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A2 Modules: Autumn 2015-Summer 2017 ~ L4: Latin Prose
 

Module Content

The L4 course covers study of both literature and language. We will be following the OCR A2 syllabus. The assignments will be geared towards preparing students for the exam, but if you do not want or need to sit the examination, you can follow the course just for fun and fulfilment, ignoring the information and advice which is not relevant to you. 
For the literature part of the course we study a selection of Pliny's letters. Students on the course will be given guidance on ways to explore this text in Latin: they will be encouraged to develop understanding of the meaning, the literary techniques, and the literary, social and historical context of the work. They will be invited to express critical and personal responses. 
For the language part of the course students will be set various passages from Livy for unprepared translation and comprehension. As the comprehension questions in the exam will involve grammatical, syntactical and stylistic questions, the course will involve a structured review of these and tasks for practice. Advice will be given on compiling a vocabulary list and learning vocabulary. 
 

Books

The books required for this module are detailed below. Students need to provide their own copies of the books and we also advise students to purchase a copy of the Electronic Pocket Oxford Latin Dictionary
1. Fifty Letters of Pliny, A.N. Sherwin-White, OUP, 1969, ISBN 978-0199120109.
2. Livy, Book XXI, PG Walsh (ed.), Bristol Classical Press, 1991, ISBN 978-0-86292-178-1.
3. Livy, Hannibal's War, Books 21-30, JC Yardley (trans.), Oxford World's Classics, 2009, ISBN: 978-0-19-955597-0.
4. Via Plana, P Ruth Taylor-Briggs, Bristol Classical Press, 2000, ISBN 978-1-85399-612-2.
5. Latin Unseens for A level, edited by Ashley Carter, Bristol Classical Press, 2005, ISBN 978-1-85399-681-8.
6. Latin Beyond GCSE, John Taylor, Bristol Classical Press, 2009, ISBN 978-1-85399-720-4.
7. Advanced Latin, James Morwood, James Anderson and Betty Radice, Bristol Classical Press, 2009, ISBN 978-1-85399-729-7.
8. Kennedy's Revised Latin Primer, Longman, 1962, ISBN 978-0-582-36240-6.
9. The text for selections from Livy will be provided.
10. Advised purchase: Electronic Pocket Oxford Latin Dictionary, available on CD from CSCP, ISBN 978-0-95427-941-7 or as a download.
All books can be obtained from the Hellenic Bookservice.
 

The Examination

Paper L4: Latin Prose (100 marks) (Entry code F364)
 

This two-hour paper has two sections:

  • Section A: Language - Unprepared Translation and Comprehension (50 marks) Candidates are required to answer one question. Candidates translate approximately 10 lines from an unseen passage of Latin prose and answer comprehension questions on the passage. (Please note: the examination itself also gives the option of a prose composition translation from English into Latin. Our A2 course will only prepare the student for the unprepared translation and comprehension question.)
  • Section B: Prescribed Literature (50 marks) Candidates are required to answer one question. Each question contains a Latin passage or passages. Candidates answer the two sub-questions set on the prose author they have studied.

 

Further Information

If you would like further details of the content of this module, please visit the OCR website at www.ocr.org.uk, email the Independent Learning Manager or telephone us on 01223 330579.