Area F Mottoes Test 2013
1. In the popular T.V. show Criminal Minds, the detectives constantly analyze their unknown subject’s
m.o. For what Latin phrase does this abbreviation stand?
a. mors optima
b. modus operandi
c. mundus opacus
d. mobilis opera
2. When you are looking for a job, you should bring your ___________ to the interview.
a. res gestae
b. tabula rasa
c. curriculum vitae
d. status quo
3. Where would you find this Latin abbreviation q.i.d.?
a. the movie theater
b. on a prescription bottle
c. on your birth certificate
d. in a mathematical proof
4. Where would you find this Latin abbreviation P.S.?
a. at the end of a letter
b. in a dictionary
c. on an advertisement
d. in a list of ingredients
5. To what does the Latin abbreviation p.m. pertain?
a. time
b. money
c. the law
d. medicine
6. What does this Latin abbreviation mean: e.g.?
a. that is
b. for example
c. midday
d. take note
7. What does this Latin abbreviation mean: i.e.?
a. that is
b. for example
c. midday
d. take note
8. In the terrible catchy song, “Stick to the Status Quo” from Disney’s High School Musical they use a
common Latin phrase. What are the singers trying to say?
a. they want the right vote
b. everyone is unique
c. it’s time for a revolution
d. keep the things the way they are
9. When you are reading a class assignment and you see the abbreviation N.B. what should you do?
a. skim over the next paragraph, it isn’t important
b. pay close attention, there might be something important
c. throw your assignment away, it is just extra paper
d. come back to the assignment later
10. Where would you find this Latin abbreviation: op. cit.?
a. prescription
b. legal contract
c. the base of statues
d. footnotes
11. When something is done sub rosa what does that mean?
a. it happens underground in the sewers
b. it happens in public
c. it happens secretly
d. it happens in a garden
12. What Latin motto (usually found abbreviated) goes most commonly on gravestones?
a. cave canem
b. requiescat in pace
c. annuit coeptis
d. sub verbo
13. What is the Latin phrase that corresponds to the abbreviation viz.?
a. videlicect
b. video
c. vale
d. vitrix
14. The country band Lady Antebellum has won multiple Grammy’s over the years. What does the Latin
phrase in their name mean?
a. before the beautiful one
b. before the war
c. before the bell tolls
d. before hand
15. Which Latin motto does NOT appear on the United States dollar bill?
a. annuit coeptis
b. e pluribus unum
c. in saecula saeculorum
d. novus ordo seclorum
16. If you met someone who has different tastes/ opinions than you, then you would say:
a. de mortuis nil nisi bonum
b. nihil de nihilo fit
c. de gustibus non disputandem
d. caveat emptor
17. When you go to court you can offer up this plea, nolo contendere. What does this mean?
a. I am guilty.
b. I am innocent.
c. I am not guilty, but will offer no defense against the charges.
d. I don’t know why I am here.
18. When you are having a conversation about the season premiere of Pretty Little Liars with your
friends and someone else chimes in with a comment about their fascination with toenails, you
would call that comment a :
a. videlicet
b. non sequitur
c. non placet
d. dramatis personae
19. An artist might work all her life to finally achieve her opus magnum. What does this mean?
a. her worst art piece yet
b. her masterpiece
c. the one that she threw away because she hated it
d. the largest one she made
20. We use which Latin phrase to describe a daily allotment of money?
a. per annum
b. per centum
c. per capita
d. per diem
21. Imagine you are throwing a nice party for your friends when all of a sudden your mortal enemy
walks into the door. She is a:
a. custos morum
b. socius criminis
c. pictor ignotus
d. persona non grata
22. If a situation is described to be an anguis in herba what does that mean?
a. it is a safe environment so go along merrily
b. someone is about to cook with herbs
c. everyone is really sad
d. there is a hidden danger and you should be cautious
23. When you graduate from college, you can graduate with summa cum laude honors. What does this
mean?
a. with the highest praise
b. with the lowest praise
c. with absolutely no praise, just a handshake
d. with just enough praise to make you feel special
24. A Roman sacrifices a cow to Ceres so that he will have a good harvest. This attitude can be
described by what Latin phrase?
