Victorian Certificate of Education

2020

ENGLISH
Written examination
Tuesday 10 November 2020
Reading time: 9.00 am to 9.15 am (15 minutes)
Writing time: 9.15 am to 12.15 pm (3 hours)

TASK BOOK

Section Number of Number of questions Marks

questions to be answered
A – Analytical interpretation of a text 20 1 20
B – Comparative analysis of texts 8 1 20
C – Argument and persuasive language 1 1 20
Total 60

• Students are permitted to bring into the examination room: pens, pencils, highlighters, erasers,
sharpeners, rulers and an English and/or bilingual printed dictionary.
• Students are NOT permitted to bring into the examination room: blank sheets of paper and/or
correction fluid/tape.
• No calculator is allowed in this examination.
Materials supplied
• Task book of 14 pages, including assessment criteria on page 14
• One answer book
Instructions
• Write your student number on the front cover of the answer book.
• Complete each section in the correct part of the answer book.
• If you choose to write on a multimodal text in Section A, you must not write on a text pair that
includes a multimodal text in Section B.
• You may ask the supervisor for extra answer books.
• All written responses must be in English.
At the end of the examination
• Place all other used answer books inside the front cover of the first answer book.
• You may keep this task book.

Students are NOT permitted to bring mobile phones and/or any other unauthorised electronic
devices into the examination room.
© VICTORIAN CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT AUTHORITY 2020
2020 ENGLISH EXAM 2

SECTION A – Analytical interpretation of a text

Instructions for Section A

Section A requires students to write an analytical interpretation of a selected text in response to one topic
(either i. or ii.) on one text.
Your response should be supported by close reference to the selected text.
If your selected text is a collection of poetry or short stories, you may write on several poems or stories,
or on at least two in close detail.
If you choose to write on a multimodal text in Section A, you must not write on a text pair that includes
a multimodal text in Section B.
In the answer book, indicate which text you have chosen to write on and whether you have chosen to
answer i. or ii.
Your response will be assessed according to the assessment criteria set out on page 14 of this book.
Section A is worth one-third of the total marks for the examination.

Text list
1. After Darkness.......................................................................................................................Christine Piper
2. All the Light We Cannot See................................................................................................. Anthony Doerr
3. Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity................... Katherine Boo
4. Extinction.............................................................................................................................. Hannie Rayson
5. In Cold Blood........................................................................................................................Truman Capote
6. Like a House on Fire.............................................................................................................. Cate Kennedy
7. Much Ado About Nothing............................................................................................William Shakespeare
8. Nine Days...................................................................................................................................Toni Jordan
9. Old/New World: New & Selected Poems............................................................................Peter Skrzynecki
10. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood.................................................................................. Marjane Satrapi
11. Pride and Prejudice....................................................................................................................Jane Austen
12. Rear Window................................................................................................... directed by Alfred Hitchcock
13. Runaway................................................................................................................................... Alice Munro
14. Station Eleven............................................................................................................Emily St John Mandel
15. Stories We Tell.........................................................................................................directed by Sarah Polley
16. The Golden Age........................................................................................................................ Joan London
17. The Lieutenant....................................................................................................................... Kate Grenville
18. The Women of Troy........................................................................................................................ Euripides
19. Things Fall Apart.................................................................................................................. Chinua Achebe
20. William Wordsworth: Poems Selected by Seamus Heaney.......................................... William Wordsworth

SECTION A – continued
 3 2020 ENGLISH EXAM

1. After Darkness by Christine Piper

i. “Why could I never do anything right?”
‘Dr Ibaraki not only fails others, he also fails himself.’
Discuss.

OR
ii. ‘In After Darkness, characters misuse their authority for their own gain.’
Do you agree?

2. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

i. ‘All the Light We Cannot See shows that war affects different people in different ways.’
Discuss.

OR
ii. ‘Werner eventually regrets the choices he has made.’
Do you agree?

3. Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo
i. ‘Despite their poverty, Annawadians have the talents to both survive and succeed.’
Discuss.

OR
ii. “He wanted to be recognized as better than the dirty water in which he lived.”
‘Abdul’s determination to be better is admirable.’
Discuss.

4. Extinction by Hannie Rayson

i. “You do what you can to keep an endangered animal alive.”
Is this the main message of Extinction?

