Two -Pass System:

• The two-pass system entails going through the test and answering the easy questions first. Save the more time-consuming questions for later First, read the question and decide if it’s a “now” or “later” question. If you decide this is a “now” a question, answer it in the test booklet. If it is a “later” test question, come back to it. Once you have finished all the “now” questions on a double page, transfer the answers to your bubble sheet. Flip the page and repeat the process.

• Once you’ve finished all the “now” questions, move on to the “later” questions. These are the ones that require calculations or that require you to eliminate the answer choices. Transfer your answer to your bubble sheet as soon as you answer these “later” question

  Watch Out for Those Bubbles!

Because you’re skipping problems, be careful not to miss any bubbles on the answer sheet. Answer questions on a page and then transfer your choices to the answer sheet. Don’t lose points because I forgot to skip a bubble.

Process of Elimination

It makes sense to assume that you need to know your material backward and forward to get the right answer. This is essentially true for fill in the blank questions and essay questions. However, that’s not the case on section 1 of the AP Environmental science exam. You can get a perfect score on this portion of the test without knowing all the right answers— provided you know all the wrong answers.

You can begin by eliminating answers that you know are irrelevant to the question. It is often easier to identify wrong answer than the right answer use POE to get rid of bad answers.

Aggressive Guessing

You were only score of the number questions you get right so guessing can not hurt you. Imagine you guess on five questions chances are you get one of them correct so you’ve increased your score by one point. With POE, if you can eliminate as many as 2 answers choices from each question, your chances of getting them right increase and so does your overall score. Remember do not leave any “any bubbles blink.

Word associations

Using word association in tandem with your POE skills can get you many points. Make sure you memorize all the words in the glossary in chapter 12. Know them backward and forward. As you learn them, make sure you group them by association as you’re bound to be tested on them.

Mnemonics – or the Environmental Science Name Game

One of the big keys to simplifying biology is organize terms into a handful of easily remembered packages. The best way to accomplish this is by using mnemonics. A mnemonic, as you may know, is a convenient device, such as rhyme or phrase, for remembering something. Environmental Science is all about names: the names of chemicals, processes, theories, and more.

For example, the major components of air pollution are:

•Sulfur dioxide — SO2

•Particulates

•Lead—PB

•Ozone —O3

•Nitrogen dioxide—NO2

•Carbon monoxide—CO

The first letter of each component spells SPLONC, which is otherwise known as Some Pollution Lands On Nature Constantly. Learn the mnemonic and you’ll never forget the science!

Identify Question Types

Many of the traps on the AP Environmental Science Exam deal with the way in which the question is asked. Here’s information about a few types of multiple-choice questions you may see on the updated exam.

Except/Not/Least/Questions

Some of the multiple-choice questions in Section I may be EXCEPT/NOT/LEAST questions. With this type of question, remember that you’re looking for the wrong answer. The best way to approach these is by using POE.

Very often the correct answer is a true statement, but is wrong in the context of the question.

Unspecified one or more

Another type of multiple choice question that might appear on the updated exam is called the Unspecified-One-or-More question. These questions are designed to have you select all of the correct answers, though they do not prompt you on how many might be correct. In this case, carefully analyze each answer, independent of the other answers. Be sure to consider each choice carefully, determine which ones are correct, and then look at the answer options to see which one corresponds with the selection of answers you have determined is correct.