VCE English Question Thread

[fruitbowl34]

Hi! I was just wondering if anyone knows what average SAC scores and exam score I need to get a study score of 30, thank you!

[sdfg]

Hi! I was just wondering if anyone knows what average SAC scores and exam score I need to get a study score of 30, thank you!

SAC averages don't matter much in the grand scheme of things - your exam performance, cohort strength, ranking are what really determine your SS in the end. Generally speaking though, a C+ average in SACs and the exam should easily get you a 30, if not higher.

[MissSmiley]

SAC averages don't matter much in the grand scheme of things - your exam performance, cohort strength, ranking are what really determine your SS in the end. Generally speaking though, a C+ average in SACs and the exam should easily get you a 30, if not higher.

Hey!
Do you know where to find the graded distribution?
I'm really stressing out over English, I just want to make sure if I'm on the right track.
What SAC scores do you need to get to get like 40-43?

Everyone says you need to get an A+ average for everything (unit 3, 4 and exam) and I agree with this so I'm trying hard to make sure I fulfil this, but I really don't get how VCAA considers 'A+' to be like something 84% and above?
Please please correct me if I'm right!!
But isn't A+ 90% and above? That's the case for every subject at my school.
If I go by my school's grading system, then my friend who graduated last year was really unhappy with her scores, (she averaged 75-80 and maybe only 1 85%) but still she pulled a 42 !
Obviously she must have done really really well in exams, (probs somewhere in the 80-10 range for every essay) - correct me if I'm wrong please! This is just me imagining her exam scores, I didn't ask her)
So how do we interpret this?
In this case is VCAA's grading system the answer? just because if considers 85% to be an A+ ?

Also, taking into consideration that our teachers mark harshly, what SAC scores would I need to get a 42 or 43?

I know I really shouldn't be falling into all of this, but you know I just can't control my mind and my hands typing all this!! 

Would love to read a reply / any other experiences that people had.
Thanks guys

[Poet]

Hey!
Do you know where to find the graded distribution?
I'm really stressing out over English, I just want to make sure if I'm on the right track.
What SAC scores do you need to get to get like 40-43?

Everyone says you need to get an A+ average for everything (unit 3, 4 and exam) and I agree with this so I'm trying hard to make sure I fulfil this, but I really don't get how VCAA considers 'A+' to be like something 84% and above?
Please please correct me if I'm right!!
But isn't A+ 90% and above? That's the case for every subject at my school.
If I go by my school's grading system, then my friend who graduated last year was really unhappy with her scores, (she averaged 75-80 and maybe only 1 85%) but still she pulled a 42 !
Obviously she must have done really really well in exams, (probs somewhere in the 80-10 range for every essay) - correct me if I'm wrong please! This is just me imagining her exam scores, I didn't ask her)
So how do we interpret this?
In this case is VCAA's grading system the answer? just because if considers 85% to be an A+ ?

Also, taking into consideration that our teachers mark harshly, what SAC scores would I need to get a 42 or 43?

I know I really shouldn't be falling into all of this, but you know I just can't control my mind and my hands typing all this!! 

Would love to read a reply / any other experiences that people had.
Thanks guys

Hey MissSmiley,
When talking about getting a study score in English above 40, we're definitely talking about being in the higher end of things (in the top 9%) of the state, so the best idea is just to do the best you can. Keep aiming for 100%. But don't worry to much about score numbers such as 84% or 90% - the grade doesn't really matter to VCAA - only your ranking in comparison to your cohort and the rest of the state.
You can keep looking at this stuff on VCAA's website - their FAQ is really helpful for this sort of stuff.

[MissSmiley]

Hey MissSmiley,
When talking about getting a study score in English above 40, we're definitely talking about being in the higher end of things (in the top 9%) of the state, so the best idea is just to do the best you can. Keep aiming for 100%. But don't worry to much about score numbers such as 84% or 90% - the grade doesn't really matter to VCAA - only your ranking in comparison to your cohort and the rest of the state.
You can keep looking at this stuff on VCAA's website - their FAQ is really helpful for this sort of stuff.

Yup! Definitely the correct way is to aim for very high SAC marks!
Thanks poet

[pha0015]

This is potentially a stupid question, but for the book Medea and Other Plays, is the text response only on Medea or is it inclusive of the other plays?

[PhoenixxFire]

Only Medea

[Maya24]

What sac scores would you need to get a 30-35 study score?

[Sine]

What sac scores would you need to get a 30-35 study score?

No one can give actual sac scores since it would depend on the strength of your cohort/difficulty of sacs but aim for anywhere between the 50th to 75th percentile of an average cohort. If you have a strong cohort you could afford to be ranked a little lower. Along with a similar exam score.

