2012 Area F Latin Convention
Reading Comprehension Level I
January 14, 2012
Directions: Read the following passages. Choose the best answer to the questions that follow.
Aenēās Trōianōs contra Rutulōs dūcēbat. Dum nox erat et cōpiae dormiēbant, ducēs Trōiānōrum in castrīs
cōnsilium habēbant. Ad hōs Nīsus Euryalusque, iuvenēs Trōiānī, audent venire. “Ō magnī virī,” dīcit Nīsus,
“sī mē cum Euryalō ad castra Rutulōrum mittētis, nōn sōlum multōs hominēs necābimus, sed etiam multam
praedam ex illīs rapiēmus; somnus enim istōs habet.” “Animōs virtūtemque hōrum iuvenum laudō!” exclāmat
Iūlus, fīlius Aenēae. “Valēte!”
Nunc veniunt Nīsus Euryalusque in castra Rutulōrum. Necant ūnum, tum multōs aliōs. Euryalus
ōrnāmenta ūnīus, galeam alterīus, rapit. Cum hāc praedā fugiunt. Sed Volcēns, dux Rutulōrum, illōs Trōiānōs
videt et aliōs Rutulōs vocat. Splendor istīus galeae illōs ad Euryalum dūcit. Nīsus hunc in perīculō videt et
audit amīcum servāre. Necat Volcentem, sed iste anteā Euryalum necat. Tum aliī Nisum vincunt; hic super
corpus Euryalī cadit. Haec tristis fabula commemorata est in librō Aeneido, scripta a Virgilō. Mementote
omnes: virtus bona est, sed nimium virtutis fit periculosum.
Rutulus, i= Rutulian (an Italian tribe)
copiae, -arum=troops
somnus, -i=sleep
ornamentum, -i=equipment
1. Against whom was Aeneas leading men?
a) The Trojans
b) The Romans
c) The Rutulians
d) The Latins
2. Ubi ducēs Trōiānōrum cōnsilium habēbant?
a) dum dormiēbant copiae
b) nox
c) neither a nor b
d) both a and b
3. Where were the Trojan leaders meeting?
a) in the forest
b) in the woods
c) in the camp
d) in the city
4. Nisus and Euryalus are:
a) young men
b) old men
c) Rutulian leaders
d) Trojan prisoners
5. What does Nisus want?
a) to be sent into the Rutulian camp
b) to free Rutulian prisoners
c) to save Euryalus
d) to stop the attack
galea, -ae=helmet
splendor, -oris= brilliance
commemoro, -are=to recount
6. Nisus promises to:
a) kill many men
b) take spoils
c) neither a nor b
d) both a and b
7. Quis respondit?
a) Aeneas
b) Euryalus
c) Iulus
d) Nisus
8. Quot homines necant Nisus Euryalusque?
a) unum
b) duos
c) multos
d) nullos
9. What did Euryalus take?
a) a helmet
b) a horse
c) a sword
d) a woman
10. What does Volcens do?
a) Catches sight of Nisus and Euryalus
b) Calls the other Rutulians
c) Attacks Euryalus
d) all of the above
Iuppiter, rēx deōrum, pulchram Īōnem amābat, sed īram Iūnōnis metuēbat. Mūtāvit igitur fōrmam Īōnis: “Iūnō
nōn fēminam, sed bovem vidēbit,” Iuppiter cōgitabat. Iūnō non stulta erat: “Habēsne donum, mī vir? Dabisne
bellam bovem Iūnōnī? Dā, sī mē amās!” Iuppiter igitur Iūnōnī bovem dedit. Cum bove remanēbat magnus
custōs, Argus. Argus centum oculōs habēbat. Mercurius Argum superāvit, sed Īō nōndum lībera erat: malus
asīlus cum bove manēbat. Īō errābat per terrās; multōs populous vidēbat, sed vēram fōrmam suam nōn
habēbat. Misera fēmina! Habēbisne semper fōrmam bovis? Nōnne satis est tua poena?
Īra Iūnonis nōn perpetua erat. Iuppiter Īōnī hūmānam fōrma dedit; tum Īō fīlium genuit.
Io, Ionis=Io (a woman)
metuo, metuere=to fear
bos, bovis=cow
11. Whom did Juppiter love, according to the passage?
a) Europa
b) Io
c) Juno
d) Psyche
custos, custodis=guard
asilus=gadfly
erro, -are=to wander
12. What is the best translation of Juppiter’s words, “Iuno non…videbit” in line 2?
a) “Juno will not see Io, but she will see a woman.”
b) “The woman will not see Juno, but she will see the cow.”
c) “Juno will not see a woman, but she will see a cow.”
d) “The cow will see the woman Juno.”
