Classical Greek Continuers 2024 HSC exam pack

Sections I and II – Prescribed Text

General feedback

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, demonstrating close knowledge of the text (Q1)
• demonstrate knowledge of verbs in the optative mood (Q1)
• apply knowledge of the text to the specific question (Q2)
• demonstrate understanding of the argument of Republic I (Q2)
• demonstrate understanding of context, situating an extract accurately in the prescribed text (Q2ai, Q2bi)
• include a translation or paraphrase of any Greek quoted or referred to in the question (Q2bi, Q2bii)
• demonstrate understanding of the function of an extract in the overall context of Socrates’ discussion with his interlocutors (Q2aiii, Q2biii)
• provide a clear assessment rather than just an explanation or an outline of Thrasymachus’ definition of justice, supported by detailed reference to the text (Q3)
• compare Thrasymachus’ definition of justice with the definitions provided by Socrates, Cephalus and Polemarchus (Q3).

Areas for students to improve include:

• translating accurately, rather than paraphrasing (Q1)
• developing a more precise understanding of syntax in complex sentences (Q1)
• engaging with the detail of the extracts to show understanding (Q2)
• providing succinct answers to short answer questions (Q2)
• developing a more precise understanding of key terms such as explain, analyse, assess, evaluate (Q3).

In better responses, students were able to:

• translate accurately, demonstrating close knowledge of the text (Q4)
• apply knowledge of the text to the specific question (Q5)
• support the analysis with detailed reference to the text, including meter and diction (Q5a)
• move beyond a description of the emotions which surface in the extract, analysing how the emotional intensity increases (Q5a)
• recognise the transition from stichomythia to antilabe (Q5a)
• include a translation or paraphrase of any Greek quoted or referred to in the question (Q5bi)
• demonstrate understanding of the function of a scene in the overall context of the play (Q5c)
• provide a clear assessment rather than just an explanation of xenia in the play, supported by detailed reference to the text (Q6).

Areas for students to improve include:

• reading the question carefully and addressing all requirements (Q5a, Q6)
• explaining how the literary technique creates a particular effect rather than just making an assertion (Q5a)
• developing a precise understanding of key terms such as explain, analyse, assess, evaluate (Q6).

Students should:

• refer to all 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:

• provide a coherent translation which reflected a clear understanding of the overall sense of the extract (Q7d, Q8d)
• interpret accurately the syntax of lines 351-353, 355-356 (Q7d)
• recognise the post position of ὕπο (351) and μέτα (355) (Q7d)
• translate correctly ἴση (356), καλῶν (351) (Q7d), πάλιν (4) (Q8d), not confusing them with words which look similar
• recognise the perfect tense πέφευγας (345) (Q7d)
• deal effectively with complex sentence structure (Q8d)
• recognise the tense of ἀνευρεῖν (Q8a)
• use correct grammatical terminology for the conditional use of the optative (Q8c)
• use their knowledge of the prescribed text in their response to the short answer questions on the extracts for unseen translation (Q7e, Q8e).

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing a precise knowledge of verb tenses and moods (Q7d, Q8d)
• recognising vocabulary encountered in the prescribed text (Q7d, Q8d)
• distinguishing between words which look similar (Q7d, Q8d).