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DLAB practice questions

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Question 1Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

The DLAB measures a candidate's ability to learn a new language. Which set of abilities does it primarily target?

  1. Fluency in speaking a specific foreign language
  2. Aptitude for noticing and applying grammatical patterns Correct answer.
  3. Knowledge of linguistic terminology and theory
  4. Recall of vocabulary in languages already studied

Explanation

The DLAB is an aptitude battery, not an achievement test: it does not check whether you already know a language. Its items present invented language material and ask you to infer sound, form, and grammar rules from the examples given. Prior study of a foreign language may help indirectly, but the scored construct is learning aptitude.

Question 2Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

A test item gives the pair 'tomo = house' and asks you to produce the word for 'houses' after showing that plural is formed by adding '-ka'. This item is testing which skill?

  1. Memorizing an irregular form as an exception
  2. Translating an idiomatic expression from context
  3. Recognizing stress placement in a spoken phrase
  4. Applying an inferred morphological rule to new material Correct answer.

Explanation

The item supplies a base form plus a rule for plural marking, then requires you to extend that rule to a new word. That is productive use of an inferred pattern, the core task type on the DLAB. Memorization of a listed exception would not require inferring anything from the example.

Question 3Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

In a DLAB-style sound-symbolism item, the invented words 'kipi' and 'kopo' are said to name a small object and a large object. Which principle is the item asking you to use?

  1. Number of syllables in each invented word
  2. Correspondence between vowel quality and physical size Correct answer.
  3. Frequency of the consonant in natural languages
  4. Alphabetical order of the invented roots

Explanation

Sound-symbolism items ask you to notice that a front, high vowel tends to be paired with smallness and a back, round vowel with largeness. The two words differ mainly in their vowels, so the contrast in vowel quality carries the size meaning. Counting syllables or letters would not distinguish the pair, since both have two syllables and two consonants.

Question 4Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item shows that 'mela' means 'I go' and 'melan' means 'I went'. What does the added final consonant most likely signal?

  1. Future tense
  2. Negative polarity
  3. Past tense Correct answer.
  4. Plural number

Explanation

The only difference between the two forms is the final '-n', and the only difference in meaning is present versus past. A minimal pair like this lets you assign the meaning difference to the added element. The item gives no evidence for future, plural, or negation, so those readings are unsupported.

Question 5Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

Why does the DLAB use invented rather than real languages in most of its items?

  1. To keep the material equally unfamiliar to all candidates Correct answer.
  2. To test knowledge of language families
  3. To reduce the number of items that must be scored
  4. To make the test shorter to administer

Explanation

Using constructed material prevents candidates who happen to have studied a particular real language from gaining an advantage. Everyone must work out the rules from the examples provided within the item. This supports fairness and keeps the test focused on aptitude rather than background knowledge.

Question 6Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

In an invented language, stress falls on the syllable before the last one, and a word has four syllables. On which syllable does the stress fall?

  1. The second
  2. The first
  3. The fourth
  4. The third Correct answer.

Explanation

Counting from the end, the last syllable is the fourth, so the syllable before it is the third. Penultimate stress therefore lands on syllable three of a four-syllable word. The rule refers to position counted from the end, not from the beginning.

Question 7Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item shows 'paka' (singular) and 'pakatu' (dual) and 'pakati' (plural). What does the suffix '-tu' mark?

  1. Zero referents
  2. Three or more referents
  3. Exactly two referents Correct answer.
  4. One referent

Explanation

The three forms form a number paradigm in which the bare stem is singular and the other two suffixes mark non-singular categories. Since '-ti' covers the remaining plural sense, '-tu' must mark the dual, meaning exactly two. The gloss 'dual' is the standard label for a two-referent category.

Question 8Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

A grammar note says the language marks subject and object with prefixes: 'na-' for a first-person subject and 'ku-' for a third-person object. Which form means 'I see him' if 'se' means 'see'?

  1. nase ku
  2. kuna se
  3. se naku
  4. naku se Correct answer.

Explanation

The subject prefix comes first and the object prefix second, so first-person subject 'na-' plus third-person object 'ku-' gives 'naku'. The verb root follows the agreement prefixes. Reading the prefixes in the stated order is the whole task.

