AP Latin : Sight Reading

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Latin

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Example Questions

Example Question #19 : Grammatical And Syntactic Terminology In Poetry Passages

Dicebas quondam solum te nosse Catullum,
     Lesbia, nec prae me velle tenere Iovem.
dilexi tum te non tantum ut vulgus amicam,
     sed pater ut gnatos diligit et generos.
nunc te cognovi: quare etsi impensius uror,               5
     multo mi tamen es vilior et levior.
qui potis est, inquis? quod amantem iniuria talis
     cogit amare magis, sed bene velle minus.

The word "nosse" in line 1 is an example of ___________.

Possible Answers:

enclitic

a syncopated Verb

an adverb

a participle

Correct answer:

a syncopated Verb

Explanation:

The word "nosse" is a syncopated form of the perfect infinitive "novisse." Often in syncopation, the "vi/ve" form of a word drops off, like it does here. While this is much more common with perfect tense verbs, it is not unusual to see syncopation in perfect infinitives.

Passage adapted from "Carmen 72" by Gaius Valerius Catullus

Example Question #20 : Grammatical And Syntactic Terminology In Poetry Passages

Dicebas quondam solum te nosse Catullum,
     Lesbia, nec prae me velle tenere Iovem.
dilexi tum te non tantum ut vulgus amicam,
     sed pater ut gnatos diligit et generos.
nunc te cognovi: quare etsi impensius uror,               5
     multo mi tamen es vilior et levior.
qui potis est, inquis? quod amantem iniuria talis
     cogit amare magis, sed bene velle minus.

"Velle" (line 2) is ___________.

Possible Answers:

an adverb

an imperative

an infinitive

a noun

Correct answer:

an infinitive

Explanation:

The word "velle" comes from "volo," "velle" and is the infinitive form of that verb.

Passage adapted from "Carmen 72" by Gaius Valerius Catullus

Example Question #21 : Grammatical And Syntactic Terminology In Poetry Passages

Dicebas quondam solum te nosse Catullum,
     Lesbia, nec prae me velle tenere Iovem.
dilexi tum te non tantum ut vulgus amicam,
     sed pater ut gnatos diligit et generos.
nunc te cognovi: quare etsi impensius uror,               5
     multo mi tamen es vilior et levior.
qui potis est, inquis? quod amantem iniuria talis
     cogit amare magis, sed bene velle minus.

"Vilior" and "levior" (line 6) are both examples of _____________.

Possible Answers:

nouns

passive verbs

comparative adjevtives

superlative adjectives

Correct answer:

comparative adjevtives

Explanation:

Both "vilior" and "levior" are examples of comparative adjectives. In this sentence, they are being used to describe the subject of "es" (line 6).

Passage adapted from "Carmen 72" by Gaius Valerius Catullus

Example Question #22 : Grammatical And Syntactic Terminology In Poetry Passages

Ille mi par esse deo videtur,
ille, si fas est, superare divos,
qui sedens adversus identidem te
     spectat et audit
dulce ridentem, misero quod omnis             5
eripit sensus mihi: nam simul te,
Lesbia, aspexi, nihil est super mi


lingua sed torpet, tenuis sub artus
flamma demanat, sonitu suopte
tintinant aures gemina, teguntur                 10
     lumina nocte.
otium, Catulle, tibi molestum est:
otio exsultas nimiumque gestis:
otium et reges prius et beatas
     perdidit urbes.                                      15

What is the case of "mi" (line 1)?

Possible Answers:

Dative

Genitive

Nominative

Ablative

Correct answer:

Dative

Explanation:

The word "mi" is a shortened form of "mihi," the genitive singular form of "ego," "meus."

Passage adapted from "Poem 51" by Gaius Valerius Catullus

Example Question #23 : Grammatical And Syntactic Terminology In Poetry Passages

Ille mi par esse deo videtur,
ille, si fas est, superare divos,
qui sedens adversus identidem te
     spectat et audit
dulce ridentem, misero quod omnis             5
eripit sensus mihi: nam simul te,
Lesbia, aspexi, nihil est super mi
     
lingua sed torpet, tenuis sub artus
flamma demanat, sonitu suopte
tintinant aures gemina, teguntur                 10
     lumina nocte.
otium, Catulle, tibi molestum est:
otio exsultas nimiumque gestis:
otium et reges prius et beatas
     perdidit urbes.                                      15

What is the case of "te" (line 3)?

