AP Latin Multiple-Choice Item Writing Tutorial
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Sample submitted and copyrighted by David Pellegrino, Pittsford Mendon High School, Pittsford, NY. This passage and these questions are for non-profit use by AP teachers in the classroom. If you would like to submit and share your own materials in this forum, please use the form provided.

Catullus addresses Lesbia.

Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus,
rumoresque senum severiorum
omnes unius aestimemus assis!
Line    Soles occidere et redire possunt:
(5) nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux,
nox est perpetua una dormienda.
Da mi basia mille, deinde centum,
dein mille altera, dein secunda centum,
deinde usque altera mille, deinde centum.
(10) Dein, cum milia multa fecerimus,
conturbabimus illa, ne sciamus,
aut ne quis malus invidere possit,
cum tantum sciat esse basiorum.
   

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  1.  In line 2, -que connects

(A)  Vivamus (line 1) and aestimemus (line 3)
(B) amemus (line 1) and aestimemus (line 3)     
(C) rumores (line 2) and senum (line 2)
(D) rumores (line 2) and omnes (line 3)

 


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  2.  The case and number of senum (line 2) are

(A)  nominative singular
(B) accusative singular
(C) nominative plural
(D) genitive plural

 


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  3.  In line 3, unius modifies

(A)  Lesbia (line 1)
(B) rumores (line 2)
(C) senum (line 3)
(D) assis (line 3)

 


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  4.  In line 3, aestimemus is translated

(A)  we valued
(B) let us value
(C) let him value
(D) we shall value

 


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  5.  The words rumores … assis (lines 2-3) tell us that

(A)  all the rumors should be considered worth very little
(B) all the rumors were started by one person
(C) all the old men think the rumors are worth the same amount
(D) all old people should no longer concern themselves with rumors

 


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  6.  In line 5, brevis lux is a metaphor for

(A)  life
(B) hatred
(C) a star
(D) a rumor

 


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  7.  In line 6, nox … dormienda is translated

(A)  at night one person sleeps forever
(B) one perpetual night must be slept
(C) she alone must sleep for a perpetual night
(D) she always wants to sleep for a night

 


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  8.  How many elisions occur in line 9 (deinde … centum)?

(A)  None
(B) One
(C) Two
(D) Three

 


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  9.  What figure of speech occurs in deinde … centum (lines 7-9)?

(A)  Hendiadys
(B) Anaphora
(C) Zeugma
(D) Personification

 


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  10.  The case and number of multa (line 10) are

(A)  nominative singular
(B) ablative singular
(C) nominative plural
(D) accusative plural

 


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  11.  In line 11, illa refers to

(A)  Lesbia (line 1)
(B) rumores (line 2)
(C) nox (line 6)
(D) basia (line 7)

 


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  12.  The case of basiorum (line 13) depends on

(A)  quis (line 12)
(B) tantum (line 13)
(C) sciat (line 13)
(D) esse (line 13)

 


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  13.  What are the poet and Lesbia trying to protect themselves against in lines 11-13 (conturbabimus … basiorum)?

(A)  Hatred
(B) Envy
(C) Sickness
(D) Stupidity

 


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  14.  Which of the following poems is most closely linked thematically with this poem?

(A)  Catullus 7 ("Quaeris quot mihi basiationes")
(B) Catullus 8 ("Miser Catulle, desinas ineptire")
(C) Catullus 51 ("Ille mi par esse deo videtur")
(D) Catullus 70 ("Nulli se dicit mulier mea nubere malle")

 


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