Practice Test for the Latin
ExCET
A. Answer the following questions:
1. The rape of Lucretia led to:
a. the end of the monarchy in Rome
b. the beginning of the Roman empire
c. the death of Julius Caesar
d. the success of the plebeians over the patricians.
2. The civil wars of 87-82 BC were fought between:
a. Caesareans and Pompeians
b. Marians and Sullans
c. Augustus and Antony
d. patricians and plebeians
3. Which of the following words has the Latin word for "almost" as its base:
a. penicillin
b. penitentiary
c. peninsula
d. penitent
4. Which of the following abbreviations is Latin in its origin?
a. B.C.
b. Q.E.D.
c. D.O.A.
d. V.D.
5. Which of the following is Ovid's major work?
a. Metamorphoses
b. Amphitruo
c. Aeneid
d. Satyricon
6. Under which Roman ruler did the second invasion of Britain occur?
a. Julius Caesar
b. Nero
c. Claudius
d. Augustus
7. Who was the Roman goddess of wisdom?
a. Juno
b. Venus
c. Ceres
d. Minerva
8. Where were horse races held in Rome?
a. the Colloseum
b. the Circus Maximus
c. the Palatine
d. the forum
9. Which of the following languages does not derive from Latin?
a. Roumanian
b. German
c. Italian
d. Portuguese
10. Which of the following was not a king of Rome?
a. Romulus
b. Scipio
c. Numa
d. Tarquinius.
11. The first great persecution of Christians occurred under the emperor
a. Augustus
b. Tiberius
c. Caligula
d. Nero.
12. Which of the following authors did not write plays?
a. Plautus
b. Horace
c. Seneca
d. Terence.
13. Which of the following magistrates was usually responsible for holding festivals?
a. censor
b. aedile
c. consul
d. dictator.
14. Household gods in ancient Rome were called.
a. flamines
b. manes
c. lares and penates
d. animalia
15. Which of the following was one of the types of poetry Horace wrote?
a. satire
b. elegy
c. epic
d. epigram
16. The Annales were written by
a. Vergil
b. Livy
c. Seneca
d. Tacitus
17. Aside from Homer, which Greek author had the greatest influence on
Latin literature?
a. Callimachus
b. Sophocles
c. Aristophanes
d. Herodotus
18. In the stage of Roman education closest to our high school, Roman
boys studied with a:
a. magister ludi
b. grammaticus
c. paedagogus
d. rhetor
19. Which of the following Greek poets had the most significant influence
on Latin lyric poetry?
a. Menander
b. Sappho
c. Euripides
d. Apollonius of Rhodes
B. Read the following sentences and answer the questions below.
1. Tyranni subito urbes deleverunt.
Which of the following sentences expresses the same idea as the above sentence?
a. Tyranni subito ab urbibus deleti sunt.
b. Urbes subito ab tyrannis deletae sunt.
c. Urbes subito tyrannorum deletae sunt.
d. Urbes subito ab tyrannis delentur.
Choose the correct way of turning the following sentences from direct to indirect
statements or questions:
2. Sum miles optimus.
a. Dixit se esse militem optimum
b. Dixit se fuisse militem optimum.
c. Dixit se esse miles optimum.
d. Dixit eum esse militem optimum.
3. Sum magnus, quia laboravi.
a. Dixit se esse magnum, quia laboravit.
b. Dixit se esse magnum, quia laboraret.
c. Dixit se esse magnum, quia laborare.
d. Dixit se esse magnum, quia laboravisset.
4. Quid vis?
a. Rogavit quid vellem.
b. Rogavit quid volo.
c. Rogavit quid volui.
d. Rogavit quid voluerim.
5. Cur fugistis?
a. Rogavit cur fugimus.
b. Rogavit cur fugiamus.
c. Rogavit cur fugeremus.
d. Rogavit cur fugissemus.
6. Cur fugistis?
a. Rogat cur fugimus.
b. Rogat cur fugiamus.
c. Rogat cur fugerimus.
d. Rogat cur fugeremus.
Choose the phrase which does not express the same meaning as the phrase
underlined.
7. Studemus ut linguam Latimam discamus.
a. ad linguam Latinam discendam
b. ad linguam Latinam discendum
c. linguae Latinae discendae causa
d. lingua Latina discenda
8. Caesar milites vocabat pugnandi causa.
a. ut pugnarent
b. qui pugnarent
c. ad pugnandum
d. cum pugnarent.
Choose the phrase which best expresses the same meaning as the phrase underlined.
9. Parentibus servatis, filii gaudebant.
a. Cum parentes servavissent
b. cum parentes servarent
c. cum parentes servabant
d. cum parentes servent.
