HSC Italian Continuers case studies
HSC Italian Continuers · Put your knowledge to work in context.
HSC Italian Continuers is a New South Wales Higher School Certificate course and external examination for students who have already studied Italian for several years and want to keep it as a formal subject in Years 11 and 12. It suits learners who can already handle everyday conversation and short texts and who want to move toward genuine fluency, cultural understanding and independent use of the language. The HSC Italian Continuers case studies are 5 cases and about 2,799 words.
1The Host Family Email and the Unsaid Invitation
Giulia, a Year 12 student in Sydney, receives an email from her exchange host in Bologna, written in Italian. The host, Signora Marchetti, writes that the family will be at the beach house in Rimini from 3 to 17 August, that her son Matteo 'avrebbe piacere' if Giulia came, and that 'naturalmente, se preferisci restare a Bologna, capiamo'.
626 words, about 3 min2Dialect at the Market in Naples
Marco, an HSC student on a two-week stay in Naples, visits the Pignasecca market to buy fruit. He has studied standard Italian for four years and expects to understand everything.
549 words, about 3 min3The Voicemail About the Scholarship Deadline
Elena, an HSC Italian Continuers student, listens once to a voicemail from the coordinator of a summer scholarship in Perugia. The recording is 45 seconds, spoken at natural speed with background noise.
517 words, about 3 min4Reading the Rental Ad's Fine Print
Luca, planning a gap year in Florence, reads a short-term rental listing in Italian. The body says 'appartamento luminoso, libero da settembre, 700 euro al mese, spese incluse'.
537 words, about 3 min5Writing the Complaint Email: Register and Strategy
Sofia, an HSC student, booked a three-night stay in a Sorrento hotel through an Italian website. On arrival, the room had no sea view (advertised as 'vista mare'), the air conditioning was broken for two nights, and the hotel charged a 30-euro 'tassa di soggiorno' she says was not disclosed.
570 words, about 3 min