*fanfare*
(http://i.imgur.com/MXIKHXx.png)
Mid-year English Practice Exam
Since the dawn of time 2014 I've been designing practice exams for VCE students to test their knowledge and make them confront certain difficulty factors before they reach the actual exam. Rest assured, I'll be doing my same super-awesome-mega-hard practice exams once we hit October, but this year, I got a few requests for a 'mid-year' equivalent, so here we go!
By this stage of the year, you will have done one SAC for each Area of Study: Text Response (a.k.a Section A), Context (Section B), and Language Analysis (Section C). But this is also the point when a lot of students start stressing out about their progress in English since, for most subjects, you'll be wrapping up revision for Unit 3, diving into the Unit 4 content, and presumably wanting to get started on your exam revision. So how do you do that for English?
Well, the way you've been approaching SACs will change this semester. There's different texts (and you'll eventually need to choose one each for Section A and B for the exam) and it'll be up to you to work on Language Analysis yourself since Unit 4 is comprised only of a Text Response and a Context SAC. Even the kinds of prompts or L.A. material you've been given thus far will be potentially very different to what your exam will look like.
As such, the purpose of this practice exam is not to terrify you with a realistic VCAA standard, or to coddle you with super-easy prompts, but to hit a safe mid-way point. Therefore, these prompts and the L.A. material will be around a 3/10 in terms of difficulty (whereas the AN October exams will be between 9-11, so you'll have that to look forward to :) ) Right now, this is just meant to be a very accessible starting point so you can:
a) consolidate what you've done so far in Unit 3
b) get a sense of what you need to work on in Unit 4
c) get a feel for the exam format, or potentially time constraints if you want to complete this in test conditions.
If you would like feedback for any of the pieces you write using this practice exam material, feel free to post in this thread. I'm also happy to talk through particular prompts or ideas if there are things you're unsure of.
Below is a forum-friendly version of the prompts and material so you can just select what's relevant to you, but I'll also attach a properly formatted word doc. when I get the chance if you want to print it off and treat it like a real exam.
Enjoy!
because you certainly won't be enjoying the ones I write for October muahahahaha
MID-YEAR EXAM HERE ↓
Section A
Spoiler
All About Eve directed by Joseph Mankeiwicz
i Expectations have a significant effect on the characters in All About Eve. Discuss.
OR
ii Margo is a more sympathetic character than Eve. Do you agree?
Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín
i Eilis is not able to be happy until she abandons what is familiar to her. Discuss.
OR
ii In Brooklyn, Eilis finds her true identity. Discuss.
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
i Burial Rites shows how the past can affect the present. Discuss.
OR
ii "Most good people are soon enough underground."
Discuss the portrayal of justice in Burial Rites.
Cloudstreet by Tim Winton
i How does Winton present the relationships within and between families in Cloudstreet?
OR
ii The characters in Cloudstreet are flawed, but we can't help but sympathise with them. Discuss.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
i In Frankenstein, Victor is the real monster. Do you agree?
OR
ii How does Shelley show the dangers of blindly pursuing one's ambitions?
I for Isobel by Amy Witting
i I for Isobel is about the quest for identity and self-determination. Discuss.
OR
ii Discuss the depiction of parenting in I for Isobel.
In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar
i Suleiman's view of the world changes greatly over the course of the novel. Discuss.
OR
ii In In the Country of Men, none of the characters have control over their lives. Do you agree?
Island by Allistair MacLeod
i MacLeod's short stories focus on the importance of close relationships. Discuss.
OR
ii In Island, the characters value their traditions, culture, and environment. Discuss.
Mabo directed by Rachel Perkins
i Despite some of Mabo's actions, he is ultimately a sympathetic character in Perkins' film. Discuss.
OR
ii In Mabo, Eddie fights for the sake of his pride, not his family. Do you agree?
Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare
i The characters in Measure for Measure are easily swayed by their passions. Discuss.
OR
ii Discuss the portrayal of justice and honesty in Shakespeare's Measure for Measure.
Medea by Euripides
i Are the characters in Medea motivated more so by reason, or emotion?
OR
ii Both Medea and Jason act in unjust ways in Euripides' play. To what extent do you agree?
No Sugar by Jack Davis
i In No Sugar, Davis laments that the Aboriginal characters in No Sugar face such racial prejudice. Discuss.
OR
ii No Sugar is about independence as well as a sense of community. Discuss.
Selected Poems by John Donne
i The idea of forging connections with others is central in Donne's Selected Poems. Do you agree?
OR
ii John Donne's poems explore many facets of the human condition. Discuss.
Selected Poems by Gwen Harwood
i Harwood's Selected Poems explore the consequences of oppression and unhappiness. Discuss.
OR
ii How does Harwood portray the idea of womanhood?
Stasiland by Anna Funder
i In Stasiland, the effects of the past permeate the lives of characters in the present. Discuss.
OR
ii Funder's Stasiland is more about hope than fear. Do you agree?
