Exam Preparation - 2014

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English and EAL Written Exam
9:00am-12:15pm
Dance/Drama Studio
(That ’ s only four weeks away!)

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15 minutes reading time (9:00-
9:15am)
3 hours writing time (9:15am-
12:15pm)

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The task book
The answer book
The answer book contains unruled
(rough work only) pages for making notes, plans and drafts if required
NB. You must not write outside the lines – online marking means that anything outside the lines will not be seen and therefore not marked

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Make sure that you know your
VCAA Number – you’ll need to write it in numbers on your answer book.

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Three different written responses
Section A – Text Response (Reading and Responding)
Section B – Writing in Context
(Creating and Presenting)
Section C – Analysis of Language
Use (Using Language to Persuade)
These are three very different responses, each with specific requirements.

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The exam will contribute 50% to your Study Score.
The rest of your Study Score comes from your SACs (25% Unit 3 & 25%
Unit 4 – BUT these are moderated based on your (and the entire cohort ’ s) exam performance
Each section is marked out of 10, twice, which adds up to the exam being marked out of a total of 60.

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(Each section is marked by at least two different assessors, which means your paper is marked by a minimum of 6 different people).
If there are discrepancies in marks, that section is marked by a third person.
Any discrepancies beyond a third marking go to the executive marking panel for resolution.

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Students will be required to write an extended response to one of the two texts selected for study from the English/EAL
Text list.
You will write on either Will You Please be
Quiet, Please? (Raymond Carver) OR The
Boy’s Life (Tobias Wolff).

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There will be 2 topics on each of the set texts (there are 20 in total, studied in different schools across the state).
Each topic will enable and require students to address the full range of key knowledge and skills.

i. ‘In Carver’s stories, very little seems to be happening.’
Discuss.
OR
ii. ‘It is difficult to feel compassion for Carver’s characters.’
To what extent do you agree?

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The choice between topics will enable students to develop their sustained discussion from an initial focus on one of the following aspects of key knowledge for
Units 3 and 4 Outcome 1:
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• the ideas, characters and themes constructed by the author/director and presented in the selected text; the way the author/director uses structures, features and conventions to construct meaning; the ways in which authors/directors express or imply a point of view and values; the ways in which readers ’ interpretations of text differ and why.
All topics will require student responses to address the full range of key knowledge and skills, and to be supported by detailed analysis and reference to the selected text.

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 detailed knowledge and understanding of the selected text, demonstrated appropriately in response to the topic development in the writing of a coherent and effective discussion in response to the task controlled use of expressive and effective language appropriate to the task.

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Remember that these are constructed texts (written by an author rather than real, historical texts) and your responses should acknowledge this.

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Your response should consist of an introduction, four body paragraphs and a conclusion.
Each of your body paragraphs should include quotation(s) to support your contention.
Your response should be in the range of 900-1200 words.

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Don’t take the topic at face value – explore & examine
You must explore all elements presented in a topic
Consider the breadth of opportunity to explore an idea from the text

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Students will be required to select one of the four Contexts set by the VCAA for the year of the examination.
You will look at ‘ Whose Reality ’ .
The task in each Context will require students to write an extended piece for a specified purpose and audience, exploring ideas and using detail from at least one text selected from the English/ESL Text list.

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The texts you can use are:
The Lot: In Words (Michael Leunig)
Wag the Dog (dir. Barry Levinson)
Students will be required to base their writing on unseen stimulus material or prompts associated with the ideas and/or arguments suggested by the four texts set for each Context.

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 understanding and effective exploration of the ideas and/or arguments relevant to the prompt/stimulus material effective use of detail and ideas drawn from the selected text as appropriate to the task development in the writing of a coherent and effective structure in response to the task, showing an understanding of the relationship between purpose, form, language and audience controlled use of language appropriate to the purpose, form and audience.

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Students must mark the Context they studied by ticking the correct box in the answer book, as well as writing the title of the selected text which is the main focus for their response at the top of the page.
Other texts may be referred to in their piece of writing, but students must clearly indicate the title of their main text.
Students should write in whatever way they consider effective and appropriate for the audience and purpose.
They may write the response in an expository, persuasive or imaginative style of writing.
Students must use the prompt as the basis for the ideas and/or arguments in their writing and they must draw directly from the ideas and/or arguments in the selected text or texts they studied for the Context.
Your response should be in the range of 900-1200 words

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This is not a text response and should be different to
Section A – ‘a simple text essay does not fulfil the expected qualities of this section’
An over-reliance on a text can undermine the ability to develop ideas related to the Context and prompt
Your response must clearly (though not explicitly) draw on ‘detail and ideas’ from the selected text
You can use material from other sources but your focus must be on depth rather than breadth
Your response must deal with the provided prompt – preprepared, formulaic responses are unlikely to hit the mark

Death of a Salesman .......................................... Arthur Miller
Spies .............................................................. Michael Frayn
The Lot: In Words ........................................... Michael Leunig
The Player ..................................... Directed by Robert Altman
Prompt
‘Losing touch with reality is often dangerous.’
Task
Complete an extended written response in expository, persuasive or imaginative style. Your writing must draw from
at least one selected text for this Context and explore the idea that ‘losing touch with reality is often dangerous’.

