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PREPARING FOR THE AP EXAM
Multiple-Choice Questions: Writing
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The passage below is a draft. (16) To this day, televised debates give candidates
(1) Originally, presidential debates took place on the opportunity to portray themselves as presiden-
an outdoor stage where candidates spoke out to tial, but looks are not everything. (17) And while
a crowd who rarely got close to them. (2) This the ideas do still matter, voters are often more
meant that the ideas and proposals announced in interested in the appearance and demeanor of the
those debates were most important because peo- candidates. (18) Even Nixon himself later admitted
ple couldn’t really see the candidates up close. his mistaken approach to the debate, writing in his
(3) However, in 1960, Americans witnessed the memoirs how he “should have remembered that ‘a
first-ever televised presidential debate between picture is worth a thousand words.’ ”
then-vice president Richard Nixon and the
younger and less experienced John F. Kennedy. 1. The writer wants to add a thesis statement
after sentence 3. Which of the following
(4) This was all painfully obvious even at that choices would be the best thesis statement
debate between Nixon and Kennedy. (5) With for this passage?
years of experience in Congress and around the (A) From that moment on, the average
world, Nixon was favored in the election. (6) Ken- American voter lost interest in the
nedy was well liked, but his lack of experience was details of policy and leadership and
expected to keep him from becoming president. instead developed an over-reliance on
the close-up appearance and live televi-
(7) On September 26, the two candidates arrived sion performance of their candidate.
at CBS studios in Chicago. (8) Kennedy had (B) Though Kennedy was more prepared,
spent the previous days in a hotel room prepar- more people should have voted
ing, while Vice President Nixon had been ill with for Nixon because he needed little
the flu. (9) To make matters worse for Nixon, he preparation or practice, clearly showing
had recently injured his knee and then re-injured him to be the stronger candidate.
it getting out of the car at the debate site. (C) Debates that take place without
consideration for the health or well-
(10) The debate went on as planned. (11) Nixon being of the candidates remain unfair
answered each question clearly and with a and brutal events of political theater.
knowledge that showed he needed little or no (D) Nixon did, indeed, win the debate,
practice. Kennedy, with his practiced answers, though millions who watched on
kept up with the ill and hurting Nixon. (12) For television were swayed toward Kennedy
his part, Nixon had performed admirably given by his healthy appearance and savvy
the circumstances, needing little or no practice preparation.
to match the well-practiced Kennedy. (13) After (E) Until that day, debates were respectable
the debate, those who had listened on the radio events where candidates could showcase
declared it a draw. (14) Obviously, most of the what they knew and appeal to an
seventy million Americans who watched the audience of people in the room and not
live debate declared Kennedy the clear winner. to a faceless audience of millions who
(15) He had appeared much more healthy and knew little about them or their ideas.
energetic than the vice president.

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