2010 HSC Notes from the Marking Centre — Indonesian Background Speakers
Contents
- Section I – Listening and Responding
- Section II – Reading and Responding
- Section III – Writing in Indonesian
Introduction
This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 course in Indonesian Background Speakers. It contains comments on candidate responses to the 2010 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 relevant syllabuses, the 2010 Higher School Certificate examinations, the marking guidelines and other support documents which have been developed by the Board of Studies to assist in the teaching and learning of Indonesian Background Speakers.
General comments
Teachers and candidates should be aware that examiners may ask questions that address the syllabus outcomes in a manner that requires candidates to respond by integrating their knowledge, understanding and skills developed through studying the course.
Candidates need to be aware that the marks allocated to the question and the answer space (where this is provided on the examination paper), are guides to the length of the required response. A longer response will not in itself lead to higher marks. Writing far beyond the indicated space may reduce the time available for answering other questions.
Candidates need to be familiar with the Board’s Glossary of Key Words which contains some terms commonly used in examination questions. However, candidates should also be aware that not all questions will start with or contain one of the key words from the glossary. Questions such as ‘how?’, ‘why?’ or ‘to what extent?’ may be asked or verbs may be used which are not included in the glossary, such as ‘design’, ‘translate’ or ‘list’.
In the better responses, candidates combined their understanding of stimulus text(s) with their opinion. They expressed ideas in a new form, being aware of the purpose, context and audience for which they were writing. In better responses, candidates also demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the prescribed texts linking them to the theme in their analysis. In addition, they analysed how language is used to convey the ideas contained in the texts.
Section I – Listening and Responding
Part A
Question 1
Specific comments
- In better responses, candidates summarised the three main arguments put forward by Pak Hendy to support his opinion that tourism does not destroy culture. The argument that culture is not static and changes with the times irrespective of the influence of tourism was the least mentioned argument.
- In better responses, candidates identified a wide range of techniques used by Pak Hendy to make his point of view convincing. They also gave examples in Indonesian with an English translation or in English alone. In better responses, candidates explained why such a technique was convincing. For example, Pak Hendy uses a typical debating technique called rebuttal where the former argument is immediately contradicted with opposing evidence, such as when he says Seperti yang Anda sendiri katakan, itu tuduhan semata, or when he says Wah, memang susah menanggapi pendapat yang penuh syak wasangka. This very dismissive attitude makes his case convincing.
- Many candidates correctly identified (C) Provocative as the tone of the broadcaster.
Question 2
Specific comments
In better responses, candidates synthesised the information in both texts. They drew on the information in the first text which referred to keeping in contact with the Indonesian community via functions organised by the Embassy or local Indonesians as the best way to both maintain one’s identity and to keep homesickness at bay. In addition, the very positive experience of Sinta, who gained so much intellectually and socially by embracing but not fully adopting the culture and people of the host country, was used as an example of a student who was most successful.
Candidates are reminded to base their response on the information, opinions and ideas in both texts, not just on the one that appears to suit the question. Candidates are assessed on how well they compare and contrast information and ideas. In the better responses, candidates did more than reproduce the original text word for word.
Addressing a specific audience is often an important element in this task. In this case, the article was to be published in a student magazine so both formal and informal registers were possible but the most suitable tone of the article was casual but informative.
Section II – Reading and Responding
Candidates are reminded of the importance of knowing their set texts thoroughly so that they can address the specifics of the question asked and support their response with appropriate references to the text.
Part A
Question 3
Specific comments
- Most candidates identified the different qualities of Bulan’s character and included supporting examples from the scenes specified. Undue emphasis on a negative impression of her character as licik or manipulatif in scenes other than A reflected a lack of familiarity with the portrayal of Bulan in the whole film.
- In better responses, candidates grouped the characters by economic status rather than analysing scene by scene as this enabled them to draw some general conclusions about how those who were better off treated Bulan with generosity of spirit as well as money while those who were poor, like her school friends, or who considered themselves poor, like her uncle, were cruel and tried to take advantage of her.
- This question focused on the positive and negative impacts on both the social and economic life of the local people as revealed in the scenes. However, knowledge of the film as a whole was also required. Candidates needed to know, for example, that Panji was her uncle and he was violating his kinship ties by attempting to exploit her. Most candidates did not refer to the positive aspect of the social interaction between tourist and local such as the valuing of Balinese culture by Mr Pierre.
Question 4
In the better responses, candidates identified the bulldozer in Buldoser dan Ayah as an agent of an unspecified group of humans intent on slum clearance. Such answers included how the image repeatedly haunted the family of Alit and his father, resulting in their family having to move house many times. They described the negative effects of this on Alit and his father’s dreams for Alit to become a doctor and the inner conflict experienced by Alit’s father’s as his personal beliefs were challenged. They then linked these events to the techniques used by the author, such as the bulldozer being the unstoppable inhuman face of development being portrayed as Satan unleashed from hell.
The statement in Question 4 applied more easily to the short story Terbakar which chronicles the increasingly sophisticated interference by humans. In the first part, which is set in the past, humans attempted to control the environment in a low-key way by just digging a trench, collecting eggs and trading. The second part of the story, set in the present, describes, through the eye witness account of a couple, their responsibility for modifying and changing huge tracts of land for personal gain. The ironic ending where the aeroplane, the symbol of technological advancement and human control, wipes out the whole plantation in a conflagration of immense proportions bears out the statement that humans ultimately make the situation worse for themselves.
Weaker responses included irrelevant information regarding the political situation in Indonesia, corruption and collisions between modernity and traditionalism. While this may be an interpretation of the story on one level, candidates are reminded that they must answer the question asked.
Part B
Question 5
Specific comments
In better responses, candidates covered all aspects of the question by explaining the complex issues which result from the accumulation of rubbish, and presented logical, well-considered arguments and solutions to the problem. These candidates took advantage of the interview format to inject humour as a way of making serious points. These interviews showed evidence of structure.
Candidates are reminded that just restating or rephrasing the ideas in the original article will not fulfil the demands of the question.
Section III – Writing in Indonesian
General comments
In the writing section, many candidates wrote for a specific context, purpose and audience, demonstrating originality, creativity and an excellent control of the Indonesian language.
Candidates are reminded that in this section it is unwise to refer to the prescribed texts such as Sajak seonggok jaggung, as a focus of the writing task is the presentation and development of original ideas.
Candidates are also reminded that they are assessed on their ability to manipulate language and write with flair. As the text type was an essay, candidates needed to write an introduction and a conclusion linked logically to the arguments.
Specific comments
In some better responses to Question 6, candidates chose a couple of traditions that some members of the older generation want to maintain but which the younger generation consider no longer relevant in the modern world. In these better responses, candidates explained why these traditional practices were no longer relevant in this global era where enlightened ideas, changes in technology and even perhaps the movement of people to the city mean these traditions are no longer practical or possible.
In better responses to Question 7, candidates demonstrated an understanding of both the positive and negative stereotypes of rural youth. Some included quotes from students from Irian Jaya who had achieved academic success.
20110106
NSW Government