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Study Guide

Field 119: Latin CST
Interpretive Oral Reading

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Directions for Interpretive Oral Reading Assignment

For the Interpretive Oral Reading section of the test, you will read aloud a passage in Latin presented on-screen.

The assignment will be displayed on the next screen and the screen timer will count down the allotted preparation time (refer to the upper right corner of the screen to monitor the preparation time remaining).  start bold You may take up to 10 minutes to practice reading the passage. end bold  Please note that you are not required to take the entire 10 minutes; however,  start bold  if you choose to advance to the next screen to start your oral reading before the preparation time is over, you will not be able to go back. end bold 

When the preparation time is complete, the screen will automatically advance, and you will record your oral reading of the assignment. Do NOT begin speaking until the screen advances and you see the recorder presented on-screen. A tone will indicate when to begin speaking and the status on the recorder will show “Recording.”  start bold You may take up to 5 minutes to record your oral reading. end bold  A sample of the Recorder appears below.

Recorded Answer Box

 start bold You will have 5 minutes to record your oral reading. end bold   Monitor your time by referring to the timer, which will count up from 00:01 to 05:00.  Bars will appear with the sound of your voice to indicate that recording is in progress.   

When your recording time is over, the status will change to "Complete," indicating the conclusion of the assignment.

Recorded Answer Box

You will automatically be advanced to the next screen.  DO NOT click the  start bold Next end bold  button unless you have finished recording your reading with time remaining and wish to move to the next screen.   start bold If you advance to the next screen with recording time remaining, you will not be able to go back. end bold 

Your oral reading will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

You may use either classical or ecclesiastical pronunciation, but whichever you choose, you should use it consistently.

You may use the erasable notebooklet provided to take notes; however,  start bold you will be scored only on the oral reading that is recorded in the exam. end bold  You will have only  start bold ONE end bold  opportunity to record your reading. Once the recording has begun, it cannot be stopped, nor can you re-record your reading. Be sure that your microphone is in a downward position near your mouth before you begin speaking.

Select the  start bold Next end bold  button to continue.

Sample Interpretive Oral Reading Assignment

Competency 0003 
Interpretive Oral Reading

start italics [The examinee will see on screen and hear the following directions:] end italics

Speaker Control

 start bold You may take up to 10 minutes to practice reading the passage below written in dactylic hexameter. Then, the screen will automatically advance and recording will begin. When you see the recorder appear on-screen below the passage, begin reading the passage aloud at normal speed with appropriate emphasis and expression, and with attention to pronunciation, syllabic stress, elisions, and meter. You may use either classical or ecclesiastical pronunciation, but whichever you choose, you should use it consistently. You may take up to 5 minutes to complete your reading. You will be told when the preparation time is over and the recording is about to begin. Begin practicing your reading of the passage now.  end bold 

 start italics [The examinee will see on screen ONLY:]  end italics 

[In this passage from Ovid's Metamorphoses, Echo sees Narcissus and falls in love with him.]

Ergō ubi Narcissum per dēvia rūra vagantem
vīdit et incaluit, sequitur vestīgia fūrtim,
quōque magis sequitur, flammā propiōre calēscit,
nōn aliter quam cum summīs circumlita taedīs
admōtās rapiunt vīvācia sulphura flammās.
Ō quotiēns voluit blandīs accēdere dictīs
et mollēs adhibēre precēs! Nātūra repugnat
nec sinit, incipiat, sed, quod sinit, illa parāta est
exspectāre sonōs, ad quōs sua verba remittat.
Forte puer comitum sēductus ab agmine fīdō
dīxerat, "Ecquis adest?" et "Adest," responderat Ēchō.
Hic stupet, utque aciem partēs dīmittit in omnēs,
vōce, "Venī!" magnā clāmat, vocat illa vocantem.
Respicit et rūrsus nūllō veniente, "Quid," inquit,
"mē fugis?" et totidem, quot dīxit, verba recēpit.

