Japanese Continuers 2021 HSC exam pack

In 2021, due to COVID-19, the HSC examinations for some courses were cancelled or the requirements adjusted, and no HSC feedback is available.

Please refer to marking feedback previously published for this component.

Listening and Responding

Students should:

• make notes in the Candidate’s Notes column on the right-hand side of the page
• read the question carefully and respond to all parts of the question
• support their responses with relevant evidence from the text
• transcribe their response on to the lines, using the space allocated beneath the question
• use the number of lines as an indication of the required length of the response
• support their responses with reference to relevant content and language, using their own words
• avoid translating the text as part of their response.

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate knowledge of advanced  grammar structures, such as shikanai, nara dou?, hitsuyou ga nai, (adj) nakunaranai, youni shite iru
• demonstrate understanding of more complex vocabulary, such as butaniku, tamago, kaidan, rouka, kowareru, nebou suru, machigaeru, uriba, tariru, kion, sawaru, okashi, chuumon, koinobori, ningyou
• provide sufficient detail in their responses
• grasp the finer nuances of tense
• adhere to the question requirements, for example, if a question asks candidates to ‘summarise’, the response must be a summary
• identify duration of time correctly, for example mikkakan.

Areas for students to improve include:

• reading the question carefully, for example, in Question 5, some students misread the question as ‘Is Sally likely to take Masao’s advice?’
• relating details back to the question to ensure the information is relevant
• structuring concise, articulate responses
• focusing on all grammar and vocabulary in the text
• understanding the intent of the text and responding in detail
• attempting every question
• summarising correctly
• ensuring handwriting is clear and legible.

Reading and Responding

Part A

Students should:

• read the title, questions and the whole text before responding
• use only the lines or space beneath the question for the response
• support their responses with reference to content and language, using their own words
• be succinct in their responses, addressing the relevant details required by the question and avoiding repetition
• focus on key words in the question, for example, ‘how’, ‘why’, ‘explain’, ‘justify’  and respond in relation to the context of the text
• read the whole text in order to demonstrate understanding of relevant information and ideas
• identify the key issue(s) and provide examples to substantiate their response when asked to analyse or evaluate information
• draw a conclusion or justify a point of view using their own words
• provide a succinct response of main points or ideas when asked to summarise
• avoid providing a literal translation of text
• use the dictionary appropriately to find the correct meaning of the word(s) or expressions in context.

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate understanding of more complex vocabulary, such as sewa wo suru, narande iru, nedan, ureru, uru, okotte iru, gaman, hone wo oru, sasou, hogo, gomibako, yogoreru
• identify that the contents of the boxes were unknown and the boxes could be bought for half price (Q9a)
• connect the one-star rating to a sad/disappointed feeling and justify the feeling with information from Mr Smith’s review (Q9b)
• identify that both Hayashi and Shimada were pleased with their purchases and the reasons why (Q9c)
• compare Hayashi and Shimada’s experiences and the comment on their joint satisfaction with the box sale (Q9c)
• discern key points about Mr Smith, rather than translate all the information on Mr Smith in his review (Q9b)
• read and identify the key points in Mr Smith’s review, rather than relying on the one-star rating next to his name (Q9b)
• justify their answers with reference to the text (Q9d)
• suggest an improvement to the event substantiated with a reason from the text (Q9d)
• distinguish between posters for marketing/advertising and posters for signage so people didn’t get lost (Q9d)
• identify the that the training was done over and over (Q10b)
• identify that the people in hospital were happy to see Shiro (10b)
• explain that they became close, giving reason/s as to why, for example, Tomoko went to training every week (10c)
• provide reasons why Shiro inspired Tomoko (Q10d)
• evaluate opinions
• consider the text as a whole
• translate prices correctly
• avoid providing irrelevant details
• give logical responses without repeating the same information

Areas for students to improve include:

• referencing the text rather than relying on the star ratings of the review
• ensuring all relevant detail is included
• discerning between gist of the text and required detail
• revising Japanese prices
• giving evidence to back up statements when required
• stating what needs to improve, rather than just listing the problems (Q9d)
• reading the question carefully
• revising vocabulary, for example, toshi wo totta, shippai suru, omocha
• identifying the subject of the sentence correctly when there is no subject marker
• revising particles and their uses
• understanding relative clauses and indirect questions

Part B

Students should:

• respond to the question asked in relation to the text
• read the entire text to respond fully to the question
• use the conventions of the type of text required by the question
• demonstrate understanding of the whole text in their response and not just respond to questions asked in the text
• focus on all relevant information and key points raised in the text in order to respond to comments made, requests for advice, issues discussed, and observations made
• use the appropriate register throughout the response
• provide a creative and authentic response in relation to the text and question
• use a variety of vocabulary and expressions and a range of grammatical structures
• plan effectively to organise their thoughts, paying attention to purpose, audience, context and the type of text required in question
• edit their work to ensure clarity of the response.

