关于HSC的英语考试
与国内的高考只分文理科不同，澳洲的HSC考试多达百门，其中只有英语是必考科目。就是英语，又分５门：English (Standard)、English (Advanced)、English (ESL)、English Extension 1、English Extension 2。下面是SMH上一篇关于HSC英语的文章。
From SMH July 23, 2003
It is never too soon to begin a program of review and revision in readiness for the HSC. Students should try to be motivated about their future successes. The sooner they start to be proactive about the HSC, the better. It’s easy to fritter away time on low-priority activities.
If students learn to work smarter, not harder, they will be more effective in their HSC preparation. Deep learning and understanding from study throughout the year is always more valuable than cramming before the examination.
Students can find valuable information on NSW HSC Online. This excellent website supports students with information related to all English courses.
The Board of Studies site can be visited for study material. This includes previous examination papers and notes from the marking centre.
The papers from the 2001 and 2002 Higher School Certificate and 2001 specimen paper show the types of questions that may be asked. However, it is important to realise that these are only indicative of questions that might be asked this year. Also, the markers’ comments on this site about every question and text can be really helpful in understanding the approaches they are looking for, including the use of specific word choice, examples from texts and use of relatedtexts.
HSC English (Standard and Advanced)
Paper 1: Area of Study
The first paper is divided into three sections, each worth 15 marks. Students must be careful to spend an equal amount of time, about 40 minutes, on each section. However, students need to read every instruction, rubric and question to ensure they are following the correct procedure and understand what is being asked of them.
Section I usually consists of reading at least three different texts, including written and visual texts relating to the Area of Study, which this year is Change. Specific questions will follow the texts as well as a question requiring students to demonstrate their understanding of links among those texts. It is important to note the different mark values allotted to each question and respond accordingly. For example, a question worth six marks requires more time and detail than a question worth two.
Each of the questions should be answered in full sentences with evidence from the text. Students should explain clearly how the evidence supports their viewpoint.
Section II requires students to compose a piece of writing that will have some link to the concept of Change. Students should ensure they write in the form that suits the specified purpose, audience and context. They could be required to compose any one of a variety of texts, such as a speech, letter, newspaper or magazine article, story, interview, dialogue or script.
Section III requires students to demonstrate a deep understanding of the concept of Change with a focus on one of the following areas:
. Changing Worlds
. Changing Perspectives
. Changing Self.
In this question, students must demonstrate knowledge of:
. The prescribed text
. The Board of Studies stimulus booklet, Changing
. A range of additional related texts.
The question assumes a sound knowledge of the context, content and purpose of text as well as an understanding of the structure, style and language features used by the composers. Students need to explain how each composer referred to shapes meaning in their text.
Note that the term “composer” is used in the Stage 6 English Syllabus as a collective noun to cover all possible text producers such as author, playwright, poet, director or web designer. When students are referring to a poem only, they should refer to the “poet”, when referring to a novel they should refer to the “author”; when referring to a film, they should refer to the “director” or “screen writer”.
Useful information on the various Change options may be found on NSW HSC Online.
HSC English (Standard and Advanced)
Paper 2: Modules
Paper 2, for both Standard and Advanced students, is divided into three sections, each worth 20 marks.
It is important for students to be aware of the module and elective descriptions which can all be found at the Board of Studies website. Select English Prescriptions: Area of Study, Electives and Texts 2001-2003.
All electives require the detailed study of a set text. Some require students to explore and incorporate a discussion of other related texts. There are several things to remember when selecting and preparing other related texts:
. Except for Module B (the close or critical study), students must prepare more than one text for each elective.
. A variety of additional reading of students’ own choosing should be selected to support the main text.
. These additional texts should be chosen carefully to ensure that they assist students to demonstrate their understanding of the elective being studied and the prescribed text.
. In their responses, students should identify the composer and source of each text.
When responding, students need to show understanding of the language features used by the composers and how these shape meaning. Just mentioning a feature will not be effective unless it is clearly linked to the question. Responses require a balance of attention to set texts and other related texts.
