• Congratulations to the Class of 2024 on your results!
    Let us know how you went here
    Got a question about your uni preferences? Ask us here

Tips for Unseens? + help with a word (1 Viewer)

HSCya1234567

Active Member
Joined
May 23, 2023
Messages
188
Gender
Female
HSC
2023
Firstly, currently doing the 2022 Ruse continuers trial and looking at the Cicero unseen, does anyone know what 'ecfractis' means? Does the 'ec' suffix change the meaning from just the PPP having been broken? I can't seem to find it in my dictionary. The whole line for reference;

postea convulsis repagulis ecfractisque valvis demoliri signum ac vectibus labefactare conantur

Secondly, Does anyone have any tips for improving useens under timed conditions? I feel like I just panic and forget all my grammar.
 

HSCya1234567

Active Member
Joined
May 23, 2023
Messages
188
Gender
Female
HSC
2023
also can i please have help translating this line from the Aeneid;

nulla fati quod lege tenetur

pleaaaaaseeeeee there has gotta be somoeone out thereeeeeeeeee
 

synthesisFR

afterhscivemostlybeentrollingdonttakeitsrsly
Joined
Oct 28, 2022
Messages
3,311
Location
Getting deported
Gender
Female
HSC
2028
Firstly, currently doing the 2022 Ruse continuers trial and looking at the Cicero unseen, does anyone know what 'ecfractis' means? Does the 'ec' suffix change the meaning from just the PPP having been broken? I can't seem to find it in my dictionary. The whole line for reference;

postea convulsis repagulis ecfractisque valvis demoliri signum ac vectibus labefactare conantur

Secondly, Does anyone have any tips for improving useens under timed conditions? I feel like I just panic and forget all my grammar.
git gud
(this is a joke this subject seems insane)
 

jimmysmith560

Le Phénix Trilingue
Moderator
Joined
Aug 22, 2019
Messages
4,572
Location
Krak des Chevaliers
Gender
Male
HSC
2019
Uni Grad
2022
I sadly cannot provide any advice regarding Latin translation since I did not take the subject myself (perhaps someone else could). However, I will provide some general insight that I hope will be useful to you in supporting your preparations for your Latin Continuers and Latin Extension HSC exams.

Consider the preparations needed to write good-quality responses to questions targeting unseen texts in an English Advanced exam. The approach that can be taken to prepare for questions targeting unseen texts in a language exam is similar. A key difference between English Advanced and Latin Continuers/Latin Extension is that fluency in the English language is inherent, while fluency is a priority in Latin (and other languages more generally). On the other hand, a similar factor that can support your preparations for both subjects is practice. Practice is essential when learning a language and must be done across its four elements (i.e. speaking, writing, reading, listening) to become fluent in the language. My understanding is that neither Latin Continuers nor Latin Extension assesses speaking or listening abilities.

Based on this, your focus would be on your writing and reading abilities. You should therefore ensure that you maximise your preparations for questions requiring answers to unseen texts. You can do this in two ways:
  • Complete as many practice questions as possible and ensure that you address any areas of improvement that you identify through the errors that you might make. You can initially take your time and subsequently attempt questions under timed conditions once you become more confident. Doing this can assist you in maintaining correct knowledge of Latin grammar and minimise the chances of forgetting it.
  • Familiarise yourself with a number of different Latin texts. The more you do this, the more you can become familiar with the language as doing so provides you with the opportunity to expand your vocabulary.
I hope this helps! 😄
 

...xD

Active Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2022
Messages
92
Gender
Female
HSC
2024
thankyou for clarifying your sarcasm,

dw im failing i wish id kept phys instead
Which one would you recommend if you are failing in both? I'm very hesitant as I feel like it would be a waste of time if I dropped latin after just finishing all of the hsc grammar.
 

HSCya1234567

Active Member
Joined
May 23, 2023
Messages
188
Gender
Female
HSC
2023
Which one would you recommend if you are failing in both? I'm very hesitant as I feel like it would be a waste of time if I dropped latin after just finishing all of the hsc grammar.

Look, I am being a little dramatic, I did much better in the Physics Prelim than I did in the Latin Prelim.

My reasoning to keep Latin was I do love the content, essay writing and translation and my class has stuck together through thick and thin and my teacher is absolutely amazing. I had very little passion for Physics and was struggling to keep on top of both the chemistry and physics content. My chemistry has gotten much better since dropping Physics.


Reasons to keep Physics ;

- It is MUCH harder to get a band 6 in Latin than in Physics, the cohort is much smaller and more able (since you don't take Latin all the way through to end not to be kinda good at it, most students will drop Latin after year 7/8 if they find it hard) and thus the band 6 raw mark cut off is much higher (high 80s, low 90s I believe). Remember you are competing against all the grammar kids who finished the OLC in year 10.

- You are maybe more Maths person, Latin Lit analysis and Essay writing is hard and the kids in my class who do english ext 1 definitely flourish in this part of the exam. One of the prescribed texts for next year The Aeneid Book 4 requires in depth analysis of the tragic form.

- Year 12 Latin is a lot of memorizing, you cannot translate the seen part of the exam when you get to it, you do not have time, you have to memorize it and then speed write it in the exam. If you are only doing continuers that is about 600 lines and with extension that is another 500 lines on top. You have to memorise Lit analysis (or maybe you are are really good at writing and don't need to), you don't know which extracts you will be given to analyze.

