Armenian Continuers 2017 HSC exam pack (archive)

General feedback

Students should:

• use a range of strategies to communicate information, opinions and experiences in Armenian.

Students should expect to:

• respond to a variety of questions in relation to their personal world during the seven minute conversation
• answer questions in depth using a range of grammar, vocabulary and sentence structures
• demonstrate an ability to manipulate the language to respond appropriately to the questions.

Student strengths

In better responses, students were able to:

• respond in depth to a range of questions
• demonstrate the capacity to express, justify and reflect on their personal world
• respond to questions with relevant information
• demonstrate fluency, correct intonation and pronunciation
• manipulate language using accurate grammar, and a variety of vocabulary and sentence structures.

General feedback

Students should:

• link their texts and research findings to support their discussion on the in-depth topic
• refer to at least three texts, one of which needs to be a literary text (film, novel, play or poem) as stipulated by the syllabus
• refer to their texts to analyse, evaluate and reflect on their topic.

Students should expect to:

• respond to a variety of questions in relation to their chosen in-depth study topic during the eight minute discussion
• demonstrate evidence of their research into their topic and the texts that they sourced
• express and justify opinions and points of view on the in-depth study topic.

Student strengths

In better responses, students were able to:

• select topics that allowed them to support their research with appropriate texts of quality
• select at least ONE literary text
• respond appropriately to the questions asked
• explicitly link the texts to the topic chosen
• make specific and perceptive references to texts
• synthesise information researched, using it to support their point of view
• demonstrate a high level of grammatical accuracy and a variety of vocabulary and sentence structures.

Students should:

• attempt all questions
• respond to all parts of a question
• expect to support their responses with evidence from the texts (spoken or written)
• use their own words in their responses regardless of whether the response is in English or Armenian
• respond in the language indicated by the question and section of the examination, that is, English or Armenian
• provide an explanation for a quote taken from spoken or written texts and used in response
• explain why language examples are given and not just list literary devices
• respect the conventions of the text type that they are using in the response
• follow the word limit indicated in the question
• understand that the number of lines given are a guide to length of required response
• use a dictionary appropriately to obtain meaning in context
• make notes in the appropriate space provided in the Listening section of the examination
• write responses in the space and lines provided throughout the whole examination.

Students can prepare for this examination by:

• listening to radio programs and podcasts in Armenian
• watching films, TV programs in Armenian
• reading magazines, newspapers, short stories and novels in Armenian
• engaging with Armenian speakers and practising Armenian in formal and informal settings
• revising grammar and extending their vocabulary
• practising using dictionaries to extend knowledge of meaning of words, expressions and idioms.

In better responses, students were able to:

• respond to all the components of the question
• include evidence from the text to support answers
• provide relevant examples from the text in English
• identify tone, emotive expressions and various language techniques.

Question 1

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify the change in the genre of Van’s latest book as the reason for low sales and for the speaker’s doubts about Van’s future popularity.

Question 2 (b) 

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify all the father’s feelings about the daughter’s plans and support response with evidence from the text.

In better responses, students were able to:

• give all relevant details in response to the question
• translate and explain in English any quotes referred to from text
• compare the different ideas and points of view presented in the blogs
• evaluate the information in the whole text
• understand that Anna’s plight is due to her own doing and unlike Vardan’s situation.

In better responses, students were able to:

• use their own words and not transcribe the Armenian text as part of their answer
• use correct grammar and sentence structure in Armenian.

Question 4

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify all the reasons why the speaker thinks Hayk will be successful.

Question 5

In better responses, students were able to:

• name the feelings correctly in Armenian
• use the correct vocabulary in Armenian to express that Garine was initially upset, then more sympathetic and then grateful.

Question 6

In better responses, students were able to:

• compare the speakers’ views about the Armenian language
• explain how the speakers’ conveyed their views by referring to the language they used
• support their response by referring to the text using their own words
• understand that the interviewer had a change of attitude by the end of the interview
• appreciate that the interviewer was influenced by Lucy’s hopefulness for the future.

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate understanding of the main points of the stimulus text using their own words
• describe, explain, present and express a point of view or opinion when writing in Armenian
• write in Armenian using correct grammar, language structures, tenses and vocabulary
• use the correct text type – an email
• manipulate the language creatively to meet the requirements of the task.

In better responses, students were able to:

• use the conventions of the text type of a script for a speech or an article
• manipulate language structures to express ideas, opinions and points of view
• use appropriate language, literary devices and vocabulary to effectively persuade
• write in grammatically correct Armenian.