For Paper 2, the skill of responding in different textual forms is important. Students could be asked to respond in such forms as an editorial, radio or TV interview, dialogue, essay, letter, website or speech. Students should be familiar with the structures and language features of the different types of texts.
NSW HSC Online provides valuable resources for Standard and Advanced students on each of the three modules in the courses.
Standard course Paper 2
Paper 2 requires a written response on each of the three modules. Responses must emphasise particular aspects of shaping meaning and demonstration of the effectiveness of texts for different audiences, purposes and contexts. Each module starts with a close and critical reading of the prescribed text.
Module A: Experience Through Language
This module requires students, in their responding and composing, to explore the uses of a particular aspect of language, for example, written, spoken or visual. Thorough knowledge of a prescribed text and other related texts is necessary in preparation for this question.
Module B: Close Study of Text
This module requires students to engage in a detailed analysis of one prescribed text. Reference to additional texts is not required. Students need to be aware of the structure of the text and the language features used by the composer and how they help shape meaning. Knowledge of content and opinions only would be insufficient.
Module C: Texts and Society
This module requires students to explore and analyse texts used in a specific context. Responses require thorough knowledge of the prescribed text and a careful selection of a variety of additional texts. There are helpful support documents for this module on NSW HSC Online.
Advanced course Paper 2
Paper 2 comprises three written responses, one on each of the three modules. These emphasise particular aspects of shaping meaning and representation, questions of textual integrity and ways in which texts are valued. Each module starts with a close and critical reading of the prescribed text or texts.
Module A: Comparative Study of Texts and Context
Students need to convey in their response a balanced knowledge of two texts and their contexts, relating these to the concept of either Transformations or In the Wild. A careful focus on the set question is necessary, with appropriate material drawn from both texts.
Module B: Critical Study of Texts
In this response students are required to explore and evaluate one specific text and show how it may be received differently in various contexts. Responses should display a detailed engagement with the text and the personal perspective students have developed.
Students must demonstrate clear awareness of the historical, cultural, social and personal contexts and values in each text. Students are required to research others’ perspectives of the text and test these against their own understanding and interpretations of the text. Students may find that other perspectives are based on different critical or literary theories. The syllabus does not require students to study these theories. They should only consider doing so to the extent that such a study assists them to clarify their understanding of the text and its reception in different contexts.
Module C: Representation and Text
A response here should show how the representation of texts makes meaning. Students are required to supplement this study with texts of their own choosing.
HSC English Extension courses
Building from the Advanced course, the Extension courses require students to explore ideas of value and consider how they arise and why some texts may be perceived as culturally significant. Students demonstrate achievement of the Extension 1 outcomes by responding to and composing highly complex texts in a variety of modes and media.
The Extension course requirements can be found on pages 89-93 of the English Stage 6 Syllabus and the objectives are detailed on page 85. The most updated version of the syllabus is available on the Board of Studies site.
Extension Course 1
The English Extension Course 1 paper requires students to complete two questions from the same module: Genre or Texts and Ways of Thinking or Language and Values. Both questions are of equal value and may require a critical, interpretative or imaginative response or any combination of these.
NSW HSC Online offers valuable units of work on the three electives: Crime Fiction, Retreat from the Global and Postmodernism.
Extension Course 2
Students undertaking this course should be close to the completion of their Major Work (that is, their composition, the Major Work Journal and the Reflection Statement). While there is no external examination, students will complete the Major Work on August 26 and submit it to their teacher on August 27.
Additional support for this course is available at NSW HSC Online with links to the Board of Studies site for the Extension 2 Answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
2003 HSC English ESL course
ESL Written Paper 1
This paper is 11/2 hours long (plus 10 minutes’ reading time) and is divided into two sections.
Section 1 (25 marks)
In Section 1, students are required to read and respond to short-answer questions usually based on three distinctly different types of stimulus texts.
The stimulus texts usually present different perspectives on the same issue or topic and support students’ understanding of the Area of Study, Perspective.
