AP® Spanish Literature Study Guide

The AP® Spanish Literature and Culture exam is definitely a challenging exam that requires a lot of preparation and competency in Spanish. However, with careful preparation and targeted studying, your chances of succeeding on this exam increase dramatically. This 30-day AP® Spanish Literature and Culture study guide is designed to help you review the topics on the exam and build your confidence.

About the Exam

The AP® Spanish Literature and Culture exam takes a total of 3 hours and is broken up as follows with each section comprising 50% of your final score.

Section 1: Multiple Choice

Part A

• 15 questions in 20 minutes, audio texts

Part B

• 50 questions in 60 minutes, print texts

Section 2: Free Response, 1 hour and 40 minutes

Part A

• Text explanation (short answer)

Part B

• Text and art comparison (short answer)

Part C

• Analysis of a single text (essay)

Part D

• Text comparison (essay)

The AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam is designed around six themes to introduce influential pieces of literature from multiple Spanish-speaking cultures. These were selected to provide a well-rounded view of literature, both from ancient and modern writers. The themes are as follows:

1. Societies in Contact
2. The Construction of Gender
3. Time and Space
4. Literary Creation
5. Interpersonal Relationships
6. Dual Nature of Being

As you read and review the readings, take note of which theme each piece falls under. Also, note the relationships between the themes and how they are interconnected within the readings.

What You Need for this Guide

The most important resource is access to the Albert.io’s AP® Spanish Literature and Culture study guide. This resource provides multiple choice review questions for each of the required readings and can be especially helpful for any readings that were particularly challenging. None of these questions will be assigned, but you are recommended to complete at least a few for each reading assignment.

The CollegeBoard also expects you to be familiar with various literary terms, like metaphor or alliteration. Their glossary of literary terms is a good resource to have to help you define and understand these terms.

There are 38 required readings for the AP® Spanish Literature exam, so having access to these works is vital. Most of them are freely available online or through your teacher.

A huge part of this exam is the free response written questions. So, to help practice expressing yourself in Spanish, there will be a short writing assignment every day. It’s a good idea to have a notebook on hand as well.

The best way to memorize details about each work is to create a notecard for each. As you review each work, write the title, author, year, literary era and summary on each card. Then, also note any relevant literary terms that appear in the work. All of this information will be vital for your success on the exam.

A Spanish/English dictionary, either a print book or online, is also helpful. Keep this on your desk as you study for quick and easy reference.

Optional (but helpful) Materials

For extra review, use either your school’s AP® Spanish textbook or a review guide. The most popular guides are The Princeton Review and Barron’s. These books can help you figure out topics you’re not quite comfortable with yet. If there are some grammar topics that confuse you, refer to Albert.io’s Ultimate Spanish Grammar Review, too.

Part of the exam includes listening and reading comprehension, so getting as much exposure to the language before the exam will definitely help. Great resources include BBC Mundo and Spanish Listening. Some specific resources will be assigned throughout the schedule, but extra practice will make the listening and reading assignments so much easier on test day.

How to Use this Plan

Try to spend at least one to two hours a day reviewing for the exam by using this AP® Spanish Literature study guide. The more time you spend, the more likely you are to get the score you want on this challenging exam. Make sure you take breaks, though; it’s extremely important to prevent burnout.

You can adapt this guide to your needs depending on how thoroughly prepared for the exam you are. If you’re well-prepared, skim the required readings and focus more on writing practice than on literary terms. Try to spend less time on the parts you already know well and more on the few areas you’re less certain of.

If you’re somewhat prepared, split your time evenly between the various parts, but you can spend closer to one hour than two. Feel free to skim a little over areas you’re thoroughly confident in and concentrate on what you know to be your weaknesses.

If you’re just starting out and don’t feel at all prepared, make sure you’re reading the selected texts very thoroughly, and spend at least two hours studying per day. Do plenty of the extra practice prep available on Albert.io.

