Skip to main content

Latin K to 12

Test Format and Sample Questions

The Latin Kto12 subject area test consists of approximately 80 multiple-choice questions.You will have two-and-one-half hours to complete the test.

Each question will contain four response options, and you will indicate your answer by selecting A, B, C, or D.

The table below presents types of questions on the exam and directs you to examples of these formats among the sample items that follow.

Table of Question Formats

Type of Question Sample Question
Direct Question
Choose the response option that best answers the question.
Question 1
Sentence Completion
Select the response option that best completes the sentence.
Question 2
Command
Select the best response option.
Question 4

Sample Questions

The following questions represent both the form and content of questions on the examination. These questions will acquaint you with the general format of the examination; however, these sample questions do not cover all of the competencies and skills that are tested and will only approximate the degree of examination difficulty.


Question 1

Competency 1—Knowledge of English words derived from Latin vocabulary

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

What is the meaning of the prefix in  start italics recidivism end italics ?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.

Question 2

Competency 1—Knowledge of English words derived from Latin vocabulary

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

The English word  start italics augment  end italics  means

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.

Question 3

Competency 1—Knowledge of English words derived from Latin vocabulary

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Which of the following words is derived from  start italics capio end italics ?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.

Question 4

Competency 2—Knowledge of Latin vocabulary in a given context

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Choose the most appropriate meaning for the italicized word in the following sentence.

In senatu Marcus  start italics loquitur end italics .

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.

Question 5

Competency 2—Knowledge of Latin vocabulary in a given context

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Choose the most appropriate meaning for the italicized phrase in the following sentence.

In silvā  start italics bellum gerunt end italics .

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.

Question 6

Competency 2—Knowledge of Latin vocabulary in a given context

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

To what general classification do the following words belong?

palla, stola, toga, tunica

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.

Question 7

Competency 3—Knowledge of the grammatical forms of Latin words

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Identify the case and number of quem.

Puella puerum quem amavit vidisti.

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

Question 8

Competency 3—Knowledge of the grammatical forms of Latin words

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Identify the form of tardius in the following sentence.

Pueri quam puellae tardius ambulabant.

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.

Question 9

Competency 3—Knowledge of the grammatical forms of Latin words

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Identify the form of acerrimis in the following sentence.

Milites acerrimis gladiis pugnaverunt.

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

Question 10

Competency 3—Knowledge of the grammatical forms of Latin words

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Change the verb interfecti essent in the following sentence to its corresponding active form.

Cum milites interfecti essent, cives flebant.

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.

Question 11

Competency 3—Knowledge of the grammatical forms of Latin words

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Identify the form of ponite in the following sentence.

Ponite castra, viri, in silvā.

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.

Question 12

Competency 3—Knowledge of the grammatical forms of Latin words

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Change the verb in the sentence to its corresponding singular form.

Ducite equos ad aquam.

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

Question 13

Competency 3—Knowledge of the grammatical forms of Latin words

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Translate currens in the following sentence.

Currens puer amicum non vidit.

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.

Question 14

Competency 3—Knowledge of the grammatical forms of Latin words

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Identify the perfect passive infinitive of the verb audio.

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

Question 15

Competency 4—Understanding of grammatical constructions in a given context

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Choose the correct form to complete the following sentence.

Quo vadis, mi  blank ?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.

Question 16

Competency 4—Understanding of grammatical constructions in a given context

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Identify the type of pronoun quem illustrates in the following sentence.

Vidi virum quem Marcus servavit.

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.

Question 17

Competency 4—Understanding of grammatical constructions in a given context

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Choose the correct form to complete the sentence.

Date aquam nautae _____.

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

Question 18

Competency 4—Understanding of grammatical constructions in a given context

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Which of the following sentences contains an indirect command?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.

Question 19

Competency 4—Understanding of grammatical constructions in a given context

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Identify the use of the infinitive in the following sentence.

Telum iacere dubitat.

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.

Question 20

Competency 4—Understanding of grammatical constructions in a given context

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Select the correct translation for the following sentence.

Librum tuum legi et, quam diligentissimē, adnotavi quae commutata erant.

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

Question 21

Competency 5—Knowledge of pedagogical methods, reference materials, and teaching aids appropriate to the Latin classroom

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

What is the first step in helping a student determine the basic meaning of the word  start italics internecine end italics ?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

Question 22

Competency 5—Knowledge of pedagogical methods, reference materials, and teaching aids appropriate to the Latin classroom

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Which method is most appropriate for the initial presentation of the italicized grammatical construction in the following sentence?

 start italics Signo dato end italics , Caesar discessit.

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.

Question 23

Competency 5—Knowledge of pedagogical methods, reference materials, and teaching aids appropriate to the Latin classroom

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Which of the following is the most appropriate source for teaching the story of Alexander the Great?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

Question 24

Competency 5—Knowledge of pedagogical methods, reference materials, and teaching aids appropriate to the Latin classroom

DIRECTIONS: Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.

