The CLC currently offers two exam formats; a translation and a reading comprehension model. The translation model is no longer be available for modern languages. Translation exam is available only in Biblical Hebrew, Classical Chinese, Greek, and Latin.
Academic Reading Comprehension Assessment — ARCA™:
General Information
The Academic Reading Comprehension Assessment (ARCA) has been designed to measure students’ ability to conduct academic research by reading in a secondary research language. ARCA was designed using texts submitted by faculty in the departments and disciplines, and reflect the level of reading comprehension expected for students working in those areas. Examinees will have different texts than others taking the exam at the same time.
The exam consists of three parts. Examinees have 2 hours and 10 Minutes to complete the exam.
Part |
Instructions |
Time Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Part I: Reading & Note Taking |
Examinees have access to the text and use of a print dictionary. Examinees read the text, making notes for themselves on key claims in the text’s argument(s) and the most important supporting information on scratch paper. At the end of the 60-minute limit, the text is collected and a Mac laptop is distributed by the proctor. |
60 mins |
| Part II: Summary Protocol |
With reference to their notes—but NOT to the text itself—examinees write a summary protocol in Microsoft Word. This is a reproduction, in their own words, of the argument of the text. Examinees should include the most important claims of the argument, and as much of the supporting evidence as they have comprehended. Examinees SHOULD NOT TRANSLATE. Examinees may not include additional information they may know of, but which is not contained in the text. At the end of the allotted time, the examinees are instructed to save and close the MS Word document. Then the original text is returned by the proctor for Part III. |
30 mins |
| Part III: Short Answer & Translation |
Using the original text again, examinees answer three short-response questions and then translate a short passage from the original text, in a new MS Word document. The short answer questions are graded on examinees’ ability to connect specific terms or phrases to the larger argumentative context of the text. The translation portion is graded based on the clarity and accuracy with which the meaning of the original passage is conveyed. Both the original text and computers are collected by the proctor at the end of the 40-minute time limit and before examinees leave the room. |
40 mins |
Sample Comprehension Exams
The exams listed below are in PDF format. If you are unable to view these files, please download the free reader from Adobe.
- Sample Arabic Exam*
- Sample French Exam*
- Sample German Exam*
- Sample Italian Exam*
- Sample Japanese Exam*
- Sample Spanish Exam*
- Sample Russian Exam*
Translation Exam:
The translation exam is 2 hours in length. Students will have that time to translate 1 or 2 short passages (∼500 words altogether), drawn from texts in any field in the humanities or humanistic social sciences. Students may use a print dictionary.
The exams listed below are in PDF format. If you are unable to view these files, please download the free PDF reader from Adobe.