NAATI

CREDENTAILED COMMUNITY
LANGUAGE (CCL) TEST

RUSSIAN
Practice Materials
WHO WE ARE
NAATI is a company that is jointly owned by the nine governments of Australia. We are governed by a Board
of Directors, who are appointed by the owners.

Our mission, as outlined in the NAATI Constitution, is to set and maintain high national standards in
translating and interpreting to enable the existence of a pool of translators and interpreters who are
responsive to the changing needs and demography of the Australian community.

WHAT WE DO
Some people get confused about what NAATI is and what we do. Essentially, NAATI is a standards
organisation responsible for setting, maintaining and promoting high professional standards.

Our core focus is issuing credentials for practitioners who wish to work as translators and interpreters in
Australia.

Our aim is to be a respected and recognised global leader in the provision of certification services for
translators and interpreters, providing quality services and being responsive to the individuals and
organisations which benefit from NAATI’s services.

NAATI's work enhances the translation and interpreting industry’s competitiveness and contributes to a
community demand for everyone to be able to communicate and interact with each other.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE
© Copyright 2017, National Accreditation Authority for translators and Interpreters Ltd (NAATI).

The contents of these sample test materials are protected by copyright law. Copyright in this material resides
with the NAATI or various other rights holders, as indicated.

No sample test material may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means without
the prior written consent of NAATI.

For all requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights please email [email protected].

MATERIAL DISCLAIMER
The test materials provided are for practice use only and will not appear in an actual test.
CCL TEST FORMAT
CCL candidates must be able to:

 participate effectively in exchanges where relatively simple information is exchanged without any
great deviation from the norms of pronunciation, with reasonable accuracy, standard of expression,
style and register; and
 give the sense of what is said by the speakers and demonstrate good quality language in both English
and the LOTE.

CCL tests are conducted from a recording that is played to the candidate by a testing officer. The test
materials and the candidate’s responses are recorded for marking. The test materials will include two
dialogues. Each test dialogue is based on a conversation between an English speaker and a speaker of your
LOTE (Language other than English).

In the test, you are required to transfer the meaning of what is said by each speaker into the other language
(i.e. English into LOTE and LOTE into English). Each dialogue is approximately 300 words, approximately half
in English and half in LOTE. These are divided into segments that do not exceed 35 words each.

The candidate will be played the recorded test by the testing officer. A chime will indicate the end of each
segment. Candidates should wait until they hear the chime before providing their response in the other
language.

The testing officer will pause the test recording at each chime and allow the candidate to complete their
response to the segment. The testing officer will restart the recording and play the next segment only when
the candidate has finished.

The dialogues assess the candidate’s ability to serve as a channel of communication between two persons
who do not speak the same language.
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THE PRACTICE MATERIALS
This information will be useful to you in preparing for a Credentialed Community Language test. The practice
materials will give you a good indication of how it feels to take the CCL test. To use these materials effectively
you will need to record your responses. These materials consist of two practice dialogues replicating what a
candidate expereinces during the CCL test.

As a guide, use the practice materials as follows:

1. Prepare by setting up playback and recording devices in a quiet room. You will need a device to play
the practice materials on and a recording device to record both the test as well as your responses.
2. Prepare the recording device so that it is ready to record. It would be worthwhile having a test run
to ensure that both the playback of the practice materials and your responses are audible.
3. Start the recorder. Then start the player with the recorded sample test materials. You should:
a. Pause the sample test player after you hear a chime.
b. Interpret each of the segments (a chime will indicate the end of a segment) into the other
language.
c. Restart the sample test player once you have finished interpretation.
d. Continue the test, pausing the sample test player and providing the appropriate response
each time you hear another chime.
4. To review how you went, you can rewind the recorded materials and listen to your answers or
interpretation. Use the typed script of the test to follow your answers and interpretation.

Some other exercises you can try:

• Record passages from the radio and television, listen to them and repeat them in the same language.
(Try two sentences first, then four, then six… test your limits.) If you can record yourself, it will help
you to assess your progress as well as help you to become accustomed to talking while being
recorded. Then listen to a passage and respond by transferring the meaning into your other language.
• Get someone to read sentences from a paper and then transfer the meaning into your other language
‘off the cuff’. This will help you build up your speed.
• You should ‘immerse’ yourself in the language in which you are least confident; i.e., if your first
language is English, listen to and talk as much as you can in the LOTE; if your first language is a LOTE,
listen to and use as much English as possible.
• When you are confident with your skills, practise using other practice materials. Record yourself and
play it back. Listen to yourself analysing how well you have conveyed the meaning and the clarity of
your language.
• Go to government departments and pick up literature in both English and your LOTE. View them
critically and try to learn as much terminology as possible. Read magazines and newspapers in both
languages to do the same.
• Ask someone to read short passages to you (about 20-40 words). Reproduce these as accurately as
you can in the other language, without taking notes.
HOW ARE CCL TESTS MARKED?
CCL tests are marked independently by at least two trained examiners. Each examiner will consider whether
any significant distortions of meaning, omissions or insertions are present. Clarity of language and register
are also considered, particularly where this impacts on the effectiveness of meaning transfer. The opinion of
each examiner is taken into account in determining whether the candidate is successful.

