HQ Society
Chinese in Context · Practice Resource
Set 1 · Processing & Responding · Composing · Oral
Aligned to the NSW HSC Chinese in Context syllabus. All aural and written texts are original to HQ Society.
Practice resourceNot an examination paper100 marks
100marks
3sections
Written + Oraltwo papers
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Section I

Processing and Responding to Texts

50 marksQuestions 1–6aural & written texts

Questions 1–3 are based on aural texts (each recording is played twice in the exam) and Questions 4–6 on written texts. Each question tells you whether to answer in English or in Chinese. Try the question first, then open the transcript / model to check.

Familiarisation — listen first to get used to the voices
0:00 / 0:00
Male老师，我想学中文，中文难学吗?
Female开始的时候，也许会觉得难，但是学到后面就容易了。
Male太好了。那么，我就从后面开始学吧。
Female啊?

Question 1

4 marks

奶奶为什么觉得新一代的春节庆祝方式“丢失了根”？字数要求大约50个英文字。Why does Grandma feel that the new generation's way of celebrating Spring Festival has "lost its roots"? Write approximately 50 words in ENGLISH.

0:00 / 0:00
Female 1奶奶，今年的春节我们就这样简单地吃个饭就过了吗？没有去外公家拜年，也没看春节晚会，连饺子都没包……
Female 2小芳啊，这就是我担心的事。你们这一代在澳洲长大，把我们的传统都丢得差不多了。我小时候，春节是一年中最热闹的日子，全家老小聚在一起，包饺子、贴春联、放鞭炮，那种喜庆的味道，是我一辈子都忘不了的。
Female 1可是奶奶，澳洲跟中国不一样啊。学校还要上课，大家工作也很忙，没办法像在中国那样过年。
Female 2我明白。可是节日的精神不只是热闹，更是一种文化认同。如果连最重要的春节都不重视，过几年，我们就真的成了“没有根的浮萍”了。
Female 1奶奶您别担心。我答应您，明年春节我们一家人一起包饺子，请您讲讲老家的故事，好吗？
✓ What scores marks
  • Answer in ENGLISH — the text is in Chinese, your response is in English.
  • State your point, then support it with a SPECIFIC detail from the text — paraphrased, not copied out in Chinese.
  • Cover every part of the question; give roughly one developed point per two marks.
✗ What loses marks
  • Translating the text line-by-line instead of analysing or answering the question.
  • A conclusion with no evidence from the text; answering in Chinese; missing part of the question.
How to structure your answerPoint / answer → a specific detail from the text to back it → make sure every part of the question is covered. Answer in English.
For this question
Top band: For 4/4, name the SPECIFIC lost rituals (dumplings, couplets, fireworks, the family gathering) the listening text gives, then state the consequence Grandma fears — the "没有根的浮萍" / loss of cultural identity. The mark rewards a THOROUGH understanding, which means showing you grasped both the concrete loss AND why it matters to her, not just one.
Common slip: Vague answers that only say "they don't celebrate properly" or "young people are too busy" without listing the actual customs from the conversation — that reads as "some understanding" (2 marks). Also avoid the busy-schedule excuse Xiaofang gives; the question asks for GRANDMA's reasoning, not the granddaughter's counter-argument.
Model answer
your pointevidence from the textwhat it shows
Grandma feels the new generation has lost the rich cultural rituals of Spring Festival, gathering with family, making dumplings, pasting couplets, setting off fireworks, all replaced by a simplified meal. She fears that without these meaningful customs, young Chinese-Australians risk becoming culturally rootless and losing their identity.

Question 2

6 marks

你作为学校图书馆的学生干事，根据广播的内容，写一份传单鼓励同学们参加“二手书漂流”计划。字数要求大约130个汉字。You are a student librarian. Write a flyer encouraging fellow students to join the "second-hand book drift" program introduced in the radio broadcast. Write approximately 130 characters in CHINESE.

