National Latin Exam Study Guide Latin III/IV Poetry It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great. - Coach Jimmy Dugan Below is a breakup of what will be asked on the NLE along with sample questions. Use this to help you review over your notes in order to help you prepare for the NLE. The number next to the type of question indicates the number of questions asked in that category. Verbs 3 Indirect Statement The formula for an indirect statement is the main verb followed an accusative-subject followed by an infinitive. Identifying these three components is the key to figuring out these questions. When you see an infinitive at the end of the sentence, the first thing you should think is indirect statement. Several examples use a future active infinitive, while other examples use se for the accusative-subject. Review Wheelock Chapter 25. Tē esse fidēlem putābam. A) that you are B) for you to be C) that you were D) that you will be Hic ōrātor saepe spērābat mīrificē sē locūtum esse. A) that he was speaking B) that he would speak C) that he had spoken D) that he was speaking to himself Spero vos diu victuros esse. A) had lived B) did live C) are living D) will live 1Independent Subjunctive This is a subjunctive that stands alone. There are keys to identifying each type: jussive (3rd person, present tense), hortatory (1st person, present tense), deliberative (asks a should question, present/imperfect tense), or optative (utinam – If only). Review Wheelock Chapter 28. Pacem omnibus gentibus petamus. A) We are seeking B) We must seek C) Let us seek D) We shall seek Nē loquāmur dē temporibus miserīs. A) Let us not speak B) We are not spoken of C) Nowhere shall we speak D) We do not speak at all 3 Result Clause This is a dependent subjunctive, and it has two clauses joined by ut or ut…non (that/that…not). Don’t get result clause mixed up with the purpose clause (ut/ne = so that). There is a greater chance of there being a result clause than a purpose clause on the NLE. The key to identifying result clauses is finding the little adverb in the first clause: tam (so), tantus –a –um (so great), tot (so many), talis –e (such), sic (thus, so), adeo (to the extent that, so), and totiens (so often). Review Wheelock Chapter 29. Puer tam fessus erat ut nemo excitare eum posset. A) will be able B) was able C) may be able D) had been able Tot flōrēs in campō erant ut eōs numerāre nōn possēmus. A) we are not able B) we were not able C) we have not been able D) we had not been able 2 Indirect Question Indirect Questions are dependent subjunctives in which two clauses are joined by a question word: quis (who), quem (whom), quid (what), quomodo (how), cur (why), utrum…an (whether…or), ubi (when/where), unde (whence), quo (whither). The trick to these is spotting the question word and knowing what it means. Review Wheelock Chapter 30. Nunc scīmus quid sit amor. A) what love was B) what love had been C) what love is D) what love can be Filius patri narrat quid ipse audiverit. A) heard B) is hearing C) will hear D) would hear 2 Various Dependent Subjunctives Dependent Subjunctives consist of two clauses. Often what they are joined by distinguishes them. For example, cum joins the clauses in a cum clause. The only other dependent subjunctives that have appeared on previous NLE’s are purpose (ut/ne = so that), relative clause of characteristic (qui, quae, quod = who which that… the sort of…would), fore ut (in place of the future passive infinitive), fear (ut/ne are reversed; verb of fearing: timere, vereri, metuere, terrere), or cum adversative (cum…tamen). Review Wheelock Chapters 29, 31, 32, 36, 38, 40. Tempestāte furente, Aenēās timēbat nē tōta classis perīret. A) that the whole fleet might be lost B) that he might save the whole fleet C) that all the fleet was not in peril D) that all the fleet was not lost Cum Vergilius bella numquam laudāret, dē bellīs tamen multa scripsit. A) Since B) When C) With D) Although Mēdēa frātrem suum auxiliō fugae mox fore putābat. Fore is the same as A) futūrum esse B) factum esse C) lātum esse D) itūrum esse 3 Subjunctive Conditions There are three subjunctive conditions. The trick to translating them is identifying the tense of the verb. Present Contrary-to-fact uses imperfect subjunctive (were…would). Past Contrary-to-fact uses pluperfect subjunctive (had…would have). Future Less Vivid uses present subjunctive (should…would). Review Wheelock Chapter 33. Si Hannibal Romam oppugnavisset, urbs