2014 Notes from the Marking Centre – Chinese Extension
Introduction
This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 Chinese Extension course. It contains comments on candidate responses to the 2014 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 Chinese Extension Stage 6 Syllabus
- the 2014 Higher School Certificate Chinese Extension examination
- the marking guidelines
- Advice for students attempting HSC languages examinations, and HSC Languages oral examinations – advice to students
- 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 Chinese in Stage 6.
Oral examination
Characteristics of better responses:
- a coherent and logical argument was maintained with clear articulation
- candidates elaborated with convincing and in-depth illustration within the time frame
- a wide variety of vocabulary and sentence structures were used
- a clear viewpoint was presented that was logically sequenced.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- candidates could not maintain a cohesive and logical argument
- limited vocabulary and sentence structures were used
- incorrect pronunciation and intonation were used.
Written examination
Section I – Response to Prescribed Text
Characteristics of better responses:
- an in-depth analysis with relevant textual evidence was presented
- perceptive analyses of Lao Ye’s change of emotions (Q.1c) and Dafan’s feelings (Q.1d) were presented
- candidates expressed the integrity, sense of responsibility or discerning judgement of the council officer in response to the incident mentioned (Q.2)
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- Chinese language was copied from the text
- insufficient textual evidence was provided to support the answers
- not all aspects of the questions were addressed.
Section II – Writing in Chinese
Characteristics of better responses:
- a variety of vocabulary and language structures were used
- a sophisticated and comprehensive argument was presented with relevant support
- logical thinking and analytical skills were displayed in the development of an argument.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- limited vocabulary and sentence structures were used
- certain aspects of the topics were focused on without elaboration
- responses were brief and superficial.
NSW Government