Italian Extension 2017 HSC exam pack (archive)

General feedback 

Students should:

• respond to the question by adhering closely to the allocated time of 3 minutes
• be clear which question they are attempting in their introduction and address the question fully
• use more than one argument to support their point of view/stance to be more convincing
• clearly link the argument to the question and ensure the conclusion is not simply a repetition of the introduction
• not use pre-prepared material that may be irrelevant to the question or relying solely on their own experiences in order to answer the question.

Student strengths

In better responses, students were able to:

• understand the key ideas in the questions
• clearly articulate points of view and present the argument efficiently, fluently and consistently throughout the argument
• fully address the question and effectively link supporting ideas to the question throughout the argument
• develop and present a logical and well-structured argument within the time allocation supported by a range of relevant ideas and examples which extend beyond personal experiences and refer to wider issues
• confidently communicate ideas, with overall good fluency and accurate pronunciation
• use authentic syntax, vocabulary and sentence structure with a high level of grammatical accuracy
• use hypothetical and conditional constructions competently.

General feedback

Students should:

• respond critically to the prescribed text
• demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the prescribed text and the prescribed issues
• communicate information and ideas in comprehensible English
• focus on the quality of the response and on being concise.

Students should expect:

• questions to be of varying difficulty
• to respond to questions that require them to evaluate and analyse how meaning is conveyed in the film, specifically in relation to film techniques.

Students prepare for this examination by:

• having an thorough knowledge of the prescribed text and the features of the text type and how the prescribed issues are dealt with within the prescribed text.

Student strengths

In better responses, students were able to:

• understand the statement questa storia la dedico a te in terms of the context of the extract (that it was the homework task set by Don Giulio on the seasons) as well as providing the significance of the statement (the dedication to Francesca as a symbol of their growing friendship and shared experiences)
• explain the change in the mood in Scene 1 compared to Scene 2. They include Don Giulio’s surprise reaction or confusion and that of Valerio bullying Mirco and the other boy who openly states that he liked Mirco’s assignment.
• elaborate on the use of film techniques by the director to enhance the importance of the senses for the audience. Techniques such as, the auditory/visual experiential images in Scene 1 to the eerie music in Scene 3 as the clouds cover the moon and the eclipse symbolising Mirco’s loss of sight. In Scene 4 there is dramatic irony present through the sense of touch and sight – through Mirco’s close up of his hands flicking the light switch on and off creating pathos and enhanced understanding in the audience of Mirco’s complete loss of sight, as the audience can see the the lampadina is not fulminata
• provide a thorough and perceptive explanation of the idea that even a resilient person needs support when faced with a new reality in this extract and one other scene in the film and avoid repetition of film techniques already used in previous questions.

General feedback

Students should:

• write from a particular perspective in a specified context
• demonstrate an intimate understanding of the prescribed text
• communicate ideas clearly and accurately in Italian.

Students should expect to:

• respond to the prescribed text personally and creatively.

Students can prepare for this examination by:

• writing from different perspectives in a variety of contexts and adhering to the features of different text types.

Student strengths

In better responses, students are able to:

• demonstrate a perceptive and sensitive understanding of the characterisation of Felice in the prescribed text
• demonstrate flair and originality in their approach, using Felice’s voice
• manipulate language authentically and creatively
• follow the conventions of the text type.

General feedback

Students should:

• present and justify a point of view
• write a text appropriate to audience, purpose and context
• demonstrate control of a range of language structures and vocabulary.

Students should expect:

• a choice of two questions of equal difficulty
• to respond to a question that requires them to structure and sequence information, opinions and ideas.

Students can prepare for this examination by:

• practising writing extended responses, such as articles, scripts of conversations, and monologues in a variety of contexts
• reading widely around the prescribed issues and develop a collection of current examples to support their understanding of the prescribed issues
• answering the question with relevant information, and not relying on pre-prepared extended responses.