The CLEP Humanities examination is a comprehensive assessment of cultural literacy spanning from classical to contemporary periods. With approximately 140 questions to be completed in 90 minutes, this exam tests your knowledge across literature, art, music, and other performing arts. It's designed for students seeking to fulfill general education requirements rather than those majoring in humanities-specific fields. The exam awards three semester hours of college credit upon achieving a passing score of 50, though individual institutions may vary in their credit-granting policies.
Welcome to your journey through the humanities! This exam explores the rich tapestry of human cultural achievement across time and medium. From the dramatic works of ancient Greece to contemporary film, from Renaissance paintings to modern architecture, this exam celebrates humanity's creative expression. The content is divided equally between literature and the arts, creating a balanced assessment of cultural knowledge. Let's explore what you need to know for each section.
The drama section evaluates your understanding of theatrical works across history. You'll encounter questions about playwrights, dramatic structures, and significant plays from various periods. From Greek tragedies to contemporary theater, you should be familiar with major dramatic works, their themes, and their cultural significance. Pay special attention to revolutionary plays that changed theatrical conventions and the social contexts that influenced them.
Poetry assessment focuses on both technical understanding and interpretative ability. You'll need to recognize various poetic forms, understand metric structures, and identify rhetorical devices. The exam covers everything from ancient epics to modern free verse, examining both form and content. Familiarize yourself with major poetic movements and their distinctive characteristics, from sonnets to modernist experimentation.
The fiction section represents the largest portion of literature questions. You'll encounter novels and short stories from different periods and cultures. Focus on understanding narrative techniques, character development, and thematic analysis. Knowledge of major literary movements (such as Romanticism, Realism, and Modernism) is essential, as is familiarity with influential authors and their significant works.
This section tests your knowledge of essays, philosophical works, and other non-fictional writings. You'll need to understand major philosophical movements, influential thinkers, and significant historical documents. The questions may cover everything from ancient philosophical treatises to contemporary manifestos, examining how ideas have shaped human thought and culture.
The largest arts section focuses on two-dimensional and three-dimensional artistic works. You should understand major artistic movements, techniques, and influential artists throughout history. Knowledge of different mediums, stylistic evolution, and the cultural context of significant works is crucial. Pay attention to how various cultures have influenced artistic expression and how art has reflected societal changes.
Though a smaller section, architectural knowledge requires understanding different styles, periods, and influential structures. From ancient temples to modern skyscrapers, you should recognize major architectural movements and their defining characteristics. Understanding the relationship between form and function, as well as cultural influences on architectural design, is important.
The music section covers both classical and popular traditions. You'll need to recognize major composers, musical forms, and stylistic periods. Understanding basic musical terminology, the evolution of musical styles, and the cultural significance of different musical traditions is essential. The questions may range from classical symphonies to contemporary popular music.
This section examines various performing arts forms beyond music. Knowledge of cinema history, major filmmakers, and significant movements in film is important. Understanding dance traditions, theatrical productions, and other performance arts adds to your preparation. Focus on how these art forms have evolved and influenced each other over time.
Correct Answer: D. Dramatic irony - the audience knows Oedipus's true identity while he remains unaware
Explanation: Dramatic irony is the central device that makes this tragedy so powerful. The audience knows from the beginning that Oedipus has killed his father and married his mother, while he spends the play discovering these truths. This knowledge creates tension and pathos throughout the work.
Correct Answer: C. Sonnet
Explanation: The Petrarchan (or Italian) sonnet consists of an octave (8 lines) rhyming ABBAABBA and a sestet (6 lines) with varying rhyme schemes. Petrarch's innovation in this form influenced poets like Shakespeare and became a dominant poetic form in European literature.
Correct Answer: C. Linear perspective
Explanation: Masaccio's use of linear perspective in "The Holy Trinity" was groundbreaking, creating the illusion of three-dimensional space on a flat surface. This mathematical approach to perspective became fundamental to Renaissance art.
Correct Answer: C. Stream of consciousness
Explanation: Joyce's stream of consciousness technique in "Ulysses" revolutionized modern fiction by directly presenting characters' thoughts and sensations in an unfiltered way, influencing countless writers after him.
Correct Answer: A. Twelve-tone technique
Explanation: Schoenberg's twelve-tone technique revolutionized modern classical music by giving equal importance to all twelve notes of the chromatic scale, breaking from traditional tonality and influencing avant-garde composition.
Correct Answer: D. Support for taller walls and larger windows
Explanation: Flying buttresses transferred the weight of the roof to external supports, allowing for taller walls and larger windows. This engineering innovation enabled the distinctive Gothic style's emphasis on height and light.
Correct Answer: B. Existence precedes essence
Explanation: Sartre's concept that "existence precedes essence" means humans first exist, then create their own meaning through choices and actions. This became a foundational principle of existentialist philosophy.
Correct Answer: E. Montage
Explanation: Eisenstein's montage theory revolutionized film editing by juxtaposing contrasting shots to create emotional and intellectual impacts beyond the mere sum of the individual images.
Correct Answer: B. Romanticism
Explanation: Lyrical Ballads (1798) marked the beginning of English Romanticism, emphasizing natural language, emotional expression, and the connection between humanity and nature.
Correct Answer: C. Action painting
Explanation: Pollock's action painting technique involved dripping and throwing paint onto canvas laid on the floor, emphasizing the physical act of painting and artistic spontaneity.
Correct Answer: D. Alienation effect
Explanation: Brecht's Verfremdungseffekt (alienation effect) deliberately broke theatrical illusion to make audiences think critically about social issues rather than empathize emotionally with characters.
Correct Answer: E. Magical realism
Explanation: Magical realism blends fantastic elements with realistic narrative, treating supernatural events as mundane occurrences. This technique became a hallmark of Latin American literature.
Correct Answer: C. Whole-tone scale
Explanation: Debussy's use of the whole-tone scale created floating, atmospheric sounds that parallel Impressionist painting's emphasis on light and color over distinct forms.
Correct Answer: A. Contraction and release
Explanation: Graham's contraction and release technique expressed emotional and physical intensity through the opposition of expanding and contracting movements, fundamentally changing modern dance.
Correct Answer: E. Organic architecture
Explanation: Wright's organic architecture emphasized harmony between human habitation and natural environment, with buildings designed to complement their surroundings rather than dominate them.
While quite short on the study side of things, the official CLEP book is the go-to final practice test. Since this is the only official practice test available, I normally use it as my final spot check before taking the test.
Textbooks are great as far as they go, but I’d generally recommend you opt for this exam guide instead. It tends to cut through the confusion and help you accelerate your learning process.
The website looks like it was made before the internet, but it’s legitimately the single most useful study guide I’ve found yet. Basically it’s a series of flashcards that help you study in a fast paced and fun way.
