2010 MID-YEAR EXAM - HOW DID YOU GO?

[kazzacae]

How did you guys all go? I found it more worded than any previous VCAA Exams and hence slightly more challenging as there was less time.
I found one question a little difficult.
"What is the role of the sympathetic Nervous system in stage 3 of the GAS?"
I just said the sympathetic nervous system maintains arousals but due to depleted resources physiological arousal drops below "normal"
or something along those line

I think the average score will be lower than last year? what you guys think?

[yien_quek]

yeah, this VCAA exam was definitely more challenging than previous years, and i reckon the average will be lower too...

that question was a little tricky, i said something along the lines of, the sympathetic nervous system is still activated as the stressor has not been dealt with properly and that the bodily resources are almost completely used up. we're having a debate as to whether cortisol continues to be released?

but what did you guys put for the stage in which Karen(?) got that flu? same question but the first part. I put down stage 2, resistance. I reckon that one has the most discrepancy. stage 2 because the immune system is weakened, and Karen is more susceptible to illnesses. I didn't put stage 3 because you can tell, from the scenario, that she experiences stage 3 later on, it's just a flu, and not a full-on virus, and why would they ask you virtually the same question twice??

[littlebecc]

Yeah, I put resistance but then i crossed it out and changed it to 'exhaustion' because i thought she had already passed the resistance stage. I dunno.
But i have done all the VCAA exams and i found this one to be the hardest.
I'm pretty shattered TBH. Hopefully i did alright. Some questions i definately fucked up on.
Hopefully the average will be lower.
Also, does SAC marks affect the exam?

[yien_quek]

SAC marks affect your overall score, not what you get on the exam. But SACs only contribute a small percent :S

[Tashi]

I found it fairly hard. I put stage of resistance, but many people I know put exhaustion. I also said in stage 3, the sympathetic nervous system continues to release stress hormones or something, depleting the body's resources.

[kazzacae]

Yeh I put down stage 2 as the qusetion stated "initially" which I felt was vcaas hint as well as it was only a flue and she developed something else later on. You can't get sick then get better then get sick all on stage 3. But who is to know. Did you guys put proximity then closure for the two visual perception examples?

[matt123]

yeah prox then closure

although i put stage 3 .. it said in the information she was sick , recovered . missed work .. then DEVLOPED a flue again
so i thought that it was exhaustion

overal .... exam was alot harder than i expected
tbh i expected full marks .. came out . i think ill be lucky to hit 90%

[Tashi]

Yeh I put down stage 2 as the qusetion stated "initially" which I felt was vcaas hint as well as it was only a flue and she developed something else later on. You can't get sick then get better then get sick all on stage 3. But who is to know. Did you guys put proximity then closure for the two visual perception examples?

Is closure for the one with the circles? I put similarity... oh god :S

[lolbox]

I did figure ground for the weird two line thingos (did proximity first but found figure-ground easier to explain so i changed it to that)

and closure for the circles one

and dw matt123 I wouldn't be suprised if exhaustion was accepted.

[lolbox]

2006 VCAA:

Zoe has developed a bad cough and visits her doctor. In taking Zoe's history the doctor has discovered Zoe has just completed several highly important university exams. Among other things, Zoe's doctor recommends she undertake some form of relationation to reduce her stress levels

Question B) What stage of GAS is Zoe most likely to be experiencing?

Answers accepted: Resistance or Exhaustion

[kazzacae]

yeh i think they will both be accepted! they often do that as it is debatable

[Tashi]

2006 VCAA:

Zoe has developed a bad cough and visits her doctor. In taking Zoe's history the doctor has discovered Zoe has just completed several highly important university exams. Among other things, Zoe's doctor recommends she undertake some form of relationation to reduce her stress levels

Question B) What stage of GAS is Zoe most likely to be experiencing?

Answers accepted: Resistance or Exhaustion

Our question gave a lot more information though... but again it's hard to differentiate the stages...

Why is everyone getting closure for the circles? To me the stimulus didn't look incomplete.

[littlebecc]

because for closure you mentally close up the gaps to perceieve a circle

[yien_quek]

yeah, i put proximity then closure as well. think about it, if you aren't able to apply closure, then you wouldn't be able to tell the circles form a larger circle. all you would see is circles placed in a random configuration.
i was tempted to put figure-ground as well, but then i rmb how VCAA likes to mark it eh? the MORE correct option

but yeah, you're right Tashi, our question had WAY more information. i would expect VCAA to only accept ONE answer, either resistance or exhaustion, and not both.

[kazzacae]

If there is a large amount of people who chose either stage 2 or 3 and it can be argued either way. VCAA may accept both as in 06(similar question).
i like your thinking on the closure answer YIEN_QUEK, you are right. I was also thinking figure-groud as i wasn't sure about Closure but ended up going closure