This plan goes over all 38 required readings assigned by the CollegeBoard, including short stories, poems, and excerpts from larger novels and plays. The readings are assigned in chronological order with careful attention given to the literary periods. Because a large part of the exam is written free response questions, there will be a short writing topic every day to help you practice expressing yourself in Spanish.

Try your best and stay motivated. Keep your goal in mind and remember, by the end of May it will all be over, so give this 30-day AP® Spanish Literature study guide your all!

Week One

Day One

Your goal today is to familiarize yourself with the exam and topics covered. Visit the CollegeBoard website here and read over the test format. Then pull up the instructions for the exam. These instructions never change, so you can save yourself crucial minutes by memorizing them before the exam. Read over the directions and understand what each part of the exam requires of you. Try to memorize these today and look over them a few more times before exam day.

Then, log onto the Albert.io study guide to familiarize yourself with the layout of the website. Notice that multiple choice questions are available for all of the assigned reading. Not all of these questions will be assigned in this 30-day study guide, but they are great extra practice, especially for any particular works you are not confident with.

The AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam demands a strong grasp of the Spanish language, especially in regards to grammar. So spend the rest of your study time today reading over the Albert.io Ultimate Spanish Grammar Guide and practice any topics you are unsure of here. Pay careful attention to the subjunctive mood and sequence of tenses, as those are the most advanced grammar topics.

Congratulations! You have completed Day One of this 30-day study guide. Tomorrow, we will start working on the assigned readings.

Day Two

Today we begin working through the assigned readings. This guide presents them chronologically, so we will start with the Medieval period. We’re studying two works, Don Juan Manuel’s Conde Lucanor and “Romance de la pérdida de Alhama” by anonymous. The Medieval period spanned from 500 BCE to the late 15th century. This era was characterized by a large number of religious writings as well as long, epic poems and reliance on allegory.

Don Juan Manuel’s Conde Lucanor was written in 1335 in Spain. It relates the story of a young boy who falls in love with a girl. The central theme this work falls under is Construction of Gender. Read the piece or your notes from any previous readings and fill out a notecard on the work, paying careful attention to characters, themes and plot. Also take note of any literary devices used by the author.

“Romance de la pérdida de Alhama” was published in Spain around 1480. It tells of the romance of El Rey Moro in the city of Alhama in Spain. This is more of a historical piece and falls under the Societies in Contact theme. Pay careful attention to the historical elements of the poem on your notecard, along with any literary devices that stand out to you.

For today’s writing assignment, answer the following question in a paragraph or two: Compare and contrast the two examples of medieval literature from a literary device perspective. That is, do the two pieces use similar literary devices or are they completely different?

If any of the works confused you, take some time to answer a few multiple choice questions on the Albert.io study space for AP® Spanish Literature and Culture.

Day Three

Today, move on to the next period of Spanish literature, The Conquest Era. Again, there are two pieces that fall under this period, so cover one today and one tomorrow. This period of time was characterized by an increase in the importance of people as individuals in Spain and by conquest abroad.

“Visión de los vencidos” by Miguel León-Portilla was written in 1502 in Mexico and gives an insight into life in the Americas before the Spanish conquest. Specifically, it discusses the Aztec civilization and its gods. This falls under the theme of Societies in Contact. For this work’s notecard, specify the literary terms used to describe the gods.

If you need extra practice answering multiple choice questions, go to Albert.io’s study guide and answer a few questions for this work.

For writing practice, describe the Aztec civilization in a paragraph or so, including information from today’s reading and any prior information you know about the era.

Day Four

Today, finish the Conquest Era with “Segunda carta de relación” by Hernán Cortés, which was written in 1520. Cortés was a Spanish Conquistador and in this letter, he is telling the story of what he found in the Americas to his king, Carlos V. This also falls under the theme of Societies in Contact.

In your journal today, answer the following question in a few sentences: how did the Conquistadors talk about the America they “discovered”? Include any information you know about early American history to prove what they said right or wrong.