Question 9Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item presents a set of forms where 'tal' becomes 'tala' before a word beginning with a consonant cluster. This change is best described as:

  1. Metathesis
  2. Epenthesis Correct answer.
  3. Assimilation
  4. Vowel harmony

Explanation

Inserting a vowel to break up a consonant cluster is epenthesis, a common repair strategy across languages. The added 'a' creates an extra syllable so the cluster is easier to pronounce. Vowel harmony, metathesis, and assimilation all describe different changes.

Question 10Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

A candidate must decide which of four invented sentences is grammatical. The rule given is that the negator must immediately precede the verb. Which sentence obeys the rule if 'ne' is the negator and 'vira' the verb?

  1. Su ne vira tamo Correct answer.
  2. Su vira ne tamo
  3. Ne vira su tamo
  4. Su vira tamo ne

Explanation

The rule requires the negator to sit directly before the verb, so 'ne' must come immediately before 'vira'. Only the option placing 'ne vira' together mid-sentence satisfies that adjacency. The other options separate the negator from the verb or place it after it.

Question 11Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item shows that 'gara' means 'big dog' and 'garami' means 'big dogs', while 'tomi' means 'small dogs'. What is the likely word for 'small dog'?

  1. tomo Correct answer.
  2. tomi
  3. gara
  4. tomiga

Explanation

The pair 'gara/garami' shows that '-mi' marks plural, so the singular is the stem without it. Stripping '-mi' from 'tomi' leaves 'tomo' as the singular of the small-dog word. This is a straightforward substitution within an established paradigm.

Question 12Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

Which statement best explains why the DLAB is scored on accuracy within a fixed time rather than on total items completed?

  1. Speed of guessing is the construct being measured
  2. Time limits exist only for administrative convenience
  3. Aptitude is inferred from correct pattern-solving under time pressure Correct answer.
  4. Completion of all items is required for a valid score

Explanation

The test is paced so that few candidates finish, and the score reflects how many items are answered correctly. That design rewards efficient, accurate pattern recognition rather than rushing. Guessing speed alone would not indicate language-learning aptitude.

Question 13Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

In an invented language, the definite article is a suffix '-no' and the plural suffix is '-si'. Which form means 'the houses' if 'kava' is 'house'?

  1. kavasino Correct answer.
  2. kavano si
  3. kavasinno
  4. kavonosi

Explanation

The stem takes the plural suffix first and the definite suffix second, following the order in which the suffixes are described. Attaching '-si' then '-no' to 'kava' gives 'kavasino'. Suffix order is fixed in the item, so reversing it is an error.

Question 14Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

A set of items shows that when a verb root ends in a vowel, the past-tense suffix is '-d', but when it ends in a consonant, the suffix is '-ed'. This pattern is an example of:

  1. Free variation between two suffixes
  2. Suppletion of the verb root
  3. Allomorphy conditioned by the preceding sound Correct answer.
  4. Lexical borrowing

Explanation

Two variant shapes of the same suffix, each chosen by the phonological context, are allomorphs of one morpheme. The choice is predictable from whether the root ends in a vowel or a consonant. Free variation would mean either form could occur in the same context.

Question 15Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item states that the language has no separate word for 'and'; instead two nouns are joined by placing the second in the comitative case ending '-pe'. Which form means 'the man with the child' if 'soru' is man and 'nila' is child?

  1. soru nilape Correct answer.
  2. soru nila
  3. sorupe nila
  4. nila sorupe

Explanation

The comitative marker attaches to the accompanying noun, which is the child, so 'nila' becomes 'nilape'. The head noun 'soru' stays unmarked and precedes it. Placing the marker on the man would reverse the relationship.

Question 16Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item gives 'binto' = 'he sings' and 'bintoka' = 'he sang', and separately 'selo' = 'she runs' and 'seloka' = 'she ran'. What does '-ka' mark?

  1. Past tense Correct answer.
  2. Present tense
  3. Interrogative mood
  4. Third-person plural

Explanation

Both pairs contrast a present gloss with a past gloss, and the only formal difference is the presence of '-ka'. Because two independent roots show the same contrast, '-ka' reliably marks past tense. Nothing in either pair signals plurality or a question.

