Statistics Year Number of candidates Level of achievement VHA HA SA LA VLA 2017 82 18 53 10 1 0 2016 82 40 39 2 1 0 2015 69 21 35 9 4 0 2014 83 21 46 14 2 0 2013 111 47 50 13 1 0 The Senior External Examination comprised two components: an oral examination and a written examination. Oral examination Candidates were required to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in using spoken. The oral examination consisted of two sections: Conversation and Discussion. All candidates were individually assessed by a marker either in person or by telephone. Conversation The majority of candidates were able to carry out a general conversation about their personal world, e.g. school, home, family, friends, interests, dreams and goals. To achieve a better result, candidates should speak clearly in full sentences and proactively participate in the conversation. The use of loan words, such as computer and television, is permitted. However, using English words while speaking in contributed negatively to the overall speaking results for many candidates. Discussion For the detailed study, candidates discussed a subtopic of their choice selected from the syllabus. While some candidates had prepared for this part of the assessment, many had not. To achieve a better result, candidates should explore aspects of the language as well as the culture of -speaking communities. They should also make reference to the texts studied to justify their opinions and decisions. In addition, candidates should take their discussion further than just describing or explaining a topic. Candidates must expect questions from the marker to ensure that various language features are assessed. 180110
Although the absence of visual aids did not affect any results, the use of objects such as photographs, diagrams, pictures and maps tended to improve the effectiveness of candidates discussions. Notes and cue cards were not permitted. Written examination The written examination consisted of three sections: Listening, Reading and Writing. It assessed knowledge and skills demonstrated by candidates in spoken and written texts. Listening Suggested responses Task 1 (Responses in ) 대화속의남자는어떤제안을하나요? 왜이런제안을하는지설명하세요. What does the male speaker recommend? Explain why the male speaker recommends it. 대화속의남자는서울역으로가는길을묻는여자가교통체증을겪지않도록 360 번버스대신 지하철 7 호선을타고가다가 4 호선으로갈아타는것을제안했습니다. 그리고서울역근처에 들를만한곳을묻는여자에게 4 호선노선에있는명동과동대문시장을추천했는데, 그이유는 명동과동대문을젊은사람들에게인기가많은곳이고, 쇼핑과맛있는음식을즐길수있기 때문입니다. 대화마지막에남자가왜놀랐나요? 본문에주어진정보를바탕으로설명하세요. Why is the male speaker surprised at the end of the conversation? Justify your response using relevant information from the text. 남자가놀란이유는대화속의여자가어렸을때호주로이민간후한국에처음방문했음에도 불구하고한국어를유창하게잘하기때문입니다. Comments Most candidates responded to Listening Task 1 adequately, however, a number of candidates did not provide evidence to support their responses, which negatively affected their overall result. Page 2 of 8
Task 2 (Responses in ) 이라디오프로그램의목적이무엇인지설명하세요. Identify the purpose of this radio program. 이라디오프로그램은 세계속의한국 이라는프로그램이고, 세계각국에서한국문화가어떻게 알려지고있는지소개하는것이목적입니다. 오늘프로그램은호주에서는한국문화가어떻게 알려지고있는지소개했습니다. 한페스티벌은무엇입니까? 본문에주어진내용을바탕으로설명하세요. What is the Han Festival? Use relevant information from the text. 한페스티벌은브리즈번대학교학생회에서매년개최하는네가지행사의주제로한국음식을 소개하는한쿡, 한국에가고싶어하는친구에게멘토가되어주는한드림, 한국전통의상과 절하는법을소개하는한패션, 그리고한국의음악과춤을알리는파티인한팝으로 구성되어있습니다. Question 3 한페스티벌의목적은얼마나효과적으로달성되었나요? 본문의내용을바탕으로설명하세요. How effectively has the Han Festival achieved its purpose? Justify your response based on relevant information from the text. 한페스티벌의목적은매우효과적으로 ( 성공적으로 ) 달성되었습니다. 위에서말한다양한종류의 행사로한국의문화를잘알리고있으며, 작년한팝의경우에방송국에서헬리콥터를타고 취재를올정도로엄청나게인기를끌었고, 또관중을모았습니다. 올해는작년보다두배나 많은신청이들어와서더큰장소를섭외중이라는것을보아, 한페스티벌은호주브리즈번에 한국문화를매우열정적이고효과적으로알리고있습니다. Comments Most candidates responded adequately to Questions 1 and 2 in this task. To achieve a better result, candidates analysis and evaluation in Question 3 should be justified based on the information provided in the text. A number of candidates did not evaluate the effectiveness of the Han Festival in meeting its purpose, which negatively affected their results. Candidates also needed to check spelling and grammatical errors and sentence structures to improve their results. Page 3 of 8
Task 3 (Responses in English) Identify the problem discussed in the news report. The news report discusses the increasing numbers of victims who lose their lifelong savings through phishing scams. What is the event described in the news report? Provide all relevant details. Mr and Mrs Kim nearly fell for a phishing scam when they took a call from a boy who claimed to be their son. He alerted his parents of a serious injury he received at the school camp. The call was passed on to an alleged teacher who asked for two million won to be transferred to a bank account for an urgent treatment their son required. During his routine patrol, a police officer sensed urgency in the couple s behaviour as they were rushing to the bank, and offered to help. After hearing the story, the police officer became suspicious of the request to deposit money in the bank account, so he ran a check and confirmed that it was a phishing scam from an internet phone call. The couple s son at the school camp was safe and they were thankful that nothing happened. Question 3 Is the problem being effectively managed? Justify your response using relevant information in the text. The phishing scam problem is not being managed effectively. Despite the effort of the government and consumer groups to warn people about phishing scams through the media and social media, the amount of money lost through phishing scams was 7.2 billion won over the last 10 years, and the number of victims has been increasing consistently. The usual victims are now not only elderly people, but also include professionals, government officers and educators. Based on this, scammers are clearly becoming more devious and the current solution is not effectively protecting innocent victims. Comments A number of candidates did not include essential information and important details in responses. In addition, many candidates did not evaluate the effectiveness of the recommended solution in Question 3. Candidates also needed to check spelling and grammatical errors and sentence structures to improve their results. Overall comments for Listening In general, to achieve a better result, candidates need to carefully read the questions and accurately address them in their responses. While it is important to gather essential information and details from the Listening texts, it is also important to identify subtleties, as direct translation does not provide evidence of in-depth understanding. Candidates also need to evaluate the decisions and justify their responses using evidence from the text. Candidates should improve and check spelling, grammar and sentence structure in responses in English to effectively respond to the questions. Page 4 of 8
Reading Suggested responses Task 1 (Responses in ) 이글의종류와목적은무엇인가요? 본문에서쓰인글과문안의특성을예로들어설명하세요. Identify the text type and its purpose. Justify your response by referring to the language and textual features from the text. 이글의종류는상족암캠프장을알리려는광고문입니다. 이는주관하는여행사의이름과 연락처, 시선을끌기위해쓰인상족암의사진, 공룡발자국등을보아알수있습니다. 이글의목적은경남고성군하이면덕명리상족암에위치한상족암캠프장을소개하고 참가자를모집하는것입니다. 초대 라는단어를사용하여목적을분명히했고, 유명한, 신비로운, 아름답고, 웅장한 과같은형용사를사용하여관심을끌고, 또글상자안에상족암 캠프장의좋은점을나열함으로참가를권했습니다. 어떤부류의사람들이이글에관심을가질까요? 본문의주어진정보를바탕으로설명하세요. Identify a category of people who would be interested in this experience. Justify your response using relevant information from the text. Possible response 1 캠프의특징을생각했을때, 가족이나친구등여러명이함께캠프를하고싶은사람들이관심을 가질것입니다. 특히나청소년자녀를둔가족이관심을가질것같습니다. 그이유는요즘 전자기기및스마트폰에빠져있는청소년들에게자연을즐기고가족과보내는시간을늘려주는 계기가될것이기때문입니다. 그리고, 우리나라의지질학적특성및공룡의역사도체험할수 있는교육적인장소이기때문에자녀의교육에관심이많은부모님들에게인기가있을것 같습니다. Possible response 2 캠프의특징을생각했을때, 가족이나친구등여러명이함께캠프를하고싶은사람들이관심을 가질것입니다. 특히나초등학생이나유치원에다니는자녀를둔가족이관심을가질것 같습니다. 공룡박물관에가면아이들이공룡을좋아하고, 신기해할것이며, 어린아이들은 전자기기나스마트폰등이없어도크게불편해하거나불만을가지지않기때문입니다. 안전한 산책로, 깨끗한환경은위험하고오염된도시에서뛰놀지못하는어린이들에게최적의 캠프장이라고생각됩니다. Page 5 of 8
Possible response 3 캠프의특징을생각했을때, 가족이나친구등여러명이함께캠프를하고싶은사람들이관심을 가질것입니다. 특히나대학교의지질학과의학생들이 MT 장소로관심을가질것같습니다. 본인들이공부하는전공과관련된장소에서학교에서배운지식을실제로경험을할수있고, 또 인터넷상이아닌사람대사람으로관계를맺을수있는특별한장소이기때문입니다. 주차비가 들지않는것역시학생들에게더할나위없이좋은조건입니다. Comments Most candidates responded well to, however, many failed to provide language and textual features as evidence. For, a number of candidates identified the specific information provided in the text, but did not justify their decision adequately. Task 2 (Responses in ) 이글의목적과대상을쓰세요. Identify the purpose of and the audience of this text. 이글의목적은 발명의날 에대해설명하고, 우리나라에서발명된여러가지발명품을소개하는 것입니다. 또한, 독자들에게 올해의발명왕대회 에참여하기를권하는목적을가지고있습니다. 이글에서사용된친근한어투, 화자가도깨비인점, 독자들을친구들이라고칭하는것을보아이 글의대상은어린이, 청소년입니다. 이글의목적은얼마나효과적으로달성될까요? 본문에서주어진예를들어토론하세요. How effectively does this text achieve the purpose? Justify your response using relevant information from the text. 이글은 발명의날 에대해매우효과적으로설명했습니다. 대한민국의흥미롭고놀라운발명 역사로시작해서, 세계적으로사용되는우리나라의발명품을자세히소개했기때문입니다. 예를 들면, 세계최초로발명된측우기의발명일이 5 월 19 일이었다는것으로시작하여, 철갑선, 금속활자등역사속의발명품뿐만아니라현재에도늘사용되는커피믹스, 또최신기술인 MP3, Vo-LTE, 작지만기발한우유팩여는기술과막대풍선등을소개한것은독자들이흥미를가질 만한내용입니다. 올행의발명왕대회 역시효과적으로독자들의참여를유도했습니다. 출품하지않아도 창의력과상상력을높일수있는좋은경험이라는설명을통해참여의부담을줄여줬고, 작지만 기발한아이디어로참여가가능하다는설득을통해참여하고싶은독자들에게자신감을 부여했습니다. 또한특허청웹사이트를통해자세한내용을볼수있다고안내함으로써매우 효과적으로독자들을설득했습니다. Page 6 of 8
Comments Most candidates responded well to. For, a number of candidates identified the specific information provided in the text, but did not evaluate the effectiveness of the text in achieving its purpose. Candidates must read the question thoroughly. Task 3 (Responses in English) What is the theme of this text? Explain how it is represented. The themes of this text are coming of age, growing up and becoming mature. This is represented throughout the plot, which tells the learning experience of the writer, who successfully becomes independent and finds freedom despite the difficulties he faced as a young international student with a lack of English skills and life experiences. Discuss how the attitudes of the writer s parents change toward their son. Use relevant information from the text to support your response. At the beginning of the text, the writer s parents do not take their son seriously, thinking he is an immature and irresponsible boy who only likes to play computer games and sports. This is why the writer s father laughs at his son s claim to focus on study. The writer s parents then become unhappy and angry with their son as he started working part time. Being typical parents, there is a cultural belief that children should only study and it is the parents duty to provide a perfect environment to support their children. However, at the end they are surprised by their son s achievement and maturity, especially when he becomes financially independent. In Korea, children often depend on their parents until they get married or even after they get married, so while his parents are shocked, they are also very proud of their son. Therefore, the writer s parents attitude toward their son changes from negative to positive. Question 3 Suggest a suitable audience for the text and explain why it is appropriate. Provide relevant information from the texts. Possible response 1 This text is suitable for students who are preparing to go abroad to study, because it presents the experience of a person who has been down the same path. It provides the experiences and difficulties they may face and strategies to overcome those difficulties. Many people who go overseas for a new life often dream about the fantastic things about their new life, as the writer did. However, after reading this text, readers will be able to prepare for and plan their new journey in more realistic terms. One example would be learning the language to avoid any unfortunate situations like the writer faced when he lost the opportunity to be in the soccer team because he did not understand English. Possible response 2 This text is suitable for parents whose child is studying abroad or is preparing to go abroad to study. By understanding the change in the attitudes of the writer s parents, they would be able to prepare themselves to view their child as a person who is struggling to find their feet in an unfamiliar environment. That way, they would be able to provide more support instead of laughing at their child or getting angry with their child for taking opportunities that they think unnecessary. They could give their child some encouraging words and motivate them to be themselves and experience as much as they can. Page 7 of 8
Comments In, a number of candidates failed to provide the theme of this text. Instead, they identified the type (genre) of the text. Candidates must read the question thoroughly. A number of candidates did not provide an adequate response to as they failed to explain the process of the change in the writer s parents attitude. Most candidates responded to Question 3 adequately, however, many candidates did not provide evidence from the text to support their response. Overall comments for Reading In general, to achieve a better result, candidates need to demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the text. They need to identify and understand the key words in questions and justify their decisions and conclusions based on information provided in the text. In addition, candidates should demonstrate their understanding of culture when justifying their responses. Candidates also need to improve their English language literacy to clearly convey their level of understanding. Writing To achieve a better result, candidates should: clearly identify the genre of the writing task and the audience use appropriate format, features, register and conventions to suit the relevant genre clearly express their ideas and purposes pay attention to grammar and vocabulary choices use a wide range of vocabulary, including figurative language organise the written text in a clear and coherent manner use paragraphs where appropriate write neatly to demonstrate their ability to write Hangul correctly proofread responses to avoid spelling and punctuation errors. Page 8 of 8