0:00 / 0:00
Female亲爱的同学们，大家好！我是图书馆学生干事小林。今天我要向大家介绍一个我们学校刚刚启动的环保项目，二手书漂流计划。这个计划的目的，是让闲置的书本重新流动起来，既减少资源浪费，也让更多同学受益。参与方式很简单：把你看过的、不再需要的书带到图书馆门口的漂流书架上，并选择你感兴趣的书带回家阅读。我们鼓励大家在每本书的内页写下一句话，分享你的读后感或推荐理由。这样，一本书就不只是知识的载体，更成为同学之间精神交流的桥梁。让我们携手成为环保的实践者，让书本的生命因为我们而延续！
approx. 130 characters characters, in Chinese
0 chars
✓ What scores marks
  • Write in the EXACT text type the prompt names (flyer / email / letter to the editor / speech) with its conventions — salutation, body, sign-off.
  • Synthesise the source text(s): draw the relevant ideas across from the stimulus into your own response for the new context, purpose and audience.
  • Hit the character target and use a range of language features / connectives (首先、其次、最后、不仅…而且).
✗ What loses marks
  • Copying chunks of the stimulus instead of re-purposing the ideas for the new task.
  • Wrong text type or missing its conventions; ignoring context / purpose / audience; well under the character count.
How to structure your answerCorrect text type with its conventions (salutation → body → sign-off) → re-purpose the source ideas for the new audience/purpose → hit the character target.
For this question
Top band: A flyer scores 6/6 when it works for its PURPOSE and AUDIENCE — a punchy headline, a direct "你/同学们" address, the concrete steps from the broadcast (drop a book, take a book, write a note on the inside cover), and an emotive call to action. Tie it back to the broadcast's environmental + global-citizen angle (减少浪费 / 传递书香) so it shows comprehensive understanding of the source, not just generic encouragement.
Common slip: Writing a plain prose summary of the broadcast instead of a FLYER — no headline, no second-person hook, no call to action. That loses the "context, purpose and audience" marks even if the Chinese is accurate. Also watch length: ~130 characters; padding with repeated slogans wastes space the markers want spent on the actual program details.
Model answer
Grey labels show the structure · highlighted = key idioms / connectives / set phrases
Headline / hook二手书漂流，环保你我他！
Body — pose the need同学们，你家里是否有读过却闲置的好书？图书馆门口的漂流书架正在等你！
Body — how to take part把闲置的书放上去，挑一本喜欢的带回家，让书本继续传递知识与情感。在书的内页写下一句读后感，与下一位读者分享你的感动。
Closing call to action让我们一起减少浪费、传递书香，做有责任的全球公民！期待你的参与！
Translation

Second-hand Book Drift — Environmental Protection is Up to All of Us! Fellow students, do you have books you've read but left idle at home? The drift bookshelf by the library is waiting for you! Place your unused books there and take one home that interests you — let books continue to circulate knowledge and emotion. Write a brief review on the inside cover to share your inspiration with the next reader. Let's reduce waste and pass on the love of reading — be a responsible global citizen! We look forward to your participation!

Question 3

8 marks

你是凯莉。根据播客和博客的内容，给作者写一封电子邮件，谈谈现代社交媒体对年轻人友谊的影响。字数要求大约150个汉字。You are Kelly. Based on the content of the podcast and blog, write an email to the author discussing the impact of modern social media on young people's friendships. Write approximately 150 characters in CHINESE.