OR
ii. ‘In Extinction, Andy is the only character genuinely interested in conservation.’
To what extent do you agree?

5. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

i. ‘In In Cold Blood, Capote considers whether a murderer can also be a victim.’
Discuss.

OR
ii. ‘The citizens of Kansas are motivated more by fear than by anything else.’
Do you agree?

SECTION A – continued
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2020 ENGLISH EXAM 4

6. Like a House on Fire by Cate Kennedy

i. To what extent do characters in these stories face their problems alone?

OR
ii. ‘The stories in Like a House On Fire explore challenges encountered at different stages of life.’
Discuss.

7. Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

i. ‘Despite the comic banter of Beatrice and Benedick, Much Ado About Nothing confronts some
serious issues.’
Discuss.

OR
ii. “Men were deceivers ever”
Is this true of the men in Much Ado About Nothing?

8. Nine Days by Toni Jordan

i. To what extent are the lives of the characters in Nine Days limited by social expectations?

OR
ii. “Every time you see someone, you never know if you’re seeing them for the last time.”
How does Nine Days emphasise the importance of cherishing those we love?

9. Old/New World: New & Selected Poems by Peter Skrzynecki

i. “We’re standing / in an empty field / with a hill in the background.”
How does Skrzynecki contrast the desolation of Europe with the fertility of Australia?

OR
ii. ‘Skrzynecki’s poetry explores relationships between parents and children.’
Discuss.

10. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi

i. How do Marji’s innocent observations reveal the truths of her world?

OR
ii. Discuss the importance of hopes and dreams in Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood.

11. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

i. ‘Pride and Prejudice shows the dangers of acting on first impressions.’
Discuss.

OR
ii. ‘In their different ways, all the Bennet girls defy convention.’
Do you agree?

SECTION A – continued
 5 2020 ENGLISH EXAM

12. Rear Window directed by Alfred Hitchcock

i. ‘The characters in Rear Window crave companionship and belonging.’
To what extent do you agree?

OR
ii. ‘In Rear Window, Hitchcock demonstrates that appearances cannot be trusted.’
Discuss.

13. Runaway by Alice Munro

i. ‘Many characters in Munro’s stories keep secrets.’
Discuss.

OR
ii. ‘The female characters in Munro’s stories lack confidence.’
To what extent do you agree?

14. Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel

i. “[…] the truth was that the Symphony was their only home.”
How important is a sense of home in Station Eleven?

OR
ii. “This will pass. Everything passes.”
‘Station Eleven offers the hope that civilisation will endure.’
Do you agree?

15. Stories We Tell directed by Sarah Polley

i. ‘In Stories We Tell, Michael Polley is the most sympathetically portrayed character.’
Do you agree?

OR
ii. ‘The use of old video footage, interviews and re-enactments makes it difficult to know what is true
in Stories We Tell.’
Discuss.

16. The Golden Age by Joan London

i. ‘Although Frank is confined to a hospital, his world expands in many ways.’
Discuss.

OR
ii. ‘Polio was as challenging for the parents as it was for the children.’
Do you agree?

SECTION A – continued
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2020 ENGLISH EXAM 6

17. The Lieutenant by Kate Grenville

i. Why does Daniel Rooke have such trouble trusting other people?

OR
ii. ‘In The Lieutenant, the environment strongly influences the characters’ actions.’
Discuss.

18. The Women of Troy by Euripides

i. ‘In The Women of Troy, men seek to control the lives of women.’
Discuss.

OR
ii. ‘The actions of the Greeks in The Women of Troy cannot be justified.’
Discuss.

19. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

i. ‘Things fall apart, but not all is lost in Achebe’s novel.’
Discuss.

OR
ii. ‘Okonkwo becomes a success because of his father’s failures.’
Do you agree?

20. William Wordsworth: Poems Selected by Seamus Heaney by William Wordsworth

i. “Let Nature be your Teacher.”
What do the poems of Wordsworth teach us?

OR
ii. How are emotions explored in Wordsworth’s poems?

END OF SECTION A
 7 2020 ENGLISH EXAM

SECTION B – Comparative analysis of texts

Instructions for Section B

Section B requires students to write a comparative analysis of a selected pair of texts in response to
one topic (either i. or ii.) on one pair of texts.
Your response should analyse how the two texts present ideas and/or issues, and should be supported by
close reference to both texts in the pair.
If you choose to write on a multimodal text in Section A, you must not write on a text pair that includes
a multimodal text in Section B.
In the answer book, indicate which text pair you have chosen to write on and whether you have chosen to
answer i. or ii.
Your response will be assessed according to the assessment criteria set out on page 14 of this book.
Section B is worth one-third of the total marks for the examination.

