SCREENING TEST

Welcome! You have been directed to this document since you purchased a “screening test” from Taking this test will let you know if you are ready for the formal examination needed to earn a Paul Meier Certificate of Proficiencyin one or more of the twenty-four accents or dialects currently offered.

Please save this document on your computer as:

“YourFirstNameYourLastNameScreeningTest”

(e.g. PaulMeierScreeningTest.doc>)

…without spaces.

Do this now, please.

Now close this document, and open the one you just created on your own computer and continue…

Do this now, please.

Welcome back!

Please continue…

This test is in four parts:

PART 1 (3 minutes): Fill in your contact details (these will be kept confidential).

PART 2 (40 minutes per dialect): Depending on how many dialects you opted for when you purchasedyour screening test, choose among the Aesop’s fables below and notate the ones you choose with the signatures sound numbers and additional feature letters needed for the dialects you’ve chosen. (IPA transcription not required.)

PART 3 (20 minutes per dialect): record yourself speaking the fable(s) you have prepared.

PART 4 (2 minutes): e-mail us this document and the sound files you have created.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

Do not proceed until can comply. You must have:

  • a computer equipped for sound with speakers or headphones, microphone, and webcam; and that can play mp3 sound files
  • a broadband internet connection
  • the ability to create, edit, save, and e-mail sound files of your recorded voice in mp3 format (download guide from
  • Acrobat Reader (free download from
  • a subscription to Skype(free from

CAN YOU COMPLY WITH THESE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS?

IF SO, PLEASE PROCEED TO PART 1

PART 1: Please type in the following information:

FIRST NAME: / Cameron
LAST NAME: / Meier
ADDRESS 1: / 11732 Peachstone Lane
ADDRESS 2:
ADDRESS 3:
CITY/TOWN: / Orlando
STATE/PROVINCE: / FL
COUNTRY: / USA
ZIP CODE/POST CODE: / 32821
E-MAIL ADDRESS: /
PHONE NUMBER: / 407-238-1482
FAX:

…and click “save” again…

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SCREENING TEST

PART 2: Choose one or more of the Aesop’s fables below, depending on how many dialects you opted for. Type in the name of the accent or dialect you are notating immediately after DIALECT/ACCENT:

Since, like the formal exam, this is an “open book” test, using the book or booklet you have been studying, in the space provided under the text, type in the signature sound numbers, and additional feature lettersneeded for the accent or dialect you are studying, and click “save” again.

EXAMPLE:

DIALECT/ACCENT: GERMAN

A FOX one day fell into a deep well and

10 3 7 1 a a 3 1 9 5

SUGGESTIONS:

  • You might find it convenient to print the passage and work from a hard copy before transferring your notes to this digital document.
  • If you position your cursor immediately under the text, you will find it already formatted to allow you to type in Times New Roman, 10-point, redas in the example above. (If you have difficulty, please select that format from your own word processor.)
  • Don’t worry if you cannot find an example of every signature sound and every additional feature. Several may be unrepresented in the passage you choose.
  • There will be times when you are not sure if you should assign a signature sound to a particular word; often it will depend if that word is stressed or not. Don’t worry; your examiner is well aware of such nuances, and will take such ambiguities into account.

FABLE 1

DIALECT/ACCENT: SCOTTISH

THE ANTS were spending a fine winter's

3 9 1 11 11 5 1

day drying grain collected inthesummertime.

6 1 1 6 2 11 3 1

A Grasshopper, perishing withfamine,

1 9 13 1 1 11 11 3 9

passed by and earnestly begged for a

9 9 1 2 1

little food. The Ants inquired of him, "Why

2 11 5 8 3 9 11 1 11 4

did you not treasure up food during the

11 8 13 1 1 8 1 3

summer?’ He replied, "I had not leisure

1 1 2 9 13 5 2 1

enough. I passed the days in singing.” They

9 3 6 11 11 11 3 6

then said in derision: "If you were foolish

3 11 1 11 11 8 1 8 2 11

enough to sing all the summer, you must

8 11 3 1 8

dance supperless to bed in the winter."

9 1 2 8 11 3 11 5 1

(80 WORDS)

Examiner’s comments: Total features required: 84. Missed, or in error: 6. Score: 93%. You can proceed to the formal examination with confidence of passing the written part in this dialect.