Question 17Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

A candidate sees the invented sentence 'Taro-ga Hanako-ni hon-o ataeta' glossed as 'Taro gave a book to Hanako'. Which particle marks the recipient?

  1. -ta
  2. -o
  3. -ga
  4. -ni Correct answer.

Explanation

Matching the gloss to the sentence, 'Taro-ga' is the giver, 'hon-o' is the book, and 'Hanako-ni' is the recipient. The particle '-ni' therefore marks the goal or recipient role. The final '-ta' is part of the verb form rather than a case particle.

Question 18Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item shows that question formation moves the auxiliary to the front: 'You can swim' becomes 'Can you swim?'. Applying the same rule, which is the correct question form of 'The child will sleep'?

  1. Does the child will sleep?
  2. Sleep will the child?
  3. Will the child sleep? Correct answer.
  4. The child will sleep?

Explanation

The stated rule moves the auxiliary, here 'will', to the front of the clause and leaves the rest of the order intact. That produces 'Will the child sleep?'. Inserting 'does' or moving the main verb instead would not follow the given rule.

Question 19Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item presents a language in which the same suffix '-im' marks both possession and past tense depending on whether it attaches to a noun or a verb. This situation is best described as:

  1. Syncretism within one paradigm
  2. A single morpheme with two allomorphs
  3. Zero marking of a category
  4. Homophony between two distinct morphemes Correct answer.

Explanation

When two different morphemes happen to share a phonological shape, they are homophonous but distinct. Their meanings are unrelated and their distribution depends on the word class they attach to. Allomorphy and syncretism describe other kinds of identity relations within a single morpheme or paradigm.

Question 20Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

A test item asks you to infer a vowel-harmony rule from the forms 'or-ok' and 'el-ek'. Which generalization is best supported?

  1. Suffix vowels are always front
  2. Suffix vowels copy the backness of the root vowel Correct answer.
  3. Suffix vowels are unpredictable
  4. Suffix vowels are always back

Explanation

The back-vowel root 'or' takes the back-vowel suffix '-ok', and the front-vowel root 'el' takes the front-vowel suffix '-ek'. The suffix vowel thus matches the backness of the root vowel, which is the defining property of vowel harmony. Claiming a fixed suffix vowel would fail on one of the two forms.

Question 21Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item states that relative clauses precede the noun they modify and that the verb comes last in the clause. Which order correctly renders 'the man who saw the dog' if 'man' = 'kor', 'dog' = 'vus', and 'saw' = 'pira'?

  1. kor pira vus
  2. vus pira kor Correct answer.
  3. pira vus kor
  4. kor vus pira

Explanation

The relative clause 'who saw the dog' must come before the head noun 'kor', and within that clause the verb comes last. That gives object 'vus', then verb 'pira', then head noun 'kor'. Placing the head noun first would violate the stated relative-clause order.

Question 22Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item supplies a stress rule: stress the final syllable if it is closed, otherwise stress the penult. Which syllable is stressed in the invented word 'malaten'?

  1. Third Correct answer.
  2. Second
  3. No syllable is stressed
  4. First

Explanation

The word ends in a consonant, so the final syllable is closed and takes the stress. The final syllable of 'malaten' is the third. The penult rule applies only when the final syllable is open.

Question 23Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item presents a system where the plural is formed by reduplicating the first consonant and vowel: 'saru' becomes 'sasaru'. What is the plural of 'tomo'?

  1. totomo Correct answer.
  2. tomotomo
  3. tomoo
  4. totomoo

Explanation

The rule copies only the initial consonant-vowel sequence and prefixes it to the whole word. For 'tomo' the initial sequence is 'to', so the plural is 'totomo'. Copying more than the first syllable or altering the ending would exceed the stated rule.

Question 24Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

A candidate must identify which invented form is the passive of 'remu-ta' ('he broke it') given that passive is marked by infixing '-an-' before the final consonant of the root. Which form is correct?

