HSC German Continuers case studies
HSC German Continuers · Put your knowledge to work in context.
HSC German Continuers is a New South Wales Higher School Certificate course and external examination for students who have already studied German for roughly 200 to 300 hours, typically in Years 9 and 10, and who want to continue the language in Years 11 and 12. It is not a beginner course and not a background-speaker course; candidates are usually secondary students in NSW schools, though the syllabus structure also matters to private candidates and tutors preparing learners for it. The HSC German Continuers case studies are 5 cases and about 1,737 words.
1Choosing between two exchange offers
Lena, a Year 12 German Continuers student, has two options for her three-week exchange. Option A is a Gymnasium in Leipzig with a host family whose parents both work full-time; the family has two younger children and speaks fast Saxon dialect at home.
410 words, about 2 min2Interpreting a letter about a cancelled visit
A reading task presents a short email from Frau Berger to her nephew Jonas. She writes that she is 'leider nicht in der Lage' to visit in July because her mother has moved into a care home and she must sort out the apartment.
331 words, about 2 min3Register and formula in a formal application
A writing task asks students to write an email to the organiser of a German town's volunteer environmental group, applying for a two-week placement. The prompt specifies: formal register, state your motivation, mention your German level, ask two questions about accommodation and working hours, and close appropriately.
338 words, about 2 min4A listening text with numbers and a change of plan
Students hear a recorded announcement at a youth hostel. The speaker says the evening meal is normally at 18:30, but tonight it will be at 19:15 because a group is arriving late.
316 words, about 2 min5Judging a cultural claim in a discussion text
A reading passage for the topic 'The changing world' describes how a German village of 1,200 people lost its bank branch, its post office, and its supermarket within five years. A citizens' group now runs a shared village shop staffed by volunteers, and a bus service runs twice a week to the nearest town, 22 km away.
342 words, about 2 min