Possible Answers:

Ablative

Dative

Accusative

Genitive

Correct answer:

Accusative

Explanation:

The form "te" can be either accusative or ablative, but we know it must be in the ablative case here because it is acting as the object of "spectat" and "audit" on line 4.

Passage adapted from "Poem 51" by Gaius Valerius Catullus

Example Question #24 : Grammatical And Syntactic Terminology In Poetry Passages

Ille mi par esse deo videtur,
ille, si fas est, superare divos,
qui sedens adversus identidem te
     spectat et audit
dulce ridentem, misero quod omnis             5
eripit sensus mihi: nam simul te,
Lesbia, aspexi, nihil est super mi
     
lingua sed torpet, tenuis sub artus
flamma demanat, sonitu suopte
tintinant aures gemina, teguntur                 10
     lumina nocte.
otium, Catulle, tibi molestum est:
otio exsultas nimiumque gestis:
otium et reges prius et beatas
     perdidit urbes.                                      15

What is the case of "sensus" in line 6?

Possible Answers:

Vocative

Accusative

Genitive

Nominative

Correct answer:

Accusative

Explanation:

The word "sensus" comes from "sensus," "sensus," a fourth declension word meaning senses/feelings. "Sensus" is acting as the direct object of the verb "eripit" in line 6, so it must be accusative.

Passage adapted from "Poem 51" by Gaius Valerius Catullus

Example Question #25 : Grammatical And Syntactic Terminology In Poetry Passages

Ille mi par esse deo videtur,
ille, si fas est, superare divos,
qui sedens adversus identidem te
     spectat et audit
dulce ridentem, misero quod omnis             5
eripit sensus mihi: nam simul te,
Lesbia, aspexi, nihil est super mi
     
lingua sed torpet, tenuis sub artus
flamma demanat, sonitu suopte
tintinant aures gemina, teguntur                 10
     lumina nocte.
otium, Catulle, tibi molestum est:
otio exsultas nimiumque gestis:
otium et reges prius et beatas
     perdidit urbes.                                      15

What part of speech is "dulce" (line 5)?

Possible Answers:

Adverb

Verb

Adjective

Noun

Correct answer:

Adverb

Explanation:

The word "dulce" as used here comes from the word "dulcis," "dulcis"  meaning sweet. It is an adjective, but it is being used as an adverb to describe the action of smiling ("ridentem").

Passage adapted from "Poem 51" by Gaius Valerius Catullus

Example Question #26 : Grammatical And Syntactic Terminology In Poetry Passages

 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.               

What is the case of "aetas" (line 1)?

Possible Answers:

Ablative

Accusative

Dative

Nominative

Correct answer:

Nominative

Explanation:

The word "aetas" comes from "aetas," "aetatis." "Aetas," therefore, is the nominative singular form of this word.

(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses 1. 89-101)

Example Question #437 : Ap Latin Language

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.               

The word "habendi" in line 7 is an example of __________.

Possible Answers:

a gerundive

a gerund

a passive infinitive

a perfect passive participle

Correct answer:

a gerund

Explanation:

The word "habendi" is the gerund form of the verb "habeo," "habere," "habui," "habitus." The "-nd-" gives away that the word is a gerund or gerundive; however, it is being used as a noun here, which means that it is a gerund.

(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 1.125-141)

Example Question #107 : Grammar, Syntax, And Scansion In Poetry

Vallis erat piceis et acuta densa cupressu,               
nomine Gargaphie succinctae sacra Dianae,
cuius in extremo est antrum nemorale recessu
arte laboratum nulla: simulaverat artem
ingenio natura suo; nam pumice vivo                          5
et levibus tofis nativum duxerat arcum;               
fons sonat a dextra tenui perlucidus unda,
margine gramineo patulos incinctus hiatus.
hic dea silvarum venatu fessa solebat
virgineos artus liquido perfundere rore.                        10
quo postquam subiit, nympharum tradidit uni               
armigerae iaculum pharetramque arcusque retentos,
altera depositae subiecit bracchia pallae,
vincla duae pedibus demunt; nam doctior illis
Ismenis Crocale sparsos per colla capillos                     15
colligit in nodum, quamvis erat ipsa solutis.               

What is the case of the word "arcum" in line 6?

Possible Answers:

Nominative

Ablative

Genitive

Accusative

Correct answer:

Accusative

Explanation:

The word "arcum" comes from "arcus, arcus," a fourth declension word. In the fourth declension, the "-um" ending is reserved only for the accusative singular form. Additionally, "arcum" is functioning as the direct object of the word "duxerat" in this sentence.

(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses 3.155-171)

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