English Advanced Question Thread

[rodero]

Hi!

I have a question about Elyse & Emily's English Advanced Course notes book thing.

It says to use "pre-reading time" (page 91) to look at the exam questions while the exam supervisors are getting ready.

I thought you weren't allowed to open the paper until reading time starts? Or is this not what it means? Could someone please clear this up for me, thank you

Hey!

I don't have the book myself, but I was present at the head start lectures last year where it was mentioned.  Pre reading time basically means that time when your sitting down with the paper, and the examiner goes "okay everyone, turn to section 1 of the paper and make sure you have XYZ. Now check to see you have your stimulus booklet etc etc. In this time, rather than following the examiners instructions and seeing that you have all the papers, you can instead quickly take a glance at your questions. This makes sense because honestly, why would I need to care that the questions for People and Landscapes are there, when my module is People and Politics? In the case of discovery, you can use this time to quickly look at the essay and creative question just so that you know what they are. That way you can spend more time reading the unseen texts.

So yeah, essentially what it means is that period before the official reading time commences. It's your choice to run the risk of actually missing a paper in your booklet, but honestly chances would be less than 0.001%

[left right gn]

Hey,
After writing, for example 'Looking for Richard' in the intro, can we use 'LFR' for the rest of the essay?

[winstondarmawan]

Hey,
After writing, for example 'Looking for Richard' in the intro, can we use 'LFR' for the rest of the essay?

My teacher told us to never use acronyms, but rather you should do Looking For Richard in the intro and 'Looking' in the rest of the text. Anyways, Looking for Richard isn't that long.

[Arceus]

Hey,
After writing, for example 'Looking for Richard' in the intro, can we use 'LFR' for the rest of the essay?

"..Looking for Richard (LFR) by Al Pacino...."
As long as you have LFR in brackets the first time you mention the text it should be fine to use 'LFR' for the rest of the essay. Although i would probably use the full title in the conclusion. At least that is what I do in my REII exams for the long titles, it just saves time.

[biffi023]

Anyone have any good guesses on what they think the AOS essay question will be?!?! 

[snoopy111]

Hey!

I don't have the book myself, but I was present at the head start lectures last year where it was mentioned.  Pre reading time basically means that time when your sitting down with the paper, and the examiner goes "okay everyone, turn to section 1 of the paper and make sure you have XYZ. Now check to see you have your stimulus booklet etc etc. In this time, rather than following the examiners instructions and seeing that you have all the papers, you can instead quickly take a glance at your questions. This makes sense because honestly, why would I need to care that the questions for People and Landscapes are there, when my module is People and Politics? In the case of discovery, you can use this time to quickly look at the essay and creative question just so that you know what they are. That way you can spend more time reading the unseen texts.

So yeah, essentially what it means is that period before the official reading time commences. It's your choice to run the risk of actually missing a paper in your booklet, but honestly chances would be less than 0.001%

Thank you!!

[winstondarmawan]

Hey! Would appreciate if someone could give me a rough mark indication for my response to the last question of 2015 Paper 1.

Compare   how   TWO   of   the   texts   represent   the   significance   of   curiosity   in   the   process   of   discovering.

Discoveries, particularly the physical, can be significantly influenced by one’s curiosity, however the factor of necessity in certain discoveries cannot be disregarded. This is true of a comparison of text 1, which highlights the necessity of physical discovery that poverty invokes, and text 3, which epitomises the utmost lengths that the call go to in order to discover and satisfy their curiosity. Text 1 incorporates a jarring juxtaposition of the complexity of the language used for the characters dialogue, for example ‘Oh man, look at this!’ to the ‘voluminous pair of white rayan bleachers’. This exemplifies the situation of poverty the couple are in, prompting them to undergo a physical discovery for everyday items cut of sheer necessity. The couple portrayed in the extract are often in awe of what they find, the short, sudden exclamation such as ‘This!’ convey the dire situation they are in, that they have an appreciation towards the smallest of physical discoveries evoked entirely by necessity. This diminishes the importance of curiosity in the search for everyday items. The reaction of the responder is minimised by the wealthier British tourist, who are ‘disgusted’ by this utmost necessity. However, a different portrayal of the significance of curiosity in initiating physical discovery is evident in Text 3, Atwood’s Butterfly. The father’s appreciation for nature in his ‘three move walk through the forest to school’ is accomplished through the use of lyricism and cumulative listing as ‘he noticed everything; mushroom and scat, wild bloom, snail and , clunkmoss, fern and career’. This epitomises the father’s attunement towards nature, accounting for the great extent of curiosity the father has garnered in search of the ‘butterfly, as blue as eyes’. This curiosity is represented as the father had ‘the wish to know and the need to pracse’, prompting ‘that set him off his tangent’, and epitomising the importance of curiosity towards the father’s discovery. The description of the mapping ‘microscopes and numbers, candle pins, cars, undurings’ demonstrates the extent that the father is willing to go to satisfy his curiosity, evoked by the physical discovery of the butterfly. As such, a contrast of Text 1 and 3 epitomises that both necessity and curiosity are factors that drive individuals to physical discovery, depending in the situation.

