Armenian Continuers 2024 HSC exam pack (archive)

Conversation

Students should:

• be prepared to communicate on a variety of topics relating to their personal world
• elaborate and provide relevant details to address the questions in a way that engages with the examiner
• use a range of vocabulary, expressions and language structures to respond appropriately to the questions
• provide information, express and justify opinions, and comment on their personal world
• be prepared to respond to questions from a different perspective
• be prepared to respond to questions that relate to past, present and future aspects of their personal world
• avoid repetition of the same vocabulary, phrases and expressions
• manipulate the language to fulfil the requirements of the question
• be prepared to be interrupted by the examiner
• use Armenian to ask for repetition and/or clarification of the question.

In better responses, students were able to:

• speak clearly with appropriate pronunciation, syntax, register and intonation
• answer the questions with minimal hesitation, allowing the conversation to flow at a good pace
• answer questions with relevant information and in some depth, for example, to communicate feelings, provide opinions and justify their responses
• address the requirements of the question
• elaborate on their responses without extra prompts from the examiner
• respond in full sentences, using compound and complex sentences
• use language structures and features effectively to enhance their responses, for example, Մանկութիւնը մի թռչուն է, թելով կապուած մեր սրտերից … Ազատ ժամանակս շատ սահմանափակ է, սերտորէն կապուած է խրթին և բարդ նիւթ է …
• demonstrate knowledge of a wide range of vocabulary, for example, աշխարհահայաց, Հնապահպանութիւնշ, ճարտարարուեստշ, շրջահայաց, գերակշռող, հաւասարակշռութիւն, շեղել ․․․
• respond using tenses as required by the question
• use authentic and idiomatic expressions appropriately, for example, Ձեռքերդ դալար, և Անուշ լինի, ինքնարարել աննման գրքեր.

Areas for students to improve include:

• avoiding long pauses between responses
• practising reading aloud for authentic pronunciation and intonation
• responding using clauses and full sentences rather than single words to express ideas and opinions.

Discussion

In preparation for the Discussion

Students should:

• choose a topic that has good quality reference texts and sources available
• ensure they refer to at least three texts in their research
• ensure that one of the texts used in their research is a literary source.

During the Discussion examination

Students should:

• support their discussion with evidence from the texts they have sourced
• express and justify opinions and points of view on the topic of in-depth study
• reflect on their research findings to help them express opinions or develop new perceptions about their topic of in-depth study
• manipulate language to respond in a coherent and logical way to the questions asked
• use a variety of relevant vocabulary, grammar, sentence structures and expressions
• avoid responding with pre-prepared answers that do not address the question asked
• avoid relying on general knowledge about the topic of in-depth study.

In better responses, students were able to:

• ensure that sources chosen were relevant to the topic of in-depth study
• compare the validity and reliability of their texts
• refer to their sources and comment on how each source contributed to their understanding of the in-depth topic
• discuss how their research influenced their views and helped them gain a better understanding of the in-depth topic
• take an analytical approach to the texts studied rather than just memorising information from the texts
• provide logical and well-structured responses to questions
• develop insightful conclusions regarding issues raised in their research
• use specific vocabulary and expressions relating to the topic, for example, հայ ինքնութեան կերտման վրայ, ամէնա էական գաղափարը ․․․
• use complex sentences and suitable idiomatic expressions to strengthen and support their opinions, for example,  Հայ Ինքնութեան կերտման վրայ , ամէնա էական գաղափարը
• respond using a high level of grammatical accuracy, sophisticated vocabulary and expressions, for example, Ինքնութեան թուլացման սարսափկար, հայրենասիրական ոգին և փառք է առաջացնուaeմ
• manipulate the language effectively to support their ideas and justify their point of view, for example, Ինքնութեան թուլացման սարսափկար, հայրենասիրական ոգին և փառք է առաջացնում.

Areas for students to improve include:

• choosing topics from syllabus prescribed topics
• discussing the pros and cons of the issues raised in their research
• avoiding the use of only websites as research sources.

Listening and Responding

Students should:

• make notes in the Candidate’s Notes column on the right-hand side of the page
• read the question carefully and respond to all parts of the question
• support their responses with relevant evidence from the text
• transcribe their response onto the lines, using the space allocated under the question
• use the number of lines as an indication of the required length of the response
• support their responses with reference to relevant content and language, using their own words
• avoid translating the text as part of their response.

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify that gym a membership would be given as a gift for the mother’s birthday (Q1a)
• present the argument that the son and daughter will cook once or twice a week and eat at a restaurant on occasions to convince the mother to accept the gift (Q1b)
• identify that the source of Tamar’s frustration is because of her long working hours and having missed dinner with her father again (Q2a)
• present all aspects of the father’s advice, identifying that Tamar needs to change her approach and be stricter with her students, look after her health and spend time with family and friends (Q2b)
• provide all the suggested solutions to resolve the problem of the behaviour of birds in the community parks (Q3a)
• provide all the reasons why Mr Markarian is interviewed, presenting Mr Markarian’s explanation for the behaviour of the birds and including that crows are important to the environment and that habitat change forces birds to move to community parks where they become aggressive, territorial and sometimes dangerous to humans (Q3b)
• identify that the reason Silvy does not attend is that she is unwell, for example, առողջական խնդիրներու պատճառով (Q4a)
• explain Silvy’s proposal, for example, Առցանց հղումը ուղարկեն իրեն, կը խօստանայ մասնակցիլ ապագայ դասընթացքներուն (Q4b)
• identify that Saro’s parents decided to move as life is less stressful and house prices are more affordable, for example, Կեանքը աւելի հանդարտ է ու տան գիները աւելի մատչելի (Q5a)
• take a stance and say that Saro is unlikely to move and give all the reasons why not, for example, Ցանկութիւն չունի ընկերներին ու համալսարանը կիսատ թողնել, դժուար է նոր աշխատանք գտնել, մանկութեան յուշերը կապուած են ապրած վայրում (Q5b)
• identify feelings of missing each other and longing, for example, Կարօտած և սիրալիր – արդեն դէմքդ ալ մոռցեր եմ, աչքէ հեռու, սրտէ հեռու (Q6a)
• provide a full comparison that included both the similarities and differences of each speaker’s argument, demonstrating understanding that Satig is finally convinced to spend Christmas in Europe, for example, Երկուքն ալ խօսին նոր փորձառութիւններու մասին, Արմէնը կը նկարագրէ ձմռան գեղեցկութիւնը ու Սուրբ Ծննդեան սովորութիւները Եւրոպայում։ Սաթիկը նոր փորձառութիւններ Աւստրալիաում ... Տաք արև, ովկիանոսի ափին (Q6b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• editing responses to ensure that sentence structures and expressions written either in Armenian or English are accurate
• ensuring that they refer to both content and language when required by the question
• avoiding long, unpunctuated sentences and paragraphs
• responding in the language required by the question.

