English Section C Te Final 5april

Contents
Exam guidelines 3
Scenario 1: Free university education 5
Scenario 2: Commercialisation of nature 8
Scenario 3: Urban sprawl 11
Scenario 4: Homework 14
Scenario 5: Racial diversity on Australian television 18
Scenario 6: Millennials and media misrepresentation 22
Scenario 7: Male stereotypes and sports culture 26
Scenario 8: Australia Day 30
Scenario 9: Overpopulation 34
Scenario 10: Poverty 38
Sample student response for Scenario 1 42
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Exam guidelines
Section C of your end-of-year exam will focus on analysing argument and persuasive
language. You will be required to write an extended piece of prose that analyses how
argument and language, including visual language, are used to persuade others to share a
point of view. This section is worth one-third of your total mark for the exam.
Allow one hour for this task – as a guide, you should spend approximately 5 minutes
planning, 50 minutes writing and 5 minutes proofreading.
Exam criteria
Exam criteria for Section C What you have to do
– Argument and persuasive
language
Understanding of the argument(s)  Show a clear understanding of the point(s) of
presented and point(s) of view view by identifying the main contention and the
expressed main points or arguments that are used to
support it.
Analysis of ways in which  Demonstrate an understanding of some of the
language and visual features are persuasive strategies used to present a point of
used to present an argument and to view and position readers to agree.
persuade  Show how the piece of text is designed to
have an impact on the audience through its
structure and approach, and through particular
word choices and visual features.
 Look for explicit and implicit appeals to the
values that this audience might be expected to
endorse; this will allow you to show a perceptive
understanding of how argument and language
are used.
Control and effectiveness of  Use clear and precise language, with
language use, as appropriate to the accurate spelling and correct grammar.
task  Make effective use of appropriate
vocabulary, including metalanguage for
discussing argument, persuasive language and
the positioning of the reader.
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How can you improve your score for Section C?
The table below presents the typical characteristics of high-, medium- and low-level
responses. To achieve a top mark for Section C, aim to have your analysis resemble the
description in the left-hand column of the table below.

A high-level response: A medium-level response: A low-level response:
shows that the student has shows some evidence that the shows little or no
awareness of the context
read the ‘Background student has read the ‘Background
or intended audience of
information’ (if provided) information’ and shows some the piece
carefully and demonstrates understanding of the context of the
their understanding of the piece and the intended audience
context of the piece and the
intended audience
focuses on analysing how focuses too much on identifying only identifies language
argument and language are techniques, showing
language techniques rather than on
used to persuade rather than little or no awareness of
on identifying language analysing argument and language, the argument and its
techniques, and demonstrates construction
and demonstrates limited
an understanding of the
writer’s choices with regard awareness of the way in which the
to the construction of the
argument is constructed
argument
analyses the way in which adequately analyses the argument fails to recognise or
argument and language work and the language with which it is analyse the connections
together to persuade and to presented but demonstrates limited between the argument
create cumulative effects awareness of the way in which and the language used to
both aspects of the persuasive text present it
operate together to create
particular effects
incorporates analysis of includes analysis of visual material excludes analysis of
visual material smoothly, but does not necessarily
visual material or the
noting how it supports or incorporate it smoothly into the
contradicts the point of view response analysis is very basic
presented in the text
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SECTION C – Argument and persuasive language
Scenario 1: Free university education
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 6 and 7, 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 3 of this book.
Section C will be 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 6 and 7 to try to persuade others to share the point of
view presented.
Background information
On 1 January 1974, the government abolished university fees in order to make tertiary
education more accessible to working- and middle-class Australians. In 1989,
university fees were re-introduced, to be paid for by the Higher Education
Contributions Scheme (HECS), the system which is currently in place for Australian
university students, now generally referred to as the HECS-HELP system.
In 2014, the Abbott Government’s proposal to deregulate university fees (allowing
universities to set their own fees) saw the cost of higher education once again a matter
for public debate.
The following article by Arjuna Bhamra was published in October 2016 in Campus
Chorus, a magazine run by and for Australian students.
Bhamra is a current undergraduate student, completing a Bachelor of Commerce at an
Australian university.
There are two images accompanying the article.
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The real cost of ‘free’ education
‘Free education,’ students chanted at last week’s protest outside the Education
Department’s office. A group of bricklayers smiled as the students waved and shouted.
‘Free? That means we pay,’ said one of the workmen. ‘They’ll be doctors and lawyers
in a few years’ time and I’ll be the brickie who paid for it.’
The bricklayer is right – there is no such thing as a ‘free’ education. In fact,
universities are very expensive. Costs include buildings and land, books and
computers, academic salaries and support staff, and much more. There are billions of
dollars spent every year in the higher education sector.
The actual question is, who should have to pay these costs? The government,
through everybody’s taxes, or the student, the person who receives an overwhelming
benefit from the education?
The current system is a mixture of both. The taxpayer subsidises 59 per cent of
our education, and a total of over $16 billion per year is spent in the higher education
sector. Students pay just 41 per cent, and we don’t even have to pay a single dollar
upfront thanks to the HECS-HELP system – a no-interest loan that we only start
repaying when we earn over $54 000 per year, and then at a maximum annual rate of
just 2 per cent of our income. This generous loan system means anyone who gets the
marks can get a higher education, no matter their current financial position, and pay
for it when they begin to reap the rewards of that education.
The substantial benefits of a higher education are essential to understand. The
average male graduate receives an additional $1.4 million in lifetime earnings
compared to an individual who undertook no more education after Year 12, according
to analysis of census figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. For women, the
lifetime earnings premium is just under $1 million.
Asking taxpayers to pay for our education is elitist middle-class welfare at its
worst. It is asking people who do not attend university – and who will on average earn
a 75 per cent lower lifetime income – to subsidise our education, and higher income.
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This is just unfair.
The simple reality is that we choose to go to university and we get substantial

benefit from our education. Those who reach higher education are typically already
from a higher socioeconomic background. Hence, just as we expect individuals to pay
for their own food and shelter, we have an obligation to pay for our elite education.
Furthermore, our government faces trade-offs for every spending decision. To put
more into higher education they must hurt the economy and our job prospects by
taxing more, increasing debt for future generations, or cutting other services. We have
to ask ourselves – would we prefer the government fund our healthcare system and
support the truly needy through the National Disability Insurance Scheme, or would
we prefer the government to use the taxes of the poor to pay for the privileged to
increase their earning capacity?
In these tough fiscal times, the government is inclined to support those who
actually need the money to survive. As a consequence there is a natural reluctance to
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put more money into education. If universities were made ‘free’, that is, fully taxpayer
funded, then due to limited resources there would inevitably be fewer places
available.
This was just the case in the 1970s when education was fully taxpayer-funded
under the Whitlam Labor Government. It is often claimed that Whitlam increased
university access with ‘free’ education. This is a myth. In fact, after Whitlam
introduced the policy, a lower proportion of the population undertook higher
education. Spending a lot of money per student to make it ‘free’ means there is not
enough funding to increase the number of higher education places or the quality of
education.
There was also no shift in the socioeconomic statistics of higher educational
access during the Whitlam era. In practice, Whitlam’s ‘free’ education policy had the
poor paying for the existing elite to go to university. The boom in places and access to
higher education came after the introduction of the HECS loan system by the Hawke–
Keating government. The number of university places has since more than tripled to
over 1.25 million students today. This has transformed access to higher education.
Where once it was accessible to only the lucky few, it is now accessible to everyone
who is capable.
Higher education will only become more important in Australia’s post-industrial
economy. Jobs of the future are high-skilled, and therefore depend on a highly
educated workforce. This means higher education must keep expanding, teaching
more students in order to prepare us for the future.
Every university should be an intellectual sanctuary. The only way to achieve a
higher quality sector with more places available is if universities have a wide variety
of revenue sources. Universities must be able to afford the best possible facilities and
student services, as well as generous salaries that will entice the best and brightest to
undertake research and teaching.
Students, through the loan system, must be willing to pay some of these costs.
There is nothing fair about asking poorer taxpayers to pay the entire cost.
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Scenario 2: Commercialisation of nature
Read the background information on this page and the material on pages 9 and 10,
and write an analytical response to the task below.
language.
Your response will be assessed according to the assessment criteria set out on page 3
of this book.
Task
view presented.
The following text is an extract from a Master Plan that proposes the commercial
development of a bushwalking area in Victoria’s Alpine National Park. The extract
contains photographs and a graphic.
The Master Plan was published on the website of the Department of National Parks
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Victoria. The Department has asked for community input and comments on the plan.
The material includes a response from Katherine R, a concerned bushwalker, which
was submitted to the Community Input section of the webpage.
Mount Howling to Pleasant Peak Alpine Crossing

