AP Latin : Sight Reading
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Latin
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Example Questions
Example Question #81 : Prose
Praebuerat dictis Tritonia talibus aures
carminaque Aonidum iustamque probaverat iram;
tum secum: 'laudare parum est, laudemur et ipsae
numina nec sperni sine poena nostra sinamus.'
Maeoniaeque animum fatis intendit Arachnes, 5
quam sibi lanificae non cedere laudibus artis
audierat. non illa loco nec origine gentis
clara, sed arte fuit: pater huic Colophonius Idmon
Phocaico bibulas tinguebat murice lanas;
occiderat mater, sed et haec de plebe suoque 10
aequa viro fuerat; Lydas tamen illa per urbes
quaesierat studio nomen memorabile, quamvis
orta domo parva parvis habitabat Hypaepis.
huius ut adspicerent opus admirabile, saepe
deseruere sui nymphae vineta Timoli, 15
deseruere suas nymphae Pactolides undas.
What is the proper translation of "probaverat" (line 2)?
She was showing
She approved
She had approved
She showed
She had approved
The word "probaverat" comes from "probo, probare," which means to approve of. This form given is the pluperfect form, so the correct translation is she had approved.
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, VI.1-16)
Example Question #82 : Prose
Praebuerat dictis Tritonia talibus aures
carminaque Aonidum iustamque probaverat iram;
tum secum: 'laudare parum est, laudemur et ipsae
numina nec sperni sine poena nostra sinamus.'
Maeoniaeque animum fatis intendit Arachnes, 5
quam sibi lanificae non cedere laudibus artis
audierat. non illa loco nec origine gentis
clara, sed arte fuit: pater huic Colophonius Idmon
Phocaico bibulas tinguebat murice lanas;
occiderat mater, sed et haec de plebe suoque 10
aequa viro fuerat; Lydas tamen illa per urbes
quaesierat studio nomen memorabile, quamvis
orta domo parva parvis habitabat Hypaepis.
huius ut adspicerent opus admirabile, saepe
deseruere sui nymphae vineta Timoli, 15
deseruere suas nymphae Pactolides undas.
What is the subject of "laudemur" in line 3?
Poena (line 4)
No additional subject
Numina (line 4)
Sperni (line 4)
Numina (line 4)
The word "laudemur" is a plural verb. Though it is not as common, verbs in the first and second person can have a noun or other word as their subjects. The only word in the nominative case is "numina." We know this because of syntax and sentence structure. "Sperni" is a verb, so it cannot be the subject, and since "poena" comes after "sine," it must be the object of that preposition.
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, VI.1-16)
Example Question #401 : Sight Reading
Praebuerat dictis Tritonia talibus aures
carminaque Aonidum iustamque probaverat iram;
tum secum: 'laudare parum est, laudemur et ipsae
numina nec sperni sine poena nostra sinamus.'
Maeoniaeque animum fatis intendit Arachnes, 5
quam sibi lanificae non cedere laudibus artis
audierat. non illa loco nec origine gentis
clara, sed arte fuit: pater huic Colophonius Idmon
Phocaico bibulas tinguebat murice lanas;
occiderat mater, sed et haec de plebe suoque 10
aequa viro fuerat; Lydas tamen illa per urbes
quaesierat studio nomen memorabile, quamvis
orta domo parva parvis habitabat Hypaepis.
huius ut adspicerent opus admirabile, saepe
deseruere sui nymphae vineta Timoli, 15
deseruere suas nymphae Pactolides undas.
What is the correct translation of "sperni" (line 4)?
To scorn
To be scorned
To hope
Hopes
To be scorned
The word "sperni" comes from "sperno, spernere"—to scorn/despise. The form "sperni" is an example of a passive infinitive. Governed by the verb "sinamus," the whole phrase translates as we are not accustomed to be spurned.
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, VI.1-16)
Example Question #84 : Prose
Praebuerat dictis Tritonia talibus aures
carminaque Aonidum iustamque probaverat iram;
tum secum: 'laudare parum est, laudemur et ipsae
numina nec sperni sine poena nostra sinamus.'
Maeoniaeque animum fatis intendit Arachnes, 5
quam sibi lanificae non cedere laudibus artis
audierat. non illa loco nec origine gentis
clara, sed arte fuit: pater huic Colophonius Idmon
Phocaico bibulas tinguebat murice lanas;
occiderat mater, sed et haec de plebe suoque 10
aequa viro fuerat; Lydas tamen illa per urbes
quaesierat studio nomen memorabile, quamvis
orta domo parva parvis habitabat Hypaepis.
huius ut adspicerent opus admirabile, saepe
deseruere sui nymphae vineta Timoli, 15
deseruere suas nymphae Pactolides undas.
"Deseruere" (line 15) translates as which of the following?
