2013 Notes from the Marking Centre – Classical Hebrew Extension
Introduction
This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 Classical Hebrew Extension course. It contains comments on candidate responses to the 2013 Higher School Certificate examination, indicating the quality of the responses and highlighting their relative strengths and weaknesses.
This document should be read along with:
- the Classical Hebrew Extension Stage 6 Syllabus
- the 2013 Higher School Certificate Classical Hebrew Extension examination
- the marking guidelines
- Advice for HSC students about examinations
- other support documents developed by the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW to assist in the teaching and learning of Classical Hebrew in Stage 6.
Section I – Prescribed Text
Characteristics of better responses:
- candidates had a clear understanding of the poetic/literary features of the Biblical text
- an excellent knowledge of the logical arguments in the Talmud was indicated
- there was a thorough knowledge of the commentaries
- candidates demonstrated an excellent knowledge of the historical context.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- there was a poor understanding of poetic literature
- candidates could not express a logical argument in writing
- in the essay, some responses focused too much on the three extracts given, rather than offering a broader essay on the prophet, his prophecies and their relationship to the historical context.
Section II – Non-prescribed Text
Characteristics of better responses:
- candidates’ responses demonstrated an ability to understand an unseen text
- candidates presented a well-written, logical answer to each question
- candidates identified and explained the effect of literary features
- candidates included references to the water and to the deep (Q.6c).
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- a limited knowledge of both vocabulary and syntax was demonstrated
- candidates could not apply their knowledge of grammar to an unseen text
- candidates accounted for the presence of only one dagesh (in the dalet) (Q.4bi)
- few responses demonstrated a full understanding of some of the concepts of the Divine, for example that ‘He who plants the ear, and forms the eye’ should Himself be able to hear and see (Q.6b).
NSW Government