Statistics Year Number of candidates Level of achievement VHA HA SA LA VLA 2014 83 21 46 14 2 0 2013 111 47 50 13 1 0 2012 147 80 54 12 1 0 2011 137 98 32 2 4 1 2010 114 100 13 1 0 0 Oral examination Candidates were required to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in using spoken. The oral examination consists 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. The use of loan words, such as computer and television, is permitted. However, English words used 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. In those cases, markers randomly chose a topic for discussion and candidates were given 30 seconds to prepare. 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. 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. 150075
Written examination Listening Suggested responses Task 1 (Responses in English) What are the problems identified in the speeches made by last year s candidates? Use evidence from the spoken text in your response. While many candidates offered attractive pledges in their speeches, some were unjustified, unrealistic and lacked logical argument. For example, one candidate said they would increase the number of the music clubs at school and enter into more music competitions to improve the reputation of the school. However, they ended their speech by promising a safer and nicer academic environment at school for study. Determine the important information the two speakers listen for when they attend the Candidate Speeches this year. Use evidence from the spoken text in your response. They would have to identify the arguments and the evidence clearly and evaluate their validity and consistency. Question 3 Based on what the female speaker says at the end of the conversation, describe how she feels about the male speaker. Explain what indicates this in her speech. The female speaker is disappointed and annoyed that the male speaker does not take the election seriously and seems more interested in the opportunity to meet girls from different schools. She calls out his full name in a pitched tone which, culturally, means the speaker is angry. A number of candidates made poor word choices to demonstrate the meaning of familiar language and the depth of understanding of the text. Candidates also needed to check spelling and grammatical errors and sentence structures to achieve a better result. Task 2 (Responses in ) 본문에의하면현재대한민국사회에는어떤변화가일어나고있습니까? According to the text, what changes are happening in society? 가족의개념이달라지며, 배우자의부모, 조부모, 손주등은가족에포함되지않는다고여기는사람이늘고있습니다. 그리고, 핵가족화된사회에서성장한젊은세대는같이살지않으면할머니, 할아버지라도가족으로여기지않는다고합니다. Page 2 of 6
본문에주어진정보를사용해서이러한변화가왜한국사회에중요하게인식되는지설명하세요. Using information form the spoken text, explain why these changes are significant for society. 사람들이생각하는가족의범위가점차좁아지며할아버지, 할머니는, 같이살지않는다는이유로가족이라는테두리에서밀려나고있습니다애완동물마저. 가족으로여겨지는이시대에이런, 변화는대한민국의아름다운전통, 즉가족을소중히여기고어른을공경하며모시는전통과문화와상반되는현상입니다결국. 이것은대한민국의전통이점차사라지는현상이라볼수있고, 이는한국사회가문제로인식해야하는변화입니다. Most candidates responded adequately to this task. To achieve a better result, candidates analysis and evaluation should be justified using information provided in the text. Candidates also needed to check sentence structures and spelling and grammatical errors. Task 3 (Responses in ) 본문에주어진내용을바탕으로성공한패션디자이너가되기위해갖추어야할기본요소는무엇인가요? What are the attributes of a successful fashion designer as stated in the text? 성공한패션디자이너가되기위해서는신선한아이디어, 타고난감각, 창의력그리고디자인부터완성까지의이미지를비주얼하게그릴수있는재능을가져야합니다. 지나킴은패션디자이너가된후본인의삶에서어떤변화를느꼈나요? 본문에주어진정보를바탕으로근거를제시하세요. Using evidence from the text, explain how Gina has changed since she became a fashion designer. 지나킴씨는피아니스트가되기위해극심한경쟁을해야했고, 그로인해스트레스와슬럼프를겪으며내성적인성격을가지고있었습니다하지만. 패션디자이너로, 살아가며다양한수상으로통해여러사교모임에참석할기회가많이지고미디어와의, 인터뷰도자주경험하면서자연스럽게활발한사회생활을하는외향적인성격으로변했습니다. Question 3 본문에주어진내용을바탕으로사람들이왜지나의고객이되고싶어할지설명하세요. Why should someone choose to become Gina s customer? 고객들과의관계를소중히여기며모든, 고객을본인의스타라고생각하는디자이너라면, 지나가만든옷은그만큼완성도가높을것입니다. 그러므로그, 옷의가치와신뢰도가높아지고, 따라서사람들은자나의고객이되고싶을것입니다. Most candidates responded adequately to of this task. A number of candidates did not include essential information and important details in responses to, where Gina s past experience should have been discussed in order to more effectively explain the change. In Question 3, a number of responses lacked justification to support the reason why people would choose to become Gina s customer. To achieve a better result, candidates should analyse and evaluate the information from the text to justify their responses. Overall comments for Listening To achieve a better result, candidates need to carefully read the questions in order to accurately address them in their responses. While it is important to gather essential information and details Page 3 of 6
