DIPLOMA OF INTERPRETING

Section ONE:
Assess ability to complete (PSPTIS003)
(1.1) Receive request and clarify scope and nature of work and conditions of
engagement.
(1.2) Identify performance expectations, limits and responsibilities and their
implications for undertaking the .
Task 1: Short Answer Questions
Instructions: answer the following questions in your own words.
Questions:
1) What kind of elements are generally included in the scope of an interpreting
assignment?
2) What does it mean when an interpreting assignment says, “Female interpreter
preferred & Certified professional interpreter only”?
3) List TWO factors affecting the outcome of your interpreting assignment
Answers:
1 Justification of the project, Assumptions, Inclusion/exclusion criteria, constraints,
deliverables, overall description of the work etc. are taken as the main elements are
generally included in the scope of interpreting assignment
2 When an assignment says that Female interpreter preferred & Certified professional
interpreter only then it simply means that the preference is only provided to the female as
well as certified professional interpreter only. None other these would be preferred in the
same.
3 Cultural values, needs, expectation as well as personal influences of the individual directly places
major influence over their interpreting.
Task 2: True or False Questions
Instructions: you have received an assignment from TIS Australia, based on the Terms and
Conditions of Use (TIS National), decide whether the given statements are TRUE or FALSE.
Terms and Conditions can be accessed from https://www.tisnational.gov.au/en/About- TIS-
National/Terms-and-conditions.
1) Interpreters can view payment summaries in TIS Online. True
2) Interpreters can receive payment summaries by email. False
3) Interpreters are responsible for the contents of material provided for databases,
translation and interpretation. False
4) Interpreters are not obliged to notify TIS of any errors in a booking or in their
representations and warranties. True
5) Cancellation for on-site interpreting job must be made at least 48 hours prior to the
starting time of the appointment. False
6) When a booking is made using TIS Online, cancellation of this booking should be
made by an interpreter sending an email to the onsite booking team with the job
details (including the job number).False

Answers:
1) True False 3) True False 5) True False
2) True False 4) True False 6) True False
Task 3: Case Analysis (1)
Instructions: Read the following interpreting booking and tick the correct answer.
Table 1: Interpreting Assignment Request 1 (Online System)
Questions:
1) What is the most likely purpose of this interpreting assignment?
a. to discuss legal issues only; 
b. to make a general legal inquiry; 
c. to participate in a court hearing 
2) From your perspective, which type of interpreting mode is likely to be adopted in this
interpreting assignment?
a. dialogue interpreting; 
b. whispering interpreting; 
c. consecutive interpreting; 
d. all of these modes 
3) Who will be possibly involved in this interpreting assignment?
a. a Cantonese speaker and you; 
b. a Cantonese speaker and a lawyer; 
c. a Cantonese speaker, a lawyer and you 
4) When will this assignment be conducted?

a. January 11th , 2017; 
b. November 1
st
, 2017; 
c. Either January 11th , 2017 or November 1st, 2017 
5) What is the duration of this assignment booking?
a. less than 120 minutes; 
b. more than 120 minutes; 
c. exactly 120 minutes 
6) What kind of dress code may occur in this interpreting event?
a. smart causal; 
b. formal dress; 
c. causal 
7) From your perspective, when should an interpreter arrive at the Federal Law
Court and why?
a. 10am to show punctuality; 
b. 10.05am as such assignments generally start late; 
c. 9.50am to make a pre-session introduction 
Task 4: Case Analysis (2)
Instruction: read the following scenario and analyse the interpreting task information to
answer the following questions.
Scenario: A translation agency asks you to interpret for an assessor from Home Care
Service NSW. The client is going to visit an old lady at her home in Liverpool, NSW. You
are booked for this onsite interpreting from 9:30am to 11:00am.
Questions:
1) From your perspective, what should an interpreter do when he or she arrives at the
lady’s home at Liverpool?
a. Knock at her door and waits for the assessor together; 
b. Wait outside of the lady’s house till she invites the interpreter to enter; 
c. Wait for the assessor to come and follow her instructions 
2) When you interpret for the old lady, she mumbles a lot and talks discursively.
What will you do?
a. Listen carefully and try your best to understand her language for accurate
rendering 
b. Guess what she really wants to say and interpret accordingly 
c. Only interpret the words that you understand 
3) When you finish this interpreting assignment, you should:
a. Stay with the old lady for a while when she requests your help; 
b. Leave with the assessor as soon as the interpreting assignment finishes 
c. Leave your contact details to the lady and the assessor for further assignments 
4) When you finish this interpreting assignment and leave this lady’s home, you

