Latin Continuers 2025 HSC exam pack

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
• 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 specific 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, senatus … vivit, in order to avoid copying long sections of text
• explain in English how the Latin supports their argument, and not leave sections of quoted Latin text to speak for itself
• avoid commenting on punctuation in the Latin text
• provide succinct responses to short answer questions.

Question 1

In better responses, students were able to:

• account for every Latin word in their translation, avoiding the omission of words and phrases, for example, huic, ferri
• recognise that eodem is an adverb of place and not an accusative agreeing with Licinium
• provide an appropriate idiomatic translation for quid attinuerit
• translate verb tenses accurately, for example, the present dicitur, the future infinitives esse venturum, traditurum.

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying the correct meaning of words which look similar
• distinguishing between parts of speech
• distinguishing between tenses in their translation.

Question 2

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify Clodia as the woman Cicero refers to (ai)
• explain that negare is an infinitive dependent on possum, or a prolative infinitive (aii)
• identify explicitly the members of society as the prostitutes or courtesans (meretrices) (aiii)
• show their understanding of the practice referred to by stating clearly that it had been commonplace in both past and present times (aiii)
• identify three distinct stylistic features and explain in detail how they contribute to Cicero’s defence of Caelius (bii).

Areas for students to improve include:

• distinguishing in context between the comparative form of adverbs and neuter adjectives (bi)
• distinguishing between different uses of the infinitive, for example, dependent on other verbs or used in an indirect statement (aii)
• developing a thorough understanding of the context, content and purpose of the extracts (aiii)
• focusing on the specified number of items required by the question (bii).

Question 3

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify Cicero’s argument in the extract
• demonstrate an understanding of the effect of Cicero’s linguistic and/or rhetorical devices, rather than merely listing them
• link Cicero’s use of linguistic devices in the extract to Cicero’s argument
• support points with detailed references to the extract
• use their knowledge of Roman culture and history to support their explanation of Cicero’s argument.

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing discernment in their selection of supporting examples from the text, focusing only on relevant points
• ensuring that any points about Cicero’s language and style are used to support the response and do not become its focus
• developing a concise writing style, avoiding overly lengthy responses.

Question 4

In better responses, students were able to:

• account for every Latin word in their translation, avoiding the omission of words and phrases, for example, cernas, calle angusto, tum, late, ante oculos
• recognise that migrantis and ruentis are both accusative plural, agreeing with the implied object of cernas (them, the Trojans)
• provide a contextually appropriate translation for trudunt obnixae frumenta umeris and for misceri
• recognise the agreement between quis and sensus, and between totum and aequor
• provide a fluent and coherent translation of complex sentences which consist of several clauses.

Areas for students to improve include:

• recognising alternative grammatical forms, for example, the accusative plural ending is
• identifying words in agreement.

Question 5

In better responses, students were able to:

• recognise the elision between passim and et (ai)
• recognise consonantal i in Troiana and iuventus (ai)
• identify three distinct ways in which Virgil creates a foreboding atmosphere and explain them in detail (aii)
• explain clearly how elements of the language or content were foreboding, rather than simply stating that they were so (aii)
• explain clearly the meaning of any Latin being referred to (aii)
• demonstrate their grammatical knowledge by identifying correctly the forms of incendere and sequor (bii,iii).

Areas for students to improve include:

• focusing on the specified number of items required by the question (aii,bi)
• ensuring that any reference to techniques is clearly linked to the question (aiii)
• making reference to specific parts of the text to demonstrate their understanding of the specifics of the extracts (aiii).

Question 6

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate their understanding of the complexities of Dido’s feelings
• demonstrate their understanding of the context of each extract
• demonstrate their understanding of the progression and/or contrast in Dido’s feelings between the three extracts
• demonstrate perceptive understanding of the text by analysing how Virgil depicts Dido’s feelings, rather than describing Dido’s character or circumstances in general terms.

Areas for students to improve include:

• ensuring that references to the text are clearly linked to the question
• going beyond the identification and description of intertextual allusions, using them to support relevant points
• focusing on the question, only using stylistic analysis when it is necessary to support their response
• providing a balanced response, drawing on examples from all the extracts given
• developing a concise writing style, avoiding overly lengthy responses.

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify the different meanings of words which look similar, for example, ne…quidem, quidam and quondam, fere and ferre, pontum and pontem (Q7, Q8, Q9)
• recognise that audistis is an abbreviated form of audivistis and is perfect tense (Q7)
• recognise that accusatore is ablative dependent on the preposition ab (an ablative of the agent) (Q7)
• recognise the function of the linking relative in quae vita (Q8)
• recognise that Achaica agrees with manus (Q10)
• use the descriptive title which precedes the text to understand what is meant by fit Beroe and arrive at a contextually appropriate translation (Q10)
• recognise the possessive dative cui and translate appropriately (Q10)
• provide a contextually appropriate translation for se matribus infert (Q10)
• recognise that omnis is accusative plural agreeing with terras.

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing a more precise understanding of syntax in complex sentences (Q8, Q10)
• paying attention to the descriptive title which precedes each text
• making effective use of the vocabulary listed under each text (Q8, Q10)
• using their dictionary effectively (Q8, Q10)
• identifying words in agreement, for example, noun and adjective, noun and participle (Q8, Q10)
• examining carefully the context of a Latin word in the extract before determining its grammatical function (Q7, Q9)
• distinguishing between words which look similar.