a. do ut des
b. sub rosa
c. casus belli
d. onus probandi
25. Which state has the motto “Cedant arma togae”?
a. Arkansas
b. Texas
c. Wyoming
d. Montana
26. What university has the motto “Mens et manus”?
a. Johns Hopkins
b. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
c. Fordham
d. University of Chicago
27. Which state has the motto “Ad Astera per Aspera”?
a. New York
b. Kansas
c. California
d. Louisiana
28. Which state has the motto “Virtute et Armis”?
a. Massachusetts
b. Minnesota
c. Maryland
d. Mississippi
29. Which state has the motto “Alis Volat Propriis”?
a. Washington
b. Oregon
c. Idaho
d. Colorado
30. Excelsior is the motto of which state?
a. New Jersey
b. New York
c. New Mexico
d. New Hampshire
31. Which of the following is the motto of Arizona?
a. Ditat Deus
b. Crescit Eundo
c. Esto Perpetua
d. Iustitia Omnibus
32. What is the English translation of Missouri’s state motto: “Salus populi suprema lex esto”?
a. The greatest salt of the law is the people.
b. The welfare of the people shall be the highest law of the land.
c. The law must pertain to the greatest of them.
d. What the King says is the law of the land.
33. Which state has the motto Dirigo?
a. Rhode Island
b. Maine
c. Delaware
d. New Hampshire
34. Which of the following is the motto of Michigan
a. Si Quaeris Paeninsulam Amoenam, Circumspice
b. Qui Transtulit, Sustinet
c. Virtute et Armis
d. Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem
35. What is the motto of New Mexico?
a. Esse Quam Videri
b. Crescit Eundo
c. Deo Gratiam Habeamus
d. Labor Omnia Vincit
36. Which national organization has the motto “semper paratus”?
a. Marine Corp
b. Coast Guard
c. United States Treasury
d. NBC news
37. What is the motto for MGM studios?
a. Ars gratia artis
b. Ars longa, vita brevis
c. Ara pacis
d. Artes, scientia, veritas
38. Who said “Veni, Vidi, Vici”?
a. Catullus
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
b. Augustus Caesar
c. Seneca
d. Julius Caesar
What author wrote: “Facilis descensus Averno”?
a. Catullus
b. Horace
c. Vergil
d. Ovid
Which author wrote the following quotation: “vivemus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus”?
a. Catullus
b. Vergil
c. Seneca
d. Ovid
Which author said the following quotation: “O tempora! O mores!”?
a. Ovid
b. Cicero
c. Pliny the Elder
d. Lucretius
Which author wrote the following quotation: “Mens sana in corpora sana”?
a. Juvenal
b. Cicero
c. Livy
d. Publilius Syrus
Which author wrote the following quotation: “Arma virumque cano”?
a. Tacitus
b. Livy
c. Vergil
d. Horace
Some would say that the modern day abbreviation YOLO (you only live once) is a different way of
saying which Latin quotation?
a. ars longa, vita brevis
b. semper paratus
c. errare humanum est
d. carpe diem
Who spoke these very moving words: “cum tacent, clamant”?
a. Pliny the Younger
b. Horace
c. Seneca
d. Cicero
46. According to some sources, who spoke these words: “Alea iacta est!”
a. August Caesar
b. Seneca
c. Livy
d. Julius Caesar
47. At the end of most of his speeches, this author would say this phrase, “Carthago delenda est”. Who
is this author and statesman?
a. Cicero
b. Livy
c. Cato the Elder
d. Julius Caesar
48. If one were in a romantic relationship, you might say “da mi basia,” which is written by which
author?
a. Livy
b. Tacitus
c. Catullus
d. Plutarch
49. In the movie Easy A starring the lovely Emma Stone, Olive pinpoints a moment when a rumor about
her spreads throughout the school almost instantly. Which quotation could be applied to this
situation?
a. Nihil de nihilo fit
b. Fama volat
c. Amor omnia vincit
d. Ora et labor
50. It is okay if you miss a few questions of this test. What did Seneca say about making mistakes?
a. errare humanum est
b. facta non verba
c. miseria fortes viros probat
d. caveat emptor
Tie Breakers (Bubble in #s 96-100)
96. Finish the following Latin phrase: Fortuna ______________ favet.
a. laetis
b. sordidis
c. miseris
d. fortibus
97. Who wrote the following Latin quotation: cogito, ergo sum?
a. Lucretius
b. Descartes
c. Pliny the Elder
d. Plutarch
98. Where would you find this particular Latin abbreviation: Q.E.D.?
a. on a prescription
b. in a mathematical proof
c. in footnotes
d. in a legal contract
99. Which state has the following motto: “Esse Quam Videri”?
a. North Carolina
b. South Carolina
c. Montana
d. Kentucky
100. This Latin phrase describes an unexpected occurrence that rescues someone from an apparently
hopeless situation, most commonly found in plays or novels.
a. deo iuvante
b. deo volente
c. deus ex machina
d. deus vobiscum