SAT Subject Test Latin, 2nd Edition w/Practice Tests on CD

FOREWORD
This book is an excellent springboard to success on the SAT Latin Subject Test. As with most worthwhile things in life, it presumes some specific things about you.

If you’re like so many of today’s ambitious SAT Latin Subject Test candidates, you’ve taken Latin over the past several years, but now the effort rests mainly on how you’ll do what’s necessary to excel on the SAT Latin test. Think of your preparation for this test just as you would think of it for sports or music.

Practice regularly. Do your lay-up drills. Master your violin fingerings. Perfect your pick and roll. Perform a piece for friends or small crowds. Whether it’s the divisional playoffs or this SAT Subject Test, you need to get ready for the Big Event. So you’ll:

• Seek out difficult Latin phrases.

• Review a chapter that initially gives you fits.

• Work through the toughest questions to build your confidence.

• Simulate test-day conditions with REA’s full-length practice exams.

Whether you think of your objective as the big conference tournament or a juried recital, you need a plan of attack. This book enables you to form the heart of that plan. Let me show you what I mean.

In your preparations, do not overlook the first chapter of this book: it is particularly useful in developing your plan of study. It contains a wealth of information about the test and general tips for taking it, all of which are well worth twenty or thirty minutes of your time.

For most students, three issues present special difficulty in their preparation for the SAT Latin Subject Test. First, even the very best students find that they have imperfectly learned and remembered their Latin grammar and syntax (see the glossary in Chapter 3 if you do not remember the distinction between the two).

Second, students find that the test itself asks questions in unfamiliar ways. Finally, different Latin teachers emphasize different Latin vocabulary, so students must learn to deal with words they do not recognize.

This study guide tackles the first two issues chapter by chapter. Each chapter, with the exception of those that present introductory material, covers specific topics of grammar or syntax in a way that allows you to master small, but coherent chunks of information.

To prepare you for the SAT Subject Test specifically, each chapter includes sample test questions for the topic just covered. Not only are the answers given for every question, but detailed explanations are presented which discuss why each possible answer is either correct or incorrect. As you examine these explanations consistently and thoroughly, you will find yourself gaining a progressively better understanding of the topic presented in the chapter.

The third difficulty, unfamiliar vocabulary, is the hardest to deal with, both for a student and for a study guide. Chapter 2 specifically covers the “derivation” category of questions, which ask you to identify the Latin root words in English examples. In this chapter you should also take special notice of the list of resources for improving your Latin vocabulary generally (see pages 22-23). Moreover, the vocabulary issue is dealt with throughout the book: words commonly seen on the SAT Subject Test are commonly used in this book. You will learn vocabulary simply by using the book, but, more importantly, you will also learn to make guesses which become more educated as you work through the practice questions.

Finally, use the practice tests to gauge your knowledge. In Chapter 1, you are encouraged to take a test as a diagnostic exercise before you begin reviewing. Do this—there is no sense in studying what you already know and in not studying what you do not know (but thought you did)! When you come to your final preparations for the test, take the practice tests as though they were the real thing.

Sit in a quiet room. Limit yourself to the allotted time. Do not look up answers as you go. By taking the test under conditions as similar as possible to the real test, you will prepare yourself best for the real thing. Come test day, you will be able to deal with doubts and stresses better, because you will have already practiced under similar conditions.

By acquiring this book, you have taken not a first step, but a further step toward success on the SAT Latin Subject Test. Remember that you have years of Latin experience already working for you. Now you have the means and opportunity to review and refine those years of study, and to prepare yourself even more thoroughly to perform at your highest potential on the test.

Andrew Holm
Latin Department, Hillsdale College, Michigan

EXCELLING ON THE SAT LATIN SUBJECT TEST
Whether you are a Latin II, III, or IV student, you are to be congratulated for putting your knowledge of Latin on the line by taking the SAT Latin Subject Test! This book is designed to help you strengthen your specific weaknesses and to facilitate a comprehensive review of all that you’ve learned. Inside you will find targeted information about the exam, as well as tips on how best to prepare for it.

