Croatian Continuers 2017 HSC exam pack (archive)

General feedback

Students should:

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

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 Croatian
• respond in the language indicated by the question and section of the examination, that is, English or Croatian
• 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 Croatian
• watching films, TV programs in Croatian
• reading magazines, newspapers, short stories and novels in Croatian
• engaging with Croatian speakers and practising Croatian 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:

• 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 2 (b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• explain how Davor expresses his feelings about the situation by referring to his tone and the language and expressions he uses.

Question 3 (b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• refer to the strategies that Josip uses to persuade Ema to change her approach to the students.

In better responses, students were able to:

• use their own words and not transcribe the Croatian text as part of their answer
• compare points of view of the speakers and support their answer with evidence from the text.

Question 5 (b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide examples of language techniques, tone, rhetorical questions, etc. to demonstrate Adela’s opinion about the concert
• refer to both language and content.

In better responses, students were able to:

• give all relevant details in response to question
• support response with evidence from the text in English
• explain language features used and not just list them
• use their own words and not simply copy parts of the text
• refer to language and content used in text
• provide explanations in their own words to how questions.

In better responses, students were able to:

• use the correct text type – a letter
• clearly state the purpose of the letter to the organisers of Croatian Fashion Week
• use persuasive language to support their request that footwear be part of the program
• demonstrate understanding of the main points of the stimulus text using their own words
• write in Croatian using correct grammar and sentence structures
• express ideas and information in their own words.

In better responses, students were able to:

• present a variety of ideas on the topic and support them with relevant examples
• use correct grammar, conjugation of verbs, syntax, vocabulary and sentence structures
• use appropriate language for the purpose of the question, for example, personal, descriptive and reflective for the diary entry and persuasive for the script of the speech.

Question 10

In better responses, students were able to:

• use the correct text type – diary entries
• use language that describes the effect the camp had on the writer.

Question 11

In better responses, students were able to:

• use the correct text type – a speech
• use appropriate language to persuade a principal and school council.