0:00 / 0:00
Text 3B – Blog post
屏幕另一端的友谊

上周我和好友凯莉大吵了一架。她说我“只活在网上”，已经一个月没主动找她出去玩了。当时我还不服气，明明我们每天在聊天群里互发表情包、点赞，怎么算疏远？

后来我才发现，原来我每天在社交媒体上和上百个“朋友”互动，却忽略了身边最重要的那个人。点赞代替了真正的关心，表情包代替了拥抱。

屏幕能传递文字，但传不了拥抱的温度。我决定，今晚就约凯莉出去吃饭，好好聊一聊。

Male亲爱的听众朋友们，大家好。今天，我们来聊聊一个跟年轻人息息相关的话题：社交媒体对友谊的影响。如今，每个青少年的手机里都有几个社交平台。你的朋友圈中也许有几百个“好友”，但其中有几个是真正了解你的呢？很多年轻人沉迷于点赞和评论，把社交简化为屏幕上的几行字，反而忽略了面对面的真情交流。心理学家指出，过度依赖社交媒体可能导致孤独感加深、焦虑增多。然而，社交媒体也并非一无是处。对于一些性格内向的同学，它提供了表达自我的平台；对于跨国友谊，它则突破了地域的限制。关键在于，我们如何理性地使用这些工具，让科技服务于真情，而不是取代真情。
approx. 150 characters characters, in Chinese
0 chars
✓ What scores marks
  • Write in the EXACT text type the prompt names (flyer / email / letter to the editor / speech) with its conventions — salutation, body, sign-off.
  • Synthesise the source text(s): draw the relevant ideas across from the stimulus into your own response for the new context, purpose and audience.
  • Hit the character target and use a range of language features / connectives (首先、其次、最后、不仅…而且).
✗ What loses marks
  • Copying chunks of the stimulus instead of re-purposing the ideas for the new task.
  • Wrong text type or missing its conventions; ignoring context / purpose / audience; well under the character count.
How to structure your answerCorrect text type with its conventions (salutation → body → sign-off) → re-purpose the source ideas for the new audience/purpose → hit the character target.
For this question
Top band: This is the integration question (8 marks), so the email MUST draw on BOTH texts and SYNTHESISE them — use the podcast's general analysis (孤独、焦虑、内向者平台、跨国友谊) and anchor it with the blog's concrete story (凯莉、一个月没联系、“传不了拥抱的温度”). Naming both sources and weaving them together is what lifts you from "sound" (4–5) to "comprehensive" (8). Use 首先 / 其次 / 最后 and a reflective close as Kelly.
Common slip: Relying on only ONE text (usually just retelling the blog's quarrel) caps you at the 2–3 band because there is no synthesis. The other trap is listing impacts with no email frame — remember you ARE Kelly writing TO the author, so keep the salutation, personal voice, and a closing reflection. Don't mix Simplified and Traditional characters.
Model answer
Synthesised — one point per line, in your own words.
  • 负面影响（综合两篇）：播客指出朋友圈里的几百个“好友”制造了广度的假象，真正了解你的没有几个，加深孤独与焦虑；博客用“我只活在网上”、冷落最好的朋友凯莉，把这一点写得具体可感。
  • 点赞和表情包代替了真正的关心与拥抱——博客那句“屏幕能传递文字，但传不了拥抱的温度”，正好印证了播客所说的过度依赖社交媒体会减少面对面真情交流。
  • 正面影响（取自播客）：社交媒体为性格内向的同学提供了表达自我的平台，也突破地域限制，让跨国友谊成为可能——这是博客只写国内遗憾时没有触及的角度。
  • 综合与反思收束：关键在于理性使用工具，让科技服务于真情而非取代真情；呼应博客“今晚就约凯莉出去吃饭”的决定，承诺珍惜与好友面对面的相处。
Answers could include
  • Negative impacts (synthesising both texts):
  • • The illusion of breadth without depth — the podcast warns that hundreds of online ‘friends’ may yield few genuine connections, deepening loneliness and anxiety; the blog makes this concrete through the writer’s realisation that she had been ‘living online’ and neglected her closest friend Kelly.
  • • Erosion of face-to-face friendship — the blog’s line ‘screens transmit text but cannot convey the warmth of a hug’ vividly captures the podcast’s broader point that excessive social-media reliance reduces real-world interaction.
  • • Strained close relationships — the blog’s month-long gap before reaching out to Kelly concretises the podcast’s general concern about social-media-induced relational damage.
  • Positive impacts (drawing on the podcast):
  • • Platform for introverted self-expression — social media offers an outlet for students who find face-to-face expression harder.
  • • Geographic friendship — cross-national friendships break down distance barriers, an angle absent from the blog’s domestic-focused regret.
  • Synthesis and reflective closure:
  • • Technology should serve genuine connection, not replace it — the key is rational, balanced use (synthesising the podcast’s measured analysis with the blog’s emotional resolution).
  • • Commitment to reconnecting offline; valuing in-person time with close friends (echoing the blog’s implicit resolution to reach back out to Kelly).
Text 4 – Newspaper article
夹缝中的我们：华裔年轻人的身份认同

近年来，越来越多的华裔年轻人开始反思自己的身份认同。他们在中文里被称为“香蕉人”：黄皮肤、白心，似乎处于两种文化的夹缝之中。有人认为，这是一种割裂，是失去文化根基的表现；也有人认为，双文化背景恰恰是华裔年轻人的独特优势，让他们既能传承中华文化，又能拥抱澳洲的多元价值观。

事实上，文化认同从来不是非此即彼的选择，而是一种主动建构的过程。真正的“澳大利亚身份”，应是多元、包容、动态的，它接纳每一份独特的文化贡献，让每一个移民家庭都能找到属于自己的位置。

Question 4

10 marks

读了这篇地方报的文章后，给报社编辑写一封信，分享你对华裔年轻人身份认同的看法。字数要求大约160个汉字。After reading this local newspaper article, write a letter to the editor sharing your views on the identity of young Chinese-Australians. Write approximately 160 characters in CHINESE.