SECTION B – continued
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2020 ENGLISH EXAM 8

Pair 1 Tracks by Robyn Davidson and Charlie’s Country directed by Rolf de Heer
i. Compare the ways in which the characters in Tracks and Charlie’s Country deal with their anger.

OR
ii. ‘Robyn Davidson wants to find out about a country that is unknown to her, whereas Charlie knows
his country very well.’
Compare Robyn Davidson’s and Charlie’s ways of viewing their country.

Pair 2 The Queen directed by Stephen Frears and Ransom by David Malouf
i. ‘The conflict between personal feeling and public duty always leads to a dilemma.’
Compare the ways in which this conflict is shown in The Queen and Ransom.

OR
ii. “This is a family funeral, Mr Blair, not a fairground attraction.” (The Queen)
“He had grieved. But silently, never permitting himself to betray to others what he felt.” (Ransom)
Compare how the two texts explore responses to grief.

Pair 3 Stasiland by Anna Funder and Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

i. “Everyone has issues of their own to deal with.” (Stasiland)
“[…] a part of us stayed like that: fearful of the world around us […]” (Never Let Me Go)
Compare how Stasiland and Never Let Me Go demonstrate the endurance of the human spirit in
times of despair.

OR
ii. Compare how Stasiland and Never Let Me Go explore the importance of love and connection.

Pair 4 Reckoning by Magda Szubanski and The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

i. Compare the ways in which the characters in the two texts struggle to find their place in the world.

OR
ii. “We were tugboats in the river of history, my father and I, pulling in opposite directions. He
needed to forget. I need to remember.” (Reckoning)
“I don’t want to go, […] I don’t want to see them. I can’t.” (The Namesake)
Compare the ways in which the two texts show that confronting the past can be difficult.

SECTION B – continued
 9 2020 ENGLISH EXAM

Pair 5 The Crucible by Arthur Miller and The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham
i. “Proctor […] has come to regard himself as a kind of fraud.” (The Crucible)
Tilly says: “[…] everyone I’ve touched is hurt, or dead.” (The Dressmaker)
Compare how characters in the two texts consider themselves responsible for the harm caused to
others.

OR
ii. Compare the ways in which the two texts show the suffering of the innocent and the guilty.

Pair 6 Photograph 51 by Anna Ziegler and The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus
by Margaret Atwood
i. ‘Deception always has an impact on people’s lives.’
Compare how this idea is explored in the two texts.

OR
ii. Compare the ways in which patterns are important in the lives of the characters in the two texts.

Pair 7 The 7 Stages of Grieving by Wesley Enoch and Deborah Mailman and The Longest Memory
by Fred D’Aguiar
i. Compare how The 7 Stages of Grieving and The Longest Memory depict relationships between the
powerful and the powerless.

OR
ii. ‘Storytelling is a way for a society to keep its voice alive.’
Compare the ways in which the stories are told in these two texts.

Pair 8 I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by
Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb, and Pride directed by Matthew Warchus
i. Compare how the two texts depict powerful authorities.

OR
ii. Compare the ways in which the two texts explore the nature and consequences of prejudice.

END OF SECTION B
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2020 ENGLISH EXAM 10

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 11 2020 ENGLISH EXAM

SECTION C – Argument and persuasive language

Instructions for Section C

Section C requires students to write an analysis of the ways in which argument and language are used
to persuade others to share a point(s) of view.
Read the background information on this page and the material on pages 12 and 13, and write an
analytical response to the task below.
For the purposes of this task, the term ‘language’ refers to written, spoken and visual language.
Your response will be assessed according to the assessment criteria set out on page 14 of this book.
Section C is worth one-third of the total marks for the examination.

Task
Write an analysis of the ways in which argument and written and visual language are used in the material on
pages 12 and 13 to try to persuade others to share the points of view presented.

Background information
The shire of Byways in regional Victoria depends on both farmers and tourists for its
prosperity. The local community is concerned about the increased recreational use of
drones by many of the tourists visiting the area. The following is the transcript of a
speech made by young farmer Warwick Bandle at a public meeting called by the Byways
Shire Council to discuss the community’s concerns. Bandle provided two images to be
projected on a screen to accompany his speech.