To leave
They left
They will leave
They had left
They left
The word "deseruere" is an example of a syncopated verb. It is a shortened form of "deseruerunt," from the verb "desero, deserere, deserui, desertus." It means to leave. The syncopated form often looks like an infinitive, but has the perfect stem (in this case, "deseru-").
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, VI.1-16)
Example Question #11 : Grammar, Syntax, And Scansion In Prose Passages
Pallas anum simulat: falsosque in tempora canos
addit et infirmos, baculo quos sustinet, artus.
tum sic orsa loqui 'non omnia grandior aetas,
quae fugiamus, habet: seris venit usus ab annis.
consilium ne sperne meum: tibi fama petatur 5
inter mortales faciendae maxima lanae;
cede deae veniamque tuis, temeraria, dictis
supplice voce roga: veniam dabit illa roganti.'
adspicit hanc torvis inceptaque fila relinquit
vixque manum retinens confessaque vultibus iram 10
talibus obscuram resecuta est Pallada dictis:
'mentis inops longaque venis confecta senecta,
et nimium vixisse diu nocet. audiat istas,
si qua tibi nurus est, si qua est tibi filia, voces;
consilii satis est in me mihi, neve monendo 15
profecisse putes, eadem est sententia nobis.
cur non ipsa venit? cur haec certamina vitat?'
What word does "maxima" (line 6) modify?
Lanae (line 6)
Mortales (line 6)
Deae (line 7)
Fama (line 5)
Fama (line 5)
The use of "maxima" on line 6 is an example of a delayed adjective. In fact, "maxima" modifies the word "fama" on line 5. "Maxima" is most likely placed where it is in order to emphasize the meaning of the sentence with further imagery. "Tibi . . . lanae" translates: The greatest fame between mortals making woollen garments is sought by you. To emphasize this point, the author has put "maxima," representing the greatest fame and the girl, literally in between the words for mortals and wool.
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, VI.26-42)
Example Question #85 : Prose
Pyramus et Thisbe, iuvenum pulcherrimus alter,
altera, quas Oriens habuit, praelata puellis,
contiguas tenuere domos, ubi dicitur altam
coctilibus muris cinxisse Semiramis urbem.
notitiam primosque gradus vicinia fecit, 5
tempore crevit amor; taedae quoque iure coissent,
sed vetuere patres: quod non potuere vetare,
ex aequo captis ardebant mentibus ambo.
conscius omnis abest; nutu signisque loquuntur,
quoque magis tegitur, tectus magis aestuat ignis. 10
fissus erat tenui rima, quam duxerat olim,
cum fieret, paries domui communis utrique.
id vitium nulli per saecula longa notatum -
quid non sentit amor? - primi vidistis amantes
et vocis fecistis iter, tutaeque per illud 15
murmure blanditiae minimo transire solebant.
What word is the antecedent of "quas" (line 2)?
Oriens (line 2)
Praelata (line 2)
Domos (line 3)
Puellis (line 2)
Domos (line 3)
The antecedent of the word "quas" is "domos" in line 3. As the word antecedent implies, you would expect it to come before the relative pronoun. Furthermore, "quas" is feminine; where's the disconnect?
"Domus, domi" is a strange word in Latin. There is also its fourth declension counterpart "domus, domus," which also means house. Both words are feminine, however, which is especially peculiar for the second declension form, which we have here. Looking closely at the syntax, however, there is no mistaking that the antecedent is "domos." "Quas" requires a feminine plural antecedent. The only feminine words given are "altera," "praelata," "contiguas," and "domos." The first two words, however, are singular, and "contiguas" modifies "domos," so "domos" is the antecedent.
Real Latin does not fit the neat patterns that you would usually expect and is very different from the sorts of texts you encounter in earlier levels of Latin class. Keep that in mind.
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, IV.55-70)
Example Question #86 : Prose
Pyramus et Thisbe, iuvenum pulcherrimus alter,
altera, quas Oriens habuit, praelata puellis,
contiguas tenuere domos, ubi dicitur altam
coctilibus muris cinxisse Semiramis urbem.
notitiam primosque gradus vicinia fecit, 5
tempore crevit amor; taedae quoque iure coissent,
sed vetuere patres: quod non potuere vetare,
ex aequo captis ardebant mentibus ambo.
conscius omnis abest; nutu signisque loquuntur,
quoque magis tegitur, tectus magis aestuat ignis. 10
fissus erat tenui rima, quam duxerat olim,
cum fieret, paries domui communis utrique.
id vitium nulli per saecula longa notatum -
quid non sentit amor? - primi vidistis amantes
et vocis fecistis iter, tutaeque per illud 15
murmure blanditiae minimo transire solebant.
How does the word "tenuere" (line 3) translate?