Day Five

The next major literary movement is the Golden Age. There are quite a few required reading pieces that fall under this era, so the next four days will be spent covering this time period. The most important aspects of this era were the focus placed on humanity and a resurgence of interest in classic works from early Greece and Rome.

Today’s work is El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra by Tirso de Molina, written in 1630. This is a play with themes including friendship, order, corruption and good versus evil. It falls under the general category Construction of Gender. As you review it, take notes on your notecard on how the various themes are presented and developed. Challenge yourself by answering a few multiple choice questions on the Albert.io study guide as well to reinforce your learning.

For writing practice, pick one of the themes in the play and write a few sentences on how a particular character helped develop that theme.

Day Six

Today’s readings will comprise several poems from the Golden Age. First, review “Hombres necios que acusáis” by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, written in Mexico in 1690. This poem falls completely under the central theme Construction of Gender, as it discusses the relationship between men and women. On your notecard, pay attention to the specific techniques used by the author in discussing this theme.

Then, review Sonnet XXIII by Garcilaso de la Vega, which was written in 1543. This poem discusses the temporary nature of beauty and follows the central theme of Time and Space. Next up is Sonnet CLXVI by Luis de Góngora, written in 1612. This poem also discusses similar issues as Sonnet XXIII and falls under the same theme. For your notecards, write down any specific literary devices you notice in each poem.

The last poem for today is Poem XVII by Francisco de Quevedo, written in 1648. This poem also is under the theme Time and Space as it discusses the passing of time in relation to wars. Focus on imagery and poem form on your notecard for this work.

For your writing assignment today, you will have two choices. Depending on how much time you have, write a paragraph on one or both of these topics. First, discuss how Vega’s Sonnet XXIII and Góngora’s Sonnet CLXVI differ in their approach to the same topic. Then, write a literary analysis on either of the other two poems, focusing on literary devices and form.

Day Seven

You are almost done with your first week of intensive review! Today, focus on Lazarillo de Tormes, written in 1554. Notice that this piece was published anonymously. The piece tells the experiences of of a young man through his life and follows the central theme of Societies in Contact, so write this on your notecard as well.

For your writing assignment today, summarize the story of Lazarillo. Try to use both the preterite and imperfect in your writing.

Week Two

Day One

Today we will finish the Golden Age of literature with what is often considered the first novel in history, Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quijote, published in 1605. The story is of a knight who explores his imagination as he travels the land. The main theme here is of Literary Creation. On your notecard, write any specific literary devices you notice used in the piece.

To practice writing, describe the imagery used in one of the passages of the story in a paragraph or so. Perhaps the windmill scene would be best for this, as the images are quite vivid, but you can also write about how Cervantes paints a picture of Don Quijote.

Day Two

Today, take a break from reading the literature and practice full length writing exercises. Try to answer the following questions in well developed essays. Notice that the questions on the AP® Spanish Language exam are written entirely in Spanish.

1. Identifica al autor y la época de este fragmento. Luego, explica el desarrollo del tema de las relaciones de poder dentro de la obra a la que pertenece. Y aquel su amigo díjole que le agradecía mucho cuanto le decía, y que pues su hijo quería aquel casamiento, que le rogaba que le plugiese. El casamiento se hizo, y llevaron a la novia a casa de su marido. Y los moros han por costumbre que adoban de cenar a los novios y pónenles la mesa y déjanlos en su casa hasta el otro día. E hiciéronlo así aquellos; pero estaban los padres y las madres y parientes del novio y de la novia con gran recelo, cuidando que al otro día hallarían el novio muerto o muy maltrecho. Luego que ellos quedaron solos en casa, sentáronse a la mesa, y antes de que [ella] llegase a decir cosa, cató el novio en derredor de la mesa, y vio un perro y díjole algo bravamente: —¡Perro, danos agua para las manos! (CollegeBoard free response exam, 2013).