approx. 160 characters characters, in Chinese
0 chars
✓ What scores marks
  • Write in the EXACT text type the prompt names (flyer / email / letter to the editor / speech) with its conventions — salutation, body, sign-off.
  • Synthesise the source text(s): draw the relevant ideas across from the stimulus into your own response for the new context, purpose and audience.
  • Hit the character target and use a range of language features / connectives (首先、其次、最后、不仅…而且).
✗ What loses marks
  • Copying chunks of the stimulus instead of re-purposing the ideas for the new task.
  • Wrong text type or missing its conventions; ignoring context / purpose / audience; well under the character count.
How to structure your answerCorrect text type with its conventions (salutation → body → sign-off) → re-purpose the source ideas for the new audience/purpose → hit the character target.
For this question
Top band: This is a personal-and-critical response (10 marks): don't just summarise the article — take a clear STANCE and defend it. The top band rewards responding "personally and critically," so lead with your own view (bicultural identity as strength), engage directly with the article's “非此即彼” / “主动建构” argument, and finish with a forward-looking call (传承与创新). Keep the full letter-to-editor format (尊敬的编辑 … 此致敬礼 … 署名).
Common slip: Retelling the article's content as if answering a comprehension question, with no personal opinion — that fails the "respond personally and critically" descriptor. Also missing the editor-letter conventions (salutation, sign-off, reader signature) costs the context/audience marks. Stay all-Simplified and commit to one position rather than fence-sitting on whether biculturalism is good or bad.
Model answer
Synthesised — one point per line, in your own words.
  • 认同文章“夹缝”、“香蕉人”的比喻确实道出了华裔年轻人的处境，但点明这并非只能是割裂。
  • 提出个人观点：双文化背景是优势而非缺陷——既能传承博大精深的中华文化，又能拥抱澳洲多元包容的价值观。
  • 呼应文章“文化认同从来不是非此即彼”的论点，强调身份是主动建构的过程，而不是被动的二选一。
  • 结尾升华并提出呼吁：华裔年轻一代应做文化的传承者与创新者，为多元的“澳大利亚身份”贡献独特力量。
  • 书信格式齐全：开头“尊敬的编辑”，结尾“此致／敬礼”加读者署名。
Answers could include
  • Acknowledge the metaphor of “夹缝” (the gap) as an accurate description of the Chinese-Australian experience.
  • Present a personal view — bicultural identity can be a strength rather than a weakness.
  • Reference Chinese cultural heritage (博大精深) as a source of identity.
  • Reference Australian multicultural values (多元包容) as the foundation of a shared society.
  • Reject either-or thinking; embrace identity as actively constructed.
  • Conclude with a call to action — Chinese-Australian youth as cultural contributors and innovators (文化的传承与创新).
  • Format of a letter to the editor: 尊敬的编辑 + 敬礼 + 读者署名.
Text 5 – Script of an interview
张小琳，你毕业后没有选择当西医，而是成为了一名中医师。能谈谈这段不寻常的职业旅程吗？
小琳我从小就对中医文化情有独钟。可是当我宣布要专攻中医的时候，父母苦口婆心地劝我：“这条路太难走了，你这是自寻烦恼啊！”那时的我，像一艘在两种文化之间漂流的小船，迷茫又彷徨。
张那是什么让你坚定了选择？
小琳“一分耕耘，一分收获。”我相信只要肯下功夫，中医文化的博大精深就能被更多澳洲人所认识。我用中文向资深中医师学习望、闻、问、切，用英文向当地患者解释阴阳五行的奥妙。难道传统中医只能局限于唐人街吗？我开设了双语诊所，把这门古老的医学带进了主流社区。我希望我们华裔年轻一代，不仅是文化的传承者，更要做文化的桥梁。
Glossary
望、闻、问、切the four traditional Chinese medical diagnostic methods
阴阳五行Yin-Yang and the Five Elements (TCM theory)

Question 5

10 marks

小琳如何成功地将她的双语身份和中西文化背景融入到中医事业中？从文中内容和语言技巧方面来回答。字数要求大约160个英文字。How does Xiao Lin successfully integrate her bilingual identity and bicultural background into her TCM career? In your answer, refer to both the content and language features used in the text. Write approximately 160 words in ENGLISH.

✓ What scores marks
  • Refer to BOTH the content AND the language features (idioms, simile, rhetorical question, listing) — name the device, quote the phrase, then say what it achieves.
  • Build an argument that answers the 'how' of the question, not just a recount; answer in English.
  • Tie each language feature back to the point it makes about the question's focus.
✗ What loses marks
  • Naming a technique without explaining its effect (两张皮), or retelling the plot with no analysis.
  • Ignoring the language-features half of the question and only covering content.
How to structure your answerFor each idea: content point + the language feature that carries it (name → quote → effect) → link back to the question. Answer in English.
For this question
Top band: This is the analytical question (10 marks) and the stem explicitly says refer to BOTH content AND language features — a perceptive answer pairs each technique with what it reveals. Name the device (idiom 情有独钟, simile of the drifting boat, proverb 一分耕耘一分收获, rhetorical question about Chinatown, listing of 望闻问切) AND explain how it shows her integrating two cultures. Quoting the device then interpreting its EFFECT is what reaches the 9–10 band.
Common slip: The classic CIC slip here is analysing only CONTENT — paraphrasing what Xiao Lin did (learned TCM, opened a clinic) while ignoring the language features the question demands, which caps you at the lower bands. The reverse fails too: listing devices with no link to her bicultural integration ("两张皮"). Every technique you name must be tied to the bilingual-identity point, and write in pure English (~160 words).
Model answer
Synthesised — one point per line, in your own words.
  • Content — authentic identity: Xiao Lin's childhood passion for Chinese medicine shows her TCM career grew from genuine cultural identity, not external pressure, and she even resisted her parents' discouragement.
  • Content — the bicultural bridge in practice: she learned 望、闻、问、切 in Chinese from senior practitioners and explains 阴阳五行 to local patients in English, then opens a bilingual clinic to take TCM from Chinatown into the mainstream community.
  • Language feature — idiom “情有独钟”: emphasises the depth of her early, identity-driven attachment to Chinese medicine.
  • Language feature — simile “像一艘在两种文化之间漂流的小船”: vividly conveys her early sense of cultural displacement and the emotional cost of her choice.
  • Language feature — proverb “一分耕耘，一分收获”: frames her success as the reward of disciplined effort and deliberate ethical choice.
  • Language feature — rhetorical question “难道传统中医只能局限于唐人街吗？”: challenges the assumption that traditional knowledge cannot serve the mainstream, signalling her ambition to bring TCM to all Australians.
  • Language feature — listing of the four diagnostic methods 望、闻、问、切: demonstrates the technical depth she gained through her Chinese-language apprenticeship.
Answers could include
  • Xiao Lin shows the link between her bilingual identity and bicultural TCM career through her use of content and language. A perceptive analysis could draw on the following:
  • Personal anecdote – Xiao Lin shares her childhood passion for Chinese medicine to illustrate that her career choice stemmed from authentic cultural identity, not external pressure.
Text 6A – Principal's notice

