AP Essay 2: Multiple Choice

Recently I took an AP practice test; one of the sections is multiple choice. I got some of the questions wrong, so here are the descriptions as to, why I chose what I chose and the correct answer for the question. 

Both of my questions come from the work of Henry Fielding's The History of Tom Jones (1749).

Question 2: The narrator’s parenthetical remark “if they mean anything,” (lines 8-9) can best be described as a comment on

(A) the pretentiousness of doctors

(B) Sophia’s lack of medical knowledge

(C) the seriousness of Sophia’s malady

(D) physicians’ incompetence

(E) the arrogance of some physicians

My choice: D

Correct choice: A

When reading this I thought that she was trying to say that physicians don’t know what they are doing, and to not take their word for granted. Reading it now and relating the right answer it makes more sense and I understand why I got it wrong. 

Question 9: The description of Sophia in lines 43-45 has the primary effect of 

(A) revealing Mrs. Fitzpatrick’s opinion of Sophia

(B) suggesting that Sophia lacked determination

(C) emphasizing that Sophia did not take Mrs. Fitzpatrick’s fear seriously 

(D) providing evidence that Sophia was no less eccentric than Mrs. Fitzpatrick

(E) showing that Sophia was extremely flexible and softhearted

My Choice: B

Correct choice: E

That part in the passage says that Sophia couldn’t laugh nor reason. I took that as a lack of determination, and not flexible or softhearted. As I look back on it now I still do not see why E is the answer.