SAT II Latin : SAT Subject Test in Latin

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT II Latin

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Using Nominative Case In Latin

Please choose the correct answer below

Tiberis et Padus __________ sunt. 

Possible Answers:

ponti

montes

flumina

maria

viae

Correct answer:

flumina

Explanation:

Tiberis and Padus are the latin names for the rivers Tiber and Po, respectively. The word for river in Latin is Flumen, the nominative singular is Flumina. 

Example Question #1 : Using Dative Case In Latin

The correct dative plural of dux is __________.

Possible Answers:

duces

ducibus

duxibus

ducebus

ducia

Correct answer:

ducibus

Explanation:

The correct dative plural of dux is ducibus. As a third declension noun with a genitive of ducis, the proper ending, -ibus is added to the stem, resulting in ducibus. 

Example Question #2 : Using Dative Case In Latin

Dux mandat __________.

Possible Answers:

militem

militibus 

militum

a militibus

milites

Correct answer:

militibus 

Explanation:

The verb mandare takes the dative instead of the accusative; therefore the only correct answer can be militibus; since every other option is in the wrong case. 

Example Question #1 : Using Dative Case In Latin

Choose fill in the blank with the correct answer from the choices below

Senator mandat __________ in hortum

Possible Answers:

puerum

puero

pueros

puer

pueri

Correct answer:

puero

Explanation:

The correct answer is "puero". It should be rememebered that Mandare in Latin takes the dative case instead of the accusative; therefore, "puero" is the only viable option.

Example Question #12 : Sat Subject Test In Latin

Please choose the correct answer from below

The English word littoral comes from which latin word __________.

 

 

 

Possible Answers:

leto—kill

lector—reader

litus—sentence

litus—beach

littera—letter

Correct answer:

litus—beach

Explanation:

The word in English, "littoral," means "pertaining to shores." It is not to be confused with the word "litteral" the noun for beach or shore in latin is "litus," the genitive being "litoris."

Example Question #13 : Sat Subject Test In Latin

The accusative singular of vir is __________.

Possible Answers:

vir

virum

virūs

viram

virem

Correct answer:

virum

Explanation:

Even though the noun vir doesn't end in -us or -um, it is a second declension masculine noun; therefore the correct accusative singular is virum.

Example Question #11 : Sat Subject Test In Latin

Choose the correct answer from the options below. 

Navigaverunt ex __________.

Possible Answers:

portui

porto 

portus

portu

portuum

Correct answer:

portu

Explanation:

The preposition "ex," "out of" takes the ablative case. The noun "portus," is a fourth-declension noun. The abaltive ending for fourth-declension nouns is a -u, so the correct answer is portu.

Example Question #1 : Latin Verb Tense

Please choose the correct answer below

Which phrase is Julius Caesar reported to have said when crossing the Rubicon river with his army?

Possible Answers:

Arma virumque cano!

Alea iacta est!

Quidquid id est, timeo Danaos et dona ferentis. 

Et tu, Brute?

Veni, vidi, vici. 

Correct answer:

Alea iacta est!

Explanation:

Julius Caesar when crossing the Rubicon, reportedly said, "Alea iacta est," which means "the die has been cast."

Both "Quidquid id est, timeo Danaos et dona ferentis." and "Arma virumque cano!" are from the Aeneid by Virgil.

The remaining two quotes are also Julius Caesar, "Veni, vidi, vici." was what he said about his military campaigns in England, and "Et tu, Brute?" was what he said when he laid dying in the Senate, stabbed by the senators.

Example Question #2 : Latin Verbs

The correct present subjunctive passive of incipimus is __________.

Possible Answers:

inciperemus

incipiamur

incipiamus

inceperimus

incepissemus

Correct answer:

incipiamur

Explanation:

The original verb incipimus is first-person plural; therefore we must find the first-person plural passive subjunctive of this verb. The subjunctive stem for the verb incipere is incipia-, taking the "ia" as the marker for the subjunctive. We then add "mur" to the end to make it passive in the first-person plural present tense.

Example Question #3 : Latin Verbs

Choose the correct answer from the options below

The correct subjunctive imperfect active of the verb of videtis is __________.

Possible Answers:

vidissemus

videbatis

videbetis

videretis

videar

Correct answer:

videretis

Explanation:

Videtis is the indicative active present form of the verb video in the second person plural. 

The proper relative form of this in the subjunctive imperfect is videretis.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors