Chinese and Literature 2024 HSC exam pack

Part A

Students should:

• make notes in the Candidate’s Notes column on the right-hand side of the page
• transcribe their response onto the lines, using the space allocated beneath the question
• respond in English required by the question
• use their own words and not translate segments of the text as part of their response
• refer to content and language if required by the question, and give examples from the text to support their response
• focus on key words in the question, for example, ‘how’, ‘why’, ‘explain’, ‘justify’ and provide relevant responses
• have knowledge of the prescribed themes and the related issues as well as the prescribed texts for study.

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate an excellent understanding of the reasons why Professor Wang is being interviewed (Q1a)
• identify benefits of lifelong learning and provide at least two sub-points for each benefit (Q1b)
• analyse how Professor Wang tries to convince his audience by identifying the language techniques and content he uses and explaining their effects (Q1c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing reasons why Professor Wang is being interviewed, rather than just one (Q1a)
• identifying multiple benefits, rather than just one or two, that people can gain from Professor Wang's advice (Q1b)
• avoiding spelling errors in language techniques such as idioms, anecdotes, high modality, and quotations (Q1c).

Part B

Students should:

• respond in Chinese as required by the question
• use their own words and not translate segments of the text as part of their response
• demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the prescribed themes and the related issues raised in the texts
• support their response with appropriate examples and textual references
• ensure their response provides all the relevant information to fully answer the question
• manipulate the language authentically according to the context, purpose and audience of the question
• apply the conventions of the type of text required by the question
• adhere to the suggested number of words and/or characters.

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify positive and negative aspects of a child taking either the father's or the mother's surname
• discuss the issues raised in the texts by comparing and contrasting the information and ideas effectively
• use language effectively and authentically, incorporating sophisticated vocabulary and expressions
• use the correct format for a letter.

Areas for students to improve include:

• avoiding directly copying or retelling from the two stimulus texts
• comparing and contrasting effectively using information from both texts
• avoiding including irrelevant information that is not mentioned in the texts
• using the correct text type as required by the question, ensuring they include a proper salutation at the beginning and sign-off at the end of the letter
• ensuring their opinions are clear and consistent
• accurate writing of Chinese characters
• consistent writing style throughout their responses.

Part A

Students should:

• respond in either English or Chinese as required by the question
• address all parts of the question
• identify the key issue(s) and provide examples to substantiate their response when asked to analyse or evaluate information
• demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the prescribed texts, themes and prescribed issues
• use appropriate textual references to support their ideas and point(s) of view
• structure and sequence information and ideas in a coherent and logical manner
• demonstrate control of vocabulary and appropriate language structures
• avoid giving a literal translation of text(s) as part of the response
• use only the lines allocated for the question.

In better responses, students were able to:

• apply the idiom to the scenario by relating it to the girl's argument about the environmental harm caused by disposable chopsticks, explaining that her message is essentially wasted on the waiter (Q3a)
• provide a perceptive and detailed analysis of the restaurant owner's reaction, covering all three distinct reactions with relevant references to the text (Q3b)
• demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the author’s use of language features to portray various attitudes toward environmental protection (Q3c)
• demonstrate a thorough understanding of the link between social environments and how they affect people's views on life (Q4)
• analyse how the characters Meng Xiaojun and Feng Laoer reflect the statement (Q4)
• discuss how the language features and content are used in the two prescribed texts to convey meaning (Q4)
• justify arguments by using relevant textual references (Q4)
• present a logical and coherent argument that is well-sequenced (Q4)
• use highly sophisticated vocabulary and structures to express ideas (Q4).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing a full explanation of the meaning of the idiom Chang Chunlin uses (Q3a)
• using textual references to support the restaurant owner’s reaction (Q3b)
• using extensive and specific examples from both the extract and Chapter 3, demonstrating a nuanced understanding of the texts (Q3c)
• understanding of the key concept of views on life as a system of values rather than as a personality trait (Q4)
• analysing, rather than storytelling, how people's views on life are often affected by social environments (Q4)
• supporting the answer with relevant and appropriate textual references (Q4).

Part B

Students should:

• respond in Chinese as required by the question
• apply the conventions of the type of text required by the question
• take a stance on the issue(s) raised in the text and substantiate a point of view with evidence from the text
• demonstrate understanding of the whole text
• demonstrate control of vocabulary and appropriate language structures.

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly clarify and explicitly state that ‘studying dialects abroad is necessary’
• structure their answer logically and effectively, with a clear introduction, main ideas, and a concise conclusion
• identify and reflect on all the issues raised in the text
• maintain a clear perspective and logically consistent reasoning throughout the response
• evaluate and analyse the main information from the article, and draw conclusions regarding language preservation and cultural identity
• develop an insightful analysis of the broader social and cultural implications of language choices
• explore multiple aspects of the debate while maintaining focus on their own argument
• support arguments by using appropriate textual references, and incorporating examples and evidence
• use sophisticated vocabulary, complex sentence structures, and a variety of conjunctions and connectors
• link viewpoints coherently across paragraphs
• use the correct format for a diary entry.

Areas for students to improve include:

• ensuring that they clearly identify the main issue presented in the text
• developing arguments that are cohesive and have a clear and logical progression
• creating a coherent argument, rather than summarising, recounting, or paraphrasing the content of the text
• avoiding answering the question by solely relying on personal experiences and anecdotes
• developing a deeper analysis of evidence, rather than surface-level observations
• strengthening the connections between ideas across paragraphs
• arguing with concise and consistent viewpoints, supported by textual references to address the main issues
• ensuring that they do not focus solely on one side's information while ignoring other aspects in their argument
• ensuring that they cover all the viewpoints in the article, rather than quoting only partial textual references
• avoiding directly copying or minimally paraphrasing from the source material
• organising arguments and analysis in a clear layout, rather than presenting confusing or contradictory information and opinions
• using grammatically correct and sophisticated language.

Students should:

• apply the conventions of the type of text required by the question
• maintain appropriate register
• write on the issue(s) addressed in the question
• demonstrate originality in the development and sequence of information and ideas
• demonstrate control of vocabulary and language structures suitable to the issue(s) discussed in their response
• adhere to the word and/or character limit of the question.

In better responses, students were able to:

• adhere to the structural conventions of a speech: introduction, body, and conclusion
• present ideas and information in a clear and logical sequence, using 首先, 其次, 还有, and 最后
• use topic sentences to organise the content of the text in a coherent manner
• demonstrate a deep understanding of the issues raised by the questions, for example, 有压力才会有成长的方向，有压力才会有成长的动力，有压力才能挖掘成长的潜能 (Q6),家和万事兴，有家才有国 (Q7)
• respond to the question with a distinct viewpoint and relevant ideas and information, reinforced by evidence
• maintain consistency in addressing the context, purpose, and audience throughout their extended response
• create a convincing, logical, and well-founded argument to support their response
• demonstrate proficiency in effectively controlling vocabulary and language structures appropriate for the topics addressed in the response.

Areas for students to improve include:

• ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the topic in the question and relevant contemporary issues
• presenting an argument that is clearly related to the question
• structuring texts in a thoughtful and logical way, and backing up their responses with relevant examples and evidence
• demonstrating higher-order thinking in the responses by organising ideas and information in a logical and cohesive manner
• producing texts with proficiency in vocabulary, grammar, and language structures.