Unit 5 of 5

Unit 5: Contemporary (1945-Present)

Study guide for CLEP CLEP American LiteratureUnit 5: Contemporary (1945-Present). Practice questions, key concepts, and exam tips.

12

Practice Questions

15

Flashcards

4

Key Topics

Key Concepts to Study

Beat Generation (Kerouac, Ginsberg)
postmodern fiction (Pynchon, Morrison)
confessional poetry (Plath, Sexton)
multicultural voices and identity literature

Sample Practice Questions

Try these 5 questions from this unit. Sign up for full access to all 12.

Q1MEDIUM

Sylvia Plath, Robert Lowell, and Elizabeth Bishop are poets associated with what literary period?

A.

the Colonial period

B.

the Romantic period

C.

Realism/Naturalism

D.

Modernism

E.

Contemporary (post-1945)

Show Answer

Answer: E"Contemporary (post-1945)" is correct because they are post-1945 poets, not Colonial or Romantic.

Q2HARD

Which author wrote the novel Underworld?

A.

Don DeLillo

B.

Thomas Pynchon

C.

John Updike

D.

Philip Roth

E.

Robert Stone

Show Answer

Answer: ADon DeLillo is correct because DeLillo wrote Underworld, not Pynchon's Vineland.

Q3HARD

Who wrote the novel Rabbit, Run?

A.

John Updike

B.

Philip Roth

C.

Saul Bellow

D.

Joyce Carol Oates

E.

Norman Mailer

Show Answer

Answer: AJohn Updike is correct because Updike wrote Rabbit, Run, not Roth's Portnoy's Complaint.

Q4MEDIUM

Which play is a classic portrayal of the American Dream's dark underbelly through the character of Willy Loman?

A.

A Streetcar Named Desire

B.

Death of a Salesman

C.

The Crucible

D.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

E.

Long Day's Journey into Night

Show Answer

Answer: BDeath of a Salesman is correct because Death of a Salesman critiques the American Dream.

Q5EASY

Which author wrote the novel Beloved?

A.

John Updike

B.

Philip Roth

C.

Toni Morrison

D.

Joyce Carol Oates

E.

Arthur Miller

Show Answer

Answer: CToni Morrison is correct because Morrison wrote Beloved, not Updike's Rabbit series.

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Study Tips for Unit 5: Contemporary (1945-Present)

  • Focus on understanding concepts, not memorizing facts — CLEP tests application
  • Practice with timed questions to build exam-day speed
  • Review explanations for wrong answers — they reveal common misconceptions
  • Use flashcards for key terms, practice questions for deeper understanding

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