[Maya24]

No one can give actual sac scores since it would depend on the strength of your cohort/difficulty of sacs but aim for anywhere between the 50th to 75th percentile of an average cohort. If you have a strong cohort you could afford to be ranked a little lower. Along with a similar exam score.

Thank you

[I\'m Not A Robot]

Hey everyone, i was wondering if somebody could please take a look at this article we got given to annotate for our practice SAC. I'm struggling to find the actual contention of the author along with their arguments. It all seems to be sort of jumbled up. (btw- this is for a language analysis/comparison). Thanks heaps in advance. xD

For 60 years, cruelty to animals on live export ships has been kept secret.

There’s no ‘nice’ way to send animals halfway around the world to be killed for meat.

A live sheep isn’t ‘cargo’. He breathes. He thinks. He can suffer.  This simple fact may be lost on wealthy live export companies. But it wasn’t lost on one concerned crew member who was horrified by the suffering he witnessed on live export voyages...

Over 5 routine shipments carrying sheep from Australia to the Middle East, he carried out his duties. But also, he filmed — risking everything to show the world a glimpse of what has been hidden and ‘accepted’ by this industry for decades.

On these enormous ships, sheep are packed so tightly that many can’t lie down to rest. Nor can they all access food and water. Overcrowded pens make identifying sick and injured animals near impossible.  None of this is legal. Add to this extreme heat, exhaustion, rough seas, poor ventilation and millions of litres of untreated waste, and a typical live export voyage quickly becomes the perfect storm for death and suffering.

Over the years, more than 3 million Australian animals have died, often horrifically, on these death ships.

But evidence now shows that  it is the ‘survivors’ who suffer worst of all. They face the same gruelling nightmare, only their suffering never ends.

The evidence also shows that the Australian Government cannot legally continue to grant export licenses under these conditions.

This footage exposes an industry acting unlawfully. It reveals what millions of gentle animals have endured for decades, in secret.

And with it — a chance to end the cruelty.

More than 100,000 litres of urine and faeces accumulates on a typical live export ship every day sheep are on board. The ship won’t be ‘washed out’ until after they’ve disembarked.

As the northern summer kicks in, on-board conditions can turn catastrophic.

When temperatures soar — and predictably they do —  weeks of untreated waste buildup ‘melts’ into a thick, deadly soup. Any animal needing to lie down to rest risks being buried in excrement.

Corrosive ammonia chokes the air and burns the eyes and throats of those on board. Distressed animals rapidly overheat. Their hearts race as they gasp for oxygen. Trapped in what is essentially a ‘giant oven’, extremely heat stressed animals collapse before  literally being cooked alive. Other heat stressed sheep may die slowly over the following days. Those who survive a ‘heat event’ will continue to suffer in this putrid bog, now littered with the decaying bodies of their dead companions.

Imagine being born on a live export ship. The noisy vibrations the only sound you’ll ever hear. The inescapable stench of faeces the only air you’ll ever breathe…

These babies aren’t supposed to be born at all. Live export companies are legally required to ensure all ewes are pregnancy tested by ultrasound and certified not pregnant. And yet, heavily pregnant ewes are being shipped for slaughter like every other animal. Only — they’ll endure the trauma of live export while going into labour and giving birth.

Very few lambs born on a live export ship will ever see the outside world. Many will be  trampled, lose their mothers, or be killed by distressed crew members who are routinely ordered to slit their throats.

All this suffering is in aide of one thing: making wealthy live export companies even wealthier. And as it turns out, ‘business as usual’ on one of these ships to the Middle East isn’t just cruel, in many ways it’s illegal.

[sdfg]

Hints in blue.

Hey everyone, i was wondering if somebody could please take a look at this article we got given to annotate for our practice SAC. I'm struggling to find the actual contention of the author along with their arguments. It all seems to be sort of jumbled up. (btw- this is for a language analysis/comparison). Thanks heaps in advance. xD

For 60 years, cruelty to animals on live export ships has been kept secret.

There’s no ‘nice’ way to send animals halfway around the world to be killed for meat.

A live sheep isn’t ‘cargo’. He breathes. He thinks. He can suffer.  This simple fact may be lost on wealthy live export companies. But it wasn’t lost on one concerned crew member who was horrified by the suffering he witnessed on live export voyages...

Over 5 routine shipments carrying sheep from Australia to the Middle East, he carried out his duties. But also, he filmed — risking everything to show the world a glimpse of what has been hidden and ‘accepted’ by this industry for decades.

On these enormous ships, sheep are packed so tightly that many can’t lie down to rest. Nor can they all access food and water. Overcrowded pens make identifying sick and injured animals near impossible.  None of this is legal. Add to this extreme heat, exhaustion, rough seas, poor ventilation and millions of litres of untreated waste, and a typical live export voyage quickly becomes the perfect storm for death and suffering.

