Study Guide

Field 058: World Languages—Latin
Sample Cultural Understanding and Written Translation Assignments

The following materials contain:

Directions for the Cultural Understanding Assignment

This section of the test consists of a cultural understanding assignment. You will write a response in English to an assignment on a target language-related cultural topic. This should be your original work, written in your own words, and not copied or paraphrased from some other work. You should use your time to plan, write, review, and edit your response to the assignment.

Read the assignment carefully and think about how you will organize your response before you begin to type.

If needed to complete your response, please note that special characters (such as letters with macrons or other diacritical marks) cannot be entered using the keyboard but are available for insertion in the on-screen response box. To access these characters, click on the ash symbol button that appears in the upper left corner of the screen. Using the mouse, click on the character you wish to include in your response and then select "Insert." The character will be inserted where the cursor is positioned in the response box.

If you are using Latin language in your response, the use of macrons is optional and will not be counted in scoring, regardless of whether you use them. You may use "i" and "j" interchangeably and "u" and "v" interchangeably; you need not be consistent in your use of these letters.

Your response to the assignment will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:

Sample Cultural Understanding Assignment

Objective 0003
Cultural Understanding (Standard 5)

Using your knowledge of ancient Roman history and culture, complete the exercise that follows.

Vestiges of ancient Roman architecture scattered throughout countries that were once part of the Roman Empire have shed light on ancient Roman society's way of life. Choose a particular ancient Roman architectural structure (e.g., house, baths, theater, temple, aqueduct, amphitheater) and write a response of approximately 100–200 words in English in which you:

Sample Strong Response to the Cultural Understanding Assignment

This exercise requires the examinee to demonstrate broad and comprehensive understanding of the cultures associated with the Latin language and of the interrelationships among the practices, products, and perspectives of these cultures. The following is an example of a strong response.

Roman baths, or thermae, were indoor and/or outdoor structures designed to house pools of hot, warm, and cold water for public swimming and bathing. Water would be channeled into these structures from nearby rivers or from aqueducts. The baths would often contain a boiler room where a log fire would heat the water through conductive surfaces such as ceramic or bronze, while the warm air would be vented into steam rooms. The baths would serve as healthful social and community centers in Roman society and often included exercise grounds, libraries, reading rooms, and kitchens. Any citizen who could pay to enter was allowed entrance, and the baths were frequented by members of all classes. The baths are a testament to the importance of health, leisure, and socializing in Roman culture.

Performance Characteristics for the Cultural Understanding Assignment

The following characteristics guide the scoring of responses to the cultural understanding assignment.

Identification Accuracy and completeness in identifying the subject of the assignment
Cultural Context and Influence Accuracy and completeness in relating the subject to its cultural context (e.g., historical period, geographical location, social impact, belief system) and/or influence on other cultures

Scoring Scale for the Cultural Understanding Assignment

Scores will be assigned to each response to the cultural understanding assignment according to the following scoring scale.

Score Point Score Point Description
4 The "4" response demonstrates strong cultural understanding.
  1. The subject of the assignment is accurately and fully identified.
  2. The response provides a thorough and accurate explanation of the relationship of the subject to its cultural context and/or influence on other cultures. Information is specific.
3 The "3" response demonstrates general cultural understanding.
  1. The subject of the assignment is identified.
  2. The response provides some accurate explanation of the relationship of the subject to its cultural context and/or influence on other cultures. Information may be general.
2 The "2" response demonstrates limited cultural understanding.
  1. The subject of the assignment is partially identified.
  2. The response provides a minimal explanation of the relationship of the subject to its cultural context and/or influence on other cultures. Information may be inaccurate and/or irrelevant.
1 The "1" response demonstrates weak cultural understanding.
  1. The subject of the assignment is not accurately identified.
  2. The response provides little or no accurate explanation of the relationship of the subject to its cultural context and/or influence on other cultures.
U The response is unrelated to the assigned topic, illegible, not written in the required language, not of sufficient length to score, or merely a repetition of the assignment.
B There is no response to the assignment.

Directions for the Written Translation Assignment

This section of the test consists of English sentences that you will translate into Latin.

Please note that special characters (such as letters with macrons or other diacritical marks) cannot be entered using the keyboard but are available for insertion in the on-screen response box. To access these characters, click on the ash symbol button that appears in the upper left corner of the screen. Using the mouse, click on the character you wish to include in your response and then select "Insert." The character will be inserted where the cursor is positioned in the response box.