SECTION C – continued
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2020 ENGLISH EXAM 12

Good evening, everyone.

Drones and their inexperienced users are proving to be a costly problem for us farmers. Drones are not
toys. What happens when a drone flies out of range? What happens when the battery runs out? A drone
being flown out of control, or crashing out of the sky, can be lethal. Just imagine the damage that can
be done by a falling drone. Imagine, then, these drone users, realising that they have lost their drone,
searching, crashing through crops, or leaving gates open and letting livestock out. And finally, when
they don’t find the drone, it’s just left to rust away in the field until harvest time, when it’s swept up,
damaging the harvester.

It’s time our council started to defend the farmers rather than the tourists. The farmers are the backbone
of this community, many of us having lived in this area for generations. While we understand the
importance to our town of visitors supporting businesses and, indeed, have welcomed the
holiday-makers, when they start causing havoc while searching for their wayward drones it’s time to
say, ‘Enough!’
Don’t get me wrong! I’m not just another technophobe complaining about technology. As a young
farmer, having just taken over the family farm, I’m introducing new technology on a daily basis to
improve efficiency. In fact, we’re using drones – more correctly called unmanned aerial vehicles – on
the farm. For farmers, drones save time and money in tasks such as dusting and spraying crops, or
monitoring crops for pests and growth. There is absolutely no way we want to ban drones.
It’s not just in farming that these remarkable little workers have helped us out. We all remember last
year when that bushwalker went missing. The drones flew tirelessly over large areas, including those
difficult to access. Their eyes led to the speedy and happy conclusion we reached.

SECTION C – continued
 13 2020 ENGLISH EXAM

The issue is that flying a drone for fun is the latest 21st-century fad. The numbers of recreational drone
users are mounting each year. Consequently, incidents involving drones are increasing. Drones out of
control. Drones lost in trees. Drones causing power cuts. Drones hitting and hurting people. Drones in
flight paths and even, in extreme cases, drones in near misses with aircraft.
As incidents have multiplied, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority has introduced strict rules to regulate
both commercial and recreational use of drones in order to protect privacy and safety. They do a
great job of managing the rapidly escalating and competing needs of the users of our airspace. There
is, however, a startling incongruity in the rules applying to commercial drone flyers and recreational
drone users. Commercial drone flyers are required to have a licence. Recreational drone users are
not. Commercial drone flyers are required to do training in flying. Recreational drone users are not.
Currently, commercial flyers and operators of drones must have a Remote Pilot Licence. On the other
hand, all recreational drone users have to do is watch a short video and complete a test consisting of a
few multiple-choice questions on a website. There is no way of even proving that the person completing
the test is the person who will be flying the drone. They just print the computer-generated certificate
and head out to launch their new toy.
Why this difference? Why is such a large group of people who have no training allowed to fly drones?
Do we let learner drivers out on the roads on their own after simply completing their online Learner
Permit Knowledge Test? Why, then, are the rules for drone users any different?
I have no problem with the recreational use of drones but I think that everyone flying a drone should
complete the same rigorous licensing process. Anything less is not fair and not safe.
As a community, we must consider the needs of the farmers as well as the tourists. It’s time for the
council to ban drone flying for non-licensed users.
Thank you.

END OF SECTION C
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2020 ENGLISH EXAM 14

Assessment criteria
Section A will be assessed against the following criteria:
• knowledge and understanding of the text, and the ideas and issues it explores
• development of a coherent analysis in response to the topic
• use of textual evidence to support the interpretation
• control and effectiveness of language use, as appropriate to the task
Section B will be assessed against the following criteria:
• knowledge and understanding of both texts, and the ideas and issues they present
• discussion of meaningful connections, similarities or differences between the texts, in response to
the topic
• use of textual evidence to support the comparative analysis
• control and effectiveness of language use, as appropriate to the task
Section C will be assessed against the following criteria:
• understanding of the argument(s) presented and point(s) of view expressed
• analysis of ways in which language and visual features are used to present an argument and to
persuade
• control and effectiveness of language use, as appropriate to the task

Sources: Mark Agnor/Shutterstock.com (p. 12); haryigit/Shutterstock.com (p. 13)

END OF TASK BOOK