Reading and Responding – Part A

Students should:

• read the title, questions and the whole text before responding
• provide their response only in the lines or space under the relevant question
• support responses with reference to content and language, using their own words
• be succinct, addressing the relevant details required by the question and avoiding repetition
• focus on key words in the question, for example, ‘how’, ‘why’, ‘explain’, ‘justify’, and respond in relation to the context of the text
• read the whole text to understand all the relevant information and ideas
• identify the key issue(s) and provide examples to substantiate their response when asked to analyse or evaluate information
• draw a conclusion or justify a point of view using their own words
• provide a succinct response to the main points or ideas when asked to summarise
• avoid providing a literal translation of text
• use the dictionary appropriately to find the correct meaning of the word(s) or expressions in context.

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify that the title ‘Concert of colours’ is a metaphor for the exhibition of artworks based on the season of Autumn and the colours associated with it (Q7a)
• provide both similarities and differences in their comparison of the opinions of the two interviewees about the exhibition (Q7b)
• refer to both language and content, and not just recount what the interviewees said (Q7b)
• demonstrate understanding of language features such as metaphors, similes, idioms, for example, Ճանաչել բնութեան գաղթնիքները, and refer to and explain them in English (Q7b)
• understand that the saying ‘beauty will save the world’ is not meant to be taken literally as, in the context, the saying means that when experiencing beauty, people forget their daily worries and stresses (Q7c)
• explain that the reporter was convinced by the truth of the saying after having attended the exhibition and also by the feedback from the interviewees (Q7c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• avoiding general comments and expressions without reference to the text
• ensuring that they support their responses with reference to the text
• comparing and contrasting the opinions and views of the two interviewees and the conclusions drawn by the reporter.

Reading and Responding – Part B

Students should:

• respond to the question asked in relation to the text
• read the entire text in order to respond fully to the question
• use the conventions of the type of text required by the question
• demonstrate understanding of the whole text in their response and not just respond to questions asked in the text
• focus on all relevant information and key points raised in the text to respond to comments made, requests for advice, issues discussed, and observations made
• use the appropriate register throughout the response
• provide a creative and authentic response in relation to the text and question
• use a variety of vocabulary and expressions and a range of grammatical structures
• plan effectively to organise their thoughts, paying attention to purpose, audience, context and the type of text required by question
• edit their work to ensure the response is clear.

In better responses, students were able to:

• use the text conventions of an email written by Lucine
• refer to the difficulty of living independently, for example, Ամէն ինչ պայծառ պիտի ըլլար ու մեղր ու շաքարի նման պիտի ընթանար ․․․ չարաչար սխալուըցայ ․․․
• address all the issues of living with Shoushan, for example, կան ընկերներ հազար արժեն, կան ընկերներ մէկ չարժեն ․․․
• identify that Shoushan is the kind of person who ‘does not do anything for nothing’
• demonstrate understanding of expressions and idioms used in the text, for example, ‘you have to live with a person to know them well’, ‘You will only find free cheese in a mouse trap’, ‘the grass is greener on the other side’
• include text in their response that would prompt Garo to say that it is not a good idea to rent another apartment with someone else.

Areas for students to improve include:

• using the text conventions of an email
• referring to issues raised in the whole text in their response
• revising correct use of the infinitive verb
• revising vocabulary and sentence structure
• writing legibly.

Writing in Armenian

Students should:

• read the question carefully and address all parts of the question
• plan their response to ensure it has a clear structure and sequence
• use the appropriate register and conventions of the type of text required
• commence and conclude the text appropriately
• manipulate the language to suit the requirements of the task
• use a variety of tenses, phrases and structures appropriate to the requirements of the question
• use the dictionary effectively by selecting vocabulary to suit the context
• proofread and edit their work
• adhere to the suggested word length.

In better responses, students were able to:

• use conventions of the required text type, for example, article (Q9) and short story (Q10)
• identify changes ‘in society’rather than recounting changes in their personal lives (Q9)
• use the language of evaluation when discussing the changes or expressing an opinion on them, for example, ինձ տալիս է ստեղծագործական անսպառ հնարաւորութիուն ... (Q9)
• maintain the voice of the animal and its experiences in the zoo throughout the response (Q10)
• adhere to the word limit of the question.

Areas for students to improve include:

• responding to the key words of the question, for example, ‘evaluating these changes’ in society (Q9)
• avoiding the inclusion of information that is not required by the question and exceeding the word limit
• writing clearly in the Armenian script.