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March 29, 2024, 07:27:00 am

Author Topic: 50 in English, available for queries :)  (Read 339020 times)  Share 

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literally lauren

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Re: 50 in English, available for queries :)
« Reply #510 on: September 22, 2014, 01:21:59 pm »
+2
You'll always have at least one article and at least one visual. The past few years (discounting the botched attempt that was 2011) the tendency is to give you one big article/speech and two visuals.
The 2011 experience and concurrent backlash has kind of scared them off doing multiple texts, but the study design doesn't prohibit it or anything. Personally, I doubt there would ever be two long, separate texts, but that's just my prediction. Keep your comparative skills up to scratch, but the formula they've been sticking to doesn't tend to require it.

Jason12

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Re: 50 in English, available for queries :)
« Reply #511 on: September 22, 2014, 09:27:24 pm »
0
for context, is it okay to use a book from a previous study design as an external example (of course, keeping focus on the main text)?
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Jono_CP

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Re: 50 in English, available for queries :)
« Reply #512 on: September 22, 2014, 11:01:48 pm »
0
Hi,

I do not have my original SAC essays, they are with my teacher and some have been thrown out due to stress and getting ready for exams (I put all my English things in one folder).

Can anyone refer me to high scoring essays do with In the Country of Men?

Thanks :)

Yacoubb

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Re: 50 in English, available for queries :)
« Reply #513 on: September 23, 2014, 10:04:21 am »
+1
What is a good persona to adopt for a speech for context? I'm thinking a year 12 student conducting an oral presentation, but that's so cheesy... any ideas? I'm doing the context of Whose Reality? and drawing ideas from The Lot: In Words.

BucketPreacher

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Re: 50 in English, available for queries :)
« Reply #514 on: September 23, 2014, 07:40:34 pm »
+4
Hey Lauren,

With your help throughout the year I've moved from 15/30 to 27/30 (for my text response), so thank you. Pretty stoked, although still pretty low in the cohort unfortunately due to lack of effort earlier in the year.

I was just wondering should I just know my texts for content/text well enough to apply to any prompt on the spot, or should I be practicing memorising ideas that are possibly applicable to the exam? With all my SACS I've had 6 prompts and 1 or 2 would be on it, so I've gone in memorising ideas for a few for the last few ones definitely knowing what would be on it.

Sorrry if this is confusing. :S

EDIT: Totally forgot one massive thing I wanted to ask about. With my essays I usually write a lot, and sometimes my first body paragraph can be as long as three pages, writing for 30 or so minutes. As I'm doing Wilfred Owen, we have been told that if we want to show evidence alongside our key ideas, we should name the poem and analyse that poem, rather than quoting from multiple poems so we can get down to the real grit of the poem. What I was wondering was, would it be OK for me to do three paragraphs of what I'm expected to do with deep analysis of poems, and then another poem focusing solely on ideas, quoting singularly without naming the poems these single quotes come from to show Owen's POV on a larger scale or something? Thanks!
« Last Edit: September 24, 2014, 01:02:34 am by BucketPreacher »

geminii

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Re: 50 in English, available for queries :)
« Reply #515 on: September 24, 2014, 05:26:06 pm »
0
Hi Lauren,
Sorry, this is probably a really easy question but I'm not sure how to write this sentence. Is it:
"Do Zorina or her dad know about this tunnel?"
Or
"Does Zorina or her dad know about this tunnel?"

Thanks so much! :)
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literally lauren

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Re: 50 in English, available for queries :)
« Reply #516 on: September 24, 2014, 07:38:02 pm »
+6
for context, is it okay to use a book from a previous study design as an external example (of course, keeping focus on the main text)?

Yes, but double check to see if it's on the current English or Literature study designs, else you run the risk of having all evidence pertaining to that text nullified (ie. they just cross out anything even remotely related and you'll probably drop a few marks)
But generally the books on the English lists are quite good examples to use when demonstrating themes or giving counter-examples, so you should be fine with any previous selections. It can also be a 'shot-cut' to the assessors, in that you can basically guarantee they've read Catcher in the Rye or Catch-22, whereas more esoteric examples require a bit more explanation.

Zeitgeist,
It's definitely worth consulting your school if you're in need of examples,s but there are plenty around on the internet if you just google them. Not all of these are VCE-related since ItCoM has only been on the list for two years (meaning there's only a year and a half's worth of resources available) but they should still help in some respect:
http://www.enotes.com/topics/in-the-country-of-men/critical-essays
http://www.cyberessays.com/lists/in-the-country-of-men/
http://www.studymode.com/essays/In-The-Country-Of-Men-Essay-1927214.html

This was quite a good breakdown of the essay writing process:
http://vceenglish14.wordpress.com/in-the-country-of-men/

And there's always the study guides if you can afford them:
http://www.tssm.com.au/browse-resourceitem-details/in-the-country-of-men-summary-notes-1034.aspx
https://www.insightpublications.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=1861

What is a good persona to adopt for a speech for context? I'm thinking a year 12 student conducting an oral presentation, but that's so cheesy... any ideas? I'm doing the context of Whose Reality? and drawing ideas from The Lot: In Words.