13. According to the passage, Juno was not:
a) stupid
b) pretty
c) angry
d) young
14. Why does Juppiter change Io’s form, according to the passage?
a) Because he was angry at her for disobeying Juno.
b) Because Juno told him to.
c) Because he loves cows.
d) Because he feared Juno’s anger.
15. What does Juno ask for?
a) For Juppiter to leave Io
b) For a gift
c) For a pretty cow
d) Both b and c
16. Who guarded Io?
a) Argus
b) Iuno
c) Mercuy
d) Juppiter
17. Who freed Io, according to the passage?
a) Argus
b) Iuno
c) a gadfly
d) Mercury
18. What continued torment was inflicted on Io?
a) She was eternally hungry
b) A gadfly
c) Argus chased her
d) She was deserted
19. What did Io do when she was free?
a) Wandered through many lands.
b) Saw many peoples.
c) Both a and b
d) None of the above.
20. Verum aut falsum: In formā bovis semper erat Io.
a) Verum
b) Falsum
Narcissus erat bellus puer. Multae puellae eum amābant; nullam ex eis ille amābat. Ipse sē sōlum
dīligēbat et vītam in silvīs agēbat. Nympha Echō Narcissum diū amāverat, sed suum amōrem eī
numquam dīcere potuerat. Sōlum verbum ultimum alterīus reddere poterat. Sī Narcissus vocāvit, “Tūne
es hīc?” Ēchō vocāvit, “Hīc!” Sī ille “Ubi es? Venī!” dīxit, illa “Venī!” dīxit. Sed Narcissus ad eam
nōn vēnit, et Ēchō igitur nōn diū vīxit. Āmīsit corpus tōtum; vōcem autem eius etiam nunc audīmus.
Intereā Narcissus suam imāginem in stagnō vīdit et oculōs suōs āmovēre nōn poterat. Imago ipsius
se fascinavit. Magnō amōre suī superābātur. Tempus fūgit; eōdem loco remānsit Narcissus. Amīcī
illīus eum invenīre nōn poterant. Ante ipsum stagnum, ubi ille fuerat, nunc erat bellus flōs. Nōmen
huius in perpetuum erit Narcissus. Omnes qui non volunt esse flores debent non in se fascinare.
diligo, -ere=to love
diū=for a long time
imago, imaginis=reflection
sagnum, -i=swamp
fascino, -are= to enchant
isdem, eadem, idem= the same
21. What is the best translation of line 1, “Multae…amabat?”
a) Narcissus loved many girls, none of them loved him.
b) He loved many girls, but Narcissus went nowhere.
c) Many girls loved him, but Narcissus loved none of them.
d) None of the girls loved him, they loved Narcissus.
22. Ubi habitavit Narcissus?
a) Domi
b) Romae
c) In Monte Olympo
d) In silvīs
23. What does Narcissus ask?
a) Where are you?
b) Why are you here?
c) Are you here?
d) Why are you like this?
24. According to the passage, what happened to Echo?
a) She outlived Narcissus.
b) She lost her whole body.
c) She finally gave up.
d) She was never heard.
25. Ubi Narcissus vidit imaginem suam?
a) in caelō
b) in arbore
c) in graminis
d) in stagnō
26. According to the second paragraph, what could Narcissus not do?
a) eat
b) drink
c) move his eyes
d) find Echo
27. A quō superatus est Narcissus?
a) ab amore
b) a famā
c) a sitī
d) a feminā
28. In the second paragraph, who was looking for Narcissus?
a) Echo
b) his mother
c) his brother
d) his friends
29. Quid nunc est ante stagnum?
a) Bellus flos
b) Echo
c) Nihil
d) Corpus Narcissi
30. What advice is given in the last sentence of the passage?
a) Not to be fascinated with yourself.
b) Not to become a flower.
c) Not to ignore a lover.
d) Not to sit by a swamp forever.
Tie Breakers (Questions are about Passage 1. Be sure to bubble as #s 96-100 on your scantron!)
96. What does Nisus dare to do in the second paragraph?
a) save his friend
b) steal a helmet
c) leave Euryalus
d) return to the Trojan camp
97. Who dies at the end of the passage?
a) Nisus
b) Euryalus
c) Volcens
d) all of the above
98. Ubi cadit Nisus?
a) super corpus Euryali
b) super corpus Volcentis
c) extra castra
d) in flumine
99. According to the passage, this story was recorded:
a) by Iulus
b) on tablets
c) in The Aenied
d) by the Rutulians
100. According to the passage, what becomes dangerous?
a) war
b) the enemy
c) too much virtue
d) Aeneas