Length: 3 hours 95 minutes = multiple choice (50%) 85 minutes = free response (50%) The exam assesses proficiencies in the Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational modes of COMMUNICATION.

This course strives not to overemphasize grammatical accuracy at the expense of communication. Stress: comprehensibility. This course engages students in an exploration of culture in both contemporary and historical contexts. The course develops students’ awareness and appreciation of cultural products (books, music, laws…), practices (patterns of social interactions within a culture), and perspectives (values, attitudes, and assumptions).

This is the MULTIPLE CHOICE section of the exam! Assesses INTERPRETIVE COMMUNICATION: You are asked to: identify the main points, significant details, purpose, and intended audience of a variety of texts and to make inferences and predictions based on them. Some questions will require you to show understanding of cultural or interdisciplinary information contained in the text. Each selection is accompanied by a preview that provides contextual information.

Part A: variety of authentic PRINT materials (journalistic/literary texts, announcements, advertisements, letters, maps, and tables). Part B: variety of authentic AUDIO materials (interviews, podcasts, public service announcements, conversations, and brief presentations). Divided into two subsections: Students have time to read the preview and skim the questions before listening to the audio. All audios played twice. Take notes (not graded). 1ST: audio texts paired with print materials. 2nd: solely audio texts.

This is the FREE-RESPONSE section of the exam! Assesses INTERPERSONAL and PRESENTATIONAL COMMUNICATION: Students are required to produce WRITTEN and SPOKEN responses.

INTERPERSONAL: Students read and reply to an email message (15 minutes). PRESENTATIONAL: Students write a persuasive essay based on 3 sources that present different viewpoints on a topic. 1.) Students read an article. 2.) Students study a table or graph. 3.) Students listen twice to a related audio. 4.) Students have 40 minutes to write an essay in response to a prompt using the information from all 3 sources to present and defend their own viewpoint. Students have access to the print sources and any notes taken during the audio selection during the entire 40-minute writing period.

INTERPERSONAL: Students are asked to participate in 5 exchanges (20 seconds) in a simulated conversation. (Students are provided a preview of the conversation including an outline of each exchange.) PRESENTATIONAL: Students deliver a 2-minute presentation in response to a prompt on a cultural topic comparing cultural features of your own community to those of an area of the Spanish-speaking world. Students are encouraged to cite examples from materials they have read, viewed, and listened to, as well as from personal experiences and observations.