2. Analiza cómo “A Roosevelt” representa las características del Modernismo y el contexto histórico en Latinoamérica en el siglo XX. En tu ensayo debes comentar los recursos literarios del poema. Debes incluir ejemplos del texto que apoyen tus ideas. (CollegeBoard free response exam, 2014).

Day Three

Continue your break from the literature today with an intensive grammar review. Read over the Albert.io Ultimate Spanish Grammar study guide, then select three or four grammar topics to practice here. If none come to mind, focus on the subjunctive mood and sequence of tenses as these are the most advanced Spanish concepts and often take a great deal of work to master.

Day Four

The next movement in the history of Spanish literature is Naturalism. As you can probably tell by the name, this movement focused largely on the beauty and reverence of nature.

There are two assigned works that fall within this literary era. First, review Rima LIII by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer (1871). This poem discusses Interpersonal Relationships through careful use of metaphor, so pay close attention to the literary devices employed by the writer.

The next piece is José María Heredia’s “En una tempestad” from 1820. This poem also uses the metaphor of a hurricane to express the majesty of God using the theme of Time and Space. Focus on that metaphor, along with other literary devices, on your notecard.

For your writing practice, compare and contrast the effectiveness of the metaphors used in each poem in a paragraph or two.

Day Five

Our next literary movement is the Romantic era. This period was characterized by individualism and glorification of the past, especially the medieval period. There are two short works from the required reading list that fall under this era. First, review Emilia Pardo Bazán’s “Las medias rojas” from 1914. This piece focuses on Interpersonal Relationships and talks about a boy’s dreams.

Next, review “El hijo” by Horacio Quiroga (1928). This piece also uses the theme of Interpersonal Relationships, in this case to narrate the story of a tragedy. On your notecard, write a short statement of why this piece would be categorized as Romantic.

To practice writing, focus on the theme of Interpersonal Relationships and describe how these two pieces related this theme either effectively or ineffectively.

Day Six

Now, move on to the Modern era. Take note that this does not mean the works were published recently. Rather, Modernism is a break from the previous era of Romanticism where the past was glorified and instead marks the creation of new writing methods. We will break this era up over the next two days.

Today, read two pieces. The first is “Peso ancestral” by Argentine writer Alfonsina Storni in 1919. This is a strong poem that discusses the Construction of Gender, specifically from a male perspective. Take careful note of the poem’s structure and how it may differ from previous works.

Then, read over Cuban writer José Martí’s 1891 work “Nustra America” about Societies in Contact. Pay attention to the political discussion in the work and look up some of Cuba’s history if you want more clarification on any topics discussed.

Lastly, write a short reflection on any changes you have noticed between Romanticism and Modernism in your notebook.

Day Seven

Today we will finish the Modern era with three poems. First, read Rubén Darío’s “A Roosevelt” from 1905. This is another political work that falls under the theme Societies in Contact, so take note of how the history of the time is presented in the work.

Second, review Antonio Machado’s 1903 poem “He andado muchos caminos”. Machado discusses experience and the different people you meet in your life. The work falls under the overarching theme of Time and Space.

Then, finish the era with “A Julia de Burgos” from 1938, a poem that discusses the Dual Nature of Being. This poem relates social restrictions and other problems the author sees in society. So, for today’s writing practice, summarize the arguments made in this poem.

Congratulations! You are halfway done with this intensive 30-day AP® Spanish Literature study guide. Keep going strong and persevere through the rest of the program.

Week Three

Day One

Time to move on to the next literary period: avant-garde, otherwise known as vanguard literature. This movement is characterized by experimental works that are unorthodox and highly unique.

Today, read the play La Casa de Bernarda Alba by Federico García Lorca (1936). It explores the theme of Interpersonal Relationships through the story of a family composed exclusively of women. The themes of repression and conformity are also explored through the work.

To practice writing, describe how this piece represents the Avant-garde period, especially focusing on how it is different from any previous pieces you have read. Are there any comparisons you see with other readings?

