AP Spanish El Ensayo Argumentativo 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In the AP Spanish argumentative essay rubric, what does 'eficacia comunicativa' evaluate?
- Grammar accuracy only
- Whether the essay successfully persuades the reader through clear, organized argumentation (Correct answer)
- The number of vocabulary words used
- Whether the student wrote more than 400 words
Correct answer: Whether the essay successfully persuades the reader through clear, organized argumentation
'Eficacia comunicativa' assesses how effectively the writer communicates the argument, including organization, clarity, and persuasion.
Question 2: Which paragraph structure is most logical for a body paragraph in an AP Spanish argumentative essay?
- Evidence → Topic sentence → Analysis → Conclusion
- Topic sentence → Evidence → Analysis → Link to thesis (Correct answer)
- Counterargument → Evidence → Topic sentence → Analysis
- Conclusion → Topic sentence → Evidence → Analysis
Correct answer: Topic sentence → Evidence → Analysis → Link to thesis
The standard structure begins with a topic sentence, presents evidence, analyzes it, and connects back to the thesis.
Question 3: A student writes: 'La fuente uno y la fuente dos están de acuerdo en que la educación bilingüe beneficia a los estudiantes.' What technique is this?
- Paraphrasing a single source
- Synthesizing multiple sources around a shared point (Correct answer)
- Quoting directly from sources
- Introducing a counterargument
Correct answer: Synthesizing multiple sources around a shared point
Pointing out agreement between two sources and tying them to a single claim is a synthesis technique.
Question 4: Which of the following correctly uses the conditional tense to hedge a claim in academic Spanish?
- Es posible que los resultados cambian con más investigación.
- Los resultados cambiarían significativamente si se ampliara la muestra. (Correct answer)
- Los resultados van a cambiar si hay más investigación.
- Es cierto que los resultados cambiaron ya.
Correct answer: Los resultados cambiarían significativamente si se ampliara la muestra.
The conditional ('cambiarían') with the imperfect subjunctive ('ampliara') forms a hypothetical construction appropriate for academic hedging.
Question 5: Why should an AP Spanish student avoid direct quotation for entire sentences?
- Because quotations are not allowed in AP essays
- Because paraphrasing and integrating evidence demonstrates better language control and analysis (Correct answer)
- Because quotations take up too much space
- Because AP graders cannot read quoted text
Correct answer: Because paraphrasing and integrating evidence demonstrates better language control and analysis
Paraphrasing shows the student has processed and understood the source, demonstrating higher language proficiency than copying text verbatim.
Question 6: Which transitional phrase best signals an additive relationship between two supporting points?
- Sin embargo
- Asimismo (Correct answer)
- No obstante
- Por el contrario
Correct answer: Asimismo
'Asimismo' means 'likewise' or 'furthermore,' adding another point in the same direction, unlike the contrasting connectors.
Question 7: In an argumentative essay about immigration policy, a student states: 'Aunque los críticos sostienen que la inmigración presiona los mercados laborales, los datos económicos demuestran que los inmigrantes crean empleos al impulsar el consumo.' What rhetorical move is this?
- A simple statement of fact
- A concession-refutation move that strengthens the student's position (Correct answer)
- A summary of the counterargument with no response
- A logical fallacy
Correct answer: A concession-refutation move that strengthens the student's position
The student concedes the counterargument ('aunque los críticos sostienen') and then immediately refutes it with evidence, a hallmark of sophisticated argumentation.
AP Spanish El Ensayo Argumentativo 5
In the AP Spanish argumentative essay rubric, what does 'eficacia comunicativa' evaluate?