AP Latin : AP Latin Language
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Example Questions
Example Question #123 : Content Of Poetry
Aurea prima sata est aetas, quae vindice nullo,
sponte sua, sine lege fidem rectumque colebat.
poena metusque aberant, nec verba minantia fixo
aere legebantur, nec supplex turba timebat
iudicis ora sui, sed erant sine vindice tuti. 5
nondum caesa suis, peregrinum ut viseret orbem,
montibus in liquidas pinus descenderat undas,
nullaque mortales praeter sua litora norant;
nondum praecipites cingebant oppida fossae;
non tuba derecti, non aeris cornua flexi, 10
non galeae, non ensis erat: sine militis usu
mollia securae peragebant otia gentes.
According to lines 1-2, what was the golden age like?
Nothing existed in this age but the Gods.
Men lived in freedom.
Men were expected to live by laws set by the Gods.
It was lawless and chaotic.
Men lived in freedom.
The lines state that the Golden Age was without laws ("sine lege") and that people lived with one another by their own will ("sponte sua") and in good faith ("fidem rectumque colebat").
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses 1. 89-101)
Example Question #124 : Content Of Poetry
Postquam Saturno tenebrosa in Tartara misso
sub Iove mundus erat, subiit argentea proles,
auro deterior, fulvo pretiosior aere.
Iuppiter antiqui contraxit tempora veris
perque hiemes aestusque et inaequalis autumnos 5
et breve ver spatiis exegit quattuor annum.
tum primum siccis aer fervoribus ustus
canduit, et ventis glacies adstricta pependit;
tum primum subiere domos; domus antra fuerunt
et densi frutices et vinctae cortice virgae. 10
semina tum primum longis Cerealia sulcis
obruta sunt, pressique iugo gemuere iuvenci.
In this passage, we learn that ___________.
Jupiter is causing a storm
the seasons are very chaotic
this age is worse than the age before it
even the Gods have issues with the weather
this age is worse than the age before it
The passage states in line 2-3 ("subiit [...] aere") that: the silver generation followed, worse than gold, bur more valuable than tawny broze. In other words, it admits that this age (Silver) was worse than the age before it, but was not the worst of the ages of man.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 1.113-125)
Example Question #125 : Content Of Poetry
Tertia post illam successit aenea proles,
saevior ingeniis et ad horrida promptior arma,
non scelerata tamen; de duro est ultima ferro.
protinus inrupit venae peioris in aevum
omne nefas: fugere pudor verumque fidesque; 5
in quorum subiere locum fraudesque dolusque
insidiaeque et vis et amor sceleratus habendi.
vela dabant ventis nec adhuc bene noverat illos
navita, quaeque prius steterant in montibus altis,
fluctibus ignotis insultavere carinae, 10
communemque prius ceu lumina solis et auras
cautus humum longo signavit limite mensor.
nec tantum segetes alimentaque debita dives
poscebatur humus, sed itum est in viscera terrae,
quasque recondiderat Stygiisque admoverat umbris, 15
effodiuntur opes, inritamenta malorum.
According to lines 2-3, what was the Bronze Age like?
Full of evil people
Savage
Decent, once the Gods removed wicked people
It was the best age
Savage
Lines 2-3 state that the Bronze Age was savage, at least more so than the previous age ("saevior"), but it was not wicked or filled with evil ("non scelerata tamen").
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 1.125-141)
Example Question #20 : Passage Comprehension In Poetry Passages
quae, quamquam comitum turba est stipata suarum,
in latus obliquum tamen adstitit oraque retro
flexit et, ut vellet promptas habuisse sagittas,
quas habuit sic hausit aquas vultumque virilem
perfudit spargensque comas ultricibus undis 5
addidit haec cladis praenuntia verba futurae:
'nunc tibi me posito visam velamine narres,
si poteris narrare, licet!' nec plura minata
dat sparso capiti vivacis cornua cervi,
dat spatium collo summasque cacuminat aures 10
cum pedibusque manus, cum longis bracchia mutat
cruribus et velat maculoso vellere corpus;
additus et pavor est: fugit Autonoeius heros
et se tam celerem cursu miratur in ipso.