Over the years, more than 3 million Australian animals have died, often horrifically, on these death ships.

But evidence now shows that  it is the ‘survivors’ who suffer worst of all. They face the same gruelling nightmare, only their suffering never ends.

The evidence also shows that the Australian Government cannot legally continue to grant export licenses under these conditions.

This footage exposes an industry acting unlawfully. It reveals what millions of gentle animals have endured for decades, in secret.

And with it — a chance to end the cruelty.

More than 100,000 litres of urine and faeces accumulates on a typical live export ship every day sheep are on board. The ship won’t be ‘washed out’ until after they’ve disembarked.

As the northern summer kicks in, on-board conditions can turn catastrophic.

When temperatures soar — and predictably they do —  weeks of untreated waste buildup ‘melts’ into a thick, deadly soup. Any animal needing to lie down to rest risks being buried in excrement.

Corrosive ammonia chokes the air and burns the eyes and throats of those on board. Distressed animals rapidly overheat. Their hearts race as they gasp for oxygen. Trapped in what is essentially a ‘giant oven’, extremely heat stressed animals collapse before  literally being cooked alive. Other heat stressed sheep may die slowly over the following days. Those who survive a ‘heat event’ will continue to suffer in this putrid bog, now littered with the decaying bodies of their dead companions.

Imagine being born on a live export ship. The noisy vibrations the only sound you’ll ever hear. The inescapable stench of faeces the only air you’ll ever breathe…

These babies aren’t supposed to be born at all. Live export companies are legally required to ensure all ewes are pregnancy tested by ultrasound and certified not pregnant. And yet, heavily pregnant ewes are being shipped for slaughter like every other animal. Only — they’ll endure the trauma of live export while going into labour and giving birth.

Very few lambs born on a live export ship will ever see the outside world. Many will be  trampled, lose their mothers, or be killed by distressed crew members who are routinely ordered to slit their throats.

All this suffering is in aide of one thing: making wealthy live export companies even wealthier. And as it turns out, ‘business as usual’ on one of these ships to the Middle East isn’t just cruel, in many ways it’s illegal.

[I\'m Not A Robot]

Thanks sdfg

Also... would you say that the contention in this article is:
"support live exports", "Australia is the only country that actively works in overseas markets to help improve animal welfare conditions" or "If Australia was  to stop exporting livestock, global animal welfare standards will unquestionably decline".
...or something else.

i still can't pinpoint the contention of some of these articles

Support Live Exports
Australia's livestock export industry is committed to working with the Federal Minister for Agriculture, the Australian Government and our trading partners to deliver world class animal welfare outcomes for Australian livestock in all export markets.

Australia is the only country, of the more than 100 countries across the world that export livestock, that actively works in overseas markets to help improve animal welfare conditions. If Australia was to stop exporting livestock, global animal welfare standards will unquestionably decline.

Facts about livestock exports
Fact: If Australia was to stop exporting livestock, animal welfare conditions in overseas countries would decline.
Australia is the only country in the world that actively works in overseas markets to improve animal welfare conditions. We are also the only country in the world that attempts to regulate livestock exports, all the way from Australian farms to feedlots and abattoirs overseas. Our producer levy funds millions of dollars worth of training, education, research and development to improve animal welfare conditions during voyages and in overseas markets. If we were to stop exporting livestock, animal welfare conditions overseas would decline.

Fact: Boxed and chilled meat exports cannot replace livestock exports.
Many countries prefer live animals over boxed or chilled meat. This is often due to the challenge of transporting, storing and refrigerating meat, or due to cultural, religious and financial reasons. If Australia was to stop exporting live animals, the gap would not be filled by Australian chilled or boxed meat, but rather from live animals from other countries.

In 2007, for instance, Australia could not meet the Middle East’s demand for live animals, so animals were imported from Sudan, Somalia and Iran – countries that do not share Australia’s commitment to animal welfare, and critically, may also pose animal disease risks. Boxed and chilled meat exports cannot replace livestock exports.

Fact: The livestock export industry supports thousands of Australian jobs & is helping to provide protein to some of the world’s poorest people.
The Australian livestock export industry provides 13,000 jobs, including 11,000 in rural areas, to Australian workers and in some parts of Australia, is the entire backbone of the community and economy. The supply of Australian livestock also ensures hundreds of thousands of households across Asia and the Middle East have access to essential and affordable protein.

These countries do not have the resources or geography to efficiently produce livestock to feed their people, and Australia is able to meet this demand through livestock exports. The Federal Government has just released its Asian Century White Paper, which shows Australia has an important role to play in providing food to Asia’s growing population – and livestock exports can be part of the food solution.