PRACTICE DIALOGUES
Instructions
You will hear two dialogues between an English speaker and a Russian speaker. You are required to interpret
into the other language what each speaker says as soon as each speaker finishes a segment and you hear this
signal (chime). You may take notes if you wish. You should begin interpreting only a few seconds after you
hear the signal.

Practice Dialogue One

This dialogue takes place between a Russian-speaking parent, who has come to see a solicitor about a riding
accident involving his daughter.

The dialogue begins now.

Solicitor:
Good morning, Mr. Petrov, it’s good to see you again. I don’t think you have been to see us since you bought
the new house in – where was it - Greenfield?

Mr Petrov:
Вы бы сейчас этого дома не узнали; мы его полностью перестроили. Я помню, вы очень возражали
против нашей покупки дома в тогдашнем состоянии.

Solicitor:
I am glad things turned out well. What is it you want to see me about today?

Mr Petrov:
Думаю, нам очень нужна ваша помощь. Дело в том, что у нас несчастье с дочерью. Ее сбросила
лошадь, причем дочь серьезно повредила спину.

Solicitor:
I don’t think I have met your daughter. How old is she? How did the accident happen? Was it recent?
Mr Petrov:
Ей 14 лет. Это произошло три недели тому назад. Она уже некоторое время обучалась верховой езде,
и ее попросили помочь в местной школе верховой езды во время каникул.

Solicitor:
Would you regard her as a competent rider? Was she being supervised by a qualified person? Tell me how
the accident happened.

Mr Petrov:
В первый день она лишь помогала на конюшне. Во второй день девочка чуть старше моей дочери
попросила ее оседлать лошадь и проехаться на ней – просто по арене.

Solicitor:
Go on, your daughter, I take it, didn’t know this horse at all. Did she feel confident about obeying the request?
What happened?

Mr Petrov:
Да... едва она засунула ногу в стремя, как лошадь стала на дыбы и сбросила ее в стену. Она ударилась
о стену и, как оказалось, ушибла спину.

Solicitor:
There are many things we need to know. Who was in charge? Was she told anything about this particular
horse? I don’t think we can go further until I speak to your daughter.

End of Practice Dialogue 1

Practice Dialogue Two
The following dialogue takes place between a Russian-speaking lady at the point of retirement, who has come
to see a Commonwealth Government agency to discuss eligibility for a pension with a social security officer.

The dialogue begins now.

Officer:
Good Morning. What can I do for you? You made an appointment to discuss your pension.

Lady:
Да, утро доброе. Я бы хотела поговорить с кем-нибудь из собеса о пенсии и сбережениях. Мы с мужем
еще работаем, но хотели бы уволиться через полгода.

Officer:
I see. Can you give me some background details?

Lady:
Мы оба состоим в частном пенсионном фонде и хотели бы знать, можем ли мы что-либо получать от
правительства.

Officer:
It all depends on what kind of superannuation fund you have and how long you have been in it. Did you join
it at work, and when?

Lady:
Мы приехали в 1985 г. и какое-то время работали не по специальности. Когда мы устроились на
нынешнюю работу, нам уже было за 55.

Officer:
So what pension arrangements did you make?

Lady:
Вступить в пенсионный фонд на работе мы не смогли. Мы вступили в пенсионный фонд через
страховую компанию и состоим в ней уже почти десять лет. Так мы имеем право на пенсию?

Officer:
To answer your question, I need to know what other sources of income you have apart from your current
salary. Do you own your house or flat? Have you any investments?

Lady:
Нет, мы живем лишь на зарплату, у нас нет другого дохода. Нам удалось выкупить квартиру несколько
лет тому назад, но другой собственности и инвестиций у нас нет.
Officer:
It depends on the value of the flat and your superannuation. You are eligible for a pension at 60, your husband
at 65, provided your income and assets are within a set limit.

Lady:
Квартира стоит 80 тыс. долларов. Пенсионный фонд выплатит примерно 25 тыс. долларов.

Officer:
$25,000 isn’t much and your flat is within the limit. You could invest the super and still be eligible for the
old age pension. Take this leaflet and read it carefully.

End of Practice Dialogue 2