2017 Master Plan – Executive Summary
Official forecasts indicate that visitor numbers to Victoria in the domestic and
international markets will increase significantly in the next decade. The Alpine
National Park has a critical opportunity to tap into this economic development by
becoming more accessible to mass markets. In doing so, the region will experience
increased economic activity and the creation of ongoing employment.
What is the Alpine Crossing proposal?
The Mount Howling to Pleasant Peak Alpine Crossing will be Victoria’s premier
hiking experience. Visitors will traverse 50 km of unique and diverse alpine
environments such as high pastures, lush valleys, craggy ridgelines and serene
mountain peaks. The walk will be enhanced by high-quality accommodation options
and guided experiences that will enable a wide range of visitors to comfortably
immerse themselves in the beauty of the Alpine National Park.
Examples of roofed accommodation at Bay of Fires, Tasmania and Coromandel Peninsula, New
Zealand
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Who will use the Alpine Crossing?
Currently, the existing trails on the Alpine Crossing are accessible only to a minority
segment in the walking market – the self-sufficient ‘adventure seekers’ who value the
‘wild’ experience and generally spend little money in the region.
An identified majority market that is not currently catered for is the ‘experience
seekers’ who desire creature comforts within a natural setting. These high-yield
visitors are looking for experiences in nature accompanied by authentic storytelling,
comfortable accommodation, nourishing cuisine and a choice of complementary
package activities.
Services and products
 The private sector will be employed to provide a range of walking experience
products including guided walks, a choice between roofed accommodation or luxury
tent-based campsites, full catering, and packaged opportunities such as horseriding
and mountain biking.

 Roofed accommodation provides a sense of safety and comfort, allowing the visitor
to fully relax in the grandeur of the wilderness. The design of the lodging will adhere
to the highest environmental standards with the smallest ecological footprint, which
will appeal to eco-tourists interested in sustainable architecture.
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Scenario 3: Urban sprawl
language. Your response will be assessed according to the assessment criteria set out
on page 3 of this book.
Task
view presented.
Urban sprawl, also known as urbanisation, refers to the spread of people from densely
populated towns and cities to low-density residential development. The result is the
spreading of a city and its suburbs over more and more rural land surrounding the city
centre. This article was published online at The Urban Developer, a website whose
mission is ‘to connect, inform and inspire property and urban development
professionals by being the leading source of information, events and products to the
industry’.
The author of the article, Anthony Venturini, is a Managing Director who oversees the
performance of designers and consultants focused on Buildings, Urban Development
and Water projects in the Australia Pacific Region.
One comment follows the article.
It’s time to tackle urban sprawl
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by Anthony Venturini
We’re pretty proud of our cities in Australia. Locked to the coastal fringes, we boast
some of the best views, most comfortable weather and a strong positive approach to
life that makes Australia such a desirable place to live.
So, why aren’t our cities ranked the top in the world for sustainability? While there is
no one answer, urban sprawl is a huge factor.
Why does this have such a large impact? The answer is a very intricate flow-on effect.
When you look at our Australian cities, more people want homes, so more people start
to buy.
Housing prices increase as more people buy, so those who can’t afford to live close to
the centre spread further and further out. Yet, those people still need to work. Our
travel times increase, our work-life balance takes a huge hit and our overall happiness
drops. We are then at risk of developing a disparate, travel-weary and unhappy
workforce.
Unlike Europe or Asia, Australian cities have always had easy, cheap access to land
and while that was an advantage for decades, it’s now one of our biggest problems.
For far too long we’ve relied on constant subdividing on our city fringes for
affordable homes on quarter-acre blocks that are absolutely dependent on cars or
massive spending on new roads, schools and hospitals.
If you look at Arcadis’ 2016 Global Sustainable Cities Index, the cities that topped it
globally all had one thing in common: an integrated, green and ‘smart city’ approach
to planning and development. Zurich, Singapore, Dubai and Seoul are all thriving
cities with leading markets, however, they don’t have the same issues some of our
cities have. They understand sustainability isn’t simply being green; instead it’s about
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balancing the immediate needs of the population without compromising the needs of
tomorrow.
Our cities score highly on ‘liveability’ because of our strong tendencies for art and
culture, but they aren’t performing as highly as they could on sustainability.
Now, addressing urban sprawl is not easy. It requires a fundamental shift in the way
we think about infrastructure planning – put people at the heart of your city’s
planning, not what infrastructure you think you need.
Zurich is a great example of where public sector infrastructure strategies are driving
business, clean power, energy efficiency, affordable housing and education. To make
this work, urban spaces are focusing on high- to medium-density living that has
seamless transport weaving it all together. We’re talking about contextual-driven cities
– cities that connect to their people.
Closer to home, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are all trying to tackle urban sprawl
by re-defining their CBDs to include higher density and develop mobility-enhanced
spaces; however, once you’re outside the CBD, the sprawl takes over.
This is where families already live with great access to schools, retail and transport,
but expanding those benefits to more people often hits the hurdles of ‘not in my
backyard’ or vested interests so that these expensive, valuable assets are not being
shared more broadly – and yes, sustainably.
The fix won’t be easy, nor will it be quick. It will take a united and consistent effort
from industry, government and a city’s biggest stakeholders – the people – to drive
real change. But we have to do it. We already have some of the world’s most liveable
cities, it’s time we had some of the most sustainable too.
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COMMENT
Patrick McCarthy says:
There is so much nonsense in this, it is hard to know where to start.
My main issue would have to be the incorrect usage of the term ‘sprawl’, which
effectively renders the writer’s entire piece obsolete. ‘Sprawl’ is a lazy term, with an
unclear definition often used pejoratively to describe ‘suburbs’, which remain the
place where the overwhelming majority of people live and want to live. Professor
Brendan Gleeson put it best in 2006: ‘Sprawl is a specifically North American term,
much misused in Australia. Correctly defined, it means unregulated low-density urban
development.’ Something we don’t even have in Australia …
I just wish there were more knowledgeable people writing on this complex subject.
That this site claims to be the leading source of information in this industry is quite
laughable.
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Scenario 4: Homework
language.
of this book.
Task
view presented.
The following is a blog post written by educator Miriam Clifford.
Miriam is a primary school teacher with over 20 years of teaching experience and an
interest in research.
This blog post appeared on the blog InformED, a learning and ideas hub. Blog posts
on this website explore a range of topics, from DIY learning, digital literacy and self-
designed careers to the latest and most relevant findings in educational psychology.
There are two images accompanying the blog post.
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The Tyranny of Homework
By Miriam Clifford
Many students agree that assigning homework over the holidays really is a form of
cruel and unusual punishment. Upon returning from the holiday break, you’ll
probably have a handful of students saying the dog ate their homework or it got blown
away in a storm.
But you’ll probably be surprised to learn that some research suggests assigning too
much homework can actually be a bad thing.
Students are learning all the time in the 21st century. According to a recent article
in MindShift, traditional homework will become obsolete in the next decade. Thanks
to computers, learning is occurring 24/7. With access to software programs,
worldwide connections and learning websites, learning occurs all the time. According
to Mindshift, ‘the next decade is going to see the traditional temporal boundaries
between home and school disappear’. Rather than assigning homework, create a true
interest in learning. Students will often pursue learning about topics they like on their
own. After all, this is the way of the 21st century; information is everywhere.
More homework doesn’t necessarily equate to higher achievement. Yes, too much
homework can actually be a bad thing. A 1989 Duke University study found a weak
link between achievement and homework at the primary level and only a moderate
benefit at the high-school level. Harris Cooper, a leading homework researcher,
suggests that teachers at the younger level may assign homework for improving study
skills, rather than learning. Many teachers do not receive specific training on
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homework. Cooper suggests that homework should be uncomplicated and short,
involve families, and engage student interests.
Countries that assign more homework don’t outperform those with less
homework. Around the world, countries that assign more homework don’t seem to
perform any better. A Stanford University study found that in countries such as Japan,
Denmark and the Czech Republic little homework was assigned and students
outperformed students in counties with large amounts of homework such as Greece,
Thailand and Iran. In fact, Japan has instituted ‘no homework’ policies at younger
levels to allow family time and personal interests.
For students who travel during the holidays, assigning homework may impede
learning on their trip. The holiday time is the one time of year that many families
travel or reconnect with distant family members. I remember having to pack hordes of
books over some holidays to Spain and it was not fun. I wanted to enjoy the time with
family and experience the country fully. Traveling in itself is a learning activity. Let
students experience their travels fully.
Have students attend a local cultural event. You can let parents know that instead
of assigning homework, you are suggesting students attend a particular event that
relates to your classroom. For instance, if you are reading Shakespeare, they might
attend a related play or ballet.
Kids need time to be kids. A recent article from Australia’s Happy Child website,
‘What is the Value of Homework: Research and Reality’, considers this issue and
explains how children need unstructured play time. Homework can have a negative
influence on early learning experiences. Suggest to students to use their holiday time
to do physical activity, as many kids don’t get enough exercise.
Encourage students to volunteer during the holiday time. The holidays are a great
time for students to give back. Students might volunteer at a local soup kitchen or
pantry. Volunteer organisations are often at their busiest during the holiday time. Plus,
students learn a lot from the experience of doing community service. I remember
visiting a group home during the holiday time in high school and helping kids wrap
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Christmas gifts for their families.
Students might learn more from observing the real world. Learning isn’t just
about paper and pencil activities. Teachers should also inspire students to seek ways
to learn from real-world experiences. They might cook with their parents and practise
measuring. Or tag along with a parent who is putting up holiday lights or building a
shed. Ask students to observe a job around the house or ask their parents about their
job over holiday break. They might be interested to learn more about the real world
and different jobs they might pursue in the future. Perhaps some students might be
able to go to work with their parents instead of a formal assignment.
Kids need rest! Everyone needs a mental breather and the holidays are the best time
for students to play and take a break from school. Kids need a full ten hours of sleep
and adequate rest. The vacation time is a great time for students to take a mental
breather from school. With many family outings and vacations during the holiday
time, they will have less time to complete homework. They will come back to school
feeling re-energised.
If you must assign homework make sure it is meaningful and doesn’t take away from
time with families. And most of all, remember what it was like being a kid during the
holiday time. Homework is generally not a part of those memories, nor should it be.
Those days playing outside and spending time with family are lifelong memories just
as important as school.
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Tips for Scenario 4
 Clifford relies heavily on evidence – ‘according to a recent article in MindShift’,

‘a 1989 Duke University study’, ‘A Stanford University study’ – to legitimise her
arguments and to portray herself as an authority on the subject. This use of
evidence also reflects the fact that her audience is similarly educated and well
informed, as well as likely to respond to evidence and statistics.
 The use of informal language, in the form of rhetorical questions, second-person

addresses and personal pronouns, contributes to an impression of friendliness and
evokes an atmosphere of camaraderie, intended to position the audience to feel
that the writer is relatable and ‘one of them’. The ‘I can’t keep calm’ image
complements this occasional informality, injecting a humorous note that is also
designed to incline the audience to find the writer likeable and engaging, and
therefore to be receptive to her argument.
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 This use of humour is reinforced by the cartoon of the two dogs using a paper
shredder to dispose of homework (rather than eating it), which underlines
Clifford’s contention about students being set too much homework. The reference
to dogs eating homework draws on an old joke that will be familiar to teachers
and will position them to feel that homework is a burden both for the students
who look for excuses not to complete it and for teachers who are obliged to
follow up on it. The light-hearted nature of the images serves to relieve the more
serious points made in the written text, encouraging the audience to feel that
Clifford is addressing them as equals, rather than from a position of superiority.

Scenario 5: Racial diversity on television
language.
of this book.
Task
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view presented.
This article was written by university student Lara Porczak and appeared in the
literary journal Culture Battles.
Culture Battles is a Victorian literary journal run by young Australians under the age
of 25.
The mission statement of the journal is ‘to provide a voice to young people from
minority groups within Australia, and to diversify discussion about topics that affect
Australian society and culture’.
White Noise
Lara Porczak
You come home from a long day at uni or work. You relax on the couch. You switch
on the TV. White, white and more white. It’s as though Australian TV is awash with
white faces. Despite Australia being one of the most multicultural countries in the
world, our TV shows don’t seem to reflect this.
In August 2016, Screen Australia released a report exploring diversity (or rather the
lack thereof) on Australian TV. It found that, although over one-third of people in
Australia are from non-Anglo backgrounds, only 18 per cent of Australian TV
characters are non-Anglo. The most under-represented ethnic minority groups were
Asians, Africans, Indigenous Australians and Middle-Easterners.
You don’t have to look very far to see the ‘white ceiling’ of Australian TV.
Australian TV dramas are by far the worst at incorporating cultural diversity into their
casts, with the 2016 casts of Neighbours and Home and Away being completely white.
The hosts of Sunrise, The Morning Show and The Footy Show, as well as most
journalists on mainstream TV stations, are also mascots for the #vanillalife.
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Children’s programs and comedies are found to be the most culturally diverse – for
instance, Dance Academy, Ready for This and The Family Law. However, the
majority of these TV shows aren’t broadcast on mainstream commercial television
stations, leaving a multicultural gap on our TV screens.
Australian TV needs to be a genuine reflection of our multicultural society, not just
broadcast programs with tokenistic characters or cultural stereotypes. Television is a
ubiquitous media form, with Australians watching an average of three hours of TV per
day. Cultural representations on TV can shape social norms, reinforce stereotypes or
show the complexities of modern-day multicultural Australia. That’s why it’s vital for
Australian TV to broadcast accurate depictions of our communities.
The lack of cultural diversity behind the scenes is one of the reasons for the
multicultural gap on Australian TV. Only 15 per cent of Australian content-producers
and writers are from non-English-speaking backgrounds. Yet, 93 per cent of writers
agree that there needs to be more cultural diversity on Australian TV screens.
An Australian TV writer, Alix Lee, told Screen Australia that ‘the advice is clear from
producers: the [main characters] have to be white’. This is shockingly reflected in the
experience of an Australian director who cut a character because they were Chinese.
‘[It] had nothing to do with the actor’s prowess or lack of, it was done simply because
the character and actor were Chinese and considered to lack appeal because of that.’
One way to increase representation on Australian TV is to involve more people from

ethnic minorities, not just in acting roles but in the behind-the-scenes process as well.
A TV show that manages to do this successfully is ABC’s Redfern Now. Although 83
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per cent of Australian TV shows have no Indigenous main characters, Redfern Now is
a step in the right direction. This show involves Indigenous actors, characters,
filmmakers and screen writers and is filmed in Indigenous communities. If Australia
had more TV programs that were centred on particular cultural communities, it would
diversify the television industry and create more accurate cultural representations.
Some TV writers and casting agents argue that the reason there isn’t a wide range of
ethnicities on Australian TV is because there’s a shortage of non-Anglo actors.
Yet, if aspiring non-Anglo actors only see white, blue-eyed, blonde bombshells on
Ramsay Street or in Summer Bay, they’re going to feel discouraged from entering the
white-dominated Australian TV industry.
One answer is for the Australian TV industry to have more ‘colour-blind casting’.
This refers to casting actors for roles regardless of ethnicity. Colour-blind casting
could help increase the number of non-Anglo lead actors and avoid actors from ethnic
minorities playing cultural stereotypes. A female agent from the Screen Australia
study said, ‘children’s drama is very diverse but network TV will only rarely colour-
blind cast. The character usually has to be written as diverse before they will see
anyone not white’.
If we can have Dami Im, a South-Korean Australian, represent Australia at
Eurovision, and we award a Gold Logie to Waleed Aly (an Australian with an
Egyptian background), surely this means times are changing. Producers and casting
agents only need to walk through any Australian city to see multiculturalism at its
best. It’s time to add more rainbow to the plain white casts on Australian TV.
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Tips for Scenario 5
 Note the assertive language employed by Porczak throughout her article – ‘that’s
why it’s vital’, ‘Australian TV needs to be’, ‘one answer is’, ‘surely’, ‘it’s time to
add more’ – to impress upon her readers the importance of this issue and to
convey an impression of authority and conviction. Such active language
encourages readers to respond with outrage at the injustice Porczak identifies and
to feel negatively towards those in the Australian television industry who are not
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addressing this issue.
 The writer supplements the use of assertive language with critical, admonishing
phrases aimed at provoking the anger of her readers. Phrases such as ‘Australian
TV dramas are by far the worst’ and ‘most journalists … are also mascots for the
#vanillalife’ position the reader to feel negatively about personnel within the
Australian TV industry and their collective failure to foster positive change. The
use of ‘#vanillalife’ is also an attempt to engage the target audience of the piece –
fellow young Australians – who might be encouraged to latch on to such a hashtag
phrase and use it to express their outrage on social media platforms.
 There are two images accompanying this piece, and both should be addressed in
an analysis. Both images complement Porczak’s contention. The first shows a
multitude of people congregating to form the outline of a television, highlighting
how watching (and producing) television is an experience that should be shared
with everyone in society. The idealistic subtext of the image (that a diverse group
of people can come together to make television representative of the society in
which we live) aims to elicit hope in the reader that such change is possible. The
second image touches on a similar theme – that Australia is a culturally diverse
nation and therefore television should be representative of all the different faces
that make up the country.

