Classical Greek Continuers 2020 HSC exam pack (archive)

Students should:

• use the marks allocated to a question as an indication of the depth and length of response required
• provide translations of prescribed texts that are coherent and fluent
• check their translations to ensure that words or phrases have not been omitted
• pay close attention to the wording of the question to see if it requires them to respond only with reference to the extract(s) given or to other sections of the text they have studied
• address all elements of a commentary question in a logical and cohesive manner, focusing only on relevant information
• support their explanation or analysis with relevant and valid examples, explaining the link between the examples given and the aspect being analysed
• use ellipsis when quoting more than a few words from an extract, for example, οἴμοι… πόσιν, in order to avoid copying long sections of text
• provide an explanation in English of how the Greek is relevant to their argument, and not leave sections of quoted Greek text to speak for itself.

In better responses, students were able to:

• translate accurately, showing close knowledge of the text (Q1a,b)
• apply knowledge of the text to the specific question (Q2a,b,c)
• provide clear links between language and dramatic tension (Q2bii)
• identify details of the battle and explain clearly how Thucydides uses them to convey the experience of battle (Q2c)
• use detailed knowledge of the prescribed text to provide an overall assessment of Demosthenes as a military commander (Q3).

Areas for students to improve include:

• analysing the text for a specific purpose rather than simply describing the content (Q2b,c)
• moving beyond simple description of the content of stimulus extracts to explain dramatic tension and the experience of battle (Q2bii, Q2c)
• moving beyond the stimulus extract and displaying knowledge of the range of stratagems Demosthenes employs in Book IV and their effectiveness (Q3).

In better responses, students were able to:

• translate accurately, showing close knowledge of the text (Q5a,b)
• demonstrate an understanding of the context of the stimulus extract, and specifically the events immediately prior to this extract (Q5ai)
• explain clearly the significance of the stimulus extract in the dramatic development of the play (Q5aii)
• give a clear account of what the stimulus extract reveals about Electra’s state of mind (Q5b)
• describe the nature of the conflict between Electra and Clytemnestra and explain how the stimulus extract conveys this (Q5c)
• use knowledge of the whole play to assess the consistency of the sentiments expressed in the stimulus extract with the rest of the text (Q6).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing an outline of the context of the stimulus extract, not just the content (Q5ai)
• linking the stimulus extract to the dramatic development, including what is going to happen in the play (Q5aii)
• identifying the range of emotions expressed by Electra in the stimulus extract (Q5b)
• explaining clearly the link between the nature of the conflict and how Euripides conveys it (Q5c)
• demonstrating familiarity with the whole play (Q6)
• focusing on the key words of each question in order to address its requirements, for example, explanation and assessment (Q5, Q6).

Students should:

• refer to all the information provided for the translation of the unseen extracts (the introduction, the translated section and the vocabulary)
• use the grammatical questions as pointers, designed to draw attention to those points of grammar necessary for an accurate translation.

In better responses, students were able to:

• interpret accurately the syntax of lines 1229-30, 1235, 1237, 1240-1242 (Q7d)
• deal effectively with complex sentence structure (Q8d)
• distinguish between pronouns and verb persons (Q8d).

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying pronouns and the tense and person of verbs (Q7d)
• focusing on the continuity of the narrative in order to differentiate between the key players and understand who is doing what (Q8d).