Reasons to keep Latin;

- You can take Latin extension. In contrast to Latin Continuers, Almost most people will get an E4 in Latin Extension and since Latin is a high scaling language it will definitely contribute to your atar.

- You aren't learning more content. I mean you are, but its basically repetition, you are just translating section after section and practicing the grammar you've learnt rather than learning more things you might not understand (eg phys modules ect). You can start past papers almost as soon as you have done a term of latin, just making sure you skip sections for the translation you haven't done.

- You've come so far! Corny I know, but if your school is anything like mine, you will have been with them for a while and its nice to have that idk.


But TBH it really should be a passion thing. Let me know if you have other questions :)
 

...xD

Active Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2022
Messages
92
Gender
Female
HSC
2024
Look, I am being a little dramatic, I did much better in the Physics Prelim than I did in the Latin Prelim.

My reasoning to keep Latin was I do love the content, essay writing and translation and my class has stuck together through thick and thin and my teacher is absolutely amazing. I had very little passion for Physics and was struggling to keep on top of both the chemistry and physics content. My chemistry has gotten much better since dropping Physics.


Reasons to keep Physics ;

- It is MUCH harder to get a band 6 in Latin than in Physics, the cohort is much smaller and more able (since you don't take Latin all the way through to end not to be kinda good at it, most students will drop Latin after year 7/8 if they find it hard) and thus the band 6 raw mark cut off is much higher (high 80s, low 90s I believe). Remember you are competing against all the grammar kids who finished the OLC in year 10.

- You are maybe more Maths person, Latin Lit analysis and Essay writing is hard and the kids in my class who do english ext 1 definitely flourish in this part of the exam. One of the prescribed texts for next year The Aeneid Book 4 requires in depth analysis of the tragic form.

- Year 12 Latin is a lot of memorizing, you cannot translate the seen part of the exam when you get to it, you do not have time, you have to memorize it and then speed write it in the exam. If you are only doing continuers that is about 600 lines and with extension that is another 500 lines on top. You have to memorise Lit analysis (or maybe you are are really good at writing and don't need to), you don't know which extracts you will be given to analyze.

Reasons to keep Latin;

- You can take Latin extension. In contrast to Latin Continuers, Almost most people will get an E4 in Latin Extension and since Latin is a high scaling language it will definitely contribute to your atar.

- You aren't learning more content. I mean you are, but its basically repetition, you are just translating section after section and practicing the grammar you've learnt rather than learning more things you might not understand (eg phys modules ect). You can start past papers almost as soon as you have done a term of latin, just making sure you skip sections for the translation you haven't done.

- You've come so far! Corny I know, but if your school is anything like mine, you will have been with them for a while and its nice to have that idk.


But TBH it really should be a passion thing. Let me know if you have other questions :)
Thankss so much for the advice! Just another question which I have had in mind for a long time...

If it were you, would you pick a subject you are more passionate about, but doing worse in, even though you put in more time, or a less passionate subject that you are doing a bit better in with a much better/ clearer teacher?
 

HSCya1234567

Active Member
Joined
May 23, 2023
Messages
188
Gender
Female
HSC
2023
Hmmm interesting, I want to know which subjects you are tossing up between!

Again I would say I the former scenario.

Let me give you my own example. My Latin teacher, though she is an absolute legend, was not super direct about Latin Lit analysis in year 11. I was under the impression that a latin paragraph was the same as an english paragraph. I worked rather hard on my lit analysis, walked into the prelim and got 64%. I was mortified and shocked and confused and It pushed my otherwise 3rd rank to 11th, second last.

Physics, however, I didn't study much for. I knew by this point I was dropping and wanted to focus on my maths adv hsc and other subjects I knew I was going to keep. My Physics teacher is quite good. However, because I am a massive try hard, I studied a little (not nearly as much as latin) and got 84% and ranked overall second. This threw a spanner in the works, I love latin but what was the point if phys was much less effort?

But I knew I was going to be bothered if I kept Physics, since otherwise I was so adamant I was dropping it. So I worked hard and got 94% in the first year 12 exam, beating the kid who came second by 6%.


I would say passion, there are videos, and online resources that will help you get there.
 

...xD

Active Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2022
Messages
92
Gender
Female
HSC
2024
Hmmm interesting, I want to know which subjects you are tossing up between!

Again I would say I the former scenario.

Let me give you my own example. My Latin teacher, though she is an absolute legend, was not super direct about Latin Lit analysis in year 11. I was under the impression that a latin paragraph was the same as an english paragraph. I worked rather hard on my lit analysis, walked into the prelim and got 64%. I was mortified and shocked and confused and It pushed my otherwise 3rd rank to 11th, second last.

Physics, however, I didn't study much for. I knew by this point I was dropping and wanted to focus on my maths adv hsc and other subjects I knew I was going to keep. My Physics teacher is quite good. However, because I am a massive try hard, I studied a little (not nearly as much as latin) and got 84% and ranked overall second. This threw a spanner in the works, I love latin but what was the point if phys was much less effort?

But I knew I was going to be bothered if I kept Physics, since otherwise I was so adamant I was dropping it. So I worked hard and got 94% in the first year 12 exam, beating the kid who came second by 6%.


I would say passion, there are videos, and online resources that will help you get there.
Sorry for not specifying earlier, ye it is between physics and latin. Also I feel like we're from the same school hahahah
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top