Scenario 6: Millennials and media misrepresentation
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language.
of this book.
Task
view presented.
This article appeared in #StudentVoices, a magazine dedicated to giving students a
platform to express their views and develop their writing. The magazine is run by a
team of dedicated teachers who help interested students research and write opinion
pieces on various issues.
The magazine article ‘Millennials: Are We Really Just Lazy Kids?’ was written by
Shirrin Peppin in response to a Time magazine article from 2013 entitled ‘The Me Me
Me Generation’.
Peppin, a seventeen-year-old high-school student, was required to analyse the article
during an English class and took issue with its generalising depiction of young people.
Peppin found similar themes expressed in mainstream Australian newspapers and
decided to present a different point of view to readers.
28
29
30
Tips for Scenario 6
 Note the forum in which this piece appeared. #StudentVoices is a magazine

devoted exclusively to expressing young voices, which the piece argues the
mainstream media neglects. It is likely that readers of the magazine will be
millennials and therefore flattered by the writer’s positive characterisation of
them and predisposed to support her point of view.
 The subtle use of a sarcastic tone of voice (‘except the media seem to have
another name for it’) is aimed at the target audience of the piece: fellow students
and young people. Sarcasm is often used as a device to mock and delegitimise
ideas – in this case, those of the media. Readers are positioned to share the
writer’s point of view through a mutual disdain for misinformed authority figures.
 Peppin relies heavily on anecdotal evidence to support her claims (‘back in my

parents’ day’, ‘I have numerous friends’). While such a technique could dissuade
some readers from accepting the writer and her arguments as credible and well-
informed (because she does not rely on evidence and statistics), it also suggests
that Peppin is speaking from her own experiences and those of her fellow
millennials. This conveys a sense of authenticity designed to encourage readers to
accept her views.
31
Scenario 7: Male stereotypes and sports culture
language.
of this book.
Task
view presented.
This article, written by Edwin Lyngar, appears online at The Good Men Project, a
website that was launched in 2009 to start an international conversation about what it
means to be a good man in the 21st century.
The Good Men Project features stories and articles from a diverse group of
contributors who explore the way men’s roles are changing in modern society.
Edwin Lyngar is an occasional freelance writer and public relations professional who
blogs about parenting, family life and writing.
There is one image accompanying the article.
One comment follows the article.
32
Real Men Don’t Watch Sports
by Edwin Lyngar
Is our sports culture hurting men?
I’m not interested in sports at all: not football, cricket, hockey or basketball. Every
day someone asks if I’ve seen this game or that, and no matter how many times I
shrug in ignorance, people keep asking. I work to avoid sports news, but it continues
to creep into my peripheral vision, especially lately. There was something about the
basketball hall of fame, and then I heard some more nonsense about Lance
Armstrong. In my own city, there’s been a yearlong fight about public funding for a
stadium. Even as I’m barraged with incessant sports infotainment, I’m more
convinced than ever that spectator sports harm men.
Playing sports in amateur leagues is a great way to stay active and fit. I also
understand the appeal of the Olympic Games, a finite event that combines the
spectacle of nations with the striving of mostly unknown athletes. Everything else to
do with sports seems like a waste at best and a serious harm (especially to men) at
worst.
Often, even the good part of sports – the playing – does more harm than good. For
33
instance, why does the average high-school footy player risk his health for the game?
Average players will never see a cent for their efforts, but they’ll often limp through
life like professionals, with bad joints and chronic injuries.
My biggest irritation with sports is the fandom. Sports teams separate people by
geography, while at the same creating artificial tribalism in a world that could use
much less of it. Why do we insist on splitting Australia into smaller and smaller
villages? I’m especially troubled by the common use of the pronoun ‘we’ in
statements like: ‘we won the big game!’ It sounds silly and exclusive to me.
I also can’t understand why we find it so interesting to watch professional athletes
beat the hell out of each other in the first place. Concussions in rugby, for instance,
are serious, but they aren’t the only danger by far. Professional athletes are often
loaded up with steroids and painkillers, and many die premature and painful deaths. I
don’t know how a civilised society can condone these things as ‘entertainment’.
Personally speaking, I can’t stand the sort of masculinity that’s promoted by the
sporting culture – that of the stereotypical grunting, heaving, addle-brained muscle
man. Certainly there are other versions of manhood to which young men can aspire.
And why do so many young men riot when a favoured team loses and, likewise, why
does the same group of men riot when their team wins? I know this sounds snobby or
maybe even effeminate, but to men I say read a poem or something, anything other
than a contest pitting one unnaturally beefy, muscled brute against another.
I can’t even go out for a hamburger without having 25 big-screen televisions blaring
games in every restaurant in town. I’d boycott the places if I could, but I’d be left
eating at the bus station. The art of quiet conversation over dinner is being slowly
murdered with sports pollution.
In many ways I’m just lucky that I’ve never been interested in sports. I have to thank
my own father, the biggest non-fan ever, for giving me freedom from fandom. I know
that many men will view my distaste for sports as an attack on Australia’s grand
sporting tradition, but someone has to say it. I don’t want to seem superior or mean,
but professional athletes are a bunch of millionaires who bash each other’s brains in
34
for our amusement. Certainly there’s a better way to understand ourselves as
Australians and as men.
Jackson Jean-Claude Maru: And why can’t ‘real men’ watch sports and read
poetry? The two are not at all mutually exclusive. It’s views like this – views that
suggest there is only one way to be a ‘real man’ – that contribute to the problem,
rather than solve it. I don’t mind if you have a problem with watching sports, maybe
you think it leads to violence or whatever, but don’t go equating that with a
diminished ideal of manhood. Guys who watch sport are not any more or any less of a
man than some guy who likes to stay in on a Saturday night and read Virginia Woolf.
And vice versa.
If you consider yourself a man, then you’re a man. That’s all there is to it.
35
Tips for Scenario 7
 This article relies heavily on first-person opinion and anecdote. The sustained use
of such a strategy throughout the piece – ‘I’m not interested in sports at all’,
‘personally speaking’, ‘I have to thank my own father’ - is intended to elicit
sympathy from the reader, as well as to present the writer as honest and relatable.
 Lyngar’s argument relies heavily on the derogatory image he presents of
sportspeople, which plays on the popular stereotype that sportspeople are unlikely
to be intelligent. He uses condescending language – ‘the stereotypical grunting,
heaving, addle-brained muscle man’ and ‘a contest pitting one unnaturally beefy,
muscled brute against another’ - to present this image, which he then juxtaposes
with the idea of a man who chooses to ‘read a poem’. Setting up a dichotomy in
this way suggests to readers that there is an alternative and superior way to be a
man.
 The cartoon is a mocking representation of the addle-brained muscle man that the
article rails against. The absurd image of a ‘typical’ man who is so enamoured
with sports that he is moved to show his television screen physical affection
encourages the reader to share the writer’s condescension towards such men.
Consider also the tone of the image - the simple drawing style, with its sharp lines
and lack of detail, reinforces the image of sports lovers as similarly simple.
 Don’t forget to analyse the persuasive language and argument in the
accompanying comment by Jackson Jean-Claude Maru. You should compare and
contrast the persuasion strategies used by the commenter and by the writer of the
article.
36
Scenario 8: Australia Day
language.
of this book.
Task
view presented.
The following article appeared on the website The Conversation, which claims to
provide ‘independent analysis and commentary from academics and researchers’.
The author of the piece, Dr. Chelsea Bond, is an Aboriginal (Munanjahli) and South
Sea Islander Australian and a senior lecturer with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Studies Unit at the University of Queensland.
The image accompanying the article makes use of the Aboriginal flag (a black
37
horizontal half at the top representing the skin colour of the Indigenous peoples of the
land; a red horizontal half at the bottom representing the red of the earth; and a yellow
circle in the middle that represents the sun, the giver and protector of life).
The day I don’t feel Australian? That would be Australia Day