Sorry if there are errors, got someone to type it up for me.
TIA!

[mlarsson]

Just wondering if this thesis / beginning of an intro answers the question clearly enough? Thanks

[Any significant discovery has short and long tern effects.
To what extent is this view reflected in your prescribed text and ONE other related text of your own choosing?

Short-term and long-term effects experienced as a result of a discovery influences a progressive transformation of an individual’s disposition. The nature of short-term and long-term impacts is dependant on an individual’s willingness to undergo a discovery.William Shakespeare explores the short term and long term impacts a discovery has on individuals and society, seen within 'The Tempest' through the representation of Prospero’s new-found value for virtue in replace of vengeance. Stephen Seegerman similarly explores the societal impact of a discovery within his documentary ‘Searching for Sugarman’ highlighting the influence Rodriguez’s music had on the Apartheid period of South African society.

[tahliamadeldine]

Hi,
I am doing Ted Hughes poem "Your Paris" as my discovery related text. I have most of my information but I was wondering if there were any good resources available on the text, or just tips for including it in my response?
Thank you!

[natasha.rh]

Hi!!
For Mod C I'm doing Judith Wright's poetry. Do I have to know quotes and techniques from all 7 poems incase?? How should I be approaching?

[feeah]

ok so i haven't made any notes for paper 2 yet or done any practice papers, what's the best way to use my time this weekend to maximise my possible marks?

[isaacdelatorre]

Hi!

I have a question about Elyse & Emily's English Advanced Course notes book thing.

It says to use "pre-reading time" (page 91) to look at the exam questions while the exam supervisors are getting ready.

I thought you weren't allowed to open the paper until reading time starts? Or is this not what it means? Could someone please clear this up for me, thank you

Hi there,

I'm not Elyse or Emily; but from the lecture (i'm trying to remember here) - I think they meant that you use the time when the examiner asks you to look through the book and check each page number (you have to look through the whole paper to check you have every unseen text and every question). Then in this time when you check the last few pages (where the essay questions are) have a really quick read so you can start to formulate answers in the reading time. Pretty sure this is the pre-reading time --> someone feel free to correct me though

Sorry about waiting so long for a response! Hope this helps you smash Paper 1!!

My Module B Trial question was "Resounding speeches are those which strike a chord with the audience" - to what extent does this perspective align with your own personal understanding of your speeches.
I structured my essay using techniques - e.g. Keating uses blunt tone that earns him credibility with Indigenous Australians as he admits guilt
Whereas Lessing uses emotional pleas and hopeful tone etc.

Is this not an ideal response? My marker wrote "using techniques to drive your discussion limits your engagement" - should I rather have talked about how the themes of the speeches are relevant to the audience etc?

Hey there.

Its not really ideal to structure your paragraphs about a single technique mainly because you wanna be talking about a whole concept or idea and pull it apart, analysing what it means and how it links to the rubric. In order to explore the concept properly you should be supporting your analysis with those techniques and quotes. Having just one technique as your whole paragraph significantly limits your ability to explore the ideas and explore the rubric. However if one technique is incredibly prominent then feel free to go into depth as to what it achieves and how it is used to create meaning.
If you have the requisite post count definitely feel free to put some of your essays in the marking threads and we'd love to have a read of them

Smash paper 1! you got thisss

Hey guys,
can someone pls tell me how i can relate this paragraph to discoveries being confronting and provocative
This is similarly explored within Ulysses, wherein discovery is present as a fundamental aspect of human nature. Tennyson was heavily influenced by Victorian ideals in his interpretation of Odysseus as his thirst for discovery reflects the expansionist policies of colonisers during the age of discovery. Therefore, he utilises the pleasurable metaphors of possessing a “hungry heart” and finding “drunk delight” in new discoveries. The alliteration of these metaphors are aesthetic devices to present discovery as inescapable. This fundamental desire for discovery is influenced by the hubristic themes and ideas explored by the Dante’s interpretation of Odysseus who was trapped in hell for extending his pursuit of knowledge too far. Odysseus neglection of his relationship and responsibilities to those around him is emphasized in the neglection of his relationships and responsibilities to those around him is emphasised in the reductive language and polysyndeton of a “savage race” that “hoard and sleep and know not me”. It suggests Odysseus disillusionment with the mundanity of ruling has created a limited scope of discovery, as he fails to utilise the opportunity to discover his relationship with those around him.     
thanks

Hey Becky,

Definitely try to think about how a discovery that went against his prior beliefs and knowledge of the world would have been confronting to him as it was something so different to what he was used to. Also try to incorporate how it is provocative in the way that it spurs further curiosity and thoughts. Its not a simple case of just throwing in the word confronting but you do need to set up how exactly the discovery is confronting and why being confronting is significant.

Hope this helps!! Sorry to everyone that these responses are a little delayed; trying to get through everyone's HSC work.