They held
We hold
To hold
I was holding
They held
The word "tenuere" is an example of a syncopated verb. It is a shortened form of the word "tenuerunt." This is recognizable because, even though it looks like an infinitive, it makes use of the perfect stem ("tenu-") of "teneo, tenere, tenui, tentus."
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, IV.55-70)
Example Question #87 : Prose
Pyramus et Thisbe, iuvenum pulcherrimus alter,
altera, quas Oriens habuit, praelata puellis,
contiguas tenuere domos, ubi dicitur altam
coctilibus muris cinxisse Semiramis urbem.
notitiam primosque gradus vicinia fecit, 5
tempore crevit amor; taedae quoque iure coissent,
sed vetuere patres: quod non potuere vetare,
ex aequo captis ardebant mentibus ambo.
conscius omnis abest; nutu signisque loquuntur,
quoque magis tegitur, tectus magis aestuat ignis. 10
fissus erat tenui rima, quam duxerat olim,
cum fieret, paries domui communis utrique.
id vitium nulli per saecula longa notatum -
quid non sentit amor? - primi vidistis amantes
et vocis fecistis iter, tutaeque per illud 15
murmure blanditiae minimo transire solebant.
Vetuere (line 7) translates as:
He will forbid
They forbid
They forbade
To forbid
They forbade
The word "vetuere" is an example of a syncopated verb. It comes from the word "veto, vetare, vetui, vetitus," which means to forbid. We know that this form is a syncopated version of "vetuerunt" because it makes use of the perfect stem of this verb, with the "-ere" ending, a characteristic of syncopation.
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, IV.55-70)
Example Question #15 : Grammar, Syntax, And Scansion In Prose Passages
Ecce cruentati redeunt et, Bacchus ubi esset,
quaerenti domino Bacchum vidisse negarunt;
'hunc' dixere 'tamen comitem famulumque sacrorum
cepimus' et tradunt manibus post terga ligatis
sacra dei quendam Tyrrhena gente secutum. 5
adspicit hunc Pentheus oculis, quos ira tremendos
fecerat, et quamquam poenae vix tempora differt,
'o periture tuaque aliis documenta dature
morte,' ait, 'ede tuum nomen nomenque parentum
et patriam, morisque novi cur sacra frequentes!' 10
ille metu vacuus 'nomen mihi' dixit 'Acoetes,
patria Maeonia est, humili de plebe parentes.
non mihi quae duri colerent pater arva iuvenci,
lanigerosve greges, non ulla armenta reliquit;
pauper et ipse fuit linoque solebat et hamis 15
decipere et calamo salientis ducere pisces.
The word "dixere" in line 3 translates as ___________.
He said
To say
They said
You will say
They said
The word "dixere" is a syncopated form of the word "dixerunt." We know this because, even though it looks like an infinitive, it uses the perfect stem of "dico," "dicere," "dixi," "dictus." The best translation is they said.
(Passage adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, III 570-586)
Example Question #16 : Grammar, Syntax, And Scansion In Prose Passages
Erat Miseni classemque imperio praesens regebat. Nonum Kal. Septembres hora fere septima mater mea indicat ei apparere nubem inusitata et magnitudine et specie. Usus ille sole, mox frigida, gustaverat iacens studebatque; poscit soleas, ascendit locum ex quo maxime miraculum illud conspici poterat. Nubes — incertum procul intuentibus ex quo monte; Vesuvium fuisse postea cognitum est — oriebatur, cuius similitudinem et formam non alia magis arbor quam pinus expresserit. Nam longissimo velut trunco elata in altum quibusdam ramis diffundebatur, credo quia recenti spiritu evecta, dein senescente eo destituta aut etiam pondere suo victa in latitudinem vanescebat, candida interdum, interdum sordida et maculosa prout terram cineremve sustulerat. Magnum propiusque noscendum ut eruditissimo viro visum. Iubet liburnicam aptari; mihi si venire una vellem facit copiam; respondi studere me malle, et forte ipse quod scriberem dederat. Egrediebatur domo; accipit codicillos Rectinae Tasci imminenti periculo exterritae — nam villa eius subiacebat, nec ulla nisi navibus fuga -: ut se tanto discrimini eriperet orabat. Vertit ille consilium et quod studioso animo incohaverat obit maximo. Deducit quadriremes, ascendit ipse non Rectinae modo sed multis — erat enim frequens amoenitas orae — laturus auxilium. Properat illuc unde alii fugiunt, rectumque cursum recta gubernacula in periculum tenet adeo solutus metu, ut omnes illius mali motus omnes figuras ut deprenderat oculis dictaret enotaretque.
What word is the subject of "poterat"?
Locum
Miraculum
Conspici
Maxime
Miraculum
The subject of "poterat" is "miraculum." It is the only nominative singular noun in the clause. Context tells us that the man mentioned before is not who "poterat" is referring to.
(Passage adapted from Pliny the Younger's Letters to Tacitus Book 6, #16)
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