My mother is a fifth-generation Australian of English and Irish heritage and my father
is Munanjahli and an Australian-born South Sea Islander. Their marriage in 1968 was
the first time that ‘lives of black and white entwined’, in the words of Noonuccal poet
Oodgeroo Noonuccal. Their union blended two very different histories, cultures and
experiences of citizenship in this country, which was apparent throughout my
childhood and into adulthood.
The disconnect I feel on 26 January is not a rejection of my mother’s history. Rather,
it is a rejection of the privileging of one version of history at the expense of another. I
simply cannot be part of the collective amnesia that sweeps the nation on January 26
each year. This amnesia is evidenced in our former prime minister, Tony Abbott,
choosing the arrival of the First Fleet as the ‘defining moment’ of our national
identity.
This nation has a history that extends well beyond the past 227 years, not to mention a
few more inclusive ‘defining moments’ since then. There is no doubt that the arrival
of the First Fleet was a ‘defining moment’ for this nation, but defining for vastly
different reasons for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. For me, this day is
worthy of commemoration, not celebration.
38
Australia Day celebrations to me feel a bit like what ANZAC Day would be without a
dawn service. It just doesn’t feel right or honourable to those who have gone before
us. The iconic Australia Day images of parades, boozy BBQs, bikini-clad girls, and
people adorning various flag paraphernalia on beaches shows complete disregard for
the Indigenous lives, lands and languages that were lost as a result of the British
invasion of this country and the persisting inequalities that exist.
So how do I commemorate Invasion Day? I march. I march not because I’m bitter or
stuck in the past, or ungrateful for the privileges I enjoy today. Rather, I march in
remembrance for those who lost their lives simply defending their own land and
people. I march with pride and pay tribute to the innumerable acts of resistance of our
warriors and the ongoing resilience of our communities.
I march with my children so they will never forget about who they are, where they
come from and how they came to be where they are today. Last year, my husband and
I took our eldest three children to participate in the Invasion Day march organised by
the Brisbane Aboriginal Sovereign Embassy. As we walked through the city to join
the march wearing Aboriginal flag t-shirts, we noticed the responses of our fellow
Australians. Many averted their gaze or looked disturbed simply by our presence. I
39
just didn’t feel very Australian at all.
More than 1000 of us marched across Victoria Bridge to South Bank where the
official Australia Day celebrations were being held. We noted the newly erected
fences around the two main entrances to the South Bank Parklands and the heavy
police guard ensuring that we didn’t spoil their parade by entering. It was a stark
reminder of our standing in this country. We remain on the margins, literally and
figuratively; not worthy of the same national rituals of reverence and remembrance
that our fellow Australians enjoy.
The Australia Day Council proudly boasts of its commitment to reconciliation,
proclaiming that its ‘programs play an important role in the symbolic aspects of
reconciliation’. Well, yes, celebrating Australia Day on January 26 is certainly
symbolic of the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
That I choose to commemorate Australia Day by marching does not mean I privilege
my father’s history over my mother’s. Rather the experiences, meanings and
memories of Indigenous Australia should be bound up in the nation’s collective
consciousness.
Our national day of celebration should not require me to choose between mum’s side
or dad’s or between black and white. Our national day of celebration should be
inclusive, meaningful and respectful to all of us as Australians, not just some of us.
As you celebrate Australia Day, be it at the beach, in the backyard or at a barbie, take
just a moment to consider the significance of that place you meet on, and not just
since the arrival of the First Fleet.
How did you get to that place and who might’ve been there before you? Do you know
about the nation on whose land you stand? If not, ask yourself why you don’t know
the stories of your own country? Hey, maybe you could even step out to one of the
marches taking place in our capital cities and commemorate January 26 with your
fellow Australians – the first peoples of the land that you proudly call home.
And maybe then, you will come to understand why this really should be a day to
commemorate, not celebrate.
40
Tips for Scenario 8
 Ensure that you comment on the visual language as well as the text. Some images
will present a straightforward message, while others will require more
interpretation. Here, the image incorporates the Aboriginal flag into its design.
The technique of bleeding lines conjures associations with blood and death,
suggesting to the reader that Australia Day for Indigenous people is associated
with tragedy rather than celebration. The caption, ‘Lest we forget’ only reinforces
this idea and links the suffering of Aboriginal Australians with soldiers who have
died for their country.
 The article is a personal account that employs first-person anecdotal evidence of
the emotional harm inflicted by celebrating Australia Day on a day associated
with the invasion. The use of personal language - ‘my husband and I took our
eldest three children’, ‘more than 1000 of us marched’, ‘we remain on the
margins’ - appeals to the reader’s sense of compassion and empathy, aiming to
convince them that while celebrating Australia Day on this particular day might
41
not affect them, it does affect others in a very real and emotional way.
 Bond’s repetition of ‘I march’ (‘I march in remembrance’, ‘I march with pride’, ‘I
march with my children’) reinforces her contention that this is a valid cause to
fight for, that it is not just a case of being ‘bitter or stuck in the past’. Here, the
writer is directly addressing the assumptions of those who disagree with her point
of view. The assuredness with which Bond expresses her argument - she often ties
the recurring ‘I march’ with elevated, poignant language, such as ‘so they will
never forget about who they are’ and ‘for those who lost their lives simply
defending their own land and people’ - positions the reader to empathise with her
struggles and the struggles felt by many Aboriginal people on this emotionally
charged day of remembrance.

Scenario 9: Overpopulation
language.
of this book.
Task
42
view presented.
The following is a transcript of the maiden speech given by recently elected council
member for the City of Casey, George Chowdri. Chowdri is a 40-year-old father of
two who immigrated to Australia in the 1980s from Madagascar.
To accompany his speech, George provided his fellow council members with a sticker
showing the words ‘OVERPOPULATION’ stamped across a pregnant belly.
The City of Casey is 40 km south-east of Melbourne. It is Victoria’s largest and
fastest-growing municipality and the dominant growth area for south-eastern
Melbourne. Casey is also the third-fastest growing council in Australia.
China’s one child policy was introduced in 1979 and phased out in 2015. The Chinese
government claims that this policy prevented 400 million births, a claim that many
scholars have contested.
Maiden local council speech by George Chowdri
CHOWDRI: Screaming, yelling, crying, running around, incessant questioning – how
could anyone possibly like children? I see them at every family gathering, at the park
and in shopping centres. Each year their numbers only seem to grow. Like a colony of
ants – except that kids are dirtier, louder and not as easy to squish with your foot.
So why do I dislike children, you ask? Is there something fundamentally wrong with
me? Am I an unsociable Grinch? The simple answer is no. My problem is not with the
kids themselves. My dislike of children is part of a bigger issue. It’s what they are
representative of and contributing to: overpopulation!
This is the greatest threat that the City of Casey faces today, and it is the issue that I
consistently hear concern about from friends and neighbours – now my constituents.
From a completely objective standpoint, we would be so much better off with fewer
children in the world. We are already beginning to see the effects of a growing, ageing
population in Melbourne. Our city is set to become the largest in Australia by 2035,
and is projected to reach 8 million people by 2050. If these numbers aren’t alarming
to you, they should be. You only have to look at the issues facing China and India, the
43
world’s most populous nations, to see what awaits us if we don’t act now.
The problem is that our state and federal politicians actually think a growing
population is a good thing. In Victoria, both major parties accept that Melbourne will
get bigger, much bigger, and that growth is good. More people leads to a greater
demand for goods and services, more houses and the creation of more jobs. ‘Grow the
population, grow the state’, so the saying goes. Have they stopped for even one
second to think about whether we can sustain such high numbers? What will happen
to our already perilous social security system? The pension fund won’t last forever,
I’m afraid.
What about public transport? Trains are already crammed to full capacity during peak
hour. Our lines are the absolute worst. Even with level crossings and other various
projects by the Andrews Government taken into account, the Cranbourne/Pakenham
line will always be a nuisance to our community. By the time you upgrade the system,
the exponential increase of citizens requiring access to services has already rendered
these ‘improvements’ obsolete.
And we’re just getting started, people! Here are more negative ramifications of an
unsustainable population:
 Unemployment: generating jobs for a huge population is extremely difficult,
especially in the changing climate of work in the 21st century.
 Resources: there is just not enough land and water to go around. And until
renewable energy is fully harnessed we will continue to exploit the earth for oil
and coal.
 Infrastructure: it’s not only public transport and social security we have to worry
about – education, housing and healthcare could be next on the chopping block.
Perhaps the most pressing concern of all is just what an overpopulated world full of
kids is doing to our environment. According to the Global Outlook for Water
Resources, it is estimated that by 2025 more than half of the world’s population will
not have enough fresh water. And a report by the World Health Organization confirms
that overpopulation directly affects the level of human diseases. This is because a
growth in the world’s population intensifies social and environmental factors that can
44
lead to malnutrition, pollution and overcrowded living conditions. We may think
we’re safe down here in Australia, but the reality is that overpopulation is a global
problem, and if the world suffers, then we suffer.
And that brings me back to the kids. Society needs to change the way it thinks about
reproduction. We shouldn’t be so blasé when it comes to adding yet another mouth to
feed to this planet. Because all we have to do is look to our neighbours in Asia to see
what awaits us if we aren’t careful. Maybe China was really onto something with their
one child policy. Now I’m not saying we necessarily have to go to such extremes, but
if we don’t act now this may be our only option going forward.
Tips for Scenario 9
 Make sure you engage with the type of text presented (in this case, a transcript
from a local council meeting). For instance, the fact that this is a transcript of an
oral text means the use of rhetorical devices carries greater weight – rhetorical
devices spoken aloud to a group of people often have a greater intensity as the
speaker can also use non-verbal techniques such as pausing, eye contact and
gestures to support their words.
 Notice how Chowdri uses hyperbole (‘how could anyone possibly like children?’)
to disarm his audience (and potentially provoke anger at this unconventional
attitude towards children) before parlaying this into a discussion about the real
issue: overpopulation. This persuasive technique is particularly effective in a
spoken forum; it allows the speaker to draw the full attention of the audience
before going into the specifics of the issue.
45
 Chowdri uses rhetorical questions to raise issues that he and his friends and
neighbours have been experiencing at an exponentially growing rate: ‘what about
public transport? Trains are already crammed to full capacity’. This aims to evoke
anxiety and a sense of urgency in the audience. Chowdri’s familiarity with the
concerns of his constituents (‘unemployment’, ‘education, housing and
healthcare’) conveys an impression of him as a caring, sincere and intelligent
council member. This is likely to incline the audience to trust his judgement.
 Ensure you take the time to read the background information provided, as this
will help you understand the context of the article. In this instance, the
background information addresses the mode of the accompanying image. What is
the effect of using a sticker? How does it differ from a slide projected during a
speech, for example? Such questions should inform your analysis of the
accompanying image.

