Classical Hebrew Continuers 2025 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• use the marks allocated to a question as an indication of the depth and length of response required
• focus on key words to address the requirements of the question, for example, explain, account for, compare, analyse, assess
• address all parts of the question, particularly those relating to other parts of the text or commentary
• show detailed knowledge of the extracts
• refer to any given verses or statements appearing in the question in their response, showing clear and detailed understanding.

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate clear understanding of the Hebrew extract (Q1c, Q2, Q3d,e, Q4, Q5b, Q6a, Q7b,c, Q8)
• refer to all relevant ideas in the extracts provided to respond thoroughly to the question (Q2, Q7, Q8)
• show detailed knowledge of the commentary (Q1b,c, Q3b,c, Q4a,b, Q5b, Q6c,d, Q7b, Q8)
• correctly identify and account for grammatical items and vocalisation (Q1a, Q3a, Q4c, Q5a,c, Q6b, Q7a)
• analyse the stimulus statement and extracts, identify logical themes, and consistently refer back to these themes throughout their response (Q2, Q7c, Q8)
• provide analysis, rather than a description of actions or retelling of commentary (Q2, Q7c, Q8)
• refer to other verses studied when required by the question (Q8).

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing a greater knowledge of commentary (Q1b,c, Q3b,c, Q4a,b, Q5b, Q6c,d, Q7b, Q8)
• using more accurate terminology in identifying and explaining grammatical features (Q1a, Q3a, Q4c, Q5a,c, Q6b, Q7a)
• showing detailed knowledge of the prescribed texts and their contexts, not only in translation (Q2, Q7c, Q8)
• developing a greater understanding of key words to address the requirements of the question, for example, account for, explain, contrast, analyse.

In better responses, students were able to:

• translate the Hebrew prompts within the question (Q9c,d, Q10b,c, Q11b)
• show detailed knowledge of the commentary (Q9, Q10, Q11a,b)
• accurately outline features of Mishnaic Hebrew (Q11c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating greater knowledge of the prescribed texts, not only in translation (Q9c,d, Q10b,c, Q11b)
• demonstrating greater knowledge of the commentary (Q9, Q10, Q11a,b)
• demonstrating better knowledge of Mishnaic language and how to differentiate it from Biblical Hebrew (Q11c).

In better responses, students were able to:

• extrapolate information and explain, rather than just translate or paraphrase the text (Q12b,c,g,h, Q13b,c,e,h)
• accurately account for grammatical features (Q12e,f, Q13i,j)
• accurately parse verbs in unseen text (Q12i, Q13g).

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating more thorough knowledge of grammatical features, parsing and vocalisation (Q12e,f,i, Q13g,i,j)
• answering questions thoroughly by reading the full extract, rather than stopping when they have an answer that may only be a part of the required response (Q12h, Q13e,h)
• using strategies to interpret unseen texts.