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Classical Greek A-Level

Examination Board: OCR

Studying Classical Greek at A-level is an opportunity to explore further the language of the Greeks, to study more advanced Greek literature in the original language, and to develop an understanding of Greek civilisation through the study of Greek literature.

The language, literature and culture of classical Greece have had an immense influence on those of our own times. Our intellectual debt to the Greeks is immense: comedy and tragedy, History and Philosophy, Mathematics and Politics, Geography, Biology and Medicine.

You should be studying the subject for GCSE. The structure of the examinations is the same as Latin. At A-level, students study four units.

Learn more about Surbiton High Sixth Form.

A-level

Unit 01 – Unseen Translation

Examination: 1 hour 45 minutes (33%)
This component is designed to enable learners to demonstrate their linguistic competence in Classical Greek.
Learners will be required to:
■ Translate a passage of unseen narrative prose into English
■ Translate a passage of unseen verse into English
■ Scan two lines of verse

Unit 02 – Prose Comprehension

Examination: 1 hour 15 minutes (17%)
This is a further language unit to demonstrate your linguistic competence in Classical Greek.
You will be required to demonstrate your understanding of a passage of unseen prose text through comprehension, translation and questions on syntax and accidence.

Unit 03 – Prose Literature

Examination: 2 hours (25%)
Learners will study two prose set texts and will be required to:
■ Understand and respond to passage(s) from a set text
■ Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the wider context of a set text
■ Translate a passage of each set text into English
■ Critically analyse the literary style, characterisation, argument and literary meaning of a passage from a set text
■ Write at length, drawing upon a study of a set text as well as material studied in translation

Unit 04 – Verse Literature

Examination: 2 hours (25%)
Learners will study two verse set texts and will be required to:
■ Understand and respond to passage(s) from a set text
■ Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the wider context of a set text
■ Translate a passage of each set text into English
■ Critically analyse the literary style, characterisation, argument and literary meaning of a passage from a set text
■ Write at length, drawing upon a study of a set text as well as material studied in translation