Macrons are optional and will not be counted in scoring, regardless of whether you use them. You may use "i" and "j" interchangeably and "u" and "v" interchangeably; you need not be consistent in your use of these letters.

Your Latin translation of each of the assigned English sentences will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:

Your Latin sentences should accurately convey the meaning of the English sentences that they translate, and they should conform to the rules of Latin grammar and spelling. Style (e.g., elegance, economy of expression, aesthetic merit) will not be taken into consideration in evaluating your translations. You should use natural and idiomatic Latin constructions in your translations.

Sample Written Translation Assignment

Objective 0006
Presentational and Interpersonal Communication Skills (Standard 4)

For each of the five English sentences below, write in the corresponding space on your answer document a translation of the sentence into Latin. Make sure that your Latin sentences express the same meaning as the English sentences they translate and that they contain no errors in grammar or spelling. The use of macrons in the Latin translations is optional.

  1. The baby was sleeping peacefully in its mother's lap.
  2. I hope that you will find happiness in your new country.
  3. Having said these things, the queen sent the generals away.
  4. It happened that many travelers were in Rome at that time.
  5. If Daphne had loved the god, she would not have fled.

Sample Strong Response to the Written Translation Assignment

This exercise requires the examinee to demonstrate the ability to write grammatically correct and idiomatic sentences in Latin using appropriate vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, language structures, and conventions. The following is an example of a strong response. It provides a thoroughly accurate Latin translation of each of the corresponding English sentences in the exercise. The Latin translations accurately capture the meaning of the English sentences without introducing extraneous content, and they conform to the rules of Latin syntax and morphology and to the rules of Latin spelling.

  1. Īnfāns in gremiō matris placidē dormiēbat.
  2. Spērō tē fēlīcitātem inventūrum (inventūram) esse in patriā novā tuā.
  3. Haec locuta rēgīna dūcēs dīmīsit.
  4. Accidit ut multī viātōres illō tempore Rōmae adessent.
  5. Sī Daphnē deum amāvisset, nōn fūgisset.

Performance Characteristics for the Written Translation Assignment

The following characteristics guide the scoring of responses to the written translation assignment.

Meaning Extent to which the Latin translation captures the meaning of the English stimulus by preserving its key concepts and relations
Grammar Degree of accuracy in applying rules of Latin syntax and morphology
Spelling Degree of accuracy in applying rules of Latin spelling

Scoring Scale for the Written Translation Assignment

Scores will be assigned to each response to the written translation assignment according to the following scoring scale.

Score Point Score Point Description
4 The "4" response reflects a thoroughly accurate translation of the stimulus sentence from English into Latin.
  1. The Latin translation accurately captures the meaning of the English stimulus and introduces no extraneous content.
  2. The Latin translation conforms to the rules of Latin syntax and morphology.
  3. The Latin translation conforms to the rules of Latin spelling.
3 The "3" response reflects a generally accurate translation of the stimulus sentence from English into Latin.
  1. The Latin translation largely captures the meaning of the English stimulus. Minor aspects of the original sentence may have been lost or slightly distorted, or some extraneous content may have been introduced.
  2. The Latin translation generally conforms to the rules of Latin syntax and morphology. Some grammatical errors interrupt the communication of the meaning of the original sentence.
  3. The Latin translation generally conforms to the rules of Latin spelling. The translation may contain minor spelling errors.
2 The "2" response reflects a partially accurate translation of the stimulus sentence from English into Latin.
  1. The Latin translation partially captures the meaning of the English stimulus. Major aspects of the meaning of the original sentence may have been lost or distorted and/or a large amount of extraneous content may have been introduced.
  2. The Latin translation partially conforms to the rules of Latin syntax and morphology. Frequent or significant grammatical errors interfere with the communication of the meaning of the original sentence.
  3. The Latin translation partially conforms to the rules of Latin spelling. The translation contains multiple spelling errors.
1 The "1" response reflects an inaccurate translation of the stimulus sentence from English into Latin.
  1. The Latin translation does not capture the meaning of the English stimulus. Most, if not all, of the meaning of the original sentence has been lost or distorted, and/or the translation consists almost entirely of extraneous content.
  2. The Latin translation generally fails to conform to the rules of Latin syntax and morphology. Frequent and significant grammatical errors impede the communication of the meaning of the original sentence.
  3. The Latin translation generally fails to conform to the rules of Latin spelling.
U The response is unrelated to the assigned topic, illegible, not written in the required language, not of sufficient length to score, or merely a repetition of the assignment.
B There is no response to the assignment.