Students could be asked to read one item of sustained prose, which could be a newspaper article, a feature article, an editorial or prose fiction. Other stimulus texts could include different types of texts that are widely used in daily life, such as a website or email, poem, cartoon, advertisement or magazine item.
The questions usually give students the opportunity to demonstrate detailed understanding of language structures and features of texts used to shape and convey meaning for different purposes, audiences and situations.
Students are asked to compare different perspectives and explain how an understanding of perspective has been shaped or conveyed through the language and structure of each text. The last questions require more sustained responses, examining students’ ability to compose and synthesise ideas into a response for a given purpose, audience and context. Such responses could be required to be written in the form of a letter, advertisement, short article or an email.
To prepare for Section 1, students should engage with a wide range of texts that present perspectives in different ways. Students could practise interpreting texts and explaining how meaning is shaped in different forms for a variety of purposes and audiences.
Such texts could include:
. Literary texts: stories, poems and diary entries
. Media texts: feature articles, letters to the editor, editorials
. Visual texts: cartoons, advertisements, media photographs
. Popular texts: songs, magazine articles, radio interviews
. Multimedia texts: websites.
The texts should present a range of perspectives that are:
. Personal
. Objective
. Changing or changed
. Contrasting
. Biased
. Minority and non-mainstream.
Section 2 (20 marks)
Section 2 is usually based on the Area of Study, Perspective. It requires an extended response based on the concept of perspective through two prescribed texts, the stimulus booklet, Changing, and other texts of students’ choosing.
This question is often an essay but students could be required to compose a sustained response in a different, imaginative form, such as a speech, editorial or feature article.
For this question it is important that students understand:
. The perspectives that are presented in the texts that have been studied
. Why certain perspectives are expressed
. What factors influence perspectives (what social, historical or cultural influences have significantly shaped these perspectives?)
. How perspectives can be shaped and conveyed through the language of the texts.
Types of examination questions can be found on NSW HSC Online in the English (ESL) section. The Board of Studies site could be visited for study material, previous exam papers and Notes from the Marking Centre. The 2001 and 2002 HSC papers and 2001 specimen paper show the types of questions that may be asked. However, it is important to realise these are only indicative.
ESL Written Paper 2: Modules
Time allowed is one hour (plus five minutes’ reading time).
This paper is divided into two sections, Module A: Experience Through Language and Module B: Texts and Society. You must answer one question from each module.
Module A (20 marks)
Here students explore and respond to a range of examples of Telling Stories or Dialogue and compose their own texts. In preparation, students should ensure they are thoroughly familiar with:
Language structures and features of story or dialogue in their prescribed text and other texts they have chosen
How the conventions of the form, language modes and media shape meaning
How purpose, audience and form can be experimented with in story or dialogue to achieve different effects.
Module B (20 marks)
This module requires students to answer one question on either Living and Working in the Community or English for Study. This module examines students’ ability to compose texts for specific contexts and audiences in either a work and community or a further study setting.
Composing exercises for Living and Working in the Community can be found on NSW HSC Online.
Listening paper (15 marks)
Time allowed: 30 minutes (no additional reading time).
The listening paper consists of several questions that will test students’ ability to listen with understanding and to respond to a range of questions. Students could be asked to comment upon language techniques and devices used in spoken conversation. Questions could be on sounds that occur (e.g., musical background, sound effects) and how meaning is shaped through these aural cues.
The paper may contain a combination of multiple-choice questions and questions requiring both short and more sustained responses.
Marianne Bonnor is a highly experienced English/ESL teacher. She has taught the English ESL HSC course since its inception and is now teaching Year 12 ESL. She has written units of work for NSW HSC Online.
Bernard Pryor is head teacher of English at Asquith Girls High School. He has taught all of the HSC English courses other than ESL.
Deb McPherson is the chief education officer, English, in the Professional Support and Curriculum Directorate, NSW Department of Education and Training.
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
STUDENTS are required to complete three examination papers in this course.
