Here is a loooong list of questions for the Area of Study: Belonging (Paper 1, Section 3).
I’ve grouped them according to the “type” of question they are. If you are able to confidently answer each “type” of question – you should be fine.
It’s important to be aware of the variety of questions that may be chosen for your HSC! The question may be very different to the ones given to you by your school for assessments or practice.
I will add more as I find them – otherwise, feel free to contribute, by commenting below.
Past HSC
2009:
‘Understanding nourishes belonging. A lack of understanding prevents it.’
Demonstrate how your prescribed text and ONE other related text of your own choosing represent this interpretation of belonging.
General
- You have been invited to speak at the book launch of a new collection of texts entitled belonging in our society. In your speech, explain and assess the ways in which belonging is represented in the texts in the collection
- You have been invited to write an article for a teenage magazine called youth and belonging.
In your article, analyse the ways in which belonging is represented in the texts you have studied.
How belonging creates a sense of identity
- To what extent do different groups to which we belong define who we are you’re your answer refer to your prescribed text and two texts of your own choosing.
- Claude Levi Strauss once said ‘being human signifies, for each one of us, belonging to a class, society, a country and a civilization’ explain this statement with close reference to your prescribed text and a variety of supplementary texts of your own choosing in 1000-1500 word essay
- Belonging to a community of group has a significant impact on an individual’s sense of self’
Discuss this statement, focusing on how the composers of the texts you have studies represent belonging - Belonging to a certain entity is the result of a particular identity. Discuss.
- ‘Belonging is the cornerstone to finding identity in an individual’. To what extent is this true of your texts?
- Our sense of identity is stronger when we feel that we belong. To what extent is this true of the texts you have studied? (CTHS 2009 Trial)
Belonging and Conformity
- Membership of any group requires obedience. Rules and conventions are the cornerstone of acceptance.
What is the relationship between belonging and rules? In your answer refer to your prescribed text and two texts of your own choosing. - Belonging is not always a good thing. What disadvantages are there for individuals and society in belonging? In your answer refer to your prescribed text and two texts of your own choosing.
- Belonging relies on both conformity and individuality.
Personal Response
- To what degree has studying the concept of ‘belonging’ augmented your understanding of yourself, of others, and of the world?
In your answer, refer to your own prescribed text and at least three other related texts of your own choosing. - To what extent have your perceptions of belonging been influenced by the texts you’ve studied? In your answer, refer to your prescribed text and two other texts of your choosing.
- NOTE: this was the question provided in the BOS sample HSC paper
- How has your study of belonging changed you?
Difficulty/duality of belonging/not belonging
- “Despite an individual’s desire to belong to a group or community, this not always possible”
How do the texts you have studies represent the processes and results of belonging and/or not belonging? - Belonging to a group or community can provide opportunities and disappointments. To what extent do the texts you have studies support this idea?
- Belonging is a struggle.
- Belonging can be self-fulfilling and self-destructive. Explain the relevance of this statement with close reference to the texts you have studied.
- In our quest to belong we will experience both opportunities and disappointments.
- ‘Belonging creates dilemmas”. Discuss this statement in relation to your study.
- “Not belonging is a far more difficult road to travel than that of belonging”. How does your prescribed texts and TWO other texts of your own choosing explore ideas of belonging and not belonging?
- People experience a sense of belonging in varied and complex ways. How is this explored in the texts you have studied? (CSSA 2009 Trial)
Need to Belong
- Belonging is a fundamental part of society. Discuss this idea with reference to the core text and with at least two of your related texts
- Belonging is an instinctive human need in all of us.
- The need to belong marks us as human and it is such connections that lead to fulfilment.
After studying belonging, to what extent do you agree with this statement? In your answer refer to your prescribed text and two text of your own choosing. - The need to belong marks us a human and it is such connection that lead to fulfilment.
- Our desire to belong is universal, but expresses itself in different ways.
- “The human spirit craves a sense of belonging”. To what extent do the texts you have studied support this idea?
- “Our lives are shaped by our sense of belonging”. Discuss the extent to which belonging shapes our lives.
- “Belonging is a natural human need. It is also something we can strive for or feel crippled by.” How do composers show this through their characters, the way they structure texts and the language features they use? (CGHS 2009 ESL Trial).
Other
- More than anything else, belonging is about finding a sense of place in the world’
Do you agree? Argue your point of view, referring to the texts you have studied - How are perceptions of belonging shaped by personal, cultural, historical and social contexts?
- Belonging is dynamic, process driven and complex. Using the concepts of journeys and change, create an argument which synthesises the three concepts mentioned above.
- Family traditions counter alienation and confusion. They help define who we are; they provide something steady, reliable and safe in a confusing world.