cecidisset. A) fell B) had fallen C) would fall D) would have fallen Nisi puella fuisset perfida, Catullus carmina nōn scrīpsisset. A) had been…would not have written B) was…did not write C) were…would not be writing D) should be…would not write 3 Deponent Verb: Command A deponent verb uses passive endings but is translated actively. Their imperative forms look strange, however. The singular imperatives resemble present active infinitive endings (are, ere, ire), while their plural forms end in –mini. It helps to know which verbs are deponent. Often deponent verbs on the NLE come from the third conjugation. Review Wheelock Chapter 34. Nōlīte hiemem longam patī sine amīcīs librīsque! A) He did not endure B) Not to be endured C) Do not endure D) Don’t let him endure Iuppiter Mercurium adloquitur, “Lābere et dēfer mea dicta!” A) Gliding and carrying down B) Glide and carry down C) About to glide and carry down D) To glide and to carry down 2 Supine A Supine is the perfect active participle ending in either um or ū. It is translated like an infinitive (to verb). Review Wheelock Chapter 38. Multī agricolae Rōmam rogātum pecūniam ībant. A) to ask for money B) while asking for money C) after asking for money D) about to ask for money Ulixēs comitibus dīxit, “Fugere nōn est facile factū.” A) gentle in force B) a simple fact C) a rebellious act D) easy to do 2 Passive Periphrastics Passive Periphrastics have the formula gerundive followed by a form of esse. They are paired with datives of agents as the doers of the action. They are translated must be verbed or in a way that shows obligation. Review Wheelock Chapter 24. Graves iniuriae civibus ferendae erant. A) were bearable B) were borne C) had to be borne D) were bearing “Fīliī Rheae Silviae in Tiberim iaciendī sunt!” clāmāvit Amūlius. A) must be thrown B) have been thrown C) would be thrown D) are able to be thrown 1 Impersonal Verbs Impersonal verbs are translated with an it as their subject. They often take the dative or the ablative. There are several examples: licet +dat (It is permitted), oportet (It is necessary, It is correct), opus est +abl (There is need of), and placet +dat (It is pleasing). These are items that simply have to be memorized. Liceat poētīs in Forō recitāre. A) It will be permitted for the poets B) The poets have allowed C) Let it be permitted for the poets D) The poets will allow In omnibus rēbus opus est veritate. A) truth is difficult B) there is need of truth C) it might be true D) there is a true choice 1 Tenses of the Infinitive In these sentences an infinitive that is not part of an indirect statement is used. The infinitive has a tense that is not present active. Present Passive (ari, eri, i, iri – to be verbed), Perfect Active (isse – to have verbed), Perfect Passive (Perfect Passive Participle + esse – to have been verbed), Future Active (ūr + esse) about to verb/going to verb. The future passive is not quizzed over unless it is connected to a question on fore ut. Review Wheelock Chapter 25. Leō ferōx Thisbēn occīdisse dīcitur. A) to kill B) to be killed C) to have killed D) to have been killed Caesar dīcitur in Theātrō Pompeī necātus esse. A) to have killed B) to be killed C) to be about to kill D) to have been killed Nouns 2 Gerunds A gerund is a verbal noun. In English, gerunds end in –ing. An example would be Playing is fun. Playing is the gerund. In Latin, the gerund looks like the gerundive (future passive participle) except that it is only in the neuter, and it has no nominative. Its nominative is, in fact, the present active infinitive. The way to distinguish gerunds from gerundives is to determine if there is a noun in agreement with the gerund/gerundive. If there is a noun, it is a gerundive; if it stands alone, it is a gerund. Review Wheelock Chapters 24, 39. Vir sapiēns metuendō malum vītat. A) to fear B) by fearing C) after fearing D) of fearing Explorator, cupidus videndi latius, montem ascendit. A) to be seen B) of seeing C) having been seen D) by seeing 2 Ablative Absolute An ablative absolute is two or more words in the ablative in which one of the words is often a participle (usually perfect passive) and requires a special way to translate it. The ways to translate an ablative absolute are With the _______ having been _______ed; Since the _______ was _____ed; When the _______ was _____ed; Although the _______ was _____ed; After the _______ was _____ed. Often ablatives of means or manner are inserted into the ablative absolute.