Overview
The National German Exam is administered each year to over 26,000 high school students of German. The Exam, now in its 58th year, provides individual diagnostic feedback, rewards students through an extensive regional and national prize program, and creates a sense of accomplishment.
Structure and Content.
Each level of the Exam is comprised of 100 multiple choice questions divided into two parts with 50 questions each. The listening and viewing portion is 40 minutes in length and consists of a series of short audio and video segments. The reading portion is 45 minutes in length and consists of a variety of print texts, including graphs and images. All materials used in the exam come from authentic resources.
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Question Types.
All exam items are based on an authentic audio or video clip, or a print text. Each set of items consists of at least 5 and typically no more than 10-12 multiple choice items. The questions that make up an item set target a range of skills.
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General
Whether they are practicing for the Exam, or engaging with any audio, video, or print materials in the interpretive mode of communication, students should encounter questions that move them from getting the main idea and identifying details, to making inferences and projecting beyond the text.
Main idea. Identifying the main idea refers to understanding what the text as a whole is about, or to getting its “gist.” Main idea questions require students to:
- Identify an overarching message or piece of information
- Identify the text type or genre
- Identify the purpose of the text, e.g. to inform or to entertain
- Select a suitable title for the text
Supporting detail. Identifying supporting details refers to understanding specific and significant pieces of information found in the text. Supporting detail questions often involve identifying who, what, when and where, and, especially when the source material is a chart or graph, how much.
Vocabulary. Comprehending vocabulary refers to recognizing familiar words and also to understanding the meaning of words or phrases that may not be familiar. These questions ask students to:
- Identify the correct synonym for a word in the text
- Interpret a phrase or idiomatic expression
- Derive the meaning of a word from its context
Inferences. Making inferences refers to contextualizing, interpreting, and understanding a text. Items that involve making inferences require students to:
- Categorize information
- Detect the tone of the text
- Identify the author’s point of view
- Select an appropriate follow-up question
Audience. Identifying the primary intended audience refers to extrapolating for whom the text was created. These questions typically ask students to identify who might be interested in listening, viewing or reading the text or who might benefit from the information in the text.
Format. The National German Exam is delivered in electronic format compatible with Windows and Apple operating systems and various web browsers. Students will need access to a computer connected to the internet in order to take the exam. Headphones or earbuds are required for students to complete the audio portion of the exam. The online delivery system allows for the inclusion of video clips as source material for the exam. Students will be able to pause audio and video materials, and replay portions as many times as they wish within the allotted time.
Practice Exams for levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 are available on our website.The Practice Exams reflect the structure and functionality of the NGE, which allows students to gain familiarity with the Exam and teachers to test the Exam's functionality in advance on the devices that will be used.
Link to Practice Exam
Main idea. Identifying the main idea refers to understanding what the text as a whole is about, or to getting its “gist.” Main idea questions require students to:
- Identify an overarching message or piece of information
- Identify the text type or genre
- Identify the purpose of the text, e.g. to inform or to entertain
- Select a suitable title for the text
Supporting detail. Identifying supporting details refers to understanding specific and significant pieces of information found in the text. Supporting detail questions often involve identifying who, what, when and where, and, especially when the source material is a chart or graph, how much.
Vocabulary. Comprehending vocabulary refers to recognizing familiar words and also to understanding the meaning of words or phrases that may not be familiar. These questions ask students to:
- Identify the correct synonym for a word in the text
- Interpret a phrase or idiomatic expression
- Derive the meaning of a word from its context
Inferences. Making inferences refers to contextualizing, interpreting, and understanding a text. Items that involve making inferences require students to:
- Categorize information
- Detect the tone of the text
- Identify the author’s point of view
- Select an appropriate follow-up question
Audience. Identifying the primary intended audience refers to extrapolating for whom the text was created. These questions typically ask students to identify who might be interested in listening, viewing or reading the text or who might benefit from the information in the text.
Format. The National German Exam is delivered in electronic format compatible with Windows and Apple operating systems and various web browsers. Students will need access to a computer connected to the internet in order to take the exam. Headphones or earbuds are required for students to complete the audio portion of the exam. The online delivery system allows for the inclusion of video clips as source material for the exam. Students will be able to pause audio and video materials, and replay portions as many times as they wish within the allotted time.
Practice Exams for levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 are available on our website.The Practice Exams reflect the structure and functionality of the NGE, which allows students to gain familiarity with the Exam and teachers to test the Exam's functionality in advance on the devices that will be used.
Link to Practice Exam
https://www.aatg.org/page/NGEPracExams