NAATI translation test

[Lillee]

Hello all,

I'm thinking of doing the NAATI professional (level 3) C-E translation test in Australia. I was wondering if anyone here has taken this test, and if so, what was your experience of the test and what preparation did you do for it?

I haven't had any training in translation. At the moment a friend and I are just going through past exams and checking our translations against the answers, and we seem to be reasonably accurate on the simplified character passages (though it's hard to say for certain), but we're finding the traditional character passages a bit more challenging. We started practising a few weeks ago, for a couple of hours a week. We're hoping to take the exam in April or May this year.

I'm just wondering whether it's necessary to be doing other preparation for it, like going to one of the workshops that NAATI run? Given how expensive a NAATI workshop is, I'm inclined to skip it unless it's really essential preparation. That said, the test itself is not cheap so I don't want to sit the test unless I am confident of passing it.

Would be grateful for any advice.

Thanks!

[shml]

Lilee,

Have you finally sat for the test? How was the results? How was your preparation? I have failed my test from english to chinese and wish to resit in Mid Sept 2011, any guidelines or information to share?

[Lillee]

Um... no, I have to sheepishly admit that I haven't sat the test. I ended up moving to Beijing all of a sudden - the plan has been to keep self-studying translating while I'm in Beijing and perhaps take the test on a visit back to Australia, but since arriving here I've had other priorities...

I might still get around to it sometime though... I'm sorry I can't give you any guidelines or tips!

I'd be curious to know what preparation you did for the test that you sat? Did you find the test more difficult than you expected?