Specification at a glance

This qualification is linear. Linear means that students will sit all their exams at the end of the course.

Subject content

  • 1. Unseen translation, comprehension, pointing and composition
  • 2. Prose literature and poetry
  • 3. Grammar
  • 4. Vocabulary
  • 5. Works

Assessments

Paper 1: Translation, comprehension and composition (language)

What's assessed

  • Unseen prose (translation, comprehension and pointing).
  • Unseen poetry (translation and comprehension).
  • Composition.

How it's assessed

  • Written exam: 3 hours
  • 150 marks
  • 50% of A-level

Questions

The translation, comprehension and composition question paper has three sections. Students answer all sections.

In Section A, students will:

  • translate a passage of unseen prose into English (20 marks)
  • answer comprehension and grammar questions on a passage of unseen prose (25 marks)
  • point a passage of unseen prose (5 marks).

In Section B, students will:

  • translate a passage of unseen poetry into English (25 marks)
  • answer comprehension and grammar questions on a passage of unseen poetry (25 marks).

In Section C, students will translate a passage of approximately 100 words in length into pointed Biblical Hebrew ( 50 marks).

No access to a dictionary during the assessment.

Paper 2: Prose literature

What's assessed

  • Set text comprehension, translation and analysis (set texts 1 and 2).
  • Set text essay (set text 2).
  • AO2 and AO3.
Students also study additional literature in translation in order to understand the context from which the set texts have been taken.

How it's assessed

  • Written exam: 2 hours
  • 75 marks
  • 25% of A-level

Questions

The prose literature paper has three sections. Students answer all sections.

In section A students will:

  • answer comprehension and grammar questions on set text 1 (10 marks)
  • translate a passage from set text 1 (5 marks)
  • answer a question analysing literary style, characterisation, argument and literary meaning on set text 1 (15 marks).

In section B students will:

  • answer comprehension and grammar questions on set text 2 (5 marks)
  • translate a passage from set text 2 (5 marks)
  • answer a question analysing literary style, characterisation, argument and literary meaning on set text 2 (15 marks).

In section C students will write an essay which draws upon material from set text 2 and the material read in translation (20 marks).

No access to texts during the assessment.

No access to a dictionary during the assessment.

Students are advised to write approximately 500 words per essay.

Paper 3: Poetry

What's assessed

  • Set text comprehension, translation and analysis (set texts 3 and 4).
  • Set text essay (set text 4).
  • AO2 and AO3.
Students also study additional literature in translation in order to understand the context from which the set texts have been taken.

How it's assessed

  • Written exam: 2 hours
  • 75 marks
  • 25% of A-level

Questions

The poetry paper has three sections. Students answer all sections.

In section A students will:

  • answer comprehension and grammar questions on set text 3 (10 marks)
  • translate a passage from set text 3 (5 marks)
  • answer a question analysing literary style, characterisation, argument and literary meaning on set text 3 (15 marks).

In section B candidates will:

  • answer comprehension and grammar questions on set text 4 (5 marks)
  • translate a passage from set text 4 (5 marks)
  • answer a question analysing literary style, characterisation, argument and literary meaning on set text 4 (15 marks).

In section C candidates will write an essay which draws upon material from set text 4 and the material read in translation (20 marks).

No access to texts during the assessment.

No access to a dictionary during the assessment.

Students are advised to write approximately 500 words per essay.