Defend, Challenge, or Qualify

On the argument section of the AP Exam you will often be asked to "defend, challenge, or qualify".  For example:

Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant. —Horace Consider this quotation about adversity from the Roman poet Horace. Then write an essay that defends, challenges, or qualifies Horace’s assertion about the role that adversity (financial or political hardship, danger, misfortune, etc.) plays in developing a person’s character. Support your argument with appropriate evidence from your reading, observation, or experience. 

In order to write an effective response, you'll need to know what these terms mean.

• To defend is to agree with

• To challenge is to disagree or refute.

• To qualify is to agree or disagree, but not entirely.  There will be a caveat within your thesis.  If you choose to qualify, you will need to use words like "however", "but", "with the exception of", etc.