- We search for a place to belong, not realising that it’s our perceptions and attitudes and not the place that allow us to belong.
- “Belonging is dependant on the perspective of the individual”. Discuss this statement with particular focus on how the composers of texts represent perceptions of belonging.
- “Relationships are important in finding a sense of belonging”. Discuss in relation to your study of belonging.
- Is a sense of belonging or not belonging more powerful in the texts you have studied?
- What do you think are the most powerful influences that impact on an individual’s sense of belonging?

17 comments
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8 August 2009 at 4:15 pm
Lisa
Hi..
Thanks so much for all those Q’s.
I was wondering whether u can put up some things on the “creative writing section” of belonging…where we usually get a stimulus etc.
any chances????
Thanks.
10 August 2009 at 9:29 pm
tutortales
That’s a good suggestion, Lisa. I’ll put it on my list of possible things to write about.
TT
27 September 2009 at 3:14 pm
Sam
Hi, I’m wondering if you can put up notes for the extension english course as well, thanks!
28 September 2009 at 9:52 am
tutortales
Which Extension English Module are you doing? I’ve only studied and tutored Module A: Genre – so I don’t have any resources on the others.
TT
3 October 2009 at 2:31 pm
Sam
We’re doing Romanticism and the texts are Coleridge & Keats poetry and Northanger Abbey
23 October 2009 at 2:22 pm
Alex
If you have any resources on Module A: Crime Writing, they would hugely appreciated
8 October 2009 at 11:02 am
Tom
Hi, do you think it would be possible to put something up about the different possible text types we could be asked to write in and how to write in these forms. e.g. feature article, letter, speech etc.
Thanx
9 October 2009 at 8:17 pm
tutortales
Thanks for the suggestion – I may put something like that up in the future, but I won’t be able to do it before the upcoming HSC.
TT
13 October 2009 at 5:46 pm
Shelley
Hi, thanks so much for all your articles, they’re very helpful. I was wondering if you could write an article on exam tips for the short answer section? Like what to look for in certain stimulus material (ie. if it’s a long article, how to skin through it quickly and look for specific things…I don’t know, I’m not explaining myself very well). Anyways, if you could do that within the next week, that would be great. Thanks!
13 October 2009 at 10:17 pm
tutortales
Hi Shelley
Sorry, but I’m unlikely to be able to get that done within a week, as I’ve got uni assignments at the moment.
But to answer you quickly/shortly:
- read the QUESTIONS first to figure out what you need to identify in the text (do you need to find techniques, ideas or purpose?).
- PRACTISE identifying links to belonging and techniques on “practise” stimulus material. You can find some here: http://www.insidebreak.org.au/belonging/
- the last question in the short answer section can usually be answered using your answers from the previous questions
I strongly suggest #2 above, as it is the only way you’ll improve picking up techniques and skimming faster. It’ll also challenge you to think of ways that texts can convey ideas about belonging (some of the poems on that Inside Break website are pretty vague in terms of how they could relate to belonging…lol).
Good luck,
TT
17 October 2009 at 3:03 pm
christino
HI just wondered what the red ones meant?
18 October 2009 at 11:33 am
tutortales
The red ones are “official” questions – ie. actual Trial questions. The others are just examples in study guides, online, or used by school as assessments.
TT
18 October 2009 at 3:23 pm
dan
hi just wondering when writing a practice belonging question like this
“To what extent have your perceptions of belonging been influenced by the texts you’ve studied? In your answer, refer to your prescribed text and two other texts of your choosing.”
it says its a personal response does that mean i write my essay in first person? thank
18 October 2009 at 4:43 pm
tutortales
You don’t have to write it in 1st person. I personally wouldn’t because I feel weird writing in 1st person.
You can write in 3rd person by starting along the lines of: “Belonging is usually perceived as simply concept or emotion. However, though studying ______, such perceptions have been challenged as the composers demonstrate that……..”
So by saying “through studying”, it implies that it is your personal experience/response.
TT
20 October 2009 at 3:52 pm
HSC TOMMOROW! - Page 3 - GotGames.com.au
[...] for all the questions. I think it's one of the best prep u can do for it
DO IT FRY AND ALPH Practise Questions for Area of Study: Belonging Tutor Tales __________________ [...]
20 October 2009 at 6:19 pm
poll
How would you answer a question if it asks about ‘identity’ and you want to include that belonging is a complex concept and process?
3 October 2009 at 5:44 pm
tutortales
Oh ok, that’s a new Genre elective. I’ve only done Revenge Tragedy (which is now gone) and Speculative Fiction (now called Science Fiction), so I don’t think I’d be much help – sorry!
TT