I'd advise against the 'Year 12 student coming to talk to you about context' since it can seem a tad lazy :p
If you're involving some sort of bigger issue then you could make it an address to parliament or some sort of committee eg. the reality of climate change, or the subjective realities that might dictate the views of a special interest group.
It depends how creative you're willing to get with the context, but given you're drawing on Leunig, you might consider some sort of social demonstration or presentation, ie. addressing a crowd of likeminded anti-materialist individuals.Or if you're subverting that idea, you can have a kind of context-less speech. Page 14-15 of teh 2011 Assessor's Report had a good example of this. Granted it was for id&b and in response to a poetry collection, but many of the themes are quite similar. This probably verges on a more creative angle, so I'm not sure what you'd prefer, but maybe experiment with different ends of the expository <---> imaginative spectrum to find what works best :)

I was just wondering should I just know my texts for content/text well enough to apply to any prompt on the spot, or should I be practicing memorising ideas that are possibly applicable to the exam? With all my SACS I've had 6 prompts and 1 or 2 would be on it, so I've gone in memorising ideas for a few for the last few ones definitely knowing what would be on it.

EDIT: Totally forgot one massive thing I wanted to ask about. With my essays I usually write a lot, and sometimes my first body paragraph can be as long as three pages, writing for 30 or so minutes. As I'm doing Wilfred Owen, we have been told that if we want to show evidence alongside our key ideas, we should name the poem and analyse that poem, rather than quoting from multiple poems so we can get down to the real grit of the poem. What I was wondering was, would it be OK for me to do three paragraphs of what I'm expected to do with deep analysis of poems, and then another poem focusing solely on ideas, quoting singularly without naming the poems these single quotes come from to show Owen's POV on a larger scale or something? Thanks!

Re: memorisation, this is kind of contentious amongst teachers and tutors. Personally I fall pretty definitively on the 'real learning'>rote learning side, but even I had a couple of key phrases and points that I would go out of my way to bring up where relevant. I think the trick is to have more ideas you're comfortable writing than could ever fit in one essay. Perhaps aim for at least 10 major points (whether they're characters, themes, devices or messages; each text will have a different balance) as this should provide a good sample space for you to draw upon. But be prepared to sacrifice some for the sake of relevance. An essay that contains a lot of unrefined, fresh ideas that clearly haven't been tested to death in practice essays will still score better, than a beautifully polished piece with little to nothing to do with the prompt, so relevance trumps finesse every time.
I'd say the piece you write in the exam should always be a totally unique thing, even if you've written on something similar in practice pieces. It's better to have your synapses firing in the exam room, constantly thinking and re-evaluating and re-configuring your knowledge than it is to rely upon what you know you can churn out. So although I acknowledge the safety blanket of memorisation can provide some comfort, ensure you're capable of moving away from it when necessary.

With regards to your T.R. para lengths, even with massive handwriting three pages would be too long, so try and cut down. I think the method you've outlined might be a little restrictive; it's better to meld ideas and examples (or more specifically, extract the ideas from the examples) rather than just mentioning both separately. The preferred method for poetry is usually to deal with about two poems per paragraph, so 6-8 total in your essay, with tangential references in passing to other pieces. To discuss other poems you won't have to provide a lot of detail, especially if you've referenced it already and can just refer back to it, eg. 'This same disdain for authoritarian falsehoods can be seen in Dulce's appropriation of propaganda...' instead of a very long-winded introduction preceding the quote, half a line should do.
The transitions are definitely trickier for poetry, but the same rules still apply, most importantly, you can assume your assessor has read the text and is sufgficiently familiar with it; your job is to elucidate the ideas relevant to the prompt and construct and argument, so don't feel you have to contextualise every quote or example too extensively.

