National Latin Examination
Encyclopedia
The National Latin Exam is a worldwide test given to Latin
students. Sponsored by the U.S.-based American Classical League
and the National Junior Classical League
, the exam was given to about 150,000 or so students in the U.S., Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, United Kingdom and Zimbabwe in 2010. The test covers general knowledge of Latin
grammar and vocabulary, mythology, customs, derivatives, and translation abilities.
The National Latin Exam's current base is in the Tyler House at the University of Mary Washington
.
, Culture and Civilization
, and Latin in Use. In most levels of the exam, approximately the first twenty questions are about Latin grammar and vocabulary, the next ten are about culture and history, and the final ten are based on reading comprehension questions related to a given Latin passage. The exam is scored based on the number of questions answered correctly, with no penalty for guessing.
There are seven different exams that a student can take: Introduction to Latin, Latin I, Latin II, Latin III, Latin III-IV Prose, Latin III-IV Poetry, Latin V-VI. While a student can take a level above the amount of years he or she has completed in Latin, the student may not take any level below his or her completion. The student is not required to take an actual Latin class to take an exam; however, the student must have an official sponsor and must take the exam with a proctor that is not the Latin teacher.
Introduction to Latin is designed for students who have only received very limited education in Latin. This test covers only the first two declensions, simple sentences and basic Roman mythology
.
Latin IV Prose and IV Poetry differ in that the prose version covers more prose, such as writings by Cicero
. The Poetry version covers the work of poets such as Virgil
and Ovid
, as well as poetic devices like anaphora, dactylic hexameter
and simile
.
In addition, high school seniors who receive a gold medal on the Latin III or higher level exam and agree to take at least one Latin or Ancient Greek course during each of their first two semesters of college are eligible to apply for a $1000 scholarship. Twenty-one high school seniors receive these scholarships each year.
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
students. Sponsored by the U.S.-based American Classical League
American Classical League
Founded in 1919, the American Classical League is a professional organization which promotes the study of classical civilization at all levels of education in the United States and Canada...
and the National Junior Classical League
National Junior Classical League
The National Junior Classical League is a youth organization of secondary school students sponsored by the American Classical League...
, the exam was given to about 150,000 or so students in the U.S., Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, United Kingdom and Zimbabwe in 2010. The test covers general knowledge of Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
grammar and vocabulary, mythology, customs, derivatives, and translation abilities.
The National Latin Exam's current base is in the Tyler House at the University of Mary Washington
University of Mary Washington
The University of Mary Washington is a public, coeducational liberal arts college located in the city of Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA. Founded in 1908 by the Commonwealth of Virginia as a normal school, during much of the twentieth century it was part of the University of Virginia, until...
.
Format
The National Latin Exam consists of forty multiple choice questions. The Exam always includes three main categories: LanguageLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, Culture and Civilization
Culture of ancient Rome
Ancient Roman culture existed throughout the almost 1200-year history of the civilization of Ancient Rome. The term refers to the culture of the Roman Republic, later the Roman Empire, which, at its peak, covered an area from Lowland Scotland and Morocco to the Euphrates.Life in ancient Rome...
, and Latin in Use. In most levels of the exam, approximately the first twenty questions are about Latin grammar and vocabulary, the next ten are about culture and history, and the final ten are based on reading comprehension questions related to a given Latin passage. The exam is scored based on the number of questions answered correctly, with no penalty for guessing.
There are seven different exams that a student can take: Introduction to Latin, Latin I, Latin II, Latin III, Latin III-IV Prose, Latin III-IV Poetry, Latin V-VI. While a student can take a level above the amount of years he or she has completed in Latin, the student may not take any level below his or her completion. The student is not required to take an actual Latin class to take an exam; however, the student must have an official sponsor and must take the exam with a proctor that is not the Latin teacher.
Introduction to Latin is designed for students who have only received very limited education in Latin. This test covers only the first two declensions, simple sentences and basic Roman mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
.
Latin IV Prose and IV Poetry differ in that the prose version covers more prose, such as writings by Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
. The Poetry version covers the work of poets such as Virgil
Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
and Ovid
Ovid
Publius Ovidius Naso , known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who is best known as the author of the three major collections of erotic poetry: Heroides, Amores, and Ars Amatoria...
, as well as poetic devices like anaphora, dactylic hexameter
Dactylic hexameter
Dactylic hexameter is a form of meter in poetry or a rhythmic scheme. It is traditionally associated with the quantitative meter of classical epic poetry in both Greek and Latin, and was consequently considered to be the Grand Style of classical poetry...
and simile
Simile
A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two different things, usually by employing the words "like", "as". Even though both similes and metaphors are forms of comparison, similes indirectly compare the two ideas and allow them to remain distinct in spite of their similarities, whereas...
.
Awards
Students who receive high scores on the National Latin Exam can receive various awards :- Students who achieve a perfect score on the NLE receive a hand-lettered certificate. Students who have achieved three or more years of perfect papers receive a Carter Drake Book Award along with the certificate.
- Gold medals and summa cum laude certificates are awarded to top-scoring students. Depending on the level of the exam taken, approximately thirty-five or more questions must be answered correctly, minimum, to get a gold medal. In 2005, for example, a student taking the Introduction to Latin Exam needed to answer thirty-six questions to get a gold medal.
- Silver medals and maxima cum laude certificates are awarded to second-place scorers.
- Magna cum laude certificates are given to third-place scorers.
- Cum laude certificates are awarded to fourth-place scorers.
In addition, high school seniors who receive a gold medal on the Latin III or higher level exam and agree to take at least one Latin or Ancient Greek course during each of their first two semesters of college are eligible to apply for a $1000 scholarship. Twenty-one high school seniors receive these scholarships each year.