Chinese Continuers 2024 HSC exam pack

Conversation

Students should:

• be prepared to communicate about 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 ideas and comment on their personal world
• respond to questions from a different perspective
• 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 Chinese to ask for repetition and/or clarification of the question.

In better responses, students were able to:

• answer questions with relevant information and in some depth to communicate
• manipulate their responses to address the requirements of the questions
• answer the questions with minimal hesitation, allowing the conversation to flow at a good pace
• speak clearly with excellent pronunciation, tones and intonation
• elaborate on their responses consistently throughout
• provide opinions and justify their responses
• respond in full sentences, using correct syntax
• use appropriate language structures and features effectively to enhance their responses, for example, 尽管……还…… 、一方面……另一方面 ……、对我来说
• accurately use tenses as required by the question
• use authentic and idiomatic expressions appropriately, for example, 目中无人、百闻不如一见、名列前茅 and三心二意.

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding a question before responding
• expanding on responses and providing more detailed explanations, rather than offering only brief or simple answers
• avoiding excessive reliance on rote-learned material that may not directly address the question
• avoiding the use of English, for example, use 请再说一遍，好吗？when asking the examiner to repeat a question
• avoiding the use of English sentence structures, such as 我们常常学习在图书馆
• using particles such as 了  and 过  that indicate past experience accurately
• using negation adverbs such as 不 and 没  correctly, for example, 我不去过中国
• using 或者 and还是 correctly, for example, 我去超市买牛奶还是面包
• using the adverb 都  correctly, for example, 都我和弟弟喜欢打板球
• using more conjunctions to form complex sentences and convey their ideas effectively, for example, 如果……就……、虽然…… 但是…….

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 beneath 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:

• demonstrate an understanding of the differences among Chinese festivals, for example, the moon and mooncakes are symbolic of the Mid-Autumn Festival (Q2)
• identify appropriate adjectives, such as helpful, sociable, and intelligent, to describe Jack, using relevant details from the text (Q4)
• provide keywords such as ‘trendy’, ‘long history and culture’ and ‘traditional performances’ in their response (Q5)
• list clear examples, such as ‘Peking Opera’ ,‘dragon dance’ and ‘going to the museum’ (Q5)
• demonstrate the ability to identify language techniques and explain their effects (Q7)
• compare the different opinions, providing accurate references to the text (Q8).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing all relevant information, especially key words such as ‘competition’ and ‘indoor’ (Q1)
• explaining the reasons with detailed information, especially the final point: ‘I held this party for her’ (Q3)
• supporting each personality trait with evidence (Q4)
• answering the question based on the information they hear, rather than making their own points (Q6)
• avoiding directly translating the audio text (Q7).

Part A

Students should:

• read the title, the questions and the whole text before responding
• use only the lines or space beneath the question for their response
• support their responses with reference to content and language, using their own words
• be succinct in their responses, 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
• 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 of 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:

• explain why the standardisation occurred (Q9b)
• evaluate the significance of Zhou's contribution, supported by extensive textual evidence (Q9c)
• use clear and concise language to outline the mother's three main concerns (Q10b)
• demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the text by answering questions with evidence drawn from the whole text
• use precise descriptive language to explain the changes in Ben's attitude toward his mum, supported by relevant textual references (Q10d).

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding the whole text before selecting the most suitable title for this article (Q9a)
• answering the questions with irrelevant information
• using the same information in responses to multiple questions
• summarising Ben’s mother’s concerns, such as ‘will the son’s future wife meet her standards,’ rather than translating the text literally (Q10b)                                           
• identifying all areas of Ben’s life that have been influenced by his mum, such as ‘despite his objections, Ben is forced to attend blind dates arranged by his mum’ (Q10c)
• using relevant textual references to justify each change in Ben’s attitude towards his mum (Q10d).

Part B

• Students should:
• read the whole text in order to respond fully to the question
• plan effectively to organise their thoughts, paying attention to context, purpose and audience, as well as the type of text required by the question
• use the conventions of the type of text required by the question
• demonstrate understanding of the whole text in their response
• focus on all relevant information and key points raised in the text in order to respond to comments made, requests for advice, issues discussed, and observations made
• provide a creative and authentic response in relation to the text and the question
• use the appropriate register throughout the response
• use a variety of vocabulary and expressions and a range of grammatical structures
• edit their work to ensure clarity of the response.
• In better responses, students were able to:
• state their arguments explicitly, such as ‘prefer staying in the school dorm’ or ‘would rather stay with a host family’  
• respond to all key points mentioned in the text, such as ‘going to the classroom to study’ and ‘treating the dorm as their own home’
• use authentic and sophisticated language to justify their arguments, such as 一寸光阴一寸金、近朱者赤，近墨者黑 and 一石二鸟
• structure and sequence the response effectively.
• Areas for students to improve include:
• ensuring a correct understanding of the text, such as Mark going to China and needing to make a decision about his accommodation, rather than assuming he has already moved into the dorm
• responding to the ideas and opinions in the text, rather than introducing irrelevant ones, such as only discussing the benefits of staying with a host family
• using Chinese sayings or idioms appropriately.

Question 12

Students should:

• read the question carefully and address all parts of the question
• use the appropriate register and conventions of the type of text
• commence and conclude appropriately
• use the correct tense for the requirements of the question
• sequence their response logically for maximum effect
• use the dictionary effectively by selecting vocabulary to suit the context
• adhere to the suggested word length
• proofread and edit their work.

In better responses, students were able to:

• use sophisticated grammar structures that are generally accurate
• write creatively and authentically, including relevant content to promote 'Sports Day' and sportsmanship, such as relaxation, teamwork, and cooperation.

Areas for students to improve include:

• familiarising with the format of a notice
• understanding the difference between a notice and a note.

Question 13

Students should:

• read the question carefully and address all parts of the question
• plan their response to ensure a clear structure and sequence
• use the appropriate register and conventions of the type of text required
• commence and conclude 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
• adhere to the suggested word length
• proofread and edit their work.

In better responses, students were able to:

• address all parts of the questions, for example, ‘helped a tourist’, ‘Chinatown’ (Q13a), ‘coaching young children’ and ‘an activity that you are passionate about’ (Q13b)
• reflect on the experience deeply, for example, what they learned from it and how it has influenced their life
• demonstrate strong control of a range of language structures and vocabulary, for example, 我心中充满了温暖、 宝贵的人生道理 、 三人行，必有我师.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing more depth to the response by reflecting on the experience, rather than simply recounting it
• explaining how the tourist was helped, rather than describing tourist events
• using the correct format for a diary entry.