LEAVING CERT CLASSICAL STUDIES/LATIN:STUDENTS OF Classical Studies were both pleased and relieved coming out of yesterday's Leaving Cert exam. The higher level paper was, "reasonably predictable" but not without its awkward questions, according to the ASTI's Jim O'Dea.

There was relief for students who opted for the question on the Roman Republic this year, after the uproar over the, "miserable and awkward question" on that topic last year according to Mr O'Dea. A question on the drinking habits of Alexander the Great may have tripped up some students, but overall the higher level paper was received well.

A similar mixture of satisfactory and difficult questions was to be found at ordinary level. "I thought that the first question on Medea would have been more suitable for higher level," Mr O'Dea said.

Students sitting the higher level Latin papers were tested with a challenging translation question and a long prose section at higher level, according to Mr O'Dea, but the history questions were described as "lovely."