Day Two

There are three poems that fall under the Avant-garde era, so review those today. Notice how each poem takes a different approach to the era and, as you read, try to contrast the themes they present.

First, read Federico García Lorca’s “Prendimiento de Antoñito el Camborio en el Camino de Sevilla” from 1928. This Romance focuses on the theme Societies in Contact through the story of a criminal. Remember to fill out a notecard for the poem and note any prominent literary devices the poet uses.

Then, review the 1934 poem “Balada de los dos abuelos” by Nicolás Guillén. This beautiful poem explores the theme of Dual Nature of Being by comparing the poet’s two grandmothers. Focus on how the different cultures are represented in the piece.

The last piece from this era is Pablo Neruda’s 1935 poem “Walking Around”. This poem explores the somewhat negative images of a modern society. It falls under the theme of Time and Space. On your notecard for this piece, write down any prominent images from the poem, especially any that repeat, and write what they might represent in society.

Then, for your writing exercise, compare and contrast how one literary device, for example imagery, is used in two of the three poems you reviewed today.

Day Three

Great job so far with your intensive literature review. Reviewing each piece and knowing major literary terms is vital to your success on this exam. However, practice makes perfect. So today, set aside at least 3 hours to take a full length practice exam. Choose one provided by your teacher, grab a test prep book from the bookstore or library, or access one online here.

Try to complete the test in one sitting and stick to the time limits for each section, but if this is your first time taking a full length exam, feel free to take as long as you need on each section so you can do your absolute best. Whatever you choose, pay attention to how long you are taking on each part, particularly the free response questions, which generally take the longest.

Once you are done, resist the temptation to look over your answers. Save that step for tomorrow as you will be refreshed and ready to give your practice exam the full analysis it needs.

Day Four

Congratulations on completing a full length practice exam yesterday! Remember, constant practice is the best way to improve in something. Today, take some time to review your answers. Pull out the answer key for your exam and grade the multiple choice questions, then look at the rubric for grading the free response and give yourself an honest, conservative score. It is better to give yourself a 3 or 4 when you actually got a 5 and work harder to improve than to give yourself a 5 when you really got a 3 and have a lot of room to improve.

After you have graded all the questions, focus on the free response. What questions were challenging for you? Was it definitions of literary terms? What happened in the assigned stories or poems? Or did you simply run out of time> Write down three things you can improve on during the next week and a half of review and again, be honest with yourself. No one is going to know what you got on the practice exam and, frankly, no one will really care. So focus on your own self-improvement and what you can do to get better and score well on this challenging exam.

Take some time today to review all the notecards you have made for the literary works you have reviewed. If you need to, also read over the CollegeBoard literary devices glossary again to refresh your memory on some of the more uncommon devices and how they are used.

Tomorrow, we will continue with this intensive AP® Spanish Language study guide.

Day Five

Our last literary era is the 20th century. A large portion of the required readings come from this time period. This era was characterized by the rise of globalization and incorporation of cultures and ideals from around the world. Technology was also growing in importance and resulted in the availability of cheaper manufacturing. Unfortunately, this era was characterized by war as well, including the World Wars and the Cold War that raged for most of the century.

Today, focus on one work from this movement, Miguel de Unamuno’s San Manuel Bueno from 1933. This piece discusses Literary Creation and focuses on the story of San Manuel and his relationships with others. On your notecard, write about how the theme is presented and discuss any literary terms that stand out.

For your short writing practice, summarize how this piece compares with pieces from the other eras we have studied. What changes do you see in the literature as time goes on? Are there any things that seem to stay the same, no matter the time period?

Day Six

Today, review three pieces from this era that fall under the theme of Interpersonal Relationships. Focus on how each piece uses literary devices to present this theme. First, read Juan Rulfo’s “No oyes ladrar los perros” from 1953. Pay attention to how the relationship between the father and son progresses. Do you see any connections between this relationship and other relationships presented in previous works?