亲爱的同学们：

本校将于9月底举办“中秋文化节”，弘扬中华传统文化、促进多元文化交流。当晚有月饼分享、灯笼制作、诗词朗诵、嫦娥神话讲解等丰富活动。希望各班踊跃参与，将这份千年的文化瑰宝传承下去，让所有文化背景的同学都能感受到中华文化的独特魅力，共同体验中秋之美。

Text 6B – Group chat messages
小明同学们，我们班准备的中秋文化节节目要怎么办？我没什么头绪。
小华我觉得我们可以教大家做月饼！中秋节最重要的就是“团圆”，分享月饼最能体现这个意义。
小李对！还可以朗诵苏轼的《水调歌头》：“但愿人长久，千里共婵娟”，这首词跨越古今，最能打动人心。
小华我们还可以介绍中秋节背后的故事，比如嫦娥奔月、玉兔捣药。让其他同学了解中华文化的丰富内涵。

Question 6

12 marks

你是小明。根据校长的通知和聊天内容，写一篇演讲稿，在中文课上介绍中秋节的文化意义。字数要求大约180个汉字。You are Xiao Ming. Based on the principal's notice and the group chat, write a speech for your Chinese class introducing the cultural significance of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Write approximately 180 characters in CHINESE.

approx. 180 characters characters, in Chinese
0 chars
✓ What scores marks
  • Write in the EXACT text type the prompt names (flyer / email / letter to the editor / speech) with its conventions — salutation, body, sign-off.
  • Synthesise the source text(s): draw the relevant ideas across from the stimulus into your own response for the new context, purpose and audience.
  • Hit the character target and use a range of language features / connectives (首先、其次、最后、不仅…而且).
✗ What loses marks
  • Copying chunks of the stimulus instead of re-purposing the ideas for the new task.
  • Wrong text type or missing its conventions; ignoring context / purpose / audience; well under the character count.
How to structure your answerCorrect text type with its conventions (salutation → body → sign-off) → re-purpose the source ideas for the new audience/purpose → hit the character target.
For this question
Top band: This is a reflective speech that must synthesise BOTH stimulus texts (the principal's notice AND the group chat) — name 团圆 as the core meaning, anchor it with Su Shi's 「但愿人长久，千里共婵娟」 quoted from 小李, and cite the legends (嫦娥奔月、玉兔捣药) from 小华. Use the full speech frame (尊敬的老师、亲爱的同学们…大家好 opening + 谢谢大家 close) and a 综上所述 synthesis sentence before the call to action 「传承这份文化瑰宝」. Attributing ideas back to the texts ('小华说…' / '小李引用…') is what proves comprehensive understanding of both sources and lifts it to 11–12.
Common slip: Writing a generic Mid-Autumn essay that ignores the two stimulus texts — the task rewards REFLECTING on the notice + chat, so an answer that never references 团圆/Su Shi's line/the legends as drawn from the sources caps at the middle band. Second slip: dropping the speech conventions (no 大家好 opening or 谢谢大家 close) and writing it as a plain article instead of a 演讲稿.
Model answer
Grey labels show the structure · highlighted = key idioms / connectives / set phrases
Salutation & Opening尊敬的老师、亲爱的同学们：大家好！今天我演讲的题目是“中秋节的文化意义”。校长的通知告诉我们：中秋节是千年的文化瑰宝。
Body — 团圆 core meaning (from group chat)小华在聊天里说，中秋最核心的精神是“团圆”，一家人围坐分享月饼，远方游子也心系故里。
Body — literary anchor (Su Shi)小李引用苏轼的“但愿人长久，千里共婵娟”，这句词跨越古今，承载着对亲人无尽的思念。
Body — cultural depth (legends)此外，嫦娥奔月、玉兔捣药等古老传说，丰富了中秋的文化内涵。
Conclusion — 综上所述 synthesis + call to action综上所述，中秋节不仅是节日，更是中华民族情感与价值的载体，它教会我们珍惜团圆与传统。让我们一同传承这份文化瑰宝！
Sign-off谢谢大家！
Translation

