PracticeVideosBlogFlashcardsEspañol
All Practice Exams

100+ Free CATTI Level 2 Practice Questions

Prepare for the China Accreditation Test for Translators and Interpreters — Level 2 (全国翻译专业资格二级考试) exam with instant access — no signup required.

✓ No registration✓ No credit card✓ No hidden fees✓ Start practicing immediately
100+ Questions
100% Free

Loading practice questions...

Same family resources

Explore More China Accreditation Test for Translators and Interpreters (CATTI)

Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.

CATTI Level 1 Translation and Interpretation (一级翻译, China)

Practice Questions

CATTI Level 3 Translation and Interpretation (三级翻译, China)

Practice Questions
2026 Statistics

Key Facts: CATTI Level 2 Exam

Level 2

Intermediate professional qualification level in the CATTI framework

CICG / CATTI Center

100 + Trans

100 MCQs in Comprehensive Ability plus bilingual passage translation

CATTI Level 2 Syllabus

60 / 100

Fixed passing score on each paper, required in a single sitting

MOHRSS Passing Score Regulations

5.0 Hours

Total testing duration across both examination papers (2h + 3h)

CATTI Examination Timetable

翻译 (中级)

Professional title corresponding to the CATTI Level 2 credential

MOHRSS Title Qualification Directory

CATTI Level 2 is the definitive intermediate translation credential in China, open to all candidates with no prerequisites. The examination tests both Translation Comprehensive Ability (100 MCQs in 120 min) and Translation Practice (bilingual passage translation in 180 min), requiring at least 60% on both papers in a single sitting. The 100 practice questions here provide an English-language study bank covering advanced vocabulary, structural error diagnosis, thematic reading comprehension, and translation techniques.

Sample CATTI Level 2 Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your CATTI Level 2 exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence in a formal diplomatic context: 'During the bilateral talks, the chief delegate decided to cautiously ______ the delicate topic of tariff exemptions.'
A.broach
B.breach
C.brooch
D.breech
Explanation: To 'broach' a subject means to introduce or bring up a sensitive or difficult topic for discussion in a tactful manner. 'Breach' means to break or violate a contract or defense. 'Brooch' refers to a decorative piece of jewelry, and 'breech' refers to the back part of a gun or anatomy.
2Select the verb that best conveys the formal meaning of improving or making a substandard socioeconomic situation more bearable: 'The government enacted fiscal stimulus measures to ______ the severe housing shortages in metropolitan areas.'
A.exacerbate
B.ameliorate
C.deteriorate
D.procrastinate
Explanation: 'Ameliorate' means to make something bad or unsatisfactory better, which aligns with government intervention mitigating housing shortages. 'Exacerbate' and 'deteriorate' indicate making things worse, while 'procrastinate' means delaying action.
3Which preposition correctly completes the standard idiomatic collocation: 'A transparent legal framework is highly conducive ______ foreign direct investment.'?
A.for
B.with
C.to
D.in
Explanation: The adjective 'conducive' strictly collocates with the preposition 'to' (conducive to something), meaning tending to promote, facilitate, or make a certain situation likely. Using 'for', 'with', or 'in' is grammatically incorrect in standard formal English.
4Choose the word that accurately denotes having a gradual and cumulative harmful effect: 'Unchecked currency devaluation can exert a ______ influence on household purchasing power and long-term capital formation.'
A.salutary
B.pernicious
C.punctilious
D.propitious
Explanation: 'Pernicious' means having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual, insidious, or subtle way, fitting the macroeconomic warning. 'Salutary' means beneficial, 'punctilious' means showing great attention to detail, and 'propitious' means giving or indicating a good chance of success.
5What is the meaning of the idiomatic expression 'at loggerheads with' in the sentence: 'The two negotiating delegations remained at loggerheads with each other over the intellectual property clauses.'?
A.In harmonious collaboration with
B.In strong and persistent disagreement with
C.Engaged in confidential trade exchanges with
D.Subordinate to the jurisdiction of
Explanation: 'At loggerheads with' is an established English idiom meaning in stubborn or violent dispute, conflict, or irreconcilable disagreement. It frequently appears in diplomatic and political reporting to characterize stalled negotiations.
6Identify the false friend / lexical trap in Chinese-English translation: Which English term correctly translates '当前的经济形势' (present economic situation) rather than 'actual'?
A.The actual economic situation
B.The current economic situation
C.The factual economic situation
D.The realistic economic situation
Explanation: In English, 'current' or 'present' designates time (existing now), accurately rendering '当前的'. 'Actual' means real or existing in fact as opposed to nominal or hypothetical (e.g., actual cost vs. estimated cost), which is a classic false cognate/calque trap for translators.
7In international relations press releases, which verb-noun collocation is standard for urging parties not to escalate conflict: 'The UN spokesperson called on all regional actors to ______ utmost restraint.'?
A.exert
B.exercise
C.impose
D.dispatch
Explanation: The standard, highly formalized diplomatic collocation in English is 'to exercise restraint' (or 'exercise utmost restraint'), meaning to hold back from aggressive action. While 'exert' collocates with 'pressure' or 'influence', 'exercise' is the idiomatic pairing for 'restraint'.
8Which rhetorical device is exemplified by the phrase 'deafening silence' in political commentary: 'The minister's statement was greeted with a deafening silence from the opposition bench.'?
A.Oxymoron
B.Synecdoche
C.Chiasmus
D.Litotes
Explanation: An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which contradictory terms appear in conjunction (e.g., 'deafening silence', 'open secret'). Synecdoche refers to a part representing the whole, chiasmus is an inverted syntactic parallelism, and litotes is an ironic understatement using double negatives.
9Fill in the blank with the correct adjective-preposition combination: 'Compensation packages for senior executives ought to be strictly ______ their long-term operational performance.'
A.commensurate to
B.commensurate with
C.commensurate for
D.commensurate in
Explanation: 'Commensurate with' is the established standard idiom meaning corresponding in size, degree, or proportion (e.g., salary commensurate with experience). 'Commensurate to' is occasionally seen in archaic texts but is considered inferior in modern formal English, while 'for' and 'in' are ungrammatical.
10Which phrasal verb means to control, curb, or limit something that is growing out of hand: 'The central bank raised benchmark interest rates in a bid to ______ galloping consumer inflation.'?
A.rein in
B.rule out
C.phase in
D.iron out
Explanation: 'Rein in' originates from equestrian terminology (pulling on the reins to slow a horse) and metaphorically means to check, curb, or bring under control (e.g., rein in spending, rein in inflation). 'Rule out' means exclude, 'phase in' means introduce gradually, and 'iron out' means resolve minor difficulties.