And congratulations on the rapid mark rise by the way, you've earned it :)

AceVCE777:
If you're asking whether both Zorina and her dad know, then it's 'Do...' --> but in that case it should probably be 'Do Zorina and her dad know about the tunnel.'
But if you're asking whether Zorina knows, or her dad knows, but not both, then it's 'Does...'
Don't worry, I still get caught up in these weird grammar rules all the time. In most cases where pluralisation is confusing you, just separate into a simpler sentence and remove 'her dad;' would you say 'Do Zorina know about the tunnel' or 'Does Zorina know about the tunnel?' (note: this is assuming the second example from above where it's either Zorina or her dad as two separate agents.)

quany1

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Re: 50 in English, available for queries :)
« Reply #517 on: September 25, 2014, 10:29:11 am »
0
hey lauren do you read context pieces? if so can you read mine and what you think about it?

smile+energy

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Re: 50 in English, available for queries :)
« Reply #518 on: September 25, 2014, 03:47:46 pm »
0
Hi, Lauren
Could you explain to me how can i explicitly show that the FLAP in a expository context piece without a written explanation?
And do you know any very good grammar books i can purchase? I wanna improve my expressions.
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AmericanBeauty

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Re: 50 in English, available for queries :)
« Reply #519 on: September 25, 2014, 05:36:28 pm »
0
I was wondering if you could please read like the intro and first paragraph (unfinished I think) of my context piece. I haven't written on whose reality in quite a few months, and I'm starting to feel like I'm treading a thin line between exploring my ideas through the texts and retelling a story. If you could please let me know then I'd be really grateful.

‘Our fantasies can be more powerful than our reality.’

Fantasies can be used as a collective term to describe a person trying to escape their own reality y changing their identity. A fantasy enables humans to live out their greatest desires and momentarily change their reality. These great desires are usually enrooted in the personality of the individual from a young age, and are often on the forefront of impossible ambitions that a person wants. As a result, a fantasy is so powerful and surreal that a fantasy can outlive a persons reality. Most people want to eject from a reality to enter into a timeless utopian destination. Consequently, fantasies can be a truer representation of a person’s character and can reveal their aim of life.

While fantasies can bring momentary happiness to a person’s life, there is no escape from their true reality. In American Beauty, Lestern Burnham perfectly encapsulates a person trying to escape his life. Lester is a ‘whore for the advertising industry’ who has ‘a wife and daughter who hate me,’ and his level of happiness is almost non-existent. Lester has been battling the burden of upholding a positive appearance when his reality behind closed doors is nothing farther from the truth. That is until Lester decides to do ‘what [he] wants, whenever [he] wants’. Lester aimed to air his dirty laundry by quitting his job in which he detailed his job description as ‘once a day retiring to the men’s room to jerk off and fantasize about a life that doesn’t so closely resemble hell,’ and attempts to reveal the truth to the world about his marriage, stating that ‘our marriage is just for show. A commercial…’ When Lester was faced with the decision to follow societies rules, or stick by his own set of personal ideals and face the consequences, he chose the latter. Lester filled out a job application at ‘Mr Smiley’s’ for a job ‘with the least amount of responsibility possible,’ to relive his reminiscent years of ‘flipping burgers, parties and sex,’ and instigated an illegal affair with a teenage girl.  The affair truly provided light on the difference between people’s perception in life. Lester Burnham, a grown man, believes this girl, Angela, is the ‘most beautiful person [he’s] ever seen.’ Whilst this idea is built on the basis of a fabricated reality, Ricky Fitt’s believes Angela is ‘ugly’ and ‘totally ordinary.’ Angela believes her self-worth comes from her sexual appeal who believes ‘there is nothing worse than being ordinary,’ but Ricky tells Angela she’s ordinary and ‘she knows it.’ Angela has put on the appearance of being a sexed up, teenage girl, purely to live out a fantasy and escape her true identity of boredom. But Lester’s reality exposes that his perception puts Angela on a pedestal, stating that ‘[you] couldn’t be ordinary even if you tried].’

literally lauren

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Re: 50 in English, available for queries :)
« Reply #520 on: September 26, 2014, 11:52:30 am »
+3
smile+energy:

It should be clear that your piece has a form (eg. essay, speech) and is using a certain type of language.
Audience and purpose are a little trickier; for a normal essay you don't have to worry too much, but you should still have a clear and concise contention.
Re: grammar, there's plenty of resources online. Work out what mistakes you're making in your writing, eg. are you having trouble with tense, syntax, word order, run-on sentences? Then you should be able to just google 'run-on sentences tips' or 'how to fix run-on sentences' for some good advice.