10. Quamquam amici vocant, remanet in urbe.
a. amicis vocatis
b. amicis vocantibus
c. amicos vocans
d. amicis vocaturis.
11. Latrones debent poenas dare.
a. Poenis latrones dandi sunt.
b. Poenae latronibus dandae sunt.
c. Latronibus poenis dandi sunt.
d. Latrones poenas dandi sunt.
Fill in the blanks.
12. _____ iuvit Tarquinius?
a. quis
b. quem
c. cui
d. cuius.
13. _____ iuvit Tarquinium?
a. quis
b. quem
c. cui
d. cuius.
14. Puella, _____ patrem diligis, tibi gratias agit.
a. quem
b. quam
c. cuius
d. quibus
15. Curro _____ quam soror mea.
a. facilis
b. facile
c. facilius
d. facillime.
16. _____ hostem superavit?
answer: manu hostem superavit.
a. quo
b. quam
c. qualis
d. quis.
17. Which of the following words means "tenth"?
a. decem
b. decim
c. decimus
d. december.
Select the indirect question that best matches the sentence below.
18. "Cur properas?" quaerit amicus.
a. Amicus rogat cur properem.
b. Amicus rogat cur properaverim.
c. Amicus rogavit cur properem.
d. Amicus rogavit cur properavissem.
19. Select the indirect question that best matches the sentence below.
"Unde veniunt?" quaerebant nautae.
a. Nautae rogabant unde venirent.
b. Nautae rogabant unde venissent.
c. Nautae rogabant unde veniant.
d. Nautae rogant unde veniant.
20. Which verb form best completes this sentence?
Cum Alpes _____ , Hannibal Romam petivit.
a. transit
b. transivisset
c. transeat
d. transiverit.
21. Which verb form best completes this sentence?
Cicero libros scripsit ut Romanos _____ .
a. doceat
b. doceret
c. docuisset
d. docebit.
22. Which word best completes this question-answer sequence?
_____ servavisti? Filium meum servavi.
a. quis
b. quem
c. cuius
d. cui.
C. Read each of the following passages and answer the questions below.
I. (From Cicero)
Formam quidem _____ , (1) Marce fili, et tamquam faciem honesti _____ (2)
"quae si oculis cerneretur, mirabiles amores," ut ait Plato, "excitaret
_____ .(3)"
Choose the word that best fills in the blank.
1.
a. ipsi
b. ipsam
c. ipse
d. ipsa
2.
a. videam
b. videtis
c. vides
d. visa
3.
a. sapientiae
b. sapientia
c. sapientiam
d. sapientias
II. (From Pliny the younger)
Iam dies alibi, illic nox omnibus _____ (4) nigrior densiorque; _____
(5) tamen faces multae variaque lumina solabantur. Placuit _____ (6) in
litus et ex proximo aspicere, ecquid iam mare admitteret; quod adhuc
vastum et adversum permanebat.
Choose the word that best fills in the blank.
4.
a. nox
b. noctem
c. noctis
d. noctibus
5.
a. quam
b. quem
c. quibus
d. qua
6.
a. egrediatur
b. egredi
c. egredere
d. egressus sit
III. (From Catullus)
Cui dono lepidum novum libellum
arida modo pumice _____ (7)?
Corneli, tibi: namque tu solebas
meas esse aliquid putare nugas
iam tum cum ausus _____ (8) unus Italorum
omne aevum tribus explicare cartis
_____ (9), Iuppiter, et laboriosis!
Choose the word that best fills in the blank.
7.
a. expolito
b. expolita
c. expoliti
d. expolitum
8.
a. est
b. sum
c. es
d. sint
9.
a. doctus
b. doctis
c. doceas
d. docere
IV. (From Aulus Gellius)
"vetus" inquit "et nobilis Arion cantator fidibus
fuit. is loco et oppido Methymnaeus, terra
atque insula _____ (10) Lesbius fuit. eum
Arionem _____ (11) Corinthi Periander amicum
amatumque habuit _____ (12) gratia."
Choose the word that best fills in the blank.
10.
a. omnem
b. omnes
c. omni
d. omnibus
11.
a. regem
b. regi
c. regis
d. rex
12.
a. ars
b. artem
c. arti
d. artis
V. (From Livy)
Brutus illis luctu occupatis, cultrum ex _____ (13) Lucretiae extractum manante cruore
prae se tenens, "Per hunc," inquit, "castissimum ante regiam iniuriam
sanguinem iuro, vosque, di, testes facio me L. Tarquinium Superbum cum scelerata coniuge
et omni liberorum stirpe ferro igni quacumque dehinc vi possim exsecuturum, nec illos nec
alium quemquam regnare Romae passurum."