FABLE 2

DIALECT/ACCENT:

A LION was awakened from sleep by a

Mouse running over his face. Rising up

angrily, he caught him and was about to kill

him, when the Mouse piteously entreated,

saying: “If you would only spare my life, I

would be sure to repay your kindness.” The

Lion laughed and let him go. It happened

shortly after this that the Lion was caught by

some hunters, who bound him by strong

ropes to the ground. The Mouse, recognizing

his roar, came and gnawed the rope with his

teeth, and set him free, exclaiming, “You

ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to

help you, never expecting to receive from

me any repayment of your favor. I now

know that it is possible for even a Mouse to

confer benefits on a Lion.” (132 WORDS)

FABLE 3

DIALECT/ACCENT:

THE ASS and the Fox, having entered

intopartnership together for their mutual

protection, went out into the forest to hunt.

They had not proceeded far when they met a

Lion. The Fox, seeing imminent danger,

approached the Lion and promised to

contrive for him the capture of the Ass if the

Lion would pledge his word not to harm the

Fox. Then, upon assuring the Ass that he

would not be injured, the Fox led him to a

deep pit and arranged that he should fall into

it. The Lion, seeing that the Ass was

secured, immediately clutched the Fox, and

attacked the Ass at his leisure.

(108 WORDS)

FABLE 4

DIALECT/ACCENT:

A WOLF,who had a bone stuck in his throat,

hired a Crane for a large sum to put her

head into his mouth and draw out the bone.

When the Crane had extracted the bone and

demanded the promised payment, the Wolf,

grinning and grinding his teeth, exclaimed:

“Why, you have surely already had a

sufficient recompense, in having been

permitted to draw out your head in safety

from the mouth and jaws of a wolf.” In

serving the wicked, expect no reward, and

be thankful if you escape injury for your

pains. (94 WORDS)

FABLE 5

DIALECT/ACCENT:

A CARTER was driving a wagon along a

country lane, when the wheels sank down

deep into a rut. The rustic driver, stupefied

and aghast, stood looking at the wagon, and

did nothing but utter loud cries to Hercules

to come and help him. Hercules, it is said,

appeared and thus addressed him: “Put your

shoulders to the wheels, my man. Goad on

your bullocks, and never more pray to me

for help until you have done your best to

help yourself, or depend upon it, you will

henceforth pray in vain.” Self-help is the

best help. (97 WORDS)

FABLE 6

DIALECT/ACCENT:

A MAN and a Lion traveled together

through the forest. They soon began to boast

of their respective superiority to each other

in strength and prowess. As they were

disputing, they passed a statue carved in

stone, which represented "a Lion strangled

by a Man.” The traveler pointed to it and

said: "See there! How strong we are, and

how we prevail over even the king of

beasts.” The Lion replied: "This statue was

made by one of you men. If we Lions knew

how to erect statues, you would see the Man

placed under the paw of the Lion.” One

story is good, till another is told.

(108 WORDS)

FABLE 7

DIALECT/ACCENT:

A RAVEN saw a Swan and desired to

secure for himself the same beautiful

plumage. Supposing that the Swan's

splendid white color arose from his washing

in the water in which he swam, the Raven

left the altars in the neighborhood where he

picked up his living, and took up residence

in the lakes and pools. But cleansing his

feathers as often as he would, he could not

change their color, while through want of

food he perished. Change of habit cannot

alter Nature. (84 WORDS)

PART 3: When you are satisfied that you have correctly entered the numbers of the all the signature sounds and additional features needed in the accent(s) or dialects (s) you are studying, click “save” once more.

Now it’s time for you to record yourself. Make one recording for each dialect you are testing.

When you have recorded yourself to your satisfaction, reading at a conversational tempo (a recording length of about one minute per fable should be about right), producing a nice, clear recording free of mike bumps, ‘p’ pops, and extraneous noise,save the recording in mp3 format. Save your work as:

“YourFirstNameYourLastNameNameofDialect”

(e.g. <PaulMeierGermanTest.mp3>)

and record your next passage as a separate file (if you are testing for more than one dialect).

PART 4: When you have finished all your recordings, attach them and this document to an e-mail.

In your e-mail’s subject line, type, “Your Name Screening Test 1” (if the total size of your attachments exceeds your provider’s limit, send two or more e-mails with “Your Name Screening Test 2” etc. as the subject. Our address is: .

We will e-mail you with our feedback within seven days. This will consist of a score out of 100 points on both the written and oral parts of the test (80% is a passing grade in the formal exam), with our recommendations concerning what,if anything, needs improvement.

We will tell you if we think you are ready for the formal examination needed to earn a Paul Meier Certificate of Proficiency.

BREAK A LEG!

Paul Meier Dialect Services

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