ABOUT THE SAT LATIN SUBJECT TEST

Who Takes the Test and What Is It Used For?

Students planning to attend college should take the SAT Latin Subject Test if:

(1) They have studied Latin and any of the colleges they apply to require SAT Subject Tests for admission;

OR

(2) The student wishes to demonstrate proficiency in Latin.

The SAT Latin Subject Test is designed for students who have a wide-ranging knowledge of Latin. Recommended preparation includes two to four years of Latin study in high school.

Who Administers the Test?

The SAT Latin Subject Test is developed by the College Board and administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS). The test development process involves the assistance of educators throughout the country, and is designed and implemented to ensure that the content and difficulty level of the test are appropriate.

When Should the SAT Latin Test be Taken?

If you are applying to a college that requires SAT Subject Test scores as part of the admissions process, you should take the SAT Latin Subject Test toward the end of your junior year or at the beginning of your senior year. If your scores are being used only for placement purposes, you may be able to take the test in the spring of your senior year. For more information, be sure to contact the colleges to which you are applying.

When and Where is the Test Given?

The SAT Latin Subject Test is administered twice a year at many locations throughout the United States; most test centers are at high schools. For more information on specific testing dates and locations, consult the registration bulletin or your high school guidance counselor.

To receive information on upcoming administrations of the exam, consult the publication Taking the SAT Subject Tests, which may be obtained from your guidance counselor or by contacting:

College Board SAT Program
PO Box 6200
Princeton, NJ 08541-6200
Phone: (609) 771-7600
E-mail: sat@info.collegeboard.com

Web site: http://www.collegeboard.com

Is There a Registration Fee?

Yes. There is a registration fee to take the SAT Latin Subject Test. Consult the publication Taking the SAT Subject Tests for information on the fee structure. Financial assistance may be granted in certain situations. To find out if you qualify and to register for assistance, contact your academic advisor.

ABOUT THIS BOOK AND TESTWARE
This book and the accompanying software will provide you with an accurate and complete representation of the SAT Latin Subject Test. Inside you will find a course review designed to provide you with the information and strategies needed to do well on the exam, as well as two full-length practice tests based on the actual exam. REA’s practice tests contain every type of question you can expect to encounter on the SAT Latin Subject Test. Following each test, you will find an answer key with detailed explanations to help you master the test material.

Practice Tests 1 and 2 are included in two formats: in TestWare format on the enclosed CD and in printed form in this book. We recommend that you begin your preparation by first taking the computerized version of your test. The software provides enforced timed conditions and instantaneous, accurate scoring, which make it all the easier to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses.

Some Special Features

Here are some special features of this book:

• Informal style that talks directly to you with your needs in mind, to make you feel comfortable

• Periodic interjection of humor, to keep you in good spirits

• Analysis of the content and format of the exam, to give you insight

• References to currently available College Board exam materials, to inform you

• Glossaries of terms commonly used in the study of Latin, to help you understand

• Quick-study tables that consolidate major concepts, to help you summarize

• Easy-to-use organizational style, to help you find your way

• Clear and simple explications of forms and their uses, plus memory devices, to help you recall

• Unadapted and adapted sententiae and passages from Roman literature, to make readings authentic

• Questions in each chapter that simulate the format and content of those on the exam, to help you gauge your progress

• Stumper and Ambush questions, to challenge you

• Detailed explanations of answers to questions, to help you learn from your mistakes

• Webliographies of additional resources, to extend your review

• Two complete practice exams, to help you assess your readiness

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK AND TESTWARE 
To begin your studies, read the suggestions for test taking and take Practice Test 1 on CD-ROM to determine your strengths and weaknesses.

Next, study the course review material focusing on your specific problem areas. The course review includes the information you need to know when taking the exam. Then take Practice Test 2 on CD-ROM to become familiar with the format and feel of the SAT Latin Subject Test. If time allows, take Practice Test 1 and 2 in this book to further increase your level of confidence for the test.

To best utilize your study time, follow one of the Study Schedules found at the end of this chapter.