ATA - American Translators Association Exam Structure and Format Questions and Answers

Question 1

An ATA certification exam candidate is presented with three passages. What is the requirement for completing this portion of the exam?

Accepted Answer

Choose any two of the three passages to translate.

Answer

The ATA certification exam consists of three passages, and the candidate is required to choose and translate any two of them within the three-hour time limit. There is no mandatory passage.

Question 2

Which of the following resources is explicitly forbidden during the ATA certification exam, whether taken in-person or online?

Accepted Answer

Machine translation websites and interactive forums.

Answer

While the exam is open-book, allowing many printed and specified online resources, interactive sites like forums (e.g., ProZ.com) and machine translation tools are strictly prohibited to ensure the work is the candidate's own.

Question 3

A candidate taking the computerized ATA certification exam finds that their word processing software's spell-check and grammar-check functions are disabled. What is the reason for this condition?

Accepted Answer

To assess fundamental language skills in spelling and grammar as a core competency.

Answer

The ATA disables automatic spelling and grammar checkers to directly evaluate a candidate's proficiency in these fundamental areas, as they are considered essential skills for a professional translator. While it creates parity with handwritten exams, the primary purpose is to test this core competency.

Question 4

What is the total duration of the ATA certification exam, and how many passages must be translated within that time?

Accepted Answer

3 hours, to translate two passages.

Answer

The ATA certification exam is a three-hour, proctored exam. During this time, candidates are required to translate two passages, each ranging from approximately 225 to 275 words.

Question 5

During the grading process for the ATA exam, what happens if the first two graders disagree on whether a candidate's exam passes or fails?

Accepted Answer

The exam is sent to a third, tie-breaking grader for a final decision.

Answer

To ensure objectivity and consistency, if the first two graders do not agree on the pass/fail outcome of an exam, the exam is sent to a third grader. This third grader's evaluation determines the final result.

ATA - American Translators Association Practice Test

ATA - American Translators Association Practice Test

ATA - American Translators Association Exam Structure and Format Questions and Answers