Scenario 10: Poverty
language.
of this book.
Task
46
view presented.
According to the United Nations, 836 million people live in extreme poverty.
The following is an article written by Mark Sarner for the Toronto Star, Canada’s
most popular daily newspaper.
Sarner is a leading national authority on social marketing and advocacy.
Matt Wuerker, illustrator of the accompanying cartoon, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning
American political cartoonist.
Let’s stop pretending we can’t end poverty

Mark Sarner
Poverty. Why don’t we end it once and for all?
The assumption is that we can’t afford to. Are we sure? What would it cost exactly?
Answer: about $16 billion a year in today’s dollars. Big money. Yet nowhere near as
much as it is costing us now to keep it going.
In total, governments spent $13 billion in welfare payments in 2009, the last year for
which numbers are available. Say $15 billion in today’s dollars. Now add the costs of
administration – about $4 billion. All to keep the wheels of the system turning. And
turn they do, without end, and without ending poverty.
In other words, we could reduce the societal cost of poverty by $6 billion per year by
replacing the existing anti-poverty programs with a guaranteed annual income for all.
The question isn’t how can we afford to end poverty, but how can we afford not to?
We can’t. And yet, despite the clear moral and economic arguments in favour of a
47
guaranteed annual income, the idea remains outside of the politics of the possible.
Why? There are a number of deep-seated and widely held biases that serve as
impenetrable socio-cultural barriers. A few for your consideration:
1. This makes no sense: The numbers do, but somehow the idea doesn’t. How can we
simply eliminate a societal reality that has been with us since forever? Poverty is an
immutable fact of life. At best we can mitigate its impact but that’s it. (But we’ve
never really tried. The pledges we make, the incremental steps we take, the plethora of
well-intentioned things we try don’t solve the problem but somehow we believe they
are more meaningful, more worthwhile than a big bold experiment.)
2. The end of poverty would be wasted on the poor: It appears we believe that the
poor are lesser beings than the rest of us. We can’t trust them with money. That’s why
we subject them to so many rules and regulations when we make some available to
them. (Our paternalism blinds us to the fact that the poor are among society’s best
money-managers. They could teach us all a thing or two about how to subsist on sub-
subsistence incomes.)
3. The poor don’t deserve a free ride: We have to work harder and harder for
everything we get. We can’t abide giving the poor a free lunch. We want to be sure
they don’t get one. They are already perceived as lazy losers, freeloaders. (As if being
poor isn’t hard work. It is a gruelling full-time job with no returns and no progress to
be made.)
4. It’s not fair: Yes, the poor may be caught in a vicious cycle, but what about us?
We’re in one of our own. If we give the poor a guaranteed annual income they will be
free of the drudgery of their lives, specifically the hard work of dealing with the
system; meanwhile we’ll be denied our own liberation. (Let’s remember that one
dollar over the poverty line is far from easy street. It still leaves them with all life’s
challenges and precious little to meet them with. Not the definition of life in the
leisure class.)
5. The poor are to blame for their poverty: Many believe that this situation says
something about the poor. That somehow they deserve their plight. (Not the true
48
picture, of course. Poverty is a prison without walls: one with very long sentences for
too many, little chance of parole and exceedingly high rates of recidivism.)
These and other reasons underlie our determination to fiddle at the margins, to
continue to believe – against the evidence – that we don’t know what to do, that we
can’t afford it and that it is not politically doable. The numbers make a simple case:
we can eliminate poverty while saving public money.
No illusions here. Making sure everyone has enough money to live above the poverty
line isn’t perfect. Subsistence is just that. Further, having a guaranteed income doesn’t
solve societal problems like inequity, intolerance and injustice. Nor does it provide
other supports: affordable housing, public transit, universal child care and living
wages. The thing is, with economic poverty off the table we will be able to focus time,
energy and resources on solving the societal problems that remain.
49
Tips for Scenario 10
 Note the way in which Sarner employs a tactic of raising a question and then
answering it in order to present his argument; for example: ‘the question isn’t
how can we afford to end poverty, but how can we afford not to? We can’t’ and
‘what would it cost exactly? Answer: about $16 billion a year’. This conveys the
impression that he has considered the issue thoroughly and arrived at sound
conclusions, positioning the reader to accept him as an expert on the matter.
 The writer uses a straw man argument to address opposing views by listing them
in simplistic, outlandish terms – ‘the poor are to blame for their poverty’, ‘the end
of poverty would be wasted on the poor’ – in order to present them as unworthy
50
of serious consideration.
 Sarner’s arguments are reinforced by Matt Wuerker’s cartoon depicting the

wealthiest 1 per cent of the population controlling 46 per cent of the ‘world’s
wealth’ (a statistic credited to Oxfam, an organisation generally considered
respectable and trustworthy) while the remaining 99 per cent of the world live in
relative poverty. The stark juxtaposition of manicured lawns and abundant space
(the wealthy) with the overcrowded slums behind the wall (the poor) is intended
to provoke the reader’s anger at the injustice. Other aspects of the image that
could be analysed include the personification of the wealthy as a fat, suited white
man; the greed and selfishness implied by his words; and the way in which the
barbed-wire on the wall suggests a strict divide between the ‘haves’ and the
‘have-nots’.
 Ensure that whenever you are presented with an image, you not only analyse its
persuasive effect on the audience, but also on how the contention of the visual
supports or opposes that of the text.
Sample student response for Scenario 1