Respected teachers, dear classmates: Hello everyone! The topic of my speech today is 'The Cultural Significance of the Mid-Autumn Festival'. The principal's notice tells us that the Mid-Autumn Festival is a cultural treasure of the Chinese nation, spanning a thousand years. So where exactly does its cultural significance lie? In the group chat, Xiao Hua said that the core spirit of the Mid-Autumn Festival is '团圆' (reunion) — families gather to share mooncakes, while travellers far from home remain deeply connected to their hometowns. Xiao Li quoted Su Shi's line '但愿人长久，千里共婵娟' (May we all live long and share the moonlight, though apart) — these words echo across the centuries, carrying boundless longing and blessings for loved ones. In addition, ancient legends like 嫦娥奔月 (Chang'e flying to the moon) and 玉兔捣药 (the Jade Rabbit pounding medicine) further enrich the cultural depth of the Mid-Autumn Festival. In conclusion, the Mid-Autumn Festival is not merely a festival, but a vessel of the Chinese nation's emotions and values — it teaches us to cherish reunion, be grateful to family, and respect tradition. Let us carry this cultural treasure forward together! Thank you all!

Answers could include
  • Cultural significance of Mid-Autumn Festival as a celebration of 团圆 (family reunion).
  • Reference to the Su Shi quotation “但愿人长久，千里共婵娟” as a literary anchor.
  • Cultural transmission: mooncakes, lantern-making, poetry recitation, the legend of 嫦娥奔月.
  • Personal reflection on what it means to inherit cultural traditions in Australia.
  • Cross-cultural appeal: introducing Chinese culture to peers of all backgrounds.
  • Call to action: take responsibility for cultural transmission in a multicultural society.
  • Speech conventions: opening greeting (尊敬的老师、同学们), closing (谢谢大家).
— End of Section I —
Section II

Composing Texts in Chinese

30 marksQuestions 7–8write in Chinese

Write extended responses in Chinese. Answer both questions — each has its own writing space and character target.

Question 7

10 marks

想象你在十年后从事一份理想的职业。写一篇日记，反思你这一路走来的成长与心得。字数要求100-125个汉字。Imagine you are working in your ideal career ten years from now. Write a diary entry reflecting on your growth and insights along the way. Write approximately 100-125 characters in CHINESE.

approx. 100–125 characters, in Chinese
0 chars
✓ What scores marks
  • Open with the diary heading — date · day of the week · weather (e.g. “5月19日 星期一 晴”).
  • Write in a personal reflective voice; present a RANGE of ideas (the journey, growth, insight), coherently sequenced.
  • Reach the character target; a diary has no salutation and no signature.
✗ What loses marks
  • Forgetting the date / day / weather heading, or adding a salutation or signature.
  • One idea padded out instead of a developed reflection; well under length.
How to structure your answerDate · day · weather heading → a coherently sequenced personal reflection → no salutation / signature. Hit the character target.
For this question
Top band: A diary entry must SOUND personal and reflective, not like a report — open with the diary header line (date + 星期 + weather, e.g. 「5月19日 星期一 晴」), then trace a genuine growth arc: a past struggle → a pivotal turning-point experience → a realisation expressed through a 成语 (here 行行出状元 or 一分耕耘一分收获). Naming a SPECIFIC ideal career (bilingual interpreter, doctor, engineer…) and a concrete pivotal moment ('在医院当志愿翻译') is what separates 9–10 'well-structured' from a vague generic reflection.
Common slip: Forgetting the diary-format opening line (date / weekday / weather) — markers expect it for context, and its absence signals weak control of the text type. The other common slip is writing a future-plans essay with no real reflection: a top-band diary looks BACK on the journey ('回想十年前…让我明白…') rather than just listing what the job is.
Model answer
Grey labels show the structure · highlighted = key idioms / connectives / set phrases
Opening — diary header5月19日 星期一 晴
Body — present milestone & past struggle今天是我成为双语翻译师的第三周年。回想十年前的高中时光，我曾经为选择哪条职业道路而苦恼。
Body — pivotal experience & realisation大学时一次在医院当志愿翻译的经历，让我明白：兴趣与坚持比起薪更重要。
Conclusion — 行行出状元 insight & forward look如今，我用两种语言搭建沟通的桥梁，深感“行行出状元”。未来，我希望继续用语言为多元社会贡献力量。
Translation

19 May, Monday, Sunny

Today marks the third anniversary of my career as a bilingual interpreter. Looking back at high school ten years ago, I once struggled over which career path to choose. One experience as a volunteer interpreter at a hospital during my university years made me realise: interest and persistence matter more than starting salary. Today I build bridges of communication in two languages — every profession can produce a champion (行行出状元). I hope to keep using my language skills to contribute to a diverse society.

Answers could include
  • Diary entry format: date + weekday + weather in opening line.
  • Personal-voice reflection on the imagined career journey.
  • Specific career — could be translator, doctor, engineer, teacher, entrepreneur.
  • Reflection on growth, challenges, mentors, or pivotal moments.
  • Use of 1+ 成语 or proverb (e.g. 一分耕耘一分收获, 行行出状元).
  • Forward-looking closing reflection.