[After 10 minutes of silence, the examinee will hear: 
"Your preparation time is now over. At the conclusion of these directions, the screen will automatically advance and recording will begin. Begin your oral reading when you see the recorder presented on the next screen. Prepare to begin reading aloud now."]

[If examinee clicks "Next" before the preparation time is over, the following warning appears in a pop-up: 
"You have chosen to begin your oral reading before your 10 minutes of preparation time has ended. If you click "Yes" below, the screen will advance and recording will automatically begin. Are you sure you want to begin your reading now?"]

Recorded Answer Box

 start bold  start uppercase DO NOT end uppercase  click the Next button unless you are ready to record your oral reading. end bold

start italics [The examinee will see on screen ONLY:] end italics
 start bold Begin your oral reading of the passage now. You may take up to 5 minutes to complete your reading. end bold

start italics [bracketed intro text and Latin passage are repeated here on this screen] end italics

 start bold DO NOT click the Next button unless you have finished recording your response. end bold

start italics [After five minutes of recording time, the status will change to "Complete," indicating the conclusion of the oral reading assignment, and the examinee will automatically be advanced to the next screen.] end italics

Sample Strong Response to Interpretive Oral Reading Assignment

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Enter to expand or collapse transcript. Transcript expanded

Ergō ubi Narcissum per dēvia rūra vagantem
vīdit et incaluit, sequitur vestīgia fūrtim,
quōque magis sequitur, flammā propiōre calēscit,
nōn aliter quam cum summīs circumlita taedīs
admōtās rapiunt vīvācia sulphura flammās.
Ō quotiēns voluit blandīs accēdere dictīs
et mollēs adhibēre precēs! Nātūra repugnat
nec sinit, incipiat, sed, quod sinit, illa parāta est
exspectāre sonōs, ad quōs sua verba remittat.
Forte puer comitum sēductus ab agmine fīdō
dīxerat, "Ecquis adest?" et "Adest," responderat Ēchō.
Hic stupet, utque aciem partēs dīmittit in omnēs,
vōce, "Venī!" magnā clāmat, vocat illa vocantem.
Respicit et rūrsus nūllō veniente, "Quid," inquit,
"mē fugis?" et totidem, quot dīxit, verba recēpit.

Rationale for Sample Strong Response to Interpretive Oral Reading Assignment

The response is an effective oral reading of the Latin passage delivered with coherence, ease of expression, and careful attention to Latin pronunciation conventions, syllabic stress, elisions, and meter. The candidate effectively expresses the meaning of the Latin passage using vocal tone and phrasing appropriate to the mood, sense, and meter.

In this reading, the candidate effectively uses logical placement and duration of pauses to group and phrase words that are syntactically and semantically linked. Overall, the response demonstrates a strong understanding of the Latin passage.

Performance Characteristics for Interpretive Oral Reading Assignment

The following characteristics guide the scoring of responses to the Interpretive Oral Reading assignment.

APPROPRIATENESS The extent to which the response is an oral reading of the Latin passage that demonstrates understanding of the passage
FLUENCY The extent to which the response is delivered with coherence and ease of expression, and with attention to Latin pronunciation conventions, syllabic stress, elisions, and where applicable, meter
EXPRESSIVENESS The extent to which the response expresses the meaning of the Latin passage using vocal tone and phrasing appropriate to the mood, sense, and where applicable, meter
PHRASING The extent to which the response uses logical placement and duration of pauses to group and phrase words that are syntactically and semantically linked

Score Scale for Interpretive Oral Reading Assignment

A score will be assigned to each response to the Interpretive Oral Reading assignment according to the following score scale.

Score Point Score Point Description
4 The "4" response reflects an effective oral reading of the Latin passage.
3 The "3" response reflects a generally effective oral reading of the Latin passage.
2 The "2" response reflects a partially effective oral reading of the Latin passage.
1 The "1" response reflects an ineffective oral reading of the Latin passage.
U The response is unscorable because it is inaudible or unintelligible, not related to the assignment, not spoken in the required language, or not of sufficient length to score.
B There is no response to the assignment.