English Advanced 2014 HSC exam pack (archive)

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• addressing the key words in the question
• giving detailed responses that used a range of examples and textual references to support their responses
• exploring the text through a range of approaches/pathways
• demonstrating their understanding of the concept of belonging.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• meeting the requirements of specific questions – for example, ensuring that only one text is used in a response if that is what is required (Q.1d)
• choosing the most appropriate quotes/technical features of the text that best support a response
• analysing texts through aptly chosen textual references that are explained clearly.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• addressing all parts of the question
• using one of the statements as the first sentence for their piece of writing
• insightfully exploring an individual finding their place in a community
• skilfully using language appropriate to their chosen form of imaginative writing
• writing a sustained narrative.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• understanding the mechanics and control of language
• writing credible and original narratives.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating understanding of how their selected texts reflected the way in which connections with others and the world shape the development of one’s identity
• selecting related texts that complemented the ideas explored in their prescribed text
• demonstrating an understanding of the notion of belonging in relation to the statement
• choosing detailed textual references to support their thesis
• structuring an argument that reinforced the ideas established in the thesis and maintaining this throughout the response.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• deconstructing a question in order to respond to all aspects of the question
• not relying on recount or paraphrasing to highlight aspects of their selected texts
• establishing clear and explicit connections between texts
• explaining the effect of features in terms of shaping ideas relevant to the questions, rather than just listing techniques
• sustaining a focus on the question throughout the entirety of the response by making clear and purposeful links to the question.

Shakespearean drama and film

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• understanding the question in relation to Richard III
• selecting appropriate textual and contextual detail to support their thesis
• framing their response around the role of women in the two texts
• addressing the ‘shaped and reshaped’ aspect of the question.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• understanding the question in relation to Looking for Richard
• considering the ‘pursuit of individual recognition’, not just ‘recognition’
• comparing texts rather than just scenes and dealing with the full breadth of both texts
• considering the ‘reshaping’ aspect of the question
• realising that the context of Richard III was different to that of Shakespeare and Pacino.

Prose fiction and nonfiction – Pride and Prejudice, Letters to Alice 

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• recognising that the very nature of the historical contexts provide a challenge
• demonstrating a good understanding of the context of Pride and Prejudice
• using a feminist perspective to draw connections between the two texts.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• considering the ‘challenge’ rather than just discussing ‘living your own life’ in the contexts of the texts
• consideration of the ‘shaping and reshaping’ element of the question
• engaging with historical and cultural contexts, rather than just exploring marriage in the texts
• understanding the context of Weldon’s text.

Poetry and drama

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• selecting appropriate details from the texts to support a thesis
• exploring the existential questions posed in Donne’s work
• recognising Donne’s poems as a suite/collection, and consideration of the development of issues throughout the collection
• understanding of the concept of ‘full life’.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• focusing on the ideas in the question, rather than just providing a broad sweep of quotations from poems
• using the mechanics of the poetry to address the ‘how’ of the question
• understanding the implications of the modern/contemporary context.

Prose fiction and film

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• providing detailed textual evidence from both texts to support their ideas
• demonstrating knowledge of both texts and the contexts.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• dealing with the ‘individual recognition’ aspect of the question, rather than presenting a prepared response on ambition
• addressing changing perspectives on important issues raised by the respective composers rather than focusing on thematic similarities between texts
• discussing film techniques
• focusing on a broader range of characters in each text.

Prose fiction and poetry

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• drawing parallels between female characters in both texts
• making connections between texts via the idea of ‘courtly’ love.

* Students who understood EB Browning’s context, (especially her family context within her society), were well positioned to deal with the ‘pursuit’ of perfection aspect of the question.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• differentiating between the Browning sonnets
• focusing on ‘the pursuit of perfection’, not just on love
• going beyond the Gatsby/Daisy relationship in The Great Gatsby
• discussing the context for both texts.

Drama and nonfiction

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating effective application of detailed textual knowledge.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• applying detailed textual knowledge
• discussing the context of both texts, particularly that of Virginia Woolf
• discussing technical features of non-fiction texts – A Room of One’s Own
• making connections between the female characters in the texts.

Shakespearean drama – William Shakespeare, Hamlet

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating understanding of Shakespeare’s portrayal of revenge
• demonstrating an understanding of the play’s context, language and form in the texts
• integrating the chosen extract and using textual references to reflect an understanding of the play.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• addressing each aspect of the question rather than focusing on a narrow aspect of the question
• considering the whole play and its ideas rather than specific moments or narrow thematic concerns
• making detailed references to the extract and the play as a whole.

