Classical Greek Continuers 2022 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:

• demonstrate understanding of context, situating an extract accurately in the prescribed text (Q2a,b)
• demonstrate understanding of the argument of RepublicI (Q2a,b)
• use detailed knowledge of the prescribed text to provide an overall assessment of how dramatic elements enhance the presentation of views of justice in RepublicI (Q3)
• move beyond the extract, displaying knowledge of dramatic elements in the rest of Republic I, for example, with reference to Cephalus and Polemarchus (Q3).

Areas for students to improve include:

• engaging with the detail of the extracts to show understanding (Q2a,b)
• developing knowledge of the entire prescribed text (Q3)
• making a clear judgment and using appropriate evidence from the text (Q3).

In better responses, students were able to:

• translate accurately, showing close knowledge of the text (Q4a,b)
• demonstrate an understanding of the context of the extract (Q5ai,b)
• move beyond the extract to identify specific instances of humour in the scene in which it occurs (Q5b)
• focus on the significance of the extract in terms of the structure of the play, demonstrating understanding of the development of plot and of relevant themes (Q5c)
• discuss difficulties in presenting an entertaining version of the play from a range of perspectives, such as, humour, use of language and political and literary context (Q6)
• demonstrate pertinent knowledge of the whole play to discuss difficulties in presenting an entertaining version in English (Q6).

Areas for students to improve include:

• reading the question carefully to see if it requires them to respond only with reference to the extract or also to the wider scene in which it occurs (Q5b)
• focusing on the specific question asked, rather than providing a general explanation of the content of the extract (Q5c)
• developing an understanding of the range of humour used by Aristophanes (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 137-139, 146 -148 (Q7d)
• provide a coherent translation which reflected a clear understanding of the overall sense of the extract (Q7d)
• deal effectively with complex sentence structure (Q8d).

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying accurately the mood, voice and person of verb forms (Q7d, Q8)
• recognising vocabulary encountered in the prescribed text (Q7d, Q8d).