Second, review Sabine Ulibarrí’s 1964 piece “Mi caballo mago”. This striking poem also discusses the beauty of nature and how people view nature as a whole. On your notecard, be sure to comment on how the writer presents the horse. What specific literary devices are used to paint a picture of the horse and the world around him?

Finally, read Rosa Montero’s “Como la vida misma” from 1982. This is quite an interesting poem that is especially relevant to anyone who lives in a large city. Notice how one of the overarching ideas of the 20th century writers, the rise of technology, plays an important part in the narration of this poem. On your notecard, pay careful attention to the strong imagery in this work.

For your writing exercise, write a short paragraph on any one of the works studied today, focusing on literary devices and how the poem represents the ideals of the 20th century.

Day Seven

We are almost done with this 30-day AP® Spanish Language study guide. You are doing a great job so far! Keep it up for the next few days and you are sure to be well-prepared for your exam.

Today, read Gabriel García Márquez’s “La siesta de martes” from 1962. This also falls under the Interpersonal Relationships theme from yesterday. This is another striking piece of literature from Colombia. Notice the imagery and how the theme of Interpersonal Relationships is expressed. There are a lot of relationships throughout the piece: the mother and her daughter, the mother and the priest, and even the mother and the community. Pay careful attention to how these relationships differ and how the author portrays them.

For writing practice, choose one of the relationships explored in today’s reading and write a short paragraph detailing how literary devices help develop this relationship.

Week Four

Day One

Just one more week of intensive review left! Great job so far. You only have a handful of works left to review before you are ready for your exam.

For the next two days, focus on the theme Societies in Contact. Remember, we are still in the era of 20th Century literature. Today, read Osvaldo Dragún’s El hombre que se convertió en perro, from 1956. This play tells the story of a man who, as the title suggests, becomes a dog. However, it is much more than a comedic play. The story discusses social pressure and government as the man is put through a humiliating experience just to survive.

Writing practice is important, as half of your exam score is based on written free response questions. So make sure you are practicing expressing yourself in Spanish every day. Today, write a short summary of the play in your notebook.

Day Two

Continuing with the theme of Societies in Contact, read Tomás Rivera’s 1971 work “No se lo tragó la tierra”. This is a particularly important piece, as it discusses a political problem still relevant to the country to this day. It relates the story of a Mexican immigrant and the problems he, and other people like him, face when they try to enter the United States illegally.

Then, write a short paragraph on how the speaker of today’s reading expresses his problems. Focus on any literary devices used. Also comment on how effective the writer was in presenting his case.

Day Three

Time to move on to another theme of 20th Century literature, the Dual Nature of Being. Today, read two works by Jorge Luis Borges. This Argentinian writer was a key figure in Spanish-language literature and was well known throughout the world.

First, read or review “Borges y yo” from 1956. This poem fully explores the central theme of Dual Nature of Being; in it, the writer presents himself as two different people, the writer and the “common man”. Focus on any prominent literary devices the author uses to portray this theme and make sure to write them down on your notecard for this work.

Then, read or review “El Sur” from the next year, 1957. This piece uses a lot of strong imagery to discuss the duality of dreams and reality. Make note of any other literary devices as well.

Finally, in your notebook, summarize one of the two works and briefly discuss one of the most striking literary devices from that piece.

Day Four

Today, we will finish the theme of Dual Nature of Being from the 20th Century era. Start with “La noche boca arriba” (1956) by Julio Cortázar. This work is similar to yesterday’s “El Sur” in that it also discusses the duality of reality and dreams. On your notecard, list any literary devices that the author uses to represent “dreamland”. Also, think about why the author chose to include Natives in the piece.

Then, finish out the theme with Gabriel Garcia Márquez’s 1968 work “El ahogado más hermoso del mundo”. This short story tells a beautiful tale of a drowned man. A small village finds him and treats him with wonder and reverence. On your notecard, pay careful attention to the strong imagery used in the piece, both when describing Esteban and when discussing his sea burial.

To practice writing, summarize one of the two pieces from today and give a short description of two different literary devices used in the piece.

