Friends and family who fl y often should also be pressed into service. Italian language magazines may be available during a flight and in airport lounges, usually without cost.

 

Make an effort and you’ll be amazed at the possibilities you will find. Once you have begun your preparation for the AP exam you should be reading in Italian daily. Below is a list of some very enjoyable Italian paperbacks. None of them are very long or very hard to read. This is by no means a complete list, but rather a starting point.

 

The list is arranged alphabetically by author.

Author Title

Baricco, Alessandro Barnum

Baricco, Alessandro Oceano mare

Baricco, Alessandro Seta

Benni, Stefano Saltatempo

Calvino, Italo Lezioni americane

Calvino, Italo Se una notte d’inverno un viaggiatore…

Calvino, Italo Il visconte dimezzato

Cardella, Lara Volevo i pantaloni

Deledda, Grazia Canne al vento

Di Lampadusa Il Gattopardo

Eco, Umberto Il nome della rosa*

Fallaci, Oriana Un uomo*

Fallaci, Oriana Se il sole muore

Faletti, Giorgio Fuori da un evidente destino

Faletti, Giorgio Niente di vero tranne gli occhi

Ginzburg, Natalia Caro Michele

Ginzburg, Natalia Lessico famigliare

Levi, Carlo Cristo si è fermato ad Eboli

Levi, Primo La tregua

Mazzantini, Margaret Non ti muovere

Morante, Elsa L’isola di Arturo

Moravia, Alberto Gli Indifferenti

Passolini, Pierpaolo Angelo

Pirandello, Luigi Uno, nessuno e centomila

Pratolini, Vasco Cronache di poveri amanti

Sciascia, Leonardo Il giorno della civetta

Sereni, Clara Casalinghitudine

Svevo, Italo La Cosienza di Zeno

Tabucchi, Antonio Noturno Indiano

Tamaro, Susanna Va’ dove ti porta il cuore

Tozzi, Federigo Con gli occhi chiusi

* These two books are longer and perhaps somewhat harder to read than the other titles, but they are worth the time and effort.

 

Just a few pointers on how to approach this kind of reading:

1. Remember that you are not writing essays or book reports on these novels. Try to read them the way you would read any book for pleasure. The secret lies in finding one that you will enjoy. Try a few pages, and if it’s not going to hold your attention, stop. With a little luck, you should be able to find one that you will enjoy.

2. It is not a crime if you don’t understand every single word on a page. Dive in, if you’ve read the whole page and have a pretty good idea about what’s going on, that’s good enough. As you read further, things will become clearer and you will discover that you can learn new words just by context. Sometimes you will have a hunch about what a word means. Don’t run right to the dictionary. Be patient. You may find that you were right all along. Once you get the hang of this kind of reading, your comfort level will increase and your vocabulary will quadruple.

3. Don’t allow yourself to go to the dictionary more than once per page. Trust me. If you have only one ticket (for a trip to the dictionary) per page, you will slowly begin to analyze which word you should spend it on. Which word is most crucial to your understanding of the passage? The more conscientious the student, the harder this

is to learn. Go with the flow, and guess if you can. The point is not to get bogged down with too many stops and starts. Just try it. The dictionary is a great tool, but here you should try to wean yourself from it long enough to develop confidence in your ability to figure out what’s going on.

 

What to Watch

While preparing for this exam, watch as many movies in Italian as you can. Short of visiting Italy, this is the absolute best way to prepare yourself for the listening portion of your test. Films provide an ideal opportunity to hear spoken Italian, and that is what you need! Try to work in a film at least once a week. If you’re not in the mood to study your book one evening, pop in a video or DVD. Italian films are probably available at your local video store. If not, again, try the Internet! Take full advantage of this excellent

resource at your fingertips!

 

Alphabetically by director.

Director                                                            Title

Antonioni, Michelangelo                            Professione: reporter

Begnini, Roberto                                                Pinocchio

Begnini, Roberto                                                Johnny Stecchino

Begnini, Roberto                                                La Tigre e la neve

Begnini, Roberto                                                La Vita è bella

Bertolucci, Bernardo                                              Novecento

Crialese, Emanuele                                              Nuovomondo

de Sica, Vittorio                                                 Il giardino dei Finzi Contini

de Sica, Vittorio                                                 Ladri di biciclette

de Sica, Vittorio                                                 Miracolo a Milano

de Sica, Vittorio                                                 L’oro di Napoli

Fellini, Federico                                               Amarcord

Fellini, Federico                                               Otto e mezzo

Fellini, Federico                                               Lo Sceicco bianco

Fellini, Federico                                               La Strada

Garrone, Matteo                                                 L’Imbalsamatore

Germi, Pietro                                                    Divorzio all’italiana

Giordana, Marco                                      Tullio I Cento passi

Martone, Mario                                       Morte di un matematico napoletano

Mazzacurati,                                                     Carlo Il Toro

Monicelli, Mario                                       I Soliti ignoti

Olmi, Ermanno                                                 L’Albero degli zoccoli

Radford, Michael                                                Il Postino

Risi, Dino                                                         Il Sorpasso

Rossellini, Roberto                                                Bellissima

Rossellini, Roberto                                                Mamma Roma

Rossellini, Roberto                                                Roma, città aperta

Pasolini, Pierpaolo                                              Uccellacci uccellini

Salvatores, Gabriele                                               Mediterraneo

Steno Un Americano a Roma

Tornatore, Giuseppe                                              Io non ho paura

Tornatore, Giuseppe                                              Malèna

Tornatore, Giuseppe                                              Nuovo cinema Paradiso

Verdone, Carlo                                                 Bianco rosso e verdone

Visconti, Luchino                                                Il Gattopardo

Visconti, Luchino                                                Morte a Venezia

Wertmüller, Lina                                          Ciao, Professore!