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Section C will require students to write an extended piece of prose, analysing the use of written language and visual features in the unseen text(s).
Section C will be based on written and visual stimulus material. The task in this section will be compulsory.

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 understanding of the ideas and points of view presented analysis of ways in which language and visual features are used to present a point of view and to persuade readers controlled and effective use of language appropriate to the task.

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Students analyse the use of written and visual language in the presentation of a point of view in a text or texts.
Brief background information will enable students to locate their analysis in the context of the issue being discussed.

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You cannot comment on all elements of the text – students must make decisions about selecting the parts of the material that allow them to best demonstrate their understanding of the material as a whole, their understanding of the range of ways in which language positions readers and their skills at analysis.

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You MUST deal with the visual material
Do not simply label persuasive techniques
Be thoughtful about the tone of the piece (and how it evolves)
Avoid generalised comments – always focus on what the effect of using that language is for the reader

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You have 15 minutes of reading time and 180 minutes of writing time in which to complete three polished responses.

Time Allocation
Reading
Time
15 minutes for all students
Section A Planning: 5 min
Writing: 50min
Edit/Revise: 5 min
Section B Planning: 5 min
Writing: 50min
Edit/Revise: 5 min
Section C Planning: 5 min
Writing: 50min
Edit/Revise: 5 min
Elapsed Time
60 minutes
65 minutes
115 minutes
120 minutes
125 minutes
175 minutes
180 minutes

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Section A – read the questions on your texts. Decide which topic you can best answer.
Section B – read the prompt and task carefully. Using these, consider your teacher ’ s advice about the form that best suits you.
Section C – examine the material closely.
Note the author, source of the material, features such as headlines, italicised words or phrases, captions and pictures.
Identify the main contention. Look for several ways in which the writing persuades you to agree with this.

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Check the times and dates of each exam. Twice!
Keep to a schedule: better to do nearly all of three tasks than to finish two.
Plan the order in which you ’ ll complete the tasks. Think about doing Section C first, since you ’ ll have read it during the reading time.
Spell names correctly! (Characters, places and writers in particular!)
Use many small examples and quotes – shows breadth of knowledge
Answer the question!!! Read each task or question carefully
Use the words of the text
Write neatly rather than quickly
Use writer ’ s/director ’ s surname
Bring water
Bring spare pens

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PANIC! Even if it looks tough, plan and set down what you do know
Use slang or colloquial expressions (unless they are quotes)
Use writers ’ or characters ’ first names only
Refer to authors too formally – Mr A. Jones is only OK in the introduction, after that he ’ s just Jones.
Spend too long on one question
Stay up all night studying – keep to your normal routine
Revise the whole course – only revise what you need to do in the exam
Use coloured inks or pencil – use a blue or black pen
Scrawl – even if your handwriting is untidy, the examiner has to be able to read it to give you credit for what you know.

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“ Amir tried everything in order to get
Baba ’ s infection.
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“ …a taste of the marriage recking whore she is.
” (Lantana)
“ Although there was this conflict between the physical strength of pedalling the bike and his moral strengths of humanity and integrity… ” (I
m Not Scared)
“ John and Valerie… both have very good, tidy manners.
” (Lantana)

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“ Hassan and Amir were attacked by a gang of punks.
” (The Kite Runner)
“ Hamlet ’ s thoughts of suicide fade with a new found hobby.
” (Hamlet)
“ I mean seriously, who sexually assaults a good friend and their mother?
” (Hamlet)
“ Relationships fill people ’ s bodies with emotions… ” (Look Both Ways)

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“ advertant commers ”
“ …they would just bypass their own thoughts so they don ’ t feel dumb.
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“ Did any of you get shot or decapitated on the way here?
Seeing as you all seem to have heads and no gunshot wounds, my guess is none.
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“ Illiteration is used in Jack Lee ’ s text.
”

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“ …clingwrapping our children will undoubtedly have consequences for their future.
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“ I myself have been a teenager for
18 years.
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“ …uses terms suh as
‘ mollycoddling ’ to sound saffisticated and make readers feel impressed.
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