We learn in this passage that __________.
the girl is learning to shoot a bow and arrow
the girl is an expert hunter
the girl has discovered a man
the girl is chatting with her friends
the girl has discovered a man
In this passage, the girl is upset because her arrow missed. The reason she let loose the arrow in the first place, however, is revealed in lines 4-14. A man has been hiding under the water.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 3.186-200)
Example Question #21 : Passage Comprehension In Poetry Passages
Inde per inmensum croceo velatus amictu
aethera digreditur Ciconumque Hymenaeus ad oras
tendit et Orphea nequiquam voce vocatur.
adfuit ille quidem, sed nec sollemnia verba
nec laetos vultus nec felix attulit omen. 5
fax quoque, quam tenuit, lacrimoso stridula fumo
usque fuit nullosque invenit motibus ignes.
exitus auspicio gravior: nam nupta per herbas
dum nova naiadum turba comitata vagatur,
occidit in talum serpentis dente recepto. 10
In lines 1-10, we learn that __________.
Orpheus is battling a serpent
Orpheus is getting married
Orpheus has been bitten by a serpent
Orpheus is searching for his wife in vain
Orpheus is searching for his wife in vain
In lines 1-10, we learn that Orpheus is searching for his wife, Eurydice. The passage makes use of words like "nequiquam" - in vain, and "vagatur" - wanders, in addition to others indicating wandering and desperation. The tone, communicated through Ovid's diction and stylistic choices, is one of futile desperation.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 10.1-10)
Example Question #22 : Passage Comprehension In Poetry Passages
Inde per inmensum croceo velatus amictu
aethera digreditur Ciconumque Hymenaeus ad oras
tendit et Orphea nequiquam voce vocatur.
adfuit ille quidem, sed nec sollemnia verba
nec laetos vultus nec felix attulit omen. 5
fax quoque, quam tenuit, lacrimoso stridula fumo
usque fuit nullosque invenit motibus ignes.
exitus auspicio gravior: nam nupta per herbas
dum nova naiadum turba comitata vagatur,
occidit in talum serpentis dente recepto. 10
In the passage attention is drawn mostly to Orpheus' feelings of ___________.
happiness
despair
exhaustion
anger
despair
The passage indicates that Orpheus is wandering and searching in vain. The term provided that most accurately describes his inner emotional state is "despair." In the passage he is described as weeping ("lacrimoso"), serious ("gravior") and unlucky ("nec felix omen"), which rules out "happiness" pretty conclusively. The key to this question is "mostly," while it would be reasonable to assume that Orpheus is angry and exhausted the most specifically highlighted emotional state is his despair.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 10.1-10)
Example Question #277 : Ap Latin Language
Dignane, cui grates ageret, cui turis honorem
ferret, Adoni, fui? nec grates inmemor egit,
nec mihi tura dedit. subitam convertor in iram,
contemptuque dolens, ne sim spernenda futuris,
exemplo caveo meque ipsa exhortor in ambos: 5
templa, deum Matri quae quondam clarus Echion
fecerat ex voto, nemorosis abdita silvis,
transibant, et iter longum requiescere suasit;
illic concubitus intempestiva cupido
occupat Hippomenen a numine concita nostro. 10
luminis exigui fuerat prope templa recessus,
speluncae similis, nativo pumice tectus,
religione sacer prisca, quo multa sacerdos
lignea contulerat veterum simulacra deorum;
hunc init et vetito temerat sacraria probro. 15
Who is speaking in this passage?