The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman
i Spiegelman's graphic novel highlights the horrors of the holocaust in many ways. Discuss.
OR
ii The characters in The Complete Maus are irrevocably changed by the war. Do you agree?
The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
i Adichie's short stories feature many different kinds of change. Discuss.
OR
ii How does The Thing Around Your Neck explore the importance of optimism and hope?
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
i We cannot sympathise with Balram in The White Tiger. Do you agree?
OR
ii The White Tiger paints a complex portrait of justice and freedom in India. Discuss.
This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff
i Wolff's memoir showcases the harsh circumstances that the characters have to deal with. Discuss.
OR
ii None of the characters in Toby's life are decent role models. Do you agree?
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
i Both Heathcliff and Catherine make errors of judgement in Wuthering Heights. Do you agree?
OR
ii Wuthering Heights is a novel about the appeal and the dangers of love. Discuss.
Section B
Spoiler
The Imaginative Landscape:
‘Our inner landscapes shape who we are.’
Whose Reality?:
‘Our perception of the world stems from our subjective realities.’
Encountering Conflict:
‘The way we respond to conflict can have a profound impact on the conflict as well as the people involved.’
Exploring Issues of Identity and Belonging:
‘We cannot belong to a group unless we have a sense of who we are.’
Section C
Spoiler
Background Information:
The following opinion piece appeared in the parenting and lifestyle section of a weekly magazine.No Phone Zone!
Last night, my family and I enjoyed a lovely dinner together. We spoke, together, about our day, and then we sat down to play a boardgame. Together.
Nowadays, there's a generally accepted sense that everyone is always 'plugged-in.' They're pretty much glued to their computer screens all day, and when they're not on their computers, they're on their tablets. And when they're not on their tablets, they're on their smartphones. And when they're not on their smartphones, they're on some other newfangled high-tech device. From watches to fridges, almost every part of our households and every part of our lives is dominated by screens.
Especially those infernal smartphones! I'll confess that there were a few months where I was so busy with work that I wasn't as attentive to my children as I should've been. And before I knew it, my two darling kids had gone from being happy, high-functioning individuals to mindless zombies who were barely able to lift their eyes from those black holes cunningly disguised as screens.
Committing to no phone zones requires constant diligence. You have to be sharp, and consistently keyed-in to your family's well-being. But wouldn't you rather spend an evening together with your loved ones than abandon them to the black holes? Don't you want to have meaningful conversations with people who matter, rather than lose them to the void?(http://i.imgur.com/ihO8Spi.png)
When I hear about families that prioritise technology over togetherness, it makes me very upset because I know how hard it is to fight against that temptation. When I first introduced our 'no phones at the dinner table' rule, I had to deal with an awful lot of resistance. Suddenly, there was some intense need to have access to those devices, but after the initial withdrawal symptoms, I’m proud to say that even my 14-year-old boy – a chronic addict to his phone – was able to turn things around.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not one of those conspiracy theorist fools that thinks we should ban anything electric and go back to caveman times. We all know that technology has improved our lives immensely. It’s not more convenient than ever to accomplish tasks that would’ve been impossible just a few short years ago, and I’m well aware of how advantageous this is. In preparation for our no phone zone evening yesterday, I was looking up recipes on my tablet while listening to the radio app on my phone. But I wasn’t ‘plugged-in’ all evening, and when the time came, I switched everything off so that I could devote my attention to those around me.
It’s this willingness to unplug oneself for a substantial amount of time that fosters this family togetherness. Yes, it’s a sacrifice, but it’s a minor one, and the benefits far outweigh the costs. That’s why I’m advocating others adopt this same approach in their own homes – show your family that you care enough to look up from your screens, take off those headphones, and actually talk to one another!
Otherwise, how do you expect your children will acquire adequate social skills and confidence in life? Do you really think they’ll learn those things through instant messaging or by browsing the internet? How are they going to be productive members of society if every skill they have is filtered through a technological device? Sure, there's some things you can learn that way, but there's also a whole wide world of real, face-to-face interaction out there. Good people skills come from the home, and good habits start in childhood, so what better way to set your kids up for their futures than to ensure they know how and when to unplug themselves.
And don't even get me started on the health benefits! Do you know how much staring at screens late at night can mess with your sleep schedule? Because there have been a substantial number of studies that suggest this is the case. (http://i.imgur.com/W5cAJ15.jpg)
Don't believe me? Give it a try yourself! Detox for an evening, and don't stare at any hazardous devices at all. Don't incessantly check your phone, don't waste the evening watching a bunch of mind-numbing videos or movies. And don't take those devices to bed with you for another solid hour of gawking at garbage online.
Instead, look up. Look up from your screens - up at the people around you. You'll get a better night's sleep, you'll be gracing those around you with your company, and you'll be a healthier, happier person as a result! I know how hard it is to untangle yourself from the digital cords and the hypnotic screens that dominate our lives, but if you truly want to feel connected to others, it's crucial that you know when to hide away those devices and pay attention to the real world!