About the CATTI Level 2 Exam

The China Accreditation Test for Translators and Interpreters Level 2 (CATTI 二级翻译) is China's recognized industry benchmark qualification for professional translators and interpreters, administered by CICG and MOHRSS. It tests advanced bilingual linguistic competence, nuanced vocabulary collocations, syntactic deconstruction of complex sentences, in-depth reading comprehension across international affairs, economics, and technology, and practical translation techniques. Officially administered in Chinese and English, this OpenExamPrep question bank provides an English-language MCQ study adaptation.

Assessment

Two computer-based papers: Translation Comprehensive Ability (笔译综合能力, 120 min, 100 MCQs covering vocabulary, grammar, and reading) and Translation Practice (笔译实务, 180 min, English-to-Chinese ~600 words and Chinese-to-English ~400 words).

Time Limit

Comprehensive Ability: 120 min; Translation Practice: 180 min (total 5.0 hours)

Passing Score

60% of the full mark on each paper (60/100 points, both required in one sitting)

Exam Fee

RMB 150–260 total across both papers (China International Communications Group (CICG / 中国外文局) & MOHRSS)

CATTI Level 2 Exam Content Outline

25%

Advanced Vocabulary & Idiomatic Collocations (高级词汇与搭配)

C1/C2 vocabulary, prepositional collocations, phrasal verbs, formal academic register, rhetorical devices, and linguistic false friends

25%

Complex Syntax & Error Identification (复杂句法与病句辨析)

Inverted sentence structures, non-finite verb phrases, subjunctive mood, nominalization, structural parallelism, and syntactic defect elimination

25%

Thematic Reading Comprehension (专业文献阅读理解)

In-depth comprehension of texts on international relations, macroeconomics, climate policy, and technological innovation, evaluating discourse logic and authorial tone

25%

Translation Principles & Bilingual Adaptation (翻译技巧与转换方法)

Sentence division and merging, part-of-speech conversion (词类转换), passive-to-active voice shifting, negation translation, and cultural untranslatability handling

How to Pass the CATTI Level 2 Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 60% of the full mark on each paper (60/100 points, both required in one sitting)
  • Assessment: Two computer-based papers: Translation Comprehensive Ability (笔译综合能力, 120 min, 100 MCQs covering vocabulary, grammar, and reading) and Translation Practice (笔译实务, 180 min, English-to-Chinese ~600 words and Chinese-to-English ~400 words).
  • Time limit: Comprehensive Ability: 120 min; Translation Practice: 180 min (total 5.0 hours)
  • Exam fee: RMB 150–260 total across both papers

Keys to Passing

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

CATTI Level 2 Study Tips from Top Performers

1Build a robust C1/C2 vocabulary base: focus on precise academic collocations and eliminate common false friends (e.g., 'eventual' meaning final, not accidental).
2Analyze long sentence structures: identify the core subject-verb-object skeleton before untangling nested relative clauses, participial modifiers, and parentheticals.
3Master Chinese-English contrastive linguistic differences: English favors hypotaxis, nominalization, and passive voice; Chinese favors parataxis, verbal phrases, and active voice.
4Practice sentence splitting (分句法) and combining (合句法): split dense English periodic sentences into natural, flowing Chinese clauses, and combine fragmented Chinese sentences into cohesive English structures.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CATTI Level 2 (二级翻译)?

CATTI Level 2 is the intermediate-level professional translator and interpreter qualification in China. It serves as the standard industry benchmark for full-time professional translators, language service providers, and foreign affairs personnel.

What are the two papers included in CATTI Level 2?

The exam comprises two papers: Translation Comprehensive Ability (笔译综合能力, 120 minutes, 100 MCQs testing vocabulary, syntax, and reading) and Translation Practice (笔译实务, 180 minutes, bilingual translation of approximately 1,000 words total).

Can anyone register for CATTI Level 2 without taking Level 3 first?

Yes. CATTI Level 2 has no prerequisite requirements; candidates of any educational background may register directly for Level 2 without first passing Level 3.