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Why Study Classical Greek?
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If you have studied Greek GCSE, AS should be well within your grasp as we have plenty of time to cover the syllabus and revise grammar. The girls currently studying the subject in the Sixth Form love the small groups and informal nature of the lessons. Discussions range from the sublime to the ridiculous, taking in all sorts of aspects of the Greek World - from the status of women in Athenian society to why Persians got drunk when making decisions.
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Will I enjoy it?
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Definitely - the smaller groups mean that you will get a lot of individual attention and that no matter how shy you are, you will have plenty of opportunity to voice your thoughts. The texts you will be reading are at least 2400 years old, yet they still manage to speak to us and stimulate debate about some of the most fundamental human questions. It is a real privilege to be able to study Greek and the girls we teach often feel quite special for doing the subject.
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Course Content
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AS: We prepare you for an unseen translation paper (Greek into English) and go over all the basic grammar that you might be worried about. The set texts for 2007 are highly likely to be Plato Republic X by Plato, which will give you a taste of Greek philosophy, and Sophocles Electra, which is guaranteed to give your mother nightmares.
A2: The set texts for 2008 have not yet been set by OCR, but they are likely to be two of Homer, Thucydides, Herodotus or Aristophanes. We also prepare you either for Comprehension or Prose Composition depending on the composition and preferences of the group. Prose composition (translation into Greek) is actually really satisfying and surprisingly straightforward once you get over the initial hurdle. It is incredibly helpful for grammar.
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Assessment
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AS: 3 X 1 hour papers, testing language and Literature
A2: 1 x 1h45 paper, 1 x 1h30 paper and 1 x 1h15 paper, testing language and Literature
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Coursework Requirements
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None. See: http://www.ocr.org and follow the links for AS/A2 Classics and then Classical Greek if you want more details about the examination structure and specifications.
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Tell me more…
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• Greek, like Latin, is highly prized by employers because it teaches you really important skills - problem solving, writing in good English, constructing theories, perseverance, precision and risk-taking (when you have to make an intelligent stab at an unfamiliar word!). Business leaders want people to do “hard” subjects at A Level.
• Most students of AS Greek also do Latin but this is not essential by any means.
• If you do not have Greek GCSE but are very keen to take it up at AS level, you should speak to Mrs Bingham as soon as possible to discuss a possible route into the subject.
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And to end with, some advice from the ancient authors:
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• The unexamined life is not worth living. (Socrates)
• Haste in every business brings failure. (Herodotus, the “Father of History”). Take heart next time you are tackling an unseen translation.
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