happen to know that the old lady was not telling the truth to the assessor. What will
you do?
a. Inform the assessor and be a righteous person 
b. Ask the lady to tell the truth to the assessor 
c. Keep silent and take no actions 
Section TWO:
Assess ability to complete assignment (PSPTIS003)
(1.3) Consider personal availability and preparedness to satisfy assignment
requirements.
(1.4) Advise client or booking agency in a professional and timely manner of decision to
accept or decline.
Task 1: Blank Filling
Instruction: Read the following scenario and analyse the interpreting task information to
answer questions.
Scenario: You are a para-professional Cantonese interpreter who also understands and speaks
Mandarin, the official language of China. You are booked for the following assignments in
Sydney for the following week. Note that you do not drive and have to rely on public
transportation only. The translation agency provides you with a new assignment sheet and
asks you to take additional work for the following week.
Question:
Which assignment(s) will you be able to accept? (Tick the CHOICE/S that you will be able to
accept and list the reasons for your decision.)
(Reminder: use google map for your booking reference).
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
9:00-
10:00 am
Federal
Court
Liverpool
Hospital
10:30-
11:40 am
Prince of
Wales Private
Hospital
1:30-
3:30 pm
DIBP, Sydney
Office
Family
Court
Table 2: The interpreter’s Working Schedule
Answer:
Time &
Date
Assignments Venue Notes  possible reasons provided to
agency
Mon; 9:00-
11:30am
Sydney Children’s
Hospital
Para-professional;
Cantonese
I will choose this as I
have done work with the
same in the past and my
experience with them
was good.
Tues; 1:00-
3:30pm
Liverpool Hospital Para-professional
Cantonese
I have appropriate
knowledge of working
with the hospital. Also,

my knowledge regarding
their command is
absolutely fine.
Wed;
10:00-
11:45am
Prince of Wales
Private Hospital
Para-professional,
Mandarin
I will choose this
assignment as it is
nearby to my location
and I won’t have to
travel much for reaching
to it.
Wed; 1:00-
2:00pm
Fair Work
Commission
Professional,
Cantonese
This assignment would
help me out in learning
new things.
Thurs;
10:30-
11:45am
Department of
Immigration and
Border Protection,
Sydney Office
Para-professional,
Cantonese
The main reason behind
the acceptance of this
assignment is the
development of adequate
level of knowledge
related to the same.
Thurs;
2:30-
3:30pm
Family Court Professional,
Mandarin
Time schedule for
performing this
assignment is in my
favor.
Fri; 10:00-
11:45am
Downing Centre
Local Court
Para-professional,
Cantonese
The time slot is feasible
as I can easily take
public transport towards
the same.
Fri; 1:00-
2:00pm
Corrective Services
NSW
Para-professional
Cantonese
I have already done this kind of
already done this kind of
assignment in the past thus I
would be able to comolete it in
quicker manner.

Table 3: Interpreting Assignments Offered by the Agency
Task 2: Case Analysis
Instruction: Read the scenario provided below and analyse the interpreting task
information to choose the correct answer.
Scenario: According to your assignment booking schedule, you will interpret at Liverpool
hospital from 9:00am to 10:00am. Your client is going to undertake an IVF procedure and
you are requested to interpret onsite. What kind of preparation will you undertake for this
interpreting assignment? (There can be more than one correct answer)
a. Check dictionaries for the medical terms used in IVF procedure 
b. Talk to a friend who had IVF before and understand the procedure 
c. Arrive early and comfort the client with your experience or knowledge of this
procedure 
d. Read relevant documents or parallel texts on the risks of IVF procedure 
e. Talk to the client and understand why she wants to take an IVF procedure 
f. Double-check your interpreting schedule and see if you are double booked 
Task 3: Email Writing
Instruction: Read the scenario provided below and write emails to accept or decline the
interpreting offer.
 Writing ONE:
Scenario: The Booking Agency is having particular trouble filling the assignment to work at
Liverpool Hospital on Tuesday, 1:00-3:30pm. They have emailed you, asking if you can
possibly fill the role. Please decline this offer and explain why.