Free university education in Australia has been a hotly debated topic since the re-
introduction of university fees by the Hawke Government in 1989. The issue was
recently thrust back into the spotlight with the Abbott Government’s proposal to
deregulate university fees, a policy agenda that is still being debated today. Written by
university student Arjuna Bhamra, this opinion piece argues vehemently against free
education in an assertive, admonishing tone of voice. The accompanying images are
also stinging rebukes of the supposed self-entitlement championed by those who
advocate for a free higher education system in Australia.
Bhamra begins his piece with an anecdotal story to highlight the divide between those
with the privilege of receiving higher education (and subsequent higher earning
51
power) and those less fortunate, who have to pay for it through their taxes. This
depiction of bricklayers realising that they would have to pay for students to become
‘doctors and lawyers’ if a free higher education system were to be implemented is
intended to be an eye-opening experience for readers, who are instantly presented
with a negative ramification of free education. Bhamra proceeds to confirm, in an
assertive and condescending tone, the bricklayer’s suspicion that ‘there is no such
thing as a “free” education’. He then outlines the ‘fact’ that ‘universities are very
expensive’ and lists the various costs associated with tertiary education. This brute,
blunt opening conveys the impression that the writer is approaching the issue from a
practical perspective, and encourages readers to consider the logistical implications of
changing to a free system. This is reinforced through the use of a rhetorical question:
‘the question is, who should have to pay these costs?’ The implied answer (you, the
taxpayer) asks readers to ruminate on their own self-interest, positioning them to be
wary of the fact that they might be taxed more to accommodate this substantial
systemic change.
The use of statistics (‘analysis of census figures’, ‘Australian Bureau of Statistics’) to
juxtapose the earnings of university graduates with those who have ‘no more
education after Year 12’ aims to convince the reader of the inherent injustice of a
system that asks lower-income earners to pay for the process that will allow others to
earn a ‘higher income’. This is reflected in the image showing a variety of people who
only want ‘more’ handouts and only think of ‘me, me, me’. Such a stark image, with
its use of faceless black figures and boldly lettered signs, positions the reader to
negatively associate a desire for ‘free education’, and even ‘free healthcare’ with
laziness and entitlement.
Bhamra aims to give credibility to his contention by including himself as an example
of someone who would benefit from this altered system (evident in his use of
inclusive language: ‘we choose to go to university’, ‘we get substantial benefit from
our education’) but recognising that ‘we have an obligation to pay for it’. This
impression of altruism predisposes the reader to view Bhamra favourably and to agree
52
with his contention, raising, as it does, the question that if he is willing to pay, why
shouldn’t his peers do the same?
The image that questions whether $0.00 for knowledge is a ‘fair trade’ reinforces the
idea that knowledge, just like any other commodity, is something that must be paid
for. The visual of the outstretched hands expecting free knowledge draws parallels
with unemployed people asking for government handouts, which many readers would
associate negatively with the ‘age of entitlement’ (infamously proclaimed by former
Treasurer Joe Hockey).
Furthermore, Bhamra uses an appeal to justice and to the hip-pocket nerve by

suggesting that finding the money to accommodate free education would require
‘increasing debt for future generations, or cutting other services’. The idea that money
may be taken from social security to benefit certain individuals is likely to incite a
negative reaction from readers, who may regard tertiary education as an avenue to
increase one’s financial prospects, rather than as a cause worthy of taxpayer
subsidisation (such as healthcare or the pension). Bhamra reinforces this claim by
suggesting that if the government were to further subsidise university education, then
programs such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme would lose funding,
meaning the ‘truly needy’ would be the ones to suffer as a result of this change. The
use of sympathetic language, such as ‘truly needy’ and ‘those who actually need the
money to survive’, aims to appeal to the reader’s sense of compassion and empathy,
causing them to view free university education as elitist and unimportant when
compared with the plight of disabled Australians struggling to get by.
Bhamra acknowledges the arguments of the opposing viewpoint – ‘that Whitlam
increased university access with “free” education’ – before resolutely refuting the
validity of the point with the matter-of-fact statement, ‘this is a myth’. The writer
justifies this claim with a detailed analysis of the policies of the Whitlam
Government, which he asserts ‘had the poor paying for the existing elite to go to
university’, and the Hawke–Keating Government, which he claims made higher
education ‘accessible to everyone who is capable’. This creation of a dichotomy of a
53
supposedly unjust free system and a supposedly transformative loan system positions
the reader to view the latter as the obvious choice to implement in Australia. The
writer’s use of statistics – for example, the ‘number of university places has since
more than tripled to over 1.25 million students today’ under the loan system –
suggests that the writer’s opinion is firmly grounded in research and fact.
Bhamra aims to compel readers to recognise the impracticality of free university
education through the use of reason and logic, supported by statistical evidence and an
assertive, matter-of-fact tone. He constructs an argument that refutes the supposed
benefits of an altered system, stridently denouncing the opposing view as a
pipedream. He also relies heavily on appeals to justice and readers’ sense of fairness,
expressing the belief that the current ‘loan system’ is a fair way for students to
contribute to the costs of their education without ‘asking poorer taxpayers’ to pay for
a system that does not directly benefit them.

The Department of National Parks Victoria published a proposal on their website
entitled ‘Mount Howling to Pleasant Peak Alpine Crossing 2017 Master Plan’ that
implores private investors to financially support the redevelopment of the Alpine
National Park. The use of laudatory, optimistic statements, coupled with clear
statistics, figures and graphics, is intended to highlight the necessity for immediate
action in order to profit from this opportunity. Meanwhile, Katherine R’s passionate
plea, submitted to the ‘Community Input’ section of the Department’s webpage,
indignantly rejects this proposal for its focus on economics rather than on the needs of
walkers and the preservation of the landscape. She evokes a peaceful, attractive image
54
of the area as it is currently, and aims to foster a sense of community among walkers,
urging them to unite and protect the area from exploitation.
In a considered and uplifting tone, the Master Plan report presents the argument that
commercial development of the Alpine National Park is a necessity for economic
growth in the region. The use of positive and encouraging statements filled with
affirmative calls to action, such as ‘critical opportunity’ and ‘tap into this economic
development’, reinforces to readers the importance of immediate action, positioning
them to feel anxious about missing out if the proposal were to fail.
The proposal describes in detail ‘Victoria’s premier hiking experience’, with ‘serene
mountain peaks’ and ‘high-quality accommodation options’. The use of
complimentary language helps to evoke feelings of luxuriousness, positioning readers
to imagine a more extravagant version of the region that will appeal to more people
and attract more money. This is reinforced by the two images of the ‘roofed
accommodation’, which indicate the high-quality facilities that could be created in
Victoria. These images highlight the comforting, modern additions associated with
development, with nature being relegated to the background. Consistent use of terms
such as ‘comfortably immerse’, ‘safety and comfort’ and ‘fully relax’ are intended to
appeal to tourists’ expectation of creature comforts when travelling, even in nature.
Painting such a picture of the newly developed Alpine Crossing is an attempt to
modernise the antiquated notion of ‘bushwalking’ and appeal to a new and more
mainstream market that otherwise might have little interest in visiting the region.
Accompanying the Master Plan, the graphic depicting estimated benefits and costs is
used to inform readers of the potential societal and monetary gains of the proposal.
The projected windfall of ‘$10 million p.a.’ to the region, as well as the ‘creation of
80 ongoing fulltime jobs’, vividly demonstrates the plan’s overwhelming positives,
and evokes associations with progress and revitalisation. This is reinforced by the
inclusion of the ‘benefit:cost ratio of 7:1’, which aids readers in comprehending the
merit of this plan. The use of evidence and statistics positions the proposal as well
thought out and researched, inspiring confidence in readers that success, in terms of
55
increased revenue and visitor numbers, is guaranteed.
The drafters of the Master Plan recognise that environmental groups might take issue
with the proposed changes to a natural space, and therefore seek to assuage any
uncertainties by pre-emptively affirming that ‘the design of the lodging will adhere to
the highest environmental standards’. Phrases such as ‘smallest ecological footprint’
incline readers worried about the environment to consider any changes as minor and
relatively eco-friendly.
The response to this Master Plan from concerned bushwalker Katherine R fiercely
dismisses the proposal, which she believes will prevent ‘ordinary Victorians from
enjoying’ their parks. She implores readers to stand up against this injustice. By
identifying herself as a ‘long-time bushwalker in the High Country’, she positions
herself as a reliable, credible individual whose dismay is motivated by concern for the
landscape and for other bushwalkers like her. In an assertive tone, she rejects the
proposed changes and states, ‘I do not give … permission to sell my land to private
operators’. By suggesting that any proposed changes would need the support of the
residents, Katherine aims to elicit support from readers, who are positioned to feel
concerned about the impact on those who live in the region and enjoy the natural
features of the park. Furthermore, the use of passionate language such as ‘alarmed’,
‘devastated’ and ‘fear’ evokes a sense of sympathy towards the writer’s plight, while
also inciting fear in readers at the possibility that the beautiful landscape will be
‘devastated by the building of tracks and accommodation’ and ‘overrun with package
tour groups’. This encourages readers to resist the proposed development.
Katherine encourages audience participation through the use of ‘picture this’ and ‘now
imagine’ in an attempt to aid readers in understanding the physical consequences the
Master Plan would have on the Alpine Trail. The extensive use of the second person
(‘you’re hiking’) and vivid description of the majesty of the trails incites empathy and
positions the reader to feel personally affected by the development. This is
exacerbated by the consistent use of terms such as ‘low income’, ‘within my means’
and ‘forced away from our favourite places’. These describe a group of people who
56
are struggling (invoking the image of the iconic Aussie battler) and who will be
adversely affected by any changes to the region, eliciting further concern from the
reader about the fairness of the proposed changes. The writer invites her audience to
interrogate the nature of the ‘Master Plan’ through her rhetorical question regarding
‘helicopters bringing in fresh laundry and catering. How’s the serenity?’ Here,
Katherine encourages readers to reject the proposal for the sake of preserving the
peacefulness of the Alpine Trail.
Both of these texts assert opposing contentions regarding the implementation of the
Master Plan for Victoria’s Alpine National Park. The Department of National Parks
Victoria’s plan relies on optimistic language and statistical evidence to persuade
readers of the desirability of the proposed development to the Alpine National Park
and its surrounding areas. In stark contrast, Katherine R employs a passionate,
personal tone to appeal to readers’ sense of injustice and anger. Her vehement
rejection of this capitalistic venture elicits support through its active engagement with
the reader and its use of rhetorical questions, emotional language and second-person
voice.