Day Five

Today, move on to another theme, the Construction of Gender. There are two 20th Century pieces that fall under this theme. First, ready the 1944 poem “Mujer negra” by Nancy Morejón. This is a highly moving piece that relates the story of African slaves in Cuba. Focus on how the piece describes the different genders. It is important to note that Morejón herself was a Cuban woman of African descent, so this topic was very personal for her. In fact, she was often considered a voice for that generation of Africans in Cuba.

Then, to finish today’s literature review, go over “Dos palabras” (1989) by Isabel Allende. This poem has a lot of interesting literary devices, so make sure to pay attention to those and write them down on your notecard.

Finally, write a short paragraph on “Mujer negra”. Briefly summarize the main point of the piece, then give a literary analysis, focusing on imagery and other literary devices used in the piece to present the story.

Day Six

You are almost there! Today is the last day of literature review. There is only one more piece to study before you are officially finished with the hardest part of this 30-day AP® Spanish Literature study guide. Stay motivated; it’s almost over.

Today, finish the 20th Century era of literature with Carlos Fuentes’ 1954 piece “Chac Mool” which represents the theme of Time and Space. Chacmool refers to a particular type of Mesoamerican sculpture used to make offerings to the Gods. There were particularly important for the Aztecs. As you read, notice how this society is described. As usual, fill out a notecard for the story and pay careful attention to literary devices used throughout.

Day Seven

It is the last day of Week Four of your intensive AP® Spanish Literature study guide. Today, set aside at least three hours to take a full length practice exam. Choose one provided by your teacher, get a test prep book from the bookstore or library, or access one online here. Alternatively, you could also answer 60 multiple choice questions from the Albert.io study space and complete a full-length free response question set, but this will not offer as realistic an experience as taking an actual full length exam will.

Once you’ve taken the test, review your answers. Focus on why you got certain questions wrong and make a list of areas where you can improve. Try to find out what specifically is confusing and plan on working on those areas for any time you have left before the exam.

The Final Days

For the last two days of this 30-day AP® Spanish Literature study guide, and any remaining days leading up to your exam, read over your literature notecards often, reviewing both literary terms and the specific assigned readings. Focus on themes, literary devices and historic eras. Use any resources you have discovered to practice listening comprehension as well to make sure you excel on that portion of the exam. A good piece of advice is to listen to audio recordings of the assigned works. Also take some time to review the Albert.io study guide questions for any of the readings you were unsure about.

Try to take the day before the exam off, or at least stick with a quick notecard review. You definitely do not want to burn yourself out and perform poorly on an exam you spent so much time preparing for!

Day of the Exam Checklist

Do not let all your preparations go to waste by being disorganized on exam day. The night before, make sure to prepare in all the following ways to ensure a smooth exam day.

1. Get a good night’s sleep. Try not to study too much the night before and get to bed 15-30 minutes earlier than your normally would to help you wake up refreshed.
2. Eat breakfast. Even if it’s just a banana or smoothie, a breakfast with simple sugars and protein can help your mind perform at its best.
3. #2 pencils and pens. Remember, the free response essays must be done in pen. Make sure you bring a few so you don’t run out of ink. Also be sure you have a few reliable, sharpened pencils and a good, smudge-proof eraser for the multiple choice section.
4. Government-issued ID. This can be a driver’s license or school ID, but either way, the exam proctors will need to check your identity.
5. Analogue watch. Electronics are not allowed in the testing room, so if you want to keep track of your time, bring in an analogue watch. Most testing centers will have a clock, but you can never be too sure.

Conclusion

Congratulations! If you have successfully completed this AP® Spanish Literature study guide, you are well on your way to success. The exam is definitely challenging and requires careful attention to detail, but do not be discouraged. By following this guide, you have worked hard and reviewed all the important topics covered on the exam. Relax and be confident!

Let us know: Which required reading was your favorite? What are some resources you regularly use to practice your Spanish?

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