Study Guide

Field 258: World Language: Latin 
Interpretive Listening

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Directions for Interpretive Listening Section

This section of the test contains multiple-choice questions that involve listening to recorded excerpts. Each excerpt will be followed by one or more multiple-choice questions. Each multiple-choice question has four answer choices. After listening to an excerpt, read each question and answer choice carefully and choose the ONE best answer. Each listening excerpt will be played twice.

The first recorded excerpt will begin playing automatically once you advance to the next screen. There will be a period of silence at the beginning of each recording. During this silence, you should familiarize yourself with the test question(s) presented on the screen.

Once the audio begins, you will not be able to pause, stop, or replay it. Therefore, listen carefully, then answer the question(s). Even if you are unsure of an answer, it is better to guess than not to answer a question at all. You will NOT be penalized for guessing.

You will not be able to go back and review your answers to questions in this section of the test. Once you move to the next question, you will not be able to go back to previous questions in this section. Therefore, be sure to select your answer carefully before you move to the next question. The next recorded excerpt will not begin playing until you advance to the next question.

Please be aware that the visual enhancements Example of the Color Scheme visual enhancement control and Example of the Font Size visual enhancement control are NOT available during this section of the test. Please DO NOT use these features until you have completed all listening items and proceeded to the remaining sections of the test.

Click the Next button when you have finished reading these directions and are ready to begin the listening section of the test. Be sure you have your headset on before proceeding.

Select the Next button to continue.

Sample Interpretive Listening Questions

[The examinee will hear an audio recording, which includes a 20-second pause at the beginning.]

Listen to the classroom exchange between a Latin teacher and a student; then answer the questions. You will hear the classroom exchange twice.

[The exchange shown below is representative of a transcript used to make an audio recording on the actual test. It is shown here for study purposes only. The examinee will not see transcripts that accompany audio recordings on the actual test.]

(one male and one female speaker—female teacher asking a student a question)

Female: Scisne, Marce, ubi Silvia sit hodie?

Male: Credo eam esse aegram.

Now you will hear the dialogue again.

[The examinee will hear the dialogue again.]

Now answer the questions.

[The examinee will see on screen ONLY:]

Click "Next" when the recording ends to answer the questions.

[Each of the following 2 items will be presented on an individual screen on the actual test.]

Objective 0001 
Demonstrate literal comprehension of a variety of culturally authentic spoken communications (e.g., announcements, dialogues, documentaries, poetry).

1. What is Marcus trying to do with his answer to the teacher's question?

  1. describe the day's weather
  2. explain a student's absence
  3. tell the time
  4. request a hint
Answer
Correct Response: B. In response to the question, "Scisne ubi Silvia sit?" ("Do you know where Silvia is?"), Marcus replies that he believes that she is sick ("aegram").

Objective 0002 
Infer meaning and analyze information from a variety of culturally authentic spoken communications (e.g., announcements, dialogues, documentaries, poetry).

2. In the context of the exchange, the verb "sit" is in the subjunctive form because it is used in:

  1. a result clause.
  2. a future condition.
  3. a purpose clause.
  4. an indirect question.
Answer
Correct Response: D. The indirect question with "sit" is based on the verb "scisne" (do you know?), along with the question word "ubi" (where).

[The examinee will hear an audio recording, which includes a 20-second pause at the beginning.]

Listen to the passage from Vergil's Aeneid, in which Jupiter addresses Venus; then answer the questions. You will hear the passage twice.

[The passage shown below is representative of a transcript used to make an audio recording on the actual test. It is shown here for study purposes only. The examinee will not see transcripts that accompany audio recordings on the actual test.]

(one male speaker)

"Romulus excipiet gentem, et Mavortia condet
moenia, Romanosque suo de nomine dicet.
His ego nec metas rerum nec tempora pono;
imperium sine fine dedi."

Now you will hear the passage again.

[The examinee will hear the passage again.]

Now answer the questions.

[The examinee will see on screen ONLY:]

Click "Next" when the recording ends to answer the questions.

[Each of the following 2 items will be presented on an individual screen on the actual test.]

Objective 0001 
Demonstrate literal comprehension of a variety of culturally authentic spoken communications (e.g., announcements, dialogues, documentaries, poetry).

3. What does Jupiter say about Romulus in this passage?

  1. He will go to war with Mars.
  2. He will destroy enemy walls.
  3. He will name a race after himself.
  4. He will live forever.
Answer
Correct Response: C. Jupiter says of Romulus, "Romanosque suo de nomine dicet" ("He will name [them] Romans from his own name").

Objective 0002 
Infer meaning and analyze information from a variety of culturally authentic spoken communications (e.g., announcements, dialogues, documentaries, poetry).

4. What does Jupiter imply about the Romans in the passage?

  1. Their rule will have no end.
  2. They will have many enemies.
  3. Their battles will be mostly defensive.
  4. They will rename many parts of the world.
Answer
Correct Response: A. Jupiter says of the Romans, "imperium sine fine dedi" ("I have given them rule without end").