KRISTI NEUROTH: Welcome, I'm Kristi Neuroth, back with you
to go over one more final FRQ question with two stimuli.
So let's get started.
I have a few reminders here for you
that we've gone over before.
So remember these final tips.
We are going to read any titles or data tables carefully.
We are going to take time to make
note of the stimulus details.
And you'll see me do that with our two stimuli today.
We will take time to annotate the question and stimulus.
And I'll give you an example of that.
We can do that with maybe starring important information,
circling important information, or underlining key vocabulary.
Next, we will make sure to refer to the stimulus in our answer.
And, finally, we will pay attention to the verbs,
things like describe, explain, or compare.
Let's dive right in.
Here's our question.
We've got two pictures or two images with titles.
And we've got our stimulus.
Our first part of our question says,
describe the topography shown in image 1.
Now, I may be tempted to just jump right into part A.
But I remember that I need to take some time
to look at the stimulus first and look at the intro
to make sure that I'm focused in on what I need to be answering.
So it says, cultural practices such as land use
may vary across geographical locations because
of physical geography and available resources.
So I know that this question is going to focus in on land use
and that it's going to incorporate
physical geography and available resources.
These images illustrate two different ways
humans have modified the natural landscape.
So this question is focusing us in on human environment
interaction, how humans have modified our natural landscape.
And I can guess that it probably wants
me to take a good look at these two images.
So part A says, describe the topography shown in image 1.
Describe is my key verb.
So this is going to be roughly two to four sentences
for a good description.
And it wants me to talk about the topography in image 1
specifically.
So before I jump in, I need to take some time with image 1.
So let's zoom in here and look at what
we're actually working with.
First of all, I'm going to notice the title of my image
here, Center Pivot Irrigation.
This is in Cimarron, Kansas, in the United States.
I see the various circles and squares.
And I remember my teacher talking about that,
showing me similar images.
That's coming back to mind now.
I also see the key.
So it's illustrating how much land I'm looking at.
That's going to be important as well.
So now that I've taken some time to observe the image,
seeing all of the different farms here,
using center pivot irrigation, I can go back
to part A and answer.
So for each of the answers that I
will share with you here today, I'm
going to give you a sample answer.
These samples will be incomplete.
They won't be full paragraphs.
But they'll give you a good idea of the kind
of answers you could or the kind of information you
could use in your answer.
So my answer here would be roughly two to four sentences.
And it would be a full description of image 1.
So you see here some concepts you could potentially
use in your answer.
Feel free as we go along, if you want to pause the video,
to try to create your answer first and see
if you're on the right track.
It's a great way to use these videos to help you prepare.
If I've done that, I can check off part A
and move on to part B.
So it says here, based on the physical characteristics
of the landscape shown in image 2,
explain why people adopted the land use
practice shown in the image.
So this question wants me to focus on image 2.
And it wants me to explain why people adopted the land use
practice shown in the image.
So I zoom in here.
And I notice that image 2 shows me irrigated terraces.
And if I wasn't paying attention and I didn't read the title,
I might not notice that the type of land use
here is irrigated terraces.
I could have missed that key.
But I didn't miss it because I took time to read the title.
And I also took some time to look at the legend
here, the scale of the map, to show me
how much land I'm looking at.
So if I go back to the question here,
I have a sample answer for image 2, which explains the land use
practice.
Again, a real answer would be longer than this.
But it gives you an idea of what kind of information
you would want to include for part B.
We are done with part B, ready to move on to part C.
So it says, explain a negative effect that irrigation may have
on water quality, key verb here being explained.
I want to have a why or a how in my answer.
And I'm looking at the negative effects
that irrigation may have on water quality.
So while I don't have to refer back to the images,
I might be thinking about what I know about things like center
pivot irrigation, as illustrated in that first image, when
I write my answer.
So here are some things you could talk about
for part C. Again, a real answer would be longer.
But did your answer sound somewhat like this?
Are you on the right track?
Use your answer to compare with mine.
And see how you're doing.
Let's check off part C and move on to part D.
OK, we have one of those tricky question stems.
It says, explain the degree to which--
I wanted to take some time today to focus specifically
on this type of question because it can throw students off.
They get a little confused by this strange phrasing, "degree
to which."
It's not typically how we talk about things.
It's not the most common question stem.
But don't be afraid.
There is an easy way to tackle this kind of question.
So what do they want us to explain?
Well, they want us to explain the degree
to which mechanized irrigation has
increased economies of scale within the agricultural sector.
Don't be scared by a complex question like this.
When you annotate, just break it down into its various parts.
If a question asks you to explain the degree to which,
the first thing you want to do is
decide whether you think it is a high degree, a medium degree,
or a low degree.
And say that in your answer.
Mechanized agriculture or mechanized irrigation
has increased economies of scale within the agricultural sector
to a high degree, for instance.
Then I would go on to explain why it is a high degree.
So you've seen my examples here, my explanation.
I've got specifics.
But the very first sentence that I would have
is clearly stating what degree--
high degree, medium degree, or low degree.
If that's missing from your answer,
you may have tons of beautiful information,
but you won't get the points.
So tuck that away for AP test day
to remember how to tackle a question that looks like this.
Again, you'll notice that my answer
addresses economies of scale.
And it addresses mechanized irrigation as well.
If I've done all of that--
I've talked about the degree to which I've included each piece,
it's an explain, it has a how or a why, and it's at least three
to five sentences--
I can feel highly confident that I've
done what I needed to do for part D.
And I'm ready to move on.
Part E-- explain why large scale commercial agriculture--
we've got an explain here, and we're talking about large scale
commercial agriculture--
operations are increasingly replacing small family farms
in developed countries.
So we've got an explain.
We have to talk about this relationship
between large scale commercial agriculture and small family
farms.
And notice that it talks about developed countries.
I've used this question as a practice in my class
with my students.
And several students missed that last piece
of developed countries because I think
they got a little bit tired here by part
E. So make sure in your annotations you revisit the.
Question and make sure that you're
addressing that specific piece in your answer as well.
So I've got a sample answer here.
You would have at least three to five sentences.
You'd make sure that the context of your answer
is in developed countries.
If you've done that, you can check off part E
and end here with part F.
Part F states, explain how government policies--
So our explanation is about government policies--
may allow farmers in developed countries--
so I have farmers and developed countries--
to compete with imported crops from developing countries.
Again, this is a complex question.
But it doesn't mean you need to be scared.
It just means that you need to make sure
that you address each piece that's
brought up in the question.
So I must address farmers in developed countries.
And I need to talk about how government policies may
support them with imported crops from developing countries.
So there are a lot of moving pieces here.
But as long as I check each of those boxes in my three-
to five-sentence explanation here,
I can absolutely master this question.
So let's take a look at a sample response.
So I might talk about tariffs or taxes.
And I'm sure to really focus back
in on the farmers themselves because that's
who I'm meant to talk about.
And I'm sure to address that they are in developed countries
and how products from developing countries may have an impact.
A great answer would address each piece
and would check the box for getting the point for part F.
That brings us to the end of this particular practice
question.
And I'll leave you with the final thoughts
I leave you with every time.
Make sure that you take time to understand the question first.
That is what brings success.
You demonstrate your depth of knowledge
when you are specific.
And, finally, you've got this.
You've made it through our sample practice questions.
You've had additional practice yourself.
You are going to do a fantastic job.
Thank you so much for joining us.
I hope you feel super prepared for the AP test.
And good luck to all of you.