A-levels: at the Quintiliano Classical School, and at the Science School, students will study the water level of Lake Bracciano and a function

For the 527,000 Italian sixth-formers sitting their A-levels, today is the day of the second written paper of the A-level exams, following the first half of the exam: the national Italian language paper.

The exam began at 8.30 am. At the Classico, in the Latin paper, students are required to translate a passage by Quintilian. The passage is taken from Book I of the *Institutio oratoria*, a work that represents one of the most mature pedagogical treatises of antiquity. In this passage, the author addresses the theme of music as the foundation for training the perfect orator. Students are required to demonstrate their understanding and interpretation of the text, carry out a linguistic and stylistic analysis, and provide in-depth analysis and personal reflections.

Pupils at the Science School must sit the mathematics exam. The first problem concerns measurements taken at Lake Bracciano, situated north of Rome, from which water was drawn in 2016 and 2017 and which is used as an emergency water reserve for neighbouring municipalities and for Rome’s water supply. In 2017, it was decided to suspend these withdrawals, a suspension that remains in place today. A-level students are asked to carry out a series of measurements using the data presented in a table, and to define the mathematical model that describes the trend in the lake’s water level as a function of time. The second problem is a function study presented in its classical form.

This is followed by a series of questions. According to Skuola.net, among the eight (students are asked to choose four) there are other real-life scenarios. One concerns the 1976 Friuli earthquake; others relate to leisure and sport: a volleyball tournament and a game of scopone, and the game ‘Cover the spot’ is also mentioned.

At the Linguistic High School, in the written composition section of the English exam, the Ministry of Education asked candidates to discuss the recent Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, drawing on the opening address by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres. The pupils were asked to write an article for the school newspaper focusing on sport as a universal vehicle for fair play, respect, teamwork and the realisation of human potential. The Linguistic stream exam – as revealed by Skuola.net – also features, in the reading comprehension section, an informative essay on the bioethical debate surrounding GMOs and an extract from the famous novel *On Beauty* by the writer Zadie Smith.