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 improve their levels of English literacy to effectively respond to the questions. Reading Suggested responses Task 1 (Responses in English) What are the general features of the type of animal described in the text? Use the information provided in the text in your response. The animal described in the text is an emperor penguin, which generally lives at the South Pole. At 10 months old, emperor penguins are about 61cm tall. They eat squid and krill, and they intake snow for hydration. They can swim at 24 km/h, although not for long distances. What might happen to the particular animal featured in the text if it stays in New Zealand? Use information from the text to justify your conclusion. If the emperor penguin stays in New Zealand, it might get sick or die because it has been eating sand rather than snow. The weather in New Zealand is also too hot and dry for the penguin to survive. It could also get injured or killed by pet dogs in the area, which are likely to attack it. Question 3 Suggest a suitable title for the text and explain why it is appropriate. Suggested Title 1: Wrong destination for emperor penguin. This is a suitable title for the news article as it summarises the main issue of the article: the subject matter, the emperor penguin, went to the wrong place. It also ignites the reader s curiosity as emperor penguins generally live at the South Pole. The word destination in the title humanises the emperor penguin, making the article sound more interesting and unusual. Suggested Title 2: A dangerous adventure from the South Pole. This is a suitable title for the news article as it triggers curiosity from the reader, inviting them to wonder who went on a dangerous adventure. The use of the words dangerous adventure also indicates the main point of the article that the subject matter is on a dangerous adventure. Supplying the name of the place, the South Pole, a natural wonder to which few of us have travelled, makes the title intriguing. Most candidates responded adequately to Questions 1 and 3. Most responses to provided a number of reasons why New Zealand is not a suitable environment for the emperor penguin to stay. However, many candidates failed to conclude what would actually happen to the penguin. For better results, candidates should develop a clear conclusion based on the information in the text. Page 4 of 6
Task 2 (Responses in English) Identify the main issue argued in the text. What evidence is provided to support the argument? The speaker argues about the importance of introducing the local Culture Keeper Program (Activity) based on three evidences as follows: The program creates a new cultural tradition, e.g. Ole-gil in Jeju. The program allows a more organised and systematic approach toward the culture, e.g. Youth Culture Keeper, Citizen Culture Keeper and Sponsor Culture Keeper. The program invites local people to build ownership of their culture, e.g. Ole-gil in Jeju. Suggest two activities that a Youth Culture Keeper can do. Use information from the text to justify your response. A Youth Culture Keeper can take a volunteer guide walk to local attractions such as Ole-gil. Schools can organise a project that Youth Culture Keepers can participate in, such as creating posters to promote tourist attractions and camps to learn about environmentally friendly activities. In responses to, a number of candidates did not clearly identify the argument and provide three particular evidences given in the text. In responses to, the suggested activities listed needed to be specific, feasible and supported with information from text. Task 3 (Responses in ) 본문에주어진두가지축제에대한안내문을읽고, 각축제의목적과대상을설명하세요. Read the two program flyers. Explain the purpose and identify the audience for each festival. 제5회청소년아트페스티벌은청소년을위한다양한춤, 음악, 연극공연및미술작품과공예전시를하는행사이며, 대상을청소년입니다제. 1회동화나라축제는어린자녀가있는동화동주민과그가족을대상으로여는행사이며, 어린이들과가족이공연을감상하고체험을할수있는프로그램입니다. 이두가지축제중어떤축제가본인의취향에더잘맞나요? 본문에주어진내용을바탕으로그이유를설명하세요. Which festival appeals the most to you, and why? Use information from the text in your response. 저는개인적으로제 1 회동화나라축제보다는제 5 회청소년아트페스티벌에참여하고싶습니다. 저는현재제가다니고있는고등학교에있는춤동아리에서댄서로활동하고있고춤과, 관련된음악과공연예술에특히관심이많습니다. 그리고, 고등학교졸업을앞두고시험, 과제또공부에시달려서지친몸과마음을다양한예술작품감상을통해달랠수있는기회라고생각됩니다동화나라. 축제의내용을보았을때우선, 제가막내인저희가족이참여하기에는연령대와관심분야가너무다르고, 저희는동화동주민이아니기때문에주민카드가없고따라서, 동화나라축제에참여할수있는자격조건에도맞지않습니다. 이로인해, 저는제 5 회청소년아트페스티벌에참여하고싶습니다. Most candidates responded adequately to this task. Page 5 of 6
Overall comments for Reading To achieve better results, candidates needed to demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the text. They needed to identify and understand the key words in questions and justify their decisions and conclusions based on information provided in the text. Candidates also needed 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, register and conventions to suit the relevant genre pay attention to grammar and vocabulary choices proofread their responses to avoid spelling and punctuation errors organise the written text in a clear and coherent manner clearly express their ideas and purposes. Page 6 of 6