Urbanisation affects contemporary Australians whose homes and lives will be altered
by the continuing expansion of cities further and further into rural areas as
populations grow. Anthony Venturini’s article ‘It’s time to tackle urban sprawl’,
written primarily for a professional readership and published on the industry website
The Urban Developer, argues in a controlled and reasoned manner that Australian
57
planners and developers need to raise sustainability standards to those of other cities
in order to complement the high standards of liveability we already enjoy. Venturini’s
view is supported by the article’s accompanying images, which help readers to
visualise the problems he discusses. In contrast, commenter Patrick McCarthy, in an
informal and critical tone, objects to Venturini’s understanding of the central concept
of ‘urban sprawl’, suggesting that the issue is far more complex.
Venturini opens with short, easily digestible paragraphs using familiar, everyday
language and a straightforward, personal tone. He does not challenge readers with
complicated evidence or figures, nor does he emphasise his own expertise in the field
by using convoluted jargon, thus drawing his audience into the topic immediately by
making them feel at ease. Inclusive language (‘we’re pretty proud’; ‘we boast some of
the best views’; ‘our cities’) aligns readers with the writer by making them feel
recognised. The use of positive language (‘best views’, ‘most comfortable’) to
describe Australia engenders pride and pleasure, positioning readers to join Venturini
in his quest for better sustainability.
Along with inclusive language, early repetition (‘our cities in Australia’, ‘our cities’,
‘our Australian cities’) focuses readers’ attention on the issue at hand, encouraging
them to take ownership of the matter, thereby readying them to accept Venturini’s
ultimate call to action. The repetition creates urgency in pace and rhythm which,
together with direct questions, captures readers’ interest, positioning them to accept
later arguments. Venturini offers answers to these questions, conveying a confident
and authoritative position, inclining readers to trust him and to empathise with his
arguments. The early paragraphs are also accompanied by the article’s first image: a
dizzying bird’s-eye view giving a sense of perspective, showing the bigger picture
and reality of ‘urban sprawl’. The photographer’s perspective adds a vertiginous
aspect, as the ‘uncontrolled’, relentless suburbs spread well beyond the image frame.
This reinforces Venturini’s suggestion that low-density housing causes practical
problems.
Structurally, Venturini builds his reasoned discussion towards his main contention –
58
that we must act to improve sustainability practices for Australian cities. This
structural choice, particularly in parallel with his use of inclusive language
throughout, increases the likelihood that readers will accept the writer’s opinions,
since they are led through supporting points to a conclusion that seems the most
logical one. Venturini does not repeat his contention; this implies confidence in his
audience. Similarly, the argument does not rebut opposing views, suggesting such
opposition is not worthy of consideration.
Venturini’s first supporting point (without improvements to sustainability ‘our work-
life balance … and our overall happiness drops’) is presented early, predisposing
readers to agree as his argument builds towards the main contention. Venturini
supports this idea with a supplementary point: how a decrease in quality of life will
impact on the workforce. These appeals to fear push readers to accept the necessity of
improved urban sustainability. Repetition of the appeal to fear – particularly in the
argument that ‘urban sprawl’ will result in ‘expensive, valuable assets … not being
shared’ – leads readers to conclude that the best solution is the one Venturini offers.
Techniques used to present other supporting points include appeals to loyalty and
patriotism. The writer establishes a dichotomy between Australia and cities such as
Zurich, where suburban sustainability is successful. Venturini clearly indicates the
‘right’ side of this dichotomy, employing positive, respectful language (‘they
understand’) to compliment sustainable cities. The article also presents juxtaposing
evidence – in the form of the scores from a recent ‘Global Sustainable Cities Index’ as
well as the image from the Victorian National Parks Association – to show how
Victoria is falling behind thriving overseas cities such as Zurich and Seoul, thereby
inciting anxiety and dismay in the reader.
Venturini’s tone changes in the paragraph containing the phrase ‘a fundamental shift’
(his vocabulary choice directly emphasising the persuasive technique). The shift is
principally in narrative voice; the use of the second person (‘your city …
infrastructure you think you need’) encourages readers to feel responsibility and
agency for the situation. They are therefore primed to respond enthusiastically when
59
Venturini implores them, as the article concludes, to join the fight for sustainability.
Patrick McCarthy’s comment challenges Venturini’s authority, arguing that ‘urban
sprawl’ really means ‘suburbs’ – a place many Australians are happy to live.
McCarthy bookends his comment with ad hominem attacks, claiming that Venturini’s
entire article is ‘nonsense’ and ‘laughable’. This, coupled with phrases such as ‘it is
hard to know where to start’ inclines readers to side with McCarthy in scorning
Venturini’s concerns. Suggesting that Venturini lacks substance or validity reassures
readers that Australian suburban dwellers, and the building/planning industry, have
nothing to worry about. McCarthy’s concluding sentence acknowledges the issue as
‘complex’, creating the impression that he is knowledgeable in the field. Along with
the referenced quotation from Professor Gleeson – an appeal to authority – this
positions readers to consider McCarthy’s opinions as informed and valid. While the
tone is critical and dismissive, McCarthy’s informal register ensures that he remains
relatable, encouraging readers to agree with his objections.
The two texts on urban sprawl and the need for a ‘united and consistent effort’ argue
contrasting perspectives, with Venturini relying heavily on reason, logic, evidence and
appeals to fear and authority, while McCarthy takes a more informal, personal
approach, criticising Venturini’s credibility and indicating concisely to readers that the
situation is far more complex than Venturini has acknowledged.
60

English Section C Te Final 5april

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Contents

Scenario 1: Free university education 5

Scenario 2: Commercialisation of nature 8

Scenario 3: Urban sprawl 11

Scenario 5: Racial diversity on Australian television 18

Scenario 6: Millennials and media misrepresentation 22

Scenario 7: Male stereotypes and sports culture 26

Scenario 8: Australia Day 30

Scenario 10: Poverty 38

Sample student response for Scenario 1 42

Sample student response for Scenario 2 44

Sample student response for Scenario 3 46

planning, 50 minutes writing and 5 minutes proofreading.

description in the left-hand column of the table below.

carefully and demonstrates understanding of the context of the

their understanding of the piece and the intended audience

context of the piece and the

both aspects of the persuasive text present it

operate together to create

The simple reality is that we choose to go to university and we get substantial

Mount Howling to Pleasant Peak Alpine Crossing

products including guided walks, a choice between roofed accommodation or luxury

tent-based campsites, full catering, and packaged opportunities such as horseriding

and mountain biking.

will appeal to eco-tourists interested in sustainable architecture.

 Clifford relies heavily on evidence – ‘according to a recent article in MindShift’,

 The use of informal language, in the form of rhetorical questions, second-person

SECTION C – Argument and persuasive language

One way to increase representation on Australian TV is to involve more people from

SECTION C – Argument and persuasive language

 Note the forum in which this piece appeared. #StudentVoices is a magazine

 Peppin relies heavily on anecdotal evidence to support her claims (‘back in my

The day I don’t feel Australian? That would be Australia Day

SECTION C – Argument and persuasive language

SECTION C – Argument and persuasive language

Let’s stop pretending we can’t end poverty

 Sarner’s arguments are reinforced by Matt