[literally lauren]

i still can't pinpoint the contention of some of these articles

Here's an easy formula for finding the contention of any article. I'll use this one as an example.

How to find contentions - a 5 step process

1. What is the issue?
Even if you're not entirely sure what the author is arguing for/against, you'll be able to tell what they're talking about.
For example, the article above is obviously about the issue of live animal exports. HOWEVER, we don't want to oversimplify the issue, because that will make the process of finding the contention much harder. Instead, we need to be as specific as possible about what the issue is.
I like to do this by starting the phrase with "whether..." For example: whether Australia should stop live animal exports.
That gives us a nice, specific issue to take into step 2.

2. Does the author think the issue is GOOD or BAD?
Again, even if you can't come up with a really impressive statement about the contention straight away, you'll know whether the author is broadly in favour or against the core issue.
In this case, the author is against the idea of stopping live animal exports, thus he views the issue as a BAD thing.

3. In what way is the issue good/bad according to the author?
This is where we need to get more descriptive with our vocabulary (because if you literally wrote 'the author thinks the issue is a bad thing' for your SAC/exam, they would tear you and your essay to pieces).
There are SO MANY different ways something can be 'good' or 'bad', and as always, we're trying to be as specific as possible. If nothing comes to mind right away, consulting a thesaurus can be useful here:

In this case, the author seems to be suggesting that the issue (i.e. Aus. stopping live animal exports) would be foolish, counterintuitive, and harmful.

4. Why is this good/bad, according to the author?
Now we need to start delving into the reasons for the author's stance. In this case, he is suggesting that stopping the exports is bad/counterintuitive because it would harm Australia, the overseas market, and the welfare standards of the livestock. In simpler terms: it is bad because it is disadvantageous for everyone involved. This leads us to the final step...

5. What does the author want to happen? What is their 'best case scenario' outcome?
Here, we need to think about the author's goal - what would be a better proposal or idea? Sometimes this is explicitly told to us (e.g. at the end of the article, he writes "livestock exports can be part of the food solution") but other times it will be more implicit (e.g. this article suggests that stopping live exports would be a bad idea, and that therefore live exports should continue).

To turn this into a sentence you can use in your essay, use the following formula:

The author contends that (1.) is (3.) because (4.), and so (5.)

For example:
The author contends that Australia ceasing its live animal exports is a counterintuitive idea because doing so would be harmful for Australia, other nations, and the welfare of livestock, and so Australia should instead support the export industry so that it can be part of the "food solution."

This gives you a nice, sophisticated summary of the contention, and that formula should work for virtually any persuasive piece. Remember to vary the wording as needed, and if you get really confident with this, you don't have to stick to the formula at all. But these elements are more or less what the assessors will be looking for, so if you can give that to them in a clear and concise sentence like the one above, they will be in a great mood reading the rest of your essay!

Also, one more quick thing:

... would you say that the contention in this article is:
"support live exports", "Australia is the only country that actively works in overseas markets to help improve animal welfare conditions" or "If Australia was  to stop exporting livestock, global animal welfare standards will unquestionably decline".
...or something else.

When identifying the author's contention, avoid using quotes!!! Some teachers are okay with this (and I've used a small one in the sample sentence above ("food solution")) but in general, you will be at a disadvantage in the exam if you are looking for phrases in the article that summarise the contention for you!

Instead, try and rely on your own ability to paraphrase, or use a formula like the one I've outlined here. It might be tougher at first, but it will make it much easier for you if you get some tricky material.

[vceme]

Hey everyone!
Could anyone who is doing The White Tiger or is just an overall champ help me with unpacking this prompt! I'm currently trying to do some practice sacs:

“Balram is portrayed as a flawed hero in The White Tiger, but a hero nonetheless”

-Yes, Balram is a hero for breaking out of the 'darkness' but he is ultimately a sociopath whose flawed actions are justified by readers as a victim of India's corruption/inequality etc. therefore readers classify him as a hero.

I'm not too sure if i've gone the right path in challenging the prompt. Any help would be appreciated! Also wrote a prac introduction for this:

Aravind Adiga, author of ‘The White Tiger’ critiques India’s prospering globalisation and democracy for enshrouding a socio-economic system that is plagued by a culture of servitude and rampant political and economic corruption. The protagonist, Balram Halwai narrates his bloodstained struggle of emancipating himself from utter poverty and destitution to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Succeeding in his desire for freedom out of the darkness, Balram is characterised as a hero despite his morally dubious acts. However, Balram is ultimately a sociopath whose flawed acts are justified by readers as a victim of India’s systematic inequality.