Paper 1: Language Study within an Area of Study
This paper has two sections and is worth 45 marks in total. It is a 1? hour (plus 10 minutes reading time) examination.
Section I is worth 25 marks. It requires students to read and answer questions on a number of unseen texts related to the Area of Study: Belonging. These texts, selected from a range of media, will not have been studied in class. Most questions will require short-answer responses about the content and language features of the texts. Some questions may require students to compare the concept of belonging across two or more of the texts, or compose a response for a specific audience and purpose. To prepare for this section, students should be familiar with a range of texts, understand their specific structural and language features and practise answering past examination papers.
Section II is worth 20 marks. This section requires students to write an extended response to demonstrate their understanding of the concept of belonging and how this is represented in and through texts. Students need to refer to their two prescribed texts and possibly one or more texts of their own choosing. Questions may require an analytical response such as an essay, or a response in a different form, like a speech, a feature article or an interview. To prepare for this section, students should practise answering questions similar to those posed in previous examinations, paying attention to the timeframe given, the focus of the question and a relevant, concise choice of examples, highlighting the interrelationships among texts.
Paper 2: Modules
This paper has two sections, which relate to the Modules study. It is a one-hour examination, where students are required to write two extended responses, each worth 20 marks.
Section I Module A (Experience Through Language)
Students must choose the elective they have studied: either Australian Voices or Australian Visions. The question will require candidates to compose an extended response about the prescribed text they have studied and possibly a related text of their own choosing, or an example from their own experience. Students need to demonstrate their understanding of the ways in which language is used to represent Australian voice(s) or vision(s) and how these affect interpretation and shape meaning. The question may require an analytical response such as an essay, or a response in a different form, such as a panel discussion, script or speech.
Section II Module B (Texts and Society)
In this section, students need to choose the question for the elective they have studied: either Living and Working in the Community or Academic English. This module requires students to be familiar with the structure and language features of a variety of texts. The Board of Studies Support Documents, Workplace and Community Texts and Academic English will be helpful in preparing for this question. These are available from the Board of Studies website (boardofstudies.nsw.edu. au). Past HSC examination papers also show the range of questions that may be asked.
ESL Listening paper
This 30-minute examination is held on the same day as Paper 2, after a short break and is worth 15 marks. The examination, including the listening text, the questions and the time for writing responses are recorded on a CD and played to students. The listening text could be one of a range of spoken text types such as an interview, a recorded story or conversation; it may include one or more speakers. The listening paper may contain any combination of multiple-choice, short-answer or longer responses related to the content or the use and effect of language features, structure, sound effects, pace, volume, pitch and tone. Listening to a range of texts will help develop aural skills.
Final advice
Students should have a thorough knowledge of the following documents that are available on the Board of Studies website (boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au).
These documents include:
The course requirements and examination specifications described in the Stage 6 English Syllabus.
The requirements listed for the English (ESL) course in the English Stage 6 Prescriptions document (2009-2012).
Past HSC English (ESL) examination papers (for layout and content).
Notes from the Marking Centre.
The Board of Studies Module B Support Document for the elective studied.
NSW HSC Online (hsc.csu.edu. au/english/) has a range of resources to assist your exam preparation.
Writers: Patricia Paring is a Multicultural/ESL Consultant. Michael Murray is Chief Education Officer English, Curriculum Directorate, NSW Department of Education and Training.
EXAM DETAILS
Paper 1 Language Study
Date: Wednesday, October 21.
Time: 9.20am-11am.
Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes (including reading time).
For the composition of the exam go to boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au.
Paper 2 Modules
Date: Friday, October 23.
Time: 3.25pm-4.30pm.
Duration: 1 hour 5 minutes (including reading time).
Listening Paper
Date: Friday, October 23.
Time: 4.40pm-5.10pm.*
Duration: 30 minutes (including reading time).
*Approximate finishing time.
For the composition of the exam go to boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au.
The 2009 HSC Study Guide
The Full Version: 关于HSC的英语考试
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