Question 1

What is NCEA AS 91394 about?

Accepted Answer

This is a Year 13 exam where you analyse the ideas and values (like what mattered to people, how they saw leadership, or what they believed) from ancient Greek and Roman literature. You pick one question and use direct quotations or specific details from texts like Homer, Virgil, Aristophanes, or Sophocles to support your argument about what the author was trying to show about their society.

Question 2

What do students need to do for AS 91394?

Accepted Answer

1. Select and carefully read the exact question you're answering, identifying any 'and/or' options and clearly stating which you'll focus on 2. Develop a clear argument or position about the ideas and values in your chosen text and return to it throughout your response 3. Use specific primary source evidence—direct quotations, accurate paraphrases, or detailed references to specific scenes—that directly support your argument 4. Analyse these examples to show what the author was revealing about ancient Greek or Roman society, rather than just summarising the plot or describing what happened 5. Draw conclusions about the broader implications of the ideas and values you've identified, showing how they connect to the time period and the author's purpose

Question 3

What's the difference between Achieved, Merit, and Excellence for AS 91394?

Accepted Answer

Achieved: You respond to the question and identify ideas or values with some textual support, but your response relies heavily on plot summary and may not fully address all parts of the question. Merit: You respond to all aspects of the question with a clear focus, use three or more well-chosen examples with accurate quotation, and provide clear analysis that links your evidence directly to the ideas and values the author presents. Excellence: You establish and sustain a clear thesis throughout, integrate quotations fluently into sophisticated analysis, show insight into the author's purpose and literary technique, and draw developed conclusions about the complexity and wider implications of the classical ideas and values you're examining.

Question 4

What mistakes do students typically make in AS 91394?

Accepted Answer

1. Answering a prepared question instead of actually reading and responding to the specific question on the exam paper, or not clearly identifying which 'and/or' option you're addressing 2. Writing primarily plot summaries or descriptions rather than analytical discussion—telling what happened instead of exploring what it reveals about ideas and values 3. Using textual evidence inconsistently or selecting quotations that don't actually support your argument, or relying on secondary scholarship (quotes about the text) instead of analysing the primary text itself

Classical ideas and values

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