Question 8

20 marks

你要参加中文写作比赛，题目是“在数字时代，全球公民意识更需要培养”。写一篇议论文表达你的观点。字数要求200-250个汉字。You are participating in a Chinese writing competition. The topic is "In the digital age, global citizenship awareness is more important than ever to cultivate." Write an argumentative essay expressing your point of view. Write approximately 200-250 characters in CHINESE.

approx. 200–250 characters, in Chinese
0 chars
✓ What scores marks
  • Commit to ONE clear position and defend it — thesis, then three distinct arguments each with concrete evidence, then a synthesising conclusion (综上所述).
  • Use canonical connectors (首先 / 其次 / 最后) and substantiate each argument; a brief concession-then-refutation inside your stance is fine.
  • Write authentically for the competition audience; reach the character target with controlled, varied language.
✗ What loses marks
  • Fence-sitting (一方面…另一方面… with no stance), personal anecdotes about friends/family, or overused names (马云 / 乔布斯 / 比尔盖茨).
  • Asserting opinions with no evidence; a thin or missing conclusion; weak structure.
How to structure your answerThesis (one position) → 首先 / 其次 / 最后, each argument + concrete evidence → 综上所述 conclusion. Hit the character target.
For this question
Top band: This 20-mark argumentative essay (议论文) demands a committed one-sided stance and THREE distinct, evidence-backed arguments scaffolded by 首先…其次…最后 and closed with 综上所述. The Band 6 differentiator is concrete substantiation, not assertion: pin each argument to real evidence (新冠疫情 spreading globally for the 地球村 point; 数字原住民 responsibility) rather than empty slogans. Either stance is fully markable — markers reward the QUALITY of evidence and reasoning, not the position — so commit and defend it.
Common slip: Fence-sitting (模棱两可 / 「一方面…另一方面…」 with no landed position) — a 议论文 must be 一边倒; a brief concession-then-refutation is fine but unrefuted two-sidedness drops it out of the top band. Also avoid the banned 论据: personal anecdotes about friends/family and clichéd names (马云 / 乔布斯 / 比尔盖茨), which markers flag as 论据陈旧.
Model answer
Grey labels show the structure · highlighted = key idioms / connectives / set phrases
Opening — thesis statement数字时代，全球公民意识比以往任何时候都更需要培养。
Body 1 — 首先 the global village首先，互联网让世界成为“地球村”。气候变化、瘟疫流行、环境恶化，这些挑战已经超越国界。新冠疫情让我们清楚地看到：一个国家的危机能在几个月内蔓延全球，没有任何国境线能够挡住病毒。
Body 2 — 其次 information & bias其次，数字平台传播信息的同时，也容易制造偏见与对立。唯有具备全球视野的公民，才能辨别真伪、保持理性、尊重多元。
Body 3 — 最后 digital natives' responsibility最后，年轻一代作为“数字原住民”，更应肩负起责任，将科技转化为推动正义与可持续发展的力量。
Conclusion — 综上所述 synthesis综上所述，培养全球公民意识不是选择，而是数字时代每一位年轻人的必修课。
Translation

In the digital age, global citizenship awareness is more important than ever to cultivate. First, the internet has made the world a "global village". Climate change, pandemics, environmental degradation — these challenges have crossed national borders. The COVID-19 pandemic showed us clearly that one nation's crisis can spread globally within months, and no border can hold back a virus. Second, while digital platforms spread information, they also breed bias and confrontation. Only citizens with a global outlook can discern truth from falsehood, stay rational, and respect diversity. Finally, the younger generation as "digital natives" must shoulder the responsibility of channelling technology toward justice and sustainability. In summary, cultivating global citizenship awareness is not a choice but a required course for every young person in the digital age.

Answers could include
  • Marker guidance (NESA exam-setting principle 2.9): a question on a controversial issue 'should be evaluated in terms of the presentation of the evidence rather than the position taken'. Students may argue EITHER that global citizenship awareness is more important than ever in the digital age OR that the digital age makes such awareness LESS practically meaningful. Reward the QUALITY of evidence and reasoning for the chosen position, NOT the position itself.
  • PRO-thesis arguments (the digital age makes global citizenship more important):
  • • The internet has made the world a 地球村 (global village) — climate change, pandemics, environmental degradation cross national borders.
  • • Digital platforms spread information but also bias — global citizens must distinguish truth, stay rational, respect diversity.
  • • Young people as 数字原住民 (digital natives) bear responsibility to channel technology toward justice and sustainability.
  • COUNTER-thesis arguments (the digital age makes meaningful global citizenship harder):
  • • Information overload + algorithmic filter bubbles narrow rather than broaden worldviews.
  • • 'Slacktivism' — performative online gestures on global issues — can substitute for real action.
  • • Compassion fatigue from constant exposure to global suffering erodes the empathy global citizenship depends on.
  • • Cross-border problems require political-economic action, not individual awareness — making 'global citizenship' a rhetorical category rather than a practical lever.
  • Either-stance essays should use canonical connectors (首先 / 其次 / 最后 / 综上所述; 不仅...而且) and substantiate each argument with concrete evidence. No fence-sitting — commit to one position and defend it (a brief concession-then-refutation inside the stance is fine and is NOT fence-sitting). No personal anecdotes about friends or family. No overused names (马云 / 乔布斯 / 比尔盖茨).
  • Argumentative essay format: clear thesis statement, 3 distinct arguments, synthesising conclusion. Indicative Band 6 model response (pro-thesis) is shown below; a Band 6 counter-thesis essay following the same structure with comparable evidence quality is equally markable.
— End of Section II —
Oral