13. What word best fills in the blank in the first line?
a. volnus
b. volnera
c. volnere
d. volnerum.
14. Which of the following Latin sentences best summarizes this passage?
a. Brutus, cultro extracto, iuravit se reges expulsurum esse.
b. Brutus, Lucretia servata, iuravit se reges expulsurum esse.
c. Brutus, cultro extracto, iuravit se liberos inventurum esse.
d. Brutus, L. Tarquinio Superbo expulso, cultrum ex corpore Lucretiae extraxit.
15. Which of the following words is not a direct object?
a. cultrum
b. vos
c. me
d. illos
16. Where does Brutus hold the dagger?
a. in front of himself
b. in front of his companions
c. in front of Lucretia
d. in front of Tarquinius Superbus.
17. What is the best translation of illis luctu occupatis?
a. when they were being seized by grief
b. when they had seized grief
c. when they had been seized by grief
d. when they were seizing grief.
18. Which of the following best describes the dagger?
a. it is wet with blood
b. it had dried blood on it
c. it has been cleaned of blood
d. it will soon be bloody
VI. (From Pliny).
Si quando urbs _____ (19) liberalibus studiis floruit, nunc maxime floret. Multa claraque
exampla sunt; sufficeret unum, Euphrates philosophus. Hunc ego in Syria, cum
adulescentulus militarem, domi inspexi, amarique ab eo laboravi, etsi non erat laborandum.
19. What word best fills in the blank in the first line?
a. noster
b. nostrum
c. nostra
d. nostrae.
20. Which is the best translation of sufficeret unum?
a. one would be sufficient
b. one is sufficient
c. one will be sufficient
d. one was sufficient.
21. Select which of the following is a correct translation of the last sentence in this
passage:
a. I saw this man at home in Syria, when I was a soldier as a young man, and I worked to
be loved by him, although it was not necessary to work.
b. I saw this man at home in Syria, when I was a soldier as a young man, and I worked to
be loved by him, although he was not working.
c. I saw this man at home in Syria, when I was a soldier as a young man, and I worked to
be loved by him, although it is necessary to work.
d. I saw this man at home in Syria, when I was a soldier as a young man, and I worked to
be loved by him, although I was not working.
VII. (From Caesar)
Caesar his de causis _____ (22) commemoravi Rhenum transire decreverat, sed _____ (23)
transire neque satis tutum esse arbitrabatur neque suae neque populi Romani dignitatis
esse statuebat. Itaque, etsi summa difficultas _____ (24) pontis proponebatur propter
latitudinem, rapiditatem, altitudinemque fluminis, tamen id sibi contendendum aut aliter
non traducendum exercitum existimabat.
Choose the word that best fills in the blank
22.
a. cuius
b. quas
c. quibus
d. quorum
23.
a. naves
b. navium
c. navibus
d. navem.
24.
a. facere
b. faciendi
c. facti
d. faci
25. Which of the verbs in the above passage is passive?
a. arbitrabatur
b. existimabat
c. decreverat
d. proponebatur.
26. Which of the following did not make it hard to build a bridge?
a. the presence of the enemy
b. the width of the river
c. the depth of the river
d. the swiftness of the river
VIII. (From Cicero)
Quae cum ita sint, Catilina, dubitas, si emori aequo animo non potes, _____ (27) in
aliquas terras et vitam istam, multis suppliciis iustis debitisque ereptam, fugae
solitudinique mandare? "_____ (28)," inquis, "ad senatum"; id enim
postulas et, si hic ordo sibi placere decreverit te ire in exsilium, _____ (29) te esse
dicis.
Choose the word that best fills in the blank
27.
a. abeo
b. abeundum
c. abire
d. abi
28.
a. tulisti
b. refers
c. referre
d. refer
29.
a. obtemperaturum
b. obtemperare
c. obtemperatum
d. obtemperas
30. What is the best translation of emori?
a. I die
b. I died
c. to die
d. to have died.
31. Cicero imagines Catiline saying
a. that he is willing to listen to Cicero
b. that he will listen, if the senate demands that he go
c. that he will never return to the senate
d. that he wishes to stay with the senate
IX. (From Ovid)
ecce nepos Cadmi dilata parte laborum
per nemus ignotum non certis passibus errans
pervenit in lucum: sic _____ (32) fata ferebant.
