Well, I am not feeling terribly optimistic about my Spanish test. The first part went great. It was conversational and friendly. We talked about where I'm from, difference between NY and DC, my job, health care reform and the insurance situation, etc. I was feeling good and was using subjunctive and conditional like crazy. I tripped on a few words but otherwise it went great.
Then suddenly the tester asked me to talk about an abstract topic and I just floundered. I just couldn't really define it in English OR Spanish, and frankly, it's not that hard of a topic. I kept saying the same phrases over and over again. I even asked them to give me another topic, and instead they gave me some more ideas of what to talk about. I added a few more sentences/ideas, but was still floundering. The tester then asked me some follow up questions to what I said, and I don't think I answered her fully. I was flustered.
With the way things were going, I was expecting to have the third part of the test, where they ask me to translate into English, but they abruptly ended the test. So that means it was obvious that I was a pass or fail. I'm leaning towards fail.
I'm bummed. But glad I only have to wait about a week to know. And glad I gave it a try, just in case I pulled it off for September.
Thanks everyone for all the support. Tune in next week.
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10 comments:
Bummer! But maybe it's not the worst. And really, worst case scenario just means testing again in December. By then I imagine you would be solid. Hear's to hoping you passed and see a September offer real soon!
Good luck! I've heard many people say they thought they bombed the test, but then learned they'd passed. There's no telling with these things.
Oh, I really hope you passed! You discussed health care reform?! That's gotta count for a lot. I am very curious about the "abstract" topic. Was it Picasso vs Miro? Hang in there... more waiting.
Uggg...that sounds a lot like how mine went last October. Of course, as you know, I took it the morning we left for post (which was a really bad idea). The good thing is, if you have to take it again, at least you will know a little bit about how it goes. I have no idea when I will take mine again, but definitely feel I will be better prepared next time (and not just because I spend most of my days in Spanish now). Good luck!
I agree with Alex - you never know with these things and I sincerely hope you did well enough to get your bump up points.
According to my husband, the pre A-100 test is not as involved as the A-100 one, where they determine whether you are off language probation, so your efforts were not in vain either way but I hope to hear good news from you next week!~
Thankfully, this is one of the parts of the FSO process where the wait isn't too long. I think you can call for your results in a week or so.
I think all of the language tests involve some level of floundering. The assessors are supposed to probe with increasingly harder questions. Hopefully, you'd already proven your level 3 ability and that type of abstraction was a level 4 thing.
Good luck to you.
Oh my goodness- so sorry that you feel like it didn't go well. But really - I join everyone else in hoping that you did fine and that all will be well. Yes, it's quite nice that you only have a week until you hear. Hopeful thoughts being sent your way!
Good Luck. I will keep my fingers crossed for you. :)
you are all so kind! thank you for all the supportive comments! I truly appreciate it.
If it's any comfort, when I took my phone Arabic test in 2007 I hung up and immediately burst into tears, having seen my future crash before my eyes and fearing a future as an au pair (my backup job before State, as it was only hiring about 50 people per A-100, and no other agency was hiring at the time.) I passed. Somehow. Miraculously.
I guess what I'm saying is that you don't know until you know! Keep your chin up!
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