 

If your family has a DVD collection, be sure to look through your titles to see if you can listen to any of them in Italian.

 

Being familiar with the story enhances your ability to understand what you hear. You may already have an Italian sound track that you weren’t aware of somewhere in your collection of films at home.

 

A word of caution: DVDs purchased in Italy (region 2) will not work on standard American DVD players (region 1).

 

What to Listen To

Try to obtain some CDs with Italian lyrics. Whenever you’re doing a chore at home, or just relaxing, Italian can be on in the background. When you drive a long distance, listen to Italian. Read Italian magazines designed for young people, such a Groove, to find out who is currently popular. There are Italian rappers and hip-hop artists. The artist doesn’t really have to be hip and new for you to benefit from listening. Old smoothies like Domenico Modugno, Patty Pravo, Mina or Zucchero will do just as well.

 

Record your own voice and listen to it. You don’t have to sing, just read aloud. There are wonderful audio programs you can subscribe to as well. Acquarello sends a monthly CD or audiocassette with an interesting and authentic radio broadcast format. All the speakers are native and a magazine that allows you to follow the script verbatim is also available. Notations for study are included.

 

You may be able to get an Italian radio program if you live near a metropolitan area. Check your television schedule for Italian films or Italian programming. Don’t dismiss listening to Italian songs as unnecessary fluff. Your goal should be to increase your exposure to spoken Italian as much as possible. Listening to songs is a legitimate and effective way to do this. The musical format is also an ideal conduit for learning and remembering. It’s a painless way to stay in contact with Italian. Another unexpected bonus is that the music and words don’t have to be your primary focus for you to

benefit from them. Do your nails, clean out a drawer, or wash the car while you listen. Let the words seep into your consciousness on a secondary level, just as the words of any other song would. It’s this very relaxing and indirect route that allows music to leave its impression on us so effortlessly.

 

What to Write

If your Italian teacher does not already require you to write on a regular basis, you need to begin doing so now. The simplest and easiest thing to do is to keep a diary or diario. Place a notebook and pencil by your bed. Write a few paragraphs each night as you settle in. Try to capture a few thoughts, maybe what you did today, or what you hope to accomplish tomorrow. Students often enjoy this routine and relish the privacy afforded them by writing in Italian instead of English. They are able to collect themselves and

reflect a bit. Many find themselves writing at length. Of course you can always try your hand at writing poetry or writing a story to which you add a chapter each evening. Make your hero suffer the consequences if you’ve had a bad day. The more you write the easier it becomes. As you step up your reading and listening exposure to Italian, your writing skills will improve in tandem.

 

Where to Go

If you should have the good fortune to travel to Italy on a school trip, or with your family, you must make every effort to use your language skills. Don’t make the mistake so many students do—staying together en masse and maintaining their English idiom just as though they were back in the United States. If you’ve traveled that far, be brave enough to wean yourself from the group long enough to make a purchase by yourself, to exchange pleasantries with the gentleman at the front desk of your hotel, or to strike

up a conversation with the person riding down in the elevator with you. Each little success begets another. For those who aren’t traveling to Italy, the Internet is the next best thing.

 

There are Italian chat rooms, forums on film, politics, and cheese. You can make a virtual visit to the Uffizi, to the Colosseum, or to any region you so desire. For the AP Italian student the Internet provides a dizzying array of current and interesting articles to read, as well as the opportunity to interact with other Italian speakers.

 

There are audio dictionaries that pronounce words for you. You can listen to speeches by Berlusconi. You can hear interviews with famous authors, actors, artists and directors about their work. Avail yourself of these wonderful resources. They will help you keep your commitment to your goal of preparing fully and well for the AP Italian Language and Culture exam. Thinking in Italian!

 

If you immerse yourself in Italian for an extended period of time you may very well discover yourself thinking in the language. It is very exciting the first time you realize that this has happened to you. The immersion must be extended, let’s say a full day, and you must have been actively using the language, speaking or writing at length. Suddenly it will dawn on you that you are thinking in Italian.

 

It is a very gratifying moment. Many people remember when it first happened to them. Of course, the more often you use the language exclusively, the more frequently it will happen, and, over time, just becomes routine. When you begin to think spontaneously in Italian your mind is comfortable and at ease in its new medium.

 

It is possible to experiment with thinking in Italian before it comes to you spontaneously. Try making a deliberate effort to think in Italian and see how you fare. It is best to try this when you are alone so that no one interrupts your thoughts. Do whatever you would normally do but make a conscious effort to think about each step in Italian. It’s fun to try. You don’t need a pencil or any equipment to do it, and it’s excellent training. You are

giving yourself a chance to think in Italian when there is no pressure to perform, and therein lies the beauty of it. When you’ve used Italian all day long and drift off to sleep after having written in your journal or having read your novel for a while, who’s to say that you won’t dream in Italian too?