A god
It is not possible to guess from the passage who is speaking
Hippomenes
Adonis
A god
We can infer from the words used in this passage that a God is speaking. The first few lines speak about giving thanks (often interpreted as the gods when said in general terms). Temples and Gods are mentioned in addition to mentions of incense ("turis"), which is common in rituals to the gods. Since the speaker says (line 3) s/he does not give frankincense to me, we can infer that the speaker it a god.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 10.681-696)
Example Question #129 : Sight Reading
Forsitan audieris aliquam certamine cursus
veloces superasse viros: non fabula rumor
ille fuit; superabat enim. nec dicere posses,
laude pedum formaene bono praestantior esset.
scitanti deus huic de coniuge 'coniuge' dixit 5
'nil opus est, Atalanta, tibi: fuge coniugis usum.
nec tamen effugies teque ipsa viva carebis.'
territa sorte dei per opacas innuba silvas
vivit et instantem turbam violenta procorum
condicione fugat, 'ne' c 'sum potiunda, nisi' inquit 10
'victa prius cursu. pedibus contendite mecum:
praemia veloci coniunx thalamique dabuntur,
mors pretium tardis: ea lex certaminis esto.'
illa quidem inmitis, sed (tanta potentia formae est)
venit ad hanc legem temeraria turba procorum. 15
sederat Hippomenes cursus spectator iniqui
et 'petitur cuiquam per tanta pericula coniunx?'
dixerat ac nimios iuvenum damnarat amores;
In lines 1-8, we learn that ___________.
Atalanta does not want to be married
Atalanta has been crippled in an accident
Atalanta is an average woman
the gods like Atalanta, and respect her personal autonomy
Atalanta does not want to be married
Lines 1-8 tell us that Atalanta is an outstanding runner, who surpasses many men in competitions and is very beautiful. Because of this, men want to marry her and the Gods inform her that she will be married, but Atalanta flees to the woods after hearing this. She does not want to marry.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses 10. 560-578)
Example Question #271 : Ap Latin Language
Atque ego, si virtus in me dubitabilis esset,
nobilitate potens essem, Telamone creatus,
moenia qui forti Troiana sub Hercule cepit
litoraque intravit Pagasaea Colcha carina;
Aeacus huic pater est, qui iura silentibus illic 5
reddit, ubi Aeoliden saxum grave Sisyphon urget;
Aeacon agnoscit summus prolemque fatetur
Iuppiter esse suam: sic a Iove tertius Aiax.
nec tamen haec series in causam prosit, Achivi,
si mihi cum magno non est communis Achille: 10
frater erat, fraterna peto! quid sanguine cretus
Sisyphio furtisque et fraude simillimus illi
inseris Aeacidis alienae nomina gentis?
In this passage, we learn that _____________.
Ajax is descendant of Jupiter.
the author has many friends
the author has fathered many children
Hercules is fighting in Troy
Ajax is descendant of Jupiter.
In this passage, the author is describing his lineage and claim to nobility. In the course of saying this, he says that he, Ajax, is a descendant of Jupiter (line 8, "sic a Iove tertius Aiax").
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 8.21-34)
Example Question #24 : Passage Comprehension In Poetry Passages
at non Hectoreis dubitavit cedere flammis,
quas ego sustinui, quas hac a classe fugavi.
tutius est igitur fictis contendere verbis,
quam pugnare manu, sed nec mihi dicere promptum,
nec facere est isti: quantumque ego Marte feroci 5
inque acie valeo, tantum valet iste loquendo.
nec memoranda tamen vobis mea facta, Pelasgi,
esse reor: vidistis enim; sua narret Ulixes,
quae sine teste gerit, quorum nox conscia sola est!
praemia magna peti fateor; sed demit honorem 10
aemulus: Aiaci non est tenuisse superbum,
sit licet hoc ingens, quicquid speravit Ulixes;
iste tulit pretium iam nunc temptaminis huius,
quod, cum victus erit, mecum certasse feretur.
In this passage, we learn that ____________.
the speaker does not like Ajax
the speaker wants to be remembered for his speaking capabilities
the speaker does not like Ulixes
the speaker thinks he is more adept as a warrior than as a speaker
the speaker thinks he is more adept as a warrior than as a speaker
In the passage, the speaker ("Ajax") is explaining that he thinks it is time to have a discussion (line 3-5, "tutius...isti"), but that it is not his place to speak (line 5-9, "quantumque...est"), since he is better at waging war and Ulixes is a much better speaker.
(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 8.7-21)
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