Western Governors University (WGU) ITSW 2113 D278 Scripting and Programming Foundations Practice Exam

Interpreted languages operate by reading and executing code line by line or statement by statement, which is characteristic of their execution model. This means that coding in these languages usually involves writing out instructions that are processed immediately. The nature of interpreted execution naturally results in slower performance compared to compiled languages, where the entire code is translated into machine language before execution.

Another notable characteristic is that interpreted languages execute code at runtime, often referred to as executing in real-time. This means any errors can be spotted as they occur within the source code during execution, allowing developers to receive immediate feedback on their code.

The assertion that interpreted languages require a compiler for code generation does not align with their fundamental behavior. Compilers are used primarily in compiled languages, which convert the entire source code into machine code before execution, rather than interpreting it at runtime. Thus, the presence of a compiler is not a characteristic of interpreted languages, making this choice the correct response to the question posed.