Hey everyone,
For those who do Hamlet, I'd appreciate a little help =)
“Witness this army of such mass and charge
Led by a delicate and tender prince,
Whose spirit with divine ambition puff'd
Makes mouths at the invisible event,
Exposing what is mortal and unsure
To all that fortune, death and danger dare,
Even for an egg-shell. Rightly to be great
Is not to stir without great argument,
But greatly to find quarrel in a straw
When honour's at the stake.”
With reference to the above extract, discuss how imagery is an integral part of Hamlet.

I'm not exactly sure how to answer this by referring to the extract. What key ideas should you aim to talk about in your body paragraphs. My prepared essay was on corruption, revenge, and philosophical dilemmas regarding the afterlife. But I don't feel like they apply to the question very well.
Thanks in advance =)

Hi there,

I did Hamlet and I found it incrediblyyyyy frustrating and confusing and it was my least favourite module. In saying this it was the one I thought I should try to ask as many people for help so that I could begin to wrap my head around how to tackle it. For questions that give you an extract look at what ideas are presented in the extract and try to link them to your own ideas of corruption, revenge and philosophical delimmas.
So for philosophical dilemmas regarding the afterlife look at "Exposing what is mortal and unsure/To all that fortune, death and danger dare/Even for an egg-shell." and pull apart and analyse this one quote then use it as a spring board to jump into your prepared material on this issue and try to link it firstly to the extract/overall informed personal understanding of Hamlet and also try to use as much imagery as you can (dictated by the question).

Hopefully that gives you a little bit of an idea, I know it wasn't the best response but definitely feel free to post up any follow up questions you have; happy to answer them as Hamlet was such a struggle!!

Smash English!!!

Hey, I'm not really sure which thread to post my area of study questions but with the creative peice I feel like my best works have either come from a time of distress that is quite personal to me or deals with a subject matter I don't personally understand and am worried about it being inaccurate or stereotypical. Do you think I could still work with these ideas or should I create somthing that is from experience yet more distant from my own life?

Hi there,

With creative writing is really up to you as to what the subject matter is about. The only thing you must do is show knowledge of the rubric and explore the rubric ideas of discovery through your creative. Another thing is that it must engage with the stimulus and question prescribed by NESA. This presents some challenges with personal experience since it may be unable to adapt to the question however since it is your own experience you are able to deal with it in soo much more evocativeness and really engage the reader with your story. It is really up to you to what extent you are able to deal with the rubric and stimulus with you own personal experience story. if it is with a subject matter you don't personally understand do make sure it isn't cliche or stereotypical which is a challenge when you first start writing creatives but reading other people's work really helps you see different avenues you can take your story. Reading other peoples stories also lifts your expression undoubtedly so highly recommend. In my own HSC last year I had a prepared creative that was not about my own experience and I still feel it was adaptable and evocative enough to a reader whilst also dealing with the rubric. So it really is up to you!

Hope this helps you smash English!!!!

Hey,
After writing, for example 'Looking for Richard' in the intro, can we use 'LFR' for the rest of the essay?

Hey there,

Definitely able to use acronyms as long as you put the whole name first and probably in the conclusion so Looking for Richard (LFR) just so the marker knows. In my module A i shortened Elizabeth Barrett Browning to EBB and throughout all my internals my teachers said it was fine. Definitely agree with winston that you can shorten it to one word such as looking just make sure you underline the text whenever you refer to it so that the marker knows you mean the text and not the word 'looking'

good luck for english!! I know you'll all smash it

[bundahboy]

ok so i haven't made any notes for paper 2 yet or done any practice papers, what's the best way to use my time this weekend to maximise my possible marks?

There are two possible approaches to the Module essays: memorisation and improvisation. It is unlikely that you'll be able to write and memorise 3 module essays in the space of 4 days, so your only option in my view is improvisation.

If you don't yet have notes, then it is also unlikely that you'll be able to derive much benefit out of doing practice papers. I instead recommend getting up to speed with the main points and evidence that you can draw from each of your texts. Take note of the main ideas in each of your texts, and think about how they relate to particular aspects of the rubric. Then compile a set of quotes that back up these ideas, and memorise them. Once you memorise the required evidence for each of your texts, the rest of the analysis generally falls out quite easily; you can just look at each of the quotes in turn and identify techniques.

[sidzeman]

Module B - Keating "Redfern Speech" extract
“If we improve the living conditions in one town, they will improve in another…If we raise the standard of living by twenty per cent one year, it will be raised more the next”. 

Could someone please help me identify techniques in this, which contribute to the orators attempt to inspire hope and work towards a unified Australian society (of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people)

[bundahboy]

Module B - Keating "Redfern Speech" extract
“If we improve the living conditions in one town, they will improve in another…If we raise the standard of living by twenty per cent one year, it will be raised more the next”. 

Could someone please help me identify techniques in this, which contribute to the orators attempt to inspire hope and work towards a unified Australian society (of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people)

I'm using this exact quote!

Parallel sentence structures reinforce and emphasise the cascading effect of reform, implying a positive relationship between the act and the result. Inclusive language ('we') makes the audience feel personally invested in the push towards reconciliation.