  1. remu-ta-an
  2. re-an-mu-ta
  3. rem-an-u-ta Correct answer.
  4. remu-an-ta

Explanation

The root is 'remu', and the infix '-an-' goes before the final consonant of that root, which is 'm'. Inserting it there yields 'rem-an-u', which then takes the ending '-ta'. The other options place the infix at positions the rule excludes.

Question 25Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

In an invented language, the word for 'bird' is 'kalu' and the word for 'birds' is 'kalutu'. If 'house' is 'mira', what is the plural form 'houses'?

  1. mirat
  2. mirtu
  3. mira
  4. miratu Correct answer.

Explanation

The plural is formed by adding the suffix '-tu' to the singular noun. Since 'mira' ends in a vowel, the suffix is simply attached without modification, giving 'miratu'.

Question 26Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An invented language marks past tense with the prefix 'ka-'. If 'temo' means 'I see' and 'katemo' means 'I saw', what does 'kareno' mean if 'reno' means 'I speak'?

  1. I am speaking
  2. I speak
  3. I will speak
  4. I spoke Correct answer.

Explanation

The prefix 'ka-' signals past tense, as shown by 'katemo' ('I saw'). Applying the same rule to 'reno' ('I speak') yields 'kareno', meaning 'I spoke'.

Question 27Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

In an invented language, the word 'peli' means 'red' and 'pelika' means 'redness'. If 'suna' means 'bright', what is the word for 'brightness'?

  1. suna
  2. sunaki
  3. sunaka Correct answer.
  4. kasuna

Explanation

The suffix '-ka' derives a noun meaning 'the quality of being X' from an adjective, as in 'peli' → 'pelika'. Thus 'suna' becomes 'sunaka' for 'brightness'.

Question 28Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item states that in the invented language, the object of a verb is marked with the suffix '-om', and the subject is unmarked. Which sentence means 'The dog sees the cat' if 'dog' is 'wagu' and 'cat' is 'feli'?

  1. wagu feliom se Correct answer.
  2. waguom feli se
  3. wagu feli seom
  4. wagu feli se

Explanation

The object receives '-om', so 'cat' becomes 'feliom', while the subject 'wagu' remains unmarked. The verb 'se' ('sees') follows the object in this basic order.

Question 29Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

In an invented language, the word 'taro' means 'big' and 'taro-taro' means 'very big'. What would 'small-small' mean if 'piko' means 'small'?

  1. very small Correct answer.
  2. big
  3. smallish
  4. not small

Explanation

Reduplication of an adjective intensifies its meaning, as shown by 'taro-taro' ('very big'). Therefore 'piko-piko' would mean 'very small'.

Question 30Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item shows that in the invented language, the word order is Subject-Object-Verb (SOV). If 'I' is 'na', 'book' is 'buka', and 'read' is 'dimo', which sentence means 'I read a book'?

  1. na buka dimo Correct answer.
  2. na dimo buka
  3. buka na dimo
  4. dimo na buka

Explanation

In SOV order, the subject comes first, then the object, then the verb. Thus 'na' (I) + 'buka' (book) + 'dimo' (read) yields 'na buka dimo'.

Question 31Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

In an invented language, the prefix 'ma-' indicates a question. If 'ren' means 'you go', what does 'maren' mean?

  1. You do not go.
  2. You go.
  3. Do you go? Correct answer.
  4. You went.

Explanation

The prefix 'ma-' turns a statement into a yes/no question. Adding it to 'ren' ('you go') produces 'maren', meaning 'Do you go?'.

Question 32Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item shows that in the invented language, the word for 'two' is 'du', and the dual suffix is '-du'. If 'kota' means 'stone', what is the word for 'two stones'?

  1. kota
  2. kotadu-du
  3. kotadu Correct answer.
  4. dukota

Explanation

The dual is formed by adding the suffix '-du' to the noun, as the example implies. Thus 'kota' + '-du' gives 'kotadu'.

Question 33Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

In an invented language, the word 'soma' means 'to eat' and 'somara' means 'eater'. If 'tika' means 'to write', what is the word for 'writer'?

  1. ratika
  2. tikat
  3. tikara Correct answer.
  4. tika

Explanation

The suffix '-ra' derives an agent noun from a verb, as in 'soma' → 'somara'. Applying the same rule to 'tika' gives 'tikara' ('writer').