Rome's Enemies

 line 1    Dum bellum in Numidiā contra Iugurtham geritur, Romani consules,  line 2    M. Manlius et Q. Caepio, a Cimbris et Teutonibus victi sunt iuxta  line 3    flumen Rhodanum et, ingenti internecione attriti, etiam castra sua  line 4    et magnam partem exercitūs perdiderunt. Timor Romae grandis fuit  line 5    quantus vix Hannibalis tempore Punici belli ne iterum Galli Romam  line 6    venirent. Ergo Marius post victoriam Iugurthinam secundo consul  line 7    est factus, bellumque ei contra Cimbros et Teutones decretum est.  line 8    Tertio quoque ei et quarto delatus est consulates quia bellum  line 9    Cimbricum protrahebatur.

Vocabulary

Line 3: attero, atterere, attrivi, attritum = “exhaust”
Line 8: defero, deferre, detuli, delatum = “confer”

After the students have translated this passage, what technique would help students analyze why the Romans lost a great part of their army?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

Question 25

Competency 6—Ability to read and understand passages of connected Latin prose at the level of difficulty of straightforward narrative passages in Caesar's Gallic Wars, Book 1, or the De Illustribus Viris of Cornelius Nepos and poetry at the level of difficulty of Vergil's Aeneid or Ovid's Metamorphoses

What is the main idea of this passage?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.

Question 26

Competency 6—Ability to read and understand passages of connected Latin prose at the level of difficulty of straightforward narrative passages in Caesar's Gallic Wars, Book 1, or the De Illustribus Viris of Cornelius Nepos and poetry at the level of difficulty of Vergil's Aeneid or Ovid's Metamorphoses

In lines 1 to 4 left paren Dum ellipsis perdiderunt right paren, what happened at the Rhone River?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.

Question 27

Competency 6—Ability to read and understand passages of connected Latin prose at the level of difficulty of straightforward narrative passages in Caesar's Gallic Wars, Book 1, or the De Illustribus Viris of Cornelius Nepos and poetry at the level of difficulty of Vergil's Aeneid or Ovid's Metamorphoses

In line 3, the phrase ingenti internecione attriti refers to

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.

Question 28

Competency 7—Ability to identify meter in Latin poetry and basic literary devices in Latin prose or poetry

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

What is the metrical pattern of the following line? left paren D equals dactyl and S equals spondee right paren

"Arma virumque cano, Troiae qui primus ab oris"

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.

Question 29

Competency 7—Ability to identify meter in Latin poetry and basic literary devices in Latin prose or poetry

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Which literary devices appear in the following line?

 start italics Non feram, non patiar, non sinam. end italics 

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.

Question 30

Competency 8—Knowledge of classical mythology

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Which Roman mythological deity ruled the sea?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

Question 31

Competency 8—Knowledge of classical mythology

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Which legendary Athenian hero killed the Minotaur?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.

Question 32

Competency 9—Knowledge of Roman literary history

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Which of the following authors wrote a detailed account of a foreign war?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.

Question 33

Competency 9—Knowledge of Roman literary history

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Which of the following authors wrote a legendary history of Rome known as Ab Urbe Condita?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.

Question 34

Competency 10—Knowledge of Roman political history

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Which period of Roman history encompassed the dates 27 B C E to 476 C E?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.

Question 35

Competency 10—Knowledge of Roman political history

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Tarquinius Superbus was a or an

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

Question 36

Competency 10—Knowledge of Roman political history

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Which of the following Romans was consul during the Catilinarian conspiracy?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.

Question 37

Competency 10—Knowledge of Roman political history

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Which Julio-Claudian emperor was murdered by his wife?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.

Question 38

Competency 11—Knowledge of Roman social history

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

If a Roman sailed due south from Italy, which Roman province would he reach first?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.

Question 39

Competency 11—Knowledge of Roman social history

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Quae provincia ab Italiā longissimē abest?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

Question 40

Competency 11—Knowledge of Roman social history

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

In the name Publius Ovidius Naso, what part of the Roman name is Ovidius?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.

Question 41

Competency 11—Knowledge of Roman social history

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

During the Ciceronion age, which official held the highest position in the cursus honorum?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.

Question 42

Competency 11—Knowledge of Roman social history

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

When a wealthy Roman woman left the house, she wore an outer garment called a

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.

Question 43

Competency 11—Knowledge of Roman social history

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Select the Roman numeral for 92.

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.

Question 44

Competency 11—Knowledge of Roman social history

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Which of the following dates comes first chronologically?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.

Question 45

Competency 12—Knowledge of Roman contributions to Western civilization

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Which of the following figures originates in Latin literature?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.

Question 46

Competency 12—Knowledge of Roman contributions to Western civilization

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

An important achievement of Roman architecture was the perfection of the

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

Question 47

Competency 12—Knowledge of Roman contributions to Western civilization

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Which of the following political concepts was originated by the Romans?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

Question 48

Competency 12—Knowledge of Roman contributions to Western civilization

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

A knowledge of the Latin word for your would assist in understanding the meaning of which word in the following French sentence?

 start italics Faites une brève description historique de votre état. end italics 

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

Question 49

Competency 12—Knowledge of Roman contributions to Western civilization

DIRECTIONS: Read the item and select the best response.

Which of the following pacified the Roman masses?

Choose an answer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.