AmericanBeauty:
Whilst the enthusiasm is admirable, there's an element of risk in writing on a text you enjoy. It can be of great benefit to your writing style, and the passion will come across to the reader, but the context task should always be your first priority, and recounting the story is a massive waste of time.
Fantasies can be used as a collective term to describe a person trying to escape their own reality y changing their identity. Avoid definitions, they're clunky and often unnecessary. A fantasy enables humans to live out their greatest desires and momentarily change their reality. These great desires are usually enrooted in the personality of the individual from a young age, and are often on the forefront of impossible ambitions that a person wants. As a result, a fantasy is so powerful and surreal that a fantasy can outlive a persons reality. Most people want to eject from a reality to enter into a timeless utopian destination. Consequently, fantasies can be a truer representation of a person’s character and can reveal their aim of life.
Aim for a smoother transition between paragraphs; these ideas don't really flow into one another.
While fantasies can bring momentary happiness to a person’s life, there is no escape from their true reality. In American Beauty, Lestern Burnham perfectly encapsulates a person trying to escape his life. Lester is a ‘whore for the advertising industry’ who has ‘a wife and daughter who hate me,’ and his level of happiness is almost non-existent. Lester has been battling the burden of upholding a positive appearance when his reality behind closed doors is nothing farther from the truth. That is until Lester decides to do ‘what [he] wants, whenever [he] wants’. Lester aimed to air his dirty laundry by quitting his job in which he detailed his job description as ‘once a day retiring to the men’s room to jerk off and fantasize about a life that doesn’t so closely resemble hell,’ and attempts to reveal the truth to the world about his marriage, stating that ‘our marriage is just for show. A commercial…’ When Lester was faced with the decision to follow societies rules, or stick by his own set of personal ideals and face the consequences, he chose the latter. Lester filled out a job application at ‘Mr Smiley’s’ for a job ‘with the least amount of responsibility possible,’ to relive his reminiscent years of ‘flipping burgers, parties and sex,’ and instigated an illegal affair with a teenage girl.  The affair truly provided light on the difference between people’s perception in life. Lester Burnham, a grown man, believes this girl, Angela, is the ‘most beautiful person [he’s] ever seen.’ Whilst this idea is built on the basis of a fabricated reality, Ricky Fitt’s believes Angela is ‘ugly’ and ‘totally ordinary.’ Angela believes her self-worth comes from her sexual appeal who believes ‘there is nothing worse than being ordinary,’ but Ricky tells Angela she’s ordinary and ‘she knows it.’ Angela has put on the appearance of being a sexed up, teenage girl, purely to live out a fantasy and escape her true identity of boredom. But Lester’s reality exposes that his perception puts Angela on a pedestal, stating that ‘[you] couldn’t be ordinary even if you tried].’ This is all summary. The links might be clear to you, but if you want to use this text you have to examine it through the lens of Whose Reality, not just treating it as though it's a Text Response task. Also, there's no real need to be quoting; only a few of these examples have any bearing on the context; most of them are just summing up the plot. Context is all about the general ideas, and although the little details can be helpful in propping up your argument, you need to be zooming out and looking at the bigger picture, especially at the end of your paragraphs.

24bauer12

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Re: 50 in English, available for queries :)
« Reply #521 on: September 26, 2014, 10:19:01 pm »
0
Hi Lauren,
Do we receive extra marks for only analysing esoteric techniques in language analysis? For example, is it okay to omit techniques like inclusive language, adjectives and alliteration for less common ones like hendidays, juxtapositions, polysendeton and hyperbole?Are examiners generally more impressed by rare techniques?

M_BONG

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Re: 50 in English, available for queries :)
« Reply #522 on: September 26, 2014, 11:10:55 pm »
+1
Hi Lauren,
Do we receive extra marks for only analysing esoteric techniques in language analysis? For example, is it okay to omit techniques like inclusive language, adjectives and alliteration for less common ones like hendidays, juxtapositions, polysendeton and hyperbole?Are examiners generally more impressed by rare techniques?
Nah I was like that in Year 10/11 and believe me it doesn't pay off at all.

Don't use big words you don't understand or words that will make you sound like a douchebag.  Your examiners don't know you and if cram random techniques in you are not impressing anyone - even if you are using them validly. Plus listing or analysing techniques don't get you any marks. LA  does not involve knowing techniques or analysing them and when you strive to include the "most impressive technique" you run the risk of not doing any analysing. Hence "Language" analysis not "technique" analysis. You don't even have to mention any techniques at all to gain full marks (read the assesors' report) but it's advisable you list one or two for the pedantic examiners.
« Last Edit: September 26, 2014, 11:17:04 pm by Zezima. »

Jono_CP

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Re: 50 in English, available for queries :)
« Reply #523 on: September 27, 2014, 01:24:57 am »
0
Hi Lauren and anyone else who is willing to assist,

Do you recommend following the English Exam in chronological order (Text Response, Context, L. Analysis)?

I haven't really sorted out my preferences, so I am willing to listen to suggestions. At the moment, I am slightly favouring the chronological procedure.

walkec

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Re: 50 in English, available for queries :)
« Reply #524 on: September 27, 2014, 08:38:13 am »
0
Hi Lauren and anyone else who is willing to assist,

Do you recommend following the English Exam in chronological order (Text Response, Context, L. Analysis)?

I haven't really sorted out my preferences, so I am willing to listen to suggestions. At the moment, I am slightly favouring the chronological procedure.

My teacher suggested Section C, Section A, Section B. I tried this in my practice exam and I think it worked pretty well.