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Content Difficulty
Although AP Spanish has a 5-point rate of more than 20%, it will take a long time to prepare for the examination for non-native speakers. It has a very high requirement for language.
According to the AP course and exam guide published by the American College Council, AP Spanish requires students to study contents equivalent to three university years, you can imagine the difficulty of the course examination.
Content Coverage
AP Spanish examines candidates' use of Spanish vocabulary, grasp of sentence structure, fluent oral communication, and the understanding of Spanish. The examination mainly test on art work, historical events, contemporary life, family communication, global events, personal or public values, and technology. Candidates are required to be proficient in Spanish on these topics.
Should You Take AP Spanish?
As an AP language test, non-native speakers will inevitably need a long time to study and build a foundation. It is suggested that students choose this subject base on their abilities, interests and future development direction, and make a long-term preparations for the exam.
Exam Format
Section 1A: Multiple Choice
30 Questions I 40 Minutes I 23% of Score
• Interpretive Communication: Print Texts. This section consists of a variety of authentic print materials (e.g., journalistic and literary texts, announcements, advertisements, letters, charts, maps, and tables). Students will be asked to:
-Identify the main ideas and supporting details
-Determine the meaning of vocabulary words in context
-Identify the author's point of view or the target audience
-Demonstrate knowledge of the cultural or interdisciplinary information contained in the text
Section 1B: Multiple Choice with Audio
35 Questions I 55 Minutes I 27% of Score
• This section consists of a variety of authentic audio materials, including interviews, podcasts, public service announcements, conversations, and brief presentations. It is divided into 2 subsections:
-Interpretive Communication: Print and Audio Texts (combined). 2 sets of audio sources paired with print materials on the same topic with questions (article and audio report, chart and conversation).
-Interpretive Communication: Audio Texts. 3 sets of audio sources with questions (interview, instructions, presentation).
• Students will respond to questions about main ideas and supporting details. Some questions will require students to demonstrate their understanding of cultural or interdisciplinary information.
• Students will have time to read a preview of each selection and skim the questions before listening to the audio. All audio texts will be played twice.
Section 2A: Free Response Written
2 Questions I 1 Hour 10 Minutes I 25% of Score
• Interpersonal Writing: Read and reply to an email message (15 minutes).
• Presentational Writing: Write an argumentative essay based on 3 sources, including an article, a table, graph, chart, or infographic, and a related audio source (played twice), that present different viewpoints on a topic (-55 minutes total: 15 minutes to review materials plus 40 minutes to write). Students will have access to the print sources and any notes they may take on the audio during the entire 40-minute writing period.
Section 2B: Free Response Spoken
2 Questions I 18 Minutes I 25% of Score
• Interpersonal Speaking: Participate in 5 exchanges in a simulated conversation (20 seconds for each response). For this conversation, students will be provided with a preview of the conversation, including an outline of each exchange.
• Presentational Speaking: Deliver a 2-minute presentation in response to a prompt in which students compare a cultural feature of a Spanish-speaking community with which they are familiar to their own community or another community.
Score Distribution
Test Prep Strategy
AP Spanish takes a long time to prepare. Grammar and vocabulary need to be slowly build in the process of studying. Students need to sort out the vocabulary based on different scenarios, as well as summarising the language used during exams.
You can read more Spanish newspapers and watch more Spanish movies and news to improve your speaking.
Recommended Study Guides
-Barron's AP Spanish Language and Culture
-Cracking the AP Spanish Language and Culture
-5 steps to a 5
Collection of Official Papers with Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Click here to obtain the latest AP Spanish Guide & Official Past-Year Papers with MCQ from ExclusiveSAT.
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