In better responses, students were able to:

• think logically and link Email 1 and Email 3
• write creatively with a good flow
• provide a creative reason with regards to Sarah’s good news: sore wa Sarahsan ni totte ii nyuusu ne
• write authentically with regards to Debbie’s grandmother: sobo wa genki ni natta yo
• use senior structures and conjunctions accurately
• reference all the information in the stimulus
• use the correct text type (email) and register (plain form)
• comprehend that they could bring their Japanese friend
• avoid repeating phrases from the stimulus
• use the authentic Japanese term, rather than a word found in the dictionary
• write 400 ji to meet the requirements of the task.

Areas for students to improve include:

• knowing how to use iku/ikeru and kuru; paatii ni ikitai/nannin gurai kuru
• understanding the humble form for grandmother, sobo, and write using the respectful form for grandmother ‘obaasan’.
• writing Kanji correctly, for example, jibun, youbi
• knowing how to use tsureteiku/tsuretekuru and motteiku/mottekuru
• knowing how to write questions in the plain form, using no? instead of ka.
• not using oishisou to describe a BBQ you have been invited to
• spelling words correctly in Hiragana
• using conjunctions effectively to structure ideas coherently
• conjugating verbs correctly when using senior structures
• using prescribed Kanji
• using particles correctly
• responding to the texts in depth, for example, the reason why she is going to be late, what kind of allergy she has, what happened to her grandmother
• limiting irrelevant details (even though they may be creative).

Writing in Language

5 mark question

Students should:

• address all parts of the question
• use the appropriate register and conventions of the type of text
• commence and conclude appropriately
• use the correct tense for the requirements of the question
• sequence their response logically for maximum effect
• use the dictionary effectively by selecting vocabulary to suit the context
• proofread and edit work
• adhere to the suggested word length.

In better responses, students were able to:

• be concise and creative
• address their grandparents appropriately in a message, for example, ojiisan to obaasan e, instead of sofubo e
• use appropriate vocabulary and prescribed kanji with a variety of grammar structures
• be consistent with register.

Areas for students to improve include:

• using particles accurately, for example, okane de ~ wo kaimasu
• using senior grammar accurately, for example, te-form okane wo okutte kurete arigatoo
• expressing sentences naturally, for example, sotsugyoo no oiwai ni okane wo kurete arigatoo
• using prescribed Kanji, for example, kane,
• using correct Katakana, for example, purezento, konpyuutaa.

10 mark Question

Students should:

• read the question carefully and address all parts of the question
• plan their response to ensure a clear structure and sequence
• use the appropriate register and conventions of the type of text required
• commence and conclude appropriately
• manipulate the language to suit the requirements of the task
• use a variety of tenses, phrases, and structures appropriate to the requirements of the question
• proofread and edit their work
• adhere to the suggested word length.

In better responses, students were able to:

• respond to the question carefully with examples
• identify the key words in the question and structure ideas and information accurately, for example, a major event in your local area, skills acquired at school that may help in your future work
• link skills acquired at school with future work or a major event to be hosted in the local area
• use relevant language structures to write effectively for the right audience and purpose
• organise their ideas clearly in each paragraph to convince the reader
• sequence using conjunctions like mazu, tsugini.

Areas for students to improve include:

• improving grammatical accuracy
• allowing time to proofread
• considering the audience, for example, what would council members be looking for in an event?
• using Kanji and Katakana accurately
• selecting vocabulary correctly from the dictionary and using it accurately
• refining time management so that students can complete Question 13
• paying attention to spelling, for example, minasan, ohayou.
• using the appropriate conventions of a speech, for example, opening, closing remarks as well as rhetorical questions to engage the audience.