PART 8

PRACTICE ORAL EXAMINATION - TAKING THE TEST

Part 1 - Sight translations

Part 1A – English to Spanish sight translation

You will begin with the English-to-Spanish sight translation. In the actual test, you will have five minutes to both review the document and to translate the entire page. The Practice Test is somewhat shorter than the actual test and should require less time. Time starts as soon as you see the document.

It is a good idea to review the document before you begin interpreting.  When you are ready to begin interpreting the document, make sure that you press the record button on your tape recorder so that your interpretation can be recorded and you can evaluate it when you finish.

Set your timer to 5 minutes and click here to begin Part 1A. 

Part 1B – Spanish-to-English sight translation

This time you will go in  the other direction, from Spanish to English. Again, you will have five minutes to both review the document and to translate the entire page.  Time starts as soon as you see the document. When you are ready to begin interpreting the document, make sure that you press the record button on your tape recorder so that your interpretation can be recorded and you can evaluate it when you finish.

Set your timer to 5 minutes and click here to begin Part 1B.

Part 2 Simultaneous monologue

As you know, in simultaneous interpreting, you will interpret only from English into Spanish.

This portion of the test is prerecorded. To simulate a real testing situation, you will listen to it through headphones connected to your computer while interpreting aloud so that your interpretation can be recorded on the tape recorder. Once you begin, you are not permitted to stop the playback machines. If you stop the playback, everything from that point to the end of the test would be counted as incorrect.

There is about one minute of introduction and instructions at the beginning of the recording to allow you to adjust the earphones and volume.  When you are ready, press the record button on your tape recorder and continue interpreting until you hear a few seconds of silence.  This signals the end of this portion of the test. 

Click here to access the audio files, and then play Part 2 Track 1. 

Part 3 Consecutive

For this practice version, you must either control the playback of each portion of the examination, or have someone helping you. 

There are many passages consisting of more than one sentence. Begin your interpretation when the speaker has finished speaking. During the test you may not interrupt or stop the speaker.  However, you may ask for two repetitions during the examination. That is two repetitions for the entire consecutive portion, not two per passage. So, during your Practice Test, you may repeat two of the tracks if you do not remember everything that was said, and still be in compliance with the rules of an actual test.

For this Practice Test, which is not the same length as the full test, you do not need to set a timer, but you should be able to complete the Practice Test in less than 15 minutes. You should have a pad and pencils to take notes if you like.  Please feel free to use them.

Remember that you are interpreting from English into Spanish and from Spanish into English.

The consecutive examination is prerecorded on a series of mp3 audio files.  To play an audio file, simply access the audio files and then click on the track number to play it. You will begin by playing the first “track” of the consecutive test (labeled Part 3 Track 02).  This track is a lawyer’s opening question to a witness in English. After the track is played, you interpret the English question into Spanish, just as you would do in court. When you have finished interpreting, play the next track of the recording (Part 3 Track 03) and you will hear the witness’ answer, which is in Spanish. Then you interpret the Spanish answer into English. This continues throughout the test, question and answer, and you will be the interpreter.

You will use track numbers 02 through 36. 

When you are ready, play the first track of the consecutive portion (Part 3 Track 02).

Click here to access the audio files, and then start with Part 3 Track 2.

Part 4 Simultaneous witness examination

You are now ready for the final part of the test, which is again interpreting in the simultaneous mode, only this time you hear two voices during a witness examination.  Once the test begins, you are not permitted to stop the playback.  If you stop the playback, everything from that point to the end of the test should be counted as incorrect.  Again there is a short introduction and instructions at the beginning of the CD to allow you to adjust the earphones and volume.  It is a shorter introduction than you had for the simultaneous monologue.

When you are ready, plug your headphones back into the computer and make sure that your tape recorder is set to record your interpretation. 

Click here to access the audio files and then click on Part 4 Track 37. 

***  End of Practice Examination  ***

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To score your exam, please click here.