Qui simul intravit rorantia fontibus antra,
sicut erant nudae, viso sua pectora nymphae
percussere viro subitisque ululatibus omne
implevere nemus circumfusaeque Dianam
corporibus texere suis.
32. What word best completes the blank in the third line?
a. illam
b. ille
c. illum
d. illis
33. What is the best translation of texere?
a. they covered
b. to cover
c. to be covered
d. they cover
34. What happens in the passage?
a. the grandson of Cadmus accidently sees Diana and her nymphs naked.
b. Diana punishes the grandson of Cadmus for seeing her naked.
c. the nymphs show Diana to the grandson of Cadmus
d. Diana appears to the grandson of Cadmus
X. (From Vergil)
(1) Primus ibi ante omnis magna comitante caterva
(2) Laocoon ardens summa decurrit ab arce,
(3) et procul "o miseri, quae tanta insania, cives?
(4) creditis avectos hostis? aut ulla putatis
(5) dona carere dolis Danaum?
35. Laocoon
a. wants the Trojans to rejoice in their gift
b. warns the Trojans
c. wants a gift from the Danaans
d. is running alone
36. Where is the major caesura in line 1?
a. after ante
b. after magna
c. after omnis
d. after comitante.
37. What is the best translation of creditis avectos hostis?
a. do you believe the enemies will sail away?
b. do you believe the enemies have sailed away?
c. do the enemies believe they have sailed away?
d. do you believe the enemies are sailing away?
38. How many dactyls are in line four?
a. four
b. two
c. one
d. three.
XI. (From Catullus)
(1) Lesbia me dicit semper male nec tacet umquam
(2) de me: Lesbia me dispeream nisi amat.
(3) quo signo? quia sunt totidem mea. deprecor illam
(4) assidue, verum dispeream nisi amo.
deprecor - insult
39. Catullus
a. thinks Lesbia loves him because she insults him
b. thinks he loves Lesbia because he doesn't care that she insults him
c. thinks Lesbia loves him because she has stopped insulting him
d. thinks Lesbia doesn't love him because she insults him.
40. Where is the major caesura in line 2?
a. after Lesbia
b. after dispeream
c. after the second "me"
d. after nisi.
41. This poem is written in what meter?
a. hendecasyllabics
b. dactylic hexameter
c. elegiac couplets
d. Sapphics.
42. What is the best translation of dispeream?
a. I perish
b. I will perish
c. I perished
d. may I perish
XII. (From Livy)
Hercules ad _____ (43) auroram somno excitus, cum gregem
perlustrasset _____ (44) et partem _____ (45) numero
sensisset, pergit ad proximam speluncam.
Choose the word that best fills in the blank.
43.
a. primus
b. primam
c. primo
d. primi
44.
a. oculis
b. oculi
c. oculum
d. oculorum
45.
a. aberat
b. abesse
c. afuit
d. aberant
XIII. (From Sallust)
Isdem temporibus _____ (46) Lentulus, sicuti Catilina
_____ (47), quoscumque moribus aut fortuna novis rebus idoneos
credebat, aut per se aut per alios sollicitabat, neque solum civis, sed
cuiusque modi genus hominum quod modo _____ (48) usui foret.
Choose the word that best fills in the blank.
46.
a. Romae
b. Romam
c. Romas
d. Roma
47.
a. praecipiebam
b. praeceperant
c. praecipientem
d. praeceperat
48.
a. bello
b. bellum
c. bellos
d. belli
XIV. (From Horace)
Pallida Mors aequo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas
regumque turris. O _____ (49) Sesti,
vitae summa brevis spem nos vetat _____ (50) longam.
Iam _____ (51) premet nox fabulaeque Manes.
Choose the word that best fills in the blank.
49.
a. beatus
b. beato
c. beate
d. beatum
50.
a. incohamus
b. incohare
c. incohemus
d. incohatis
51.
a. tu
b. te
c. tuus
d. tuo
XIV. (From Martial)
Non donem tibi cur meos libellos
oranti totiens et exigenti
miraris, _________(52)? Magna causa est:
___________(53) tu mihi ne tuos libellos.
Choose the word that best fills in the blank.
52.
a. Theodorus
b. Theodori
c. Theodorum
d. Theodore
53.
a. donas
b. donabis
c. dones
d. dona
XV. (From Tibullus)
Adde merum vinoque novos compesce dolores,
___________ (54) ut fessi lumina victa sopor,
neu quisquam _________ (55) percussum tempora baccho
excitet, infelix dum requiescit amor.
Choose the word that best fills in the blank.
54.
a. occupis
b. occupet
c. occupat
d. occupavit.
55.
a. multum
b. multa
c. multo
d. multi |