Question 34Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item states that in the invented language, adjectives follow the noun they modify and agree in number. If 'big' is 'molu' and 'dogs' is 'wagu-tu', which phrase means 'big dogs'?

  1. molu-tu wagu
  2. wagu molu
  3. molu wagu-tu
  4. wagu-tu molu-tu Correct answer.

Explanation

Adjectives follow the noun and take the same plural suffix '-tu'. Therefore 'big dogs' is 'wagu-tu' (dogs) + 'molu-tu' (big-plural).

Question 35Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

In an invented language, the comparative is formed by adding '-per' to the adjective, and 'than' is expressed by the ablative case suffix '-ta'. If 'strong' is 'kura', how would you say 'stronger than the man' if 'man' is 'wiro'?

  1. kuraper wirota Correct answer.
  2. kuraper wiro
  3. kura wirota
  4. kurap wirota

Explanation

The comparative suffix '-per' attaches to the adjective 'kura', and the ablative suffix '-ta' attaches to the noun 'wiro'. Thus 'kuraper wirota' means 'stronger than the man'.

Question 36Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item shows that in the invented language, the passive is formed by adding the suffix '-ni' to the verb and placing the agent in the instrumental case with '-su'. If 'the dog bit the man' is 'wagu wiro kamo', how would you say 'the man was bitten by the dog'?

  1. wiro-su wagu kamoni
  2. wagu wiro-su kamoni
  3. wiro wagu kamoni
  4. wiro wagu-su kamoni Correct answer.

Explanation

In the passive, the patient becomes subject ('wiro'), the agent takes instrumental '-su' ('wagu-su'), and the verb takes passive '-ni' ('kamoni'). Thus 'wiro wagu-su kamoni'.

Question 37Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

In an invented language, the word 'nes' means 'we (inclusive)' and 'mes' means 'we (exclusive)'. If a speaker says 'nes ka', meaning 'we (including you) go', what does 'mes ka' mean?

  1. you go
  2. we (including you) go
  3. we (excluding you) go Correct answer.
  4. they go

Explanation

The pronoun 'mes' is explicitly defined as exclusive 'we', meaning the speaker and others but not the addressee. Thus 'mes ka' means 'we (excluding you) go'.

Question 38Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item states that in the invented language, the past tense is marked by changing the final vowel of the verb to '-o', and the future by changing it to '-a'. If 'peli' means 'he speaks', what does 'pela' mean?

  1. he spoke
  2. he will speak Correct answer.
  3. he is speaking
  4. he does not speak

Explanation

The future tense is formed by changing the final vowel to '-a'. Since 'peli' is 'he speaks', 'pela' means 'he will speak'.

Question 39Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

In an invented language, the word 'kemi' means 'to love' and 'kemisa' means 'love (noun)'. If 'duna' means 'to hate', what is the noun 'hate'?

  1. saduna
  2. dunasa Correct answer.
  3. duna
  4. dunasi

Explanation

The suffix '-sa' derives a noun from a verb, as shown by 'kemi' → 'kemisa'. Applying this to 'duna' gives 'dunasa' ('hate').

Question 40Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item shows that in the invented language, the word 'bako' means 'to break' and 'bako-bako' means 'to break repeatedly'. If 'tomo' means 'to cut', what does 'tomo-tomo' mean?

  1. to be cut
  2. to cut once
  3. to cut repeatedly Correct answer.
  4. to cut badly

Explanation

Reduplication of a verb indicates repeated or habitual action, as in 'bako-bako'. Therefore 'tomo-tomo' means 'to cut repeatedly'.

Question 41Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

In an invented language, the prefix 'te-' means 'not' and the suffix '-ka' means 'can'. If 'run' is 'vela', what does 'tevelaka' mean?

  1. cannot run Correct answer.
  2. does not run
  3. can run
  4. runs quickly

Explanation

The prefix 'te-' negates and the suffix '-ka' indicates ability. Together they form 'tevelaka', meaning 'cannot run'.

Question 42Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

In an invented language, the word 'saro' means 'to know' and 'saro-mi' means 'I know'. If 'mira' means 'to see', what does 'mira-mi' mean?

