Practice Exams (1 Viewer)

[thatjazz]

Fellow Ancient Historians,

Because we're the first to study the Pompeii/Herculaneum unit, it's going to be a bit tougher without examples of past papers to help us to get an idea of how it's examined. At the moment, all I have to refer to is my trial exam and the specimen paper produced by the Board of Studies, and would like more to feel confident!

I was wondering if anyone would like to post the questions in their trials (because I'm sure for a lot of us it was different - my school changed the exam, for instance) and that way we can get a better understanding of what certain questions will be worth?

 

[xeuyrawp]

Good idea - I've been meaning to put up a practice exam question thread.

 

[Bushrat]

Our trial questions were along the lines of:

A picture was supplied of the Bakery of Modestus, and we had to identify it as that...and name two features of the building, e.g the oven or mills, for grinding the wheat.

The next question featured a fresco of a troupe of actors and the Herculaneum baths. The question asked you to discuss Pompeii and Herculaneum leisure activities with reference to the sources.

The last question included a source about the conservation of Pompeii, and asked you discuss the contributions of Italian and International archaologists. It was an ethics question, basically about the conservation and study of Pompeii.

I think in the exam they will ask a detailed knowledge question, e.g name a building and its function, a question about daily life of the Pompeiians and Herculaneums and definately one about the ethics whether it be of conservation of the site or display of the bodies. I feel as though I am missing a question but I cannot remember.

 

[thatjazz]

Our Trial Exam went something like this:

Question 1
To Marcus Holconius Rufus, son of Marcus, duumvir with the judicial power five times, twice quinquennial, military tribune by popular demand, priest of Augustus, patron of the colony, by decree of the town councillors.

a) Which Emperor is referred to (1 mark)
b) Name two positions held by Marcus (2 marks)

Question 2
A mosiac showing various gladiators
c) Using Source 2 and your own knowledge, descrive four types of Gladiator (4 marks)

Question 3
A relief from a coppersmith's workshop; a photo of an olive press
d) Using Sources 3 and 4 and your knowledge of other sources, interpret what these reveal about the industries of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Question 4
Picture of the Baths from Herculaneum
e) Using Source 5 and your knowledge of other sources -

i. Explain the structure of a typical Roman Bath, and
ii. Explain the role of Baths in Roman social life.


With the exception of the first two questions, our teachers made this paper up. And I think it's quite likely we'd get questions on either the Gladiators or the Baths; being the first for this syllabus I am sure they'd go easy on us...?

 

[Dio-Rama]

first question- same as thatjazz

second question- using the source, identify the major components of the baths.

third question- using two pictures (sketch drawing, a frieze) identify and explain the roles of the forum.

fourth question- name and explain the roles of a nighteenth and twentieth century archaeologist, and what they have contributed to our knowledge adn understanding of pompeii and herculaneum.

something along those lines anyway....

 

[timobr0]

first question- same as thatjazz

second question- using the source, identify the major components of the baths.

third question- using two pictures (sketch drawing, a frieze) identify and explain the roles of the forum.

fourth question- name and explain the roles of a nighteenth and twentieth century archaeologist, and what they have contributed to our knowledge adn understanding of pompeii and herculaneum.

something along those lines anyway....

mine was the same

 

[karoooh]

1. Source: Extract from 'Letters to Tacitus':

a. Why did Pliny the Elder take the fleet to Stabiae. (1)
b. List 2 features of the eruption of Mount Vessuvius as described by Pliny the Younger. (2)

Source 2: Entrance to House of the Grnad Portal, Herculaneum

c. Using Source 2, describe the main features of a domus (town house) in Herculaneum. (4)

2. Source 3: Apodyterium (change room), Suburban Thermae (Public Baths), Herculaneum.
Source 4: Caldarium (hot room), Forum Thermae, Pompeii.

Using sources 3 and 4 and your knowledge of other sources, interpret what these reveal about the thermae (bath houses) in Pompeii and/or Herculaneum. (8)

3. Source 5: (Picture of) Excavations at Pompeii. (10)

Using source 5 and other sources, explain how and why archaeological priorities have changed at Pompeii and Herculaneum.

 

[iLLUME]

Yes I had similar questions to you guys. Although the question on the gladiators surprises me. We have done no specific work on gladiators apart from maybe a very small bit when looking at the amphitheatre. I can't really see where gladiators comes into the sylabus Has everyone else done work on the gladiators??

c) Using Source 2 and your own knowledge, descrive four types of Gladiator (4 marks) :|

 

[nadinetannous]

Not much work on gladiators and the syllabus does not mention it anywhere. I find that question very worrying and am pretty confident that a question like that mentioned above will not be asked in the HSC.

 

[karoooh]

We've learnt the types of gladiators there were, the common fights that took place, some weapons used and what happened during the fights.

But agreed about it not being in the syllabus - Maybe it comes in under social structure.

I've just realised, after looking through the syllabus, that I know little/nothing/we didn't go over in class about the social structure, the fora and the private buildings. And that I haven't really done much indepth study on the last 2 points of the 3rd section. :S

 

[Dio-Rama]

i had to do an assessment speech on the gladiators. it went quite in depth as well, it comes under entertainment in the textbook that we were given.

 

[iLLUME]

I've just realised, after looking through the syllabus, that I know little/nothing/we didn't go over in class about the social structure, the fora and the private buildings. And that I haven't really done much indepth study on the last 2 points of the 3rd section. :S

You should know the 3rd section quite well as our teacher said the last question (10 marker) would probably come from that section (as it does in the sample paper). For the conservation section, look at what caused the need for such conservation and the attempts from Italian and world-wide groups to shore up the sites (such as The British School at Rome).

I also have no idea what the fora is? Could anyone help us out a bit?

 

[dandel26]

Fora is the plural of Forum. Refering to the main Forum in pompeii and the Triangular forum, is there another?

 

[iLLUME]

aaah thanks mate

 

[$hiftyIceQueen]

my teacher gave us an assignment about the social structure, religion and lesiure activities...but the following are:

the Catholic Trials
1a] What was the function of this building? [bakery-1 mark]
1b] List TWO features of this building. [2 marks]
1c] Describe the main features of an atrium in Pompeii. [4 marks]
2] Using sources 3+4+your own knowledge of other sources, interpret what these reveal about leisure activites in P +/or H. [8marks]
3]Using source 5 + other sources, evaluate Italian + international contributions to the conservation of P + H. [10 marks]

the Inderpendant Trials
1a] Which Roman Emperor is refered to in the inscription? [Augustus-1 Mark]
1b] Name TWO positions held by Marcus Holconius Rufus. [2 marks- answer in the source]
1c] Using Source 2, describe the main features of baths at Herculameum [4 marks]
2] Using sources 3+4+your own knowledge of other sources, interpret what these reveal about the activities in the Forum at Pompeii [8 marks- source 3-plan of the forum at pompeii, source 4- frieze from the PRAEDIA (Estate) of Julia Felix]
3] Using source 5 + other sources you have studied, evaluate the changing methods and contributions of at least ONE 19th century + ONE 20th century archaeologist to our understanding of P + H. [10 marks]

 

[dandel26]

^^^^
sweet