Prose fiction

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• explaining how the composer’s portrayal of the complexity of life’s journey/family life/identity/self-determination contributes to the enduring value of the text
• conveying an understanding of the text’s context, language and form
• integrating the chosen extract and textual references to reflect a breadth of knowledge of the text.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• adopting a conceptual approach to the question rather than a narrow treatment of themes
• addressing each aspect of the question rather than focusing on a particular component
• demonstrating a broad knowledge of the novel/text rather than specific moments.

Drama and film

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating understanding of how the composer’s portrayal of the complex nature of independence/happiness contributes to the enduring value of the play/film
• conveying an understanding of context, dramatic or film techniques and form in the texts
• integrating the chosen extract and stills using textual references that underpinned the concerns of the question.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• addressing each aspect of the question  rather than focusing on a narrow aspect of the question
• considering the whole play/film and its ideas rather than specific moments or narrow thematic concerns
• making detailed references to the extract/stills and the text as a whole.

Poetry

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating understanding of how the poet’s portrayal of inspiration/life’s journey/personal experience contributes to the enduring value of the poems
• demonstrating knowledge of context, poetic techniques and form in the texts
• using the chosen extract and aptly chosen textual references that reflected a breadth of knowledge of the poems.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• demonstrating a more conceptual understanding of the focus of the question
• demonstrating a close knowledge of the nominated poem and choosing other appropriate poems in order to respond to all aspects of the question.

Nonfiction – Essays & question and speeches

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• exploring how the composer’s portrayal of the complex nature of nationalism/national identity contributes to the enduring nature of the essays/speeches
• demonstrating knowledge of the composer’s political and social context and the significance of this on the ideas in the texts
• demonstrating knowledge of language and rhetorical devices
• making detailed textual references to the set essay/speech and selecting appropriate texts for discussion.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• demonstrating a more conceptual understanding of each essay/speech and of the question
• responding to all aspects of the question.

Elective 1: Conflicting perspectives

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating a strong sense of personal engagement with the texts, the elective and the module
• addressing the question at a conceptual level and exploring truth as well as power
• displaying competent literacy skills
• engaging with the question and using their knowledge of the module and elective to develop a thesis in response to the question
• approaching the question in a logical and structured manner
• selecting relevant textual evidence and related material to support a thesis.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• analysing rather than describing textual details and features
• sustaining a conceptual discussion throughout
• consideration of texts in a balanced way
• choosing appropriate related texts.

William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

Candidates evaluated the ‘function of power’ using the text to frame their discussion of Shakespeare’s compositional choices with regard to prevailing contextual influences, themes and characterisation.

Geoffrey Robertson, The Justice Game

Candidates considered Robertson’s prevailing viewpoint and supported their thesis with an extensive range of textual details including: details of cases; consideration of authorial purpose, and ‘power’.

Ted Hughes, Birthday Letters

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating an understanding of representation and how the power of poetry can influence perspective.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• developing a conceptual understanding of the elective rather than treating it as a biographic study of Hughes and Plath.

Barry Levinson, Wag the Dog

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• understanding the power of the media in manipulating the truth
• selecting related texts that dealt with the power of the media and of politics
• demonstrating a good understanding of satire.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• analysing representation in a film text
• understanding the concept of multiple audiences
• developing a broader rather than literal understanding of the film.

David Guterson, Snow Falling On Cedars

Candidates showed strength in:

• consideration of the power of the context of World War II
• evaluating representation in the novel, especially Guterson’s characterisation.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• analysing rather than retelling the plot and describing the characters in the novel.

Elective 2: History and memory

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating a strong sense of personal engagement with the texts, the elective and the module
• awareness of the constructedness of texts
• evaluating authorial intent, contextual detail and the language and construction of texts.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• consideration of the demands of the question by moving beyond the competing relationship between history and memory
• analysing textual details and features, rather than recounting textual evidence.

Mark Raphael Baker, The Fiftieth Gate

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• evaluating the ways in which the function of power resided with the composer/ subject/ responder.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• dealing with texts as representations of a particular prevalent version of events rather than aspects of history and memory.

Smithsonian National Museum of American History, September 11 Website

Candidates selected from a range of examples from the website and analysed its multimedia form, as well as textual features. They considered how power resided with the composers and curators, as well as with the site’s responders. They explored its diverse construction and navigation pathways.