  1. I see Correct answer.
  2. I saw
  3. he sees
  4. you see

Explanation

The suffix '-mi' marks a first-person singular subject, as shown by 'saro-mi' ('I know'). Thus 'mira-mi' means 'I see'.

Question 43Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item states that in the invented language, the word for 'and' is expressed by placing the second noun in the comitative case with the suffix '-ke'. If 'bread' is 'pan' and 'butter' is 'buta', how would you say 'bread and butter'?

  1. buta panke
  2. pan butake Correct answer.
  3. pan-ke buta
  4. pan buta

Explanation

The comitative suffix '-ke' is added to the second noun to mean 'and'. Therefore 'bread and butter' is 'pan butake'.

Question 44Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

In an invented language, the word 'kalo' means 'hot' and 'kalo-na' means 'hotter'. If 'cold' is 'frio', what is the word for 'colder'?

  1. frion
  2. friona Correct answer.
  3. nafrio
  4. frio

Explanation

The comparative degree is formed by adding the suffix '-na' to the adjective, as in 'kalo-na'. Thus 'frio' becomes 'friona'.

Question 45Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item shows that in the invented language, the relative clause is introduced by the particle 'ke' and the verb within the clause comes last. If 'the man who saw the dog' is 'wiro ke wagu kamo', how would you say 'the dog that the man saw'?

  1. ke wiro wagu kamo
  2. wiro ke wagu kamo
  3. wagu ke wiro kamo Correct answer.
  4. wagu ke kamo wiro

Explanation

The relative clause structure places the modified noun first, then 'ke', then the subject, object, and verb in clause-final position. For 'the dog that the man saw', the order is 'wagu ke wiro kamo'.

Question 46Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

In an invented language, the word 'tami' means 'to give' and 'tami-ra' means 'gift'. If 'moku' means 'to teach', what is the word for 'lesson' (that which is taught)?

  1. moku
  2. ramoku
  3. mokura Correct answer.
  4. mokuta

Explanation

The suffix '-ra' derives a noun meaning the result or object of the verb, as in 'tami' → 'tami-ra' ('gift'). Thus 'moku' → 'mokura' ('lesson').

Question 47Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item states that in the invented language, the word 'sena' means 'to sing' and 'sena-su' means 'song'. If 'dora' means 'to dance', what is the word for 'dance (noun)'?

  1. dorasu Correct answer.
  2. dora
  3. sudora
  4. doras

Explanation

The suffix '-su' derives a noun meaning the product or instance of the verb, as in 'sena' → 'sena-su'. Therefore 'dora' → 'dorasu'.

Question 48Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

In an invented language, the prefix 'pa-' indicates a causative, and the suffix '-lo' indicates a reciprocal action. If 'kemo' means 'to see', what does 'pakemolo' mean?

  1. to make each other see Correct answer.
  2. to be seen
  3. to see oneself
  4. to see repeatedly

Explanation

The causative 'pa-' means 'to make/cause', and the reciprocal '-lo' means 'each other'. Combined, 'pakemolo' means 'to make each other see'.

Question 49Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

An item shows that in the invented language, the word 'lumo' means 'to write' and 'lumo-ta' means 'something written'. If 'pako' means 'to draw', what does 'pakota' mean?

  1. to draw
  2. to be drawn
  3. something drawn Correct answer.
  4. one who draws

Explanation

The suffix '-ta' derives a noun meaning the object or result of the verb, as in 'lumo-ta' ('something written'). Thus 'pakota' means 'something drawn'.

Question 50Language aptitude (as assessed by the DLAB)

The DLAB's audio section plays a short stream of invented speech and asks you to identify which of four printed strings matches what you heard. This section is designed primarily to measure which ability?

  1. Recognizing sound-symbol correspondences in an unfamiliar phonological system Correct answer.
  2. Recalling the grammatical rules explained in the test booklet
  3. Estimating the speaker's regional accent in a real language
  4. Translating the passage into English vocabulary you already know

Explanation

The audio portion of the DLAB presents unfamiliar syllables and requires you to map heard sounds onto printed symbols, testing phonetic coding rather than translation or rule recall. No grammar rules are supplied in advance, and the voices are not real-world accents to be identified.