Oral Examination

20 marks2 questionsspeak in Chinese

In the oral exam you respond to a prompt by speaking in Chinese. Here you can practise speaking — there is no written answer field. Read each prompt, plan a stance and a few supported points, then say your response aloud and check the Marker’s view for what a strong monologue covers.

Oral Question 1

10 marks

作为生活在澳大利亚的华裔年轻人，你在学校或社区中如何在保持华裔身份的同时，与来自不同文化背景的同龄人建立真诚的友谊？请结合你自己的亲身经历和观察，分享你的看法。

🎤 Practise speaking — respond aloud in Chinese.
✓ What scores marks
  • Take a clear personal stance on the prompt and develop it with reasons and your own experience / observation.
  • Structure the monologue: open with your position, give 2–3 supported points, then a reflective close.
  • Speak in fluent Chinese with a range of vocabulary and connectives; aim for the full speaking time.
✗ What loses marks
  • A list of disconnected sentences with no through-line, or drying up well short of time.
  • Staying abstract with no concrete personal example; thin vocabulary / repetitive structures.
How to structure your answerOpen with your stance → 2–3 developed points with a personal example → reflective close. Speak for the full time in fluent Chinese.
For this question
Top band: Frame the ~3.5-minute monologue around ONE clear thesis — that keeping a Chinese identity and building cross-cultural friendships are complementary, not in conflict — then structure it 首先/其次/最后: (1) 立场 (你怎么看身份与友谊的关系), (2) 一两个亲身经历 (a concrete moment where sharing Chinese culture — 中秋分月饼、教朋友包饺子、中英双语沟通 — actually deepened a friendship across backgrounds), (3) a reflective close on what genuine 真诚的友谊 across cultures requires (尊重、好奇、双向). The prompt explicitly asks for 亲身经历和观察, so a specific lived anecdote (not abstract theory) is what earns the top band, plus a 成语/idiom (如 求同存异、和而不同) to lift the register.
Common slip: Drifting into an abstract lecture on multiculturalism that never delivers the demanded 亲身经历 — the single most common slip is answering the topic in general terms and forgetting it must be in the first person with your OWN story. Also watch pacing: don't front-load all your content and run dry before 3.5 minutes, or rush so the monologue is under time; rehearse the 首先/其次/最后 spine so the talk stays balanced and fills the slot.

Oral Question 2

10 marks

作为生活在澳大利亚的华裔年轻人，你如何理解“澳大利亚身份”这一概念？请分享你对多元文化和归属感的看法。

🎤 Practise speaking — respond aloud in Chinese.
✓ What scores marks
  • Take a clear personal stance on the prompt and develop it with reasons and your own experience / observation.
  • Structure the monologue: open with your position, give 2–3 supported points, then a reflective close.
  • Speak in fluent Chinese with a range of vocabulary and connectives; aim for the full speaking time.
✗ What loses marks
  • A list of disconnected sentences with no through-line, or drying up well short of time.
  • Staying abstract with no concrete personal example; thin vocabulary / repetitive structures.
How to structure your answerOpen with your stance → 2–3 developed points with a personal example → reflective close. Speak for the full time in fluent Chinese.
For this question
Top band: Open by defining what 「澳大利亚身份」 means to YOU — argue it is 多元、包容、动态 (drawing on the same idea as the Q4 article: not non此即彼 but actively constructed), then anchor it with personal observation: how a Chinese-Australian can hold 双文化 as a 优势 (既传承中华文化, 又拥抱澳洲价值观) and still feel 归属感. Sequence it 首先 (定义/立场) → 其次 (多元文化的具体体现 + 你的观察) → 最后 (归属感如何建立/升华). Naming belonging concretely (a moment you felt you belonged, or a place/community) plus a 成语 (如 海纳百川、求同存异) is the top-band lift.
Common slip: Reciting a memorised 'multiculturalism is good' speech without taking a personal position on 归属感 — the prompt asks for YOUR understanding and YOUR view, so a generic civics answer with no first-person stance or observation caps the band. Second slip: leaving the abstract concept 「澳大利亚身份」 undefined and never landing on what belonging actually feels like for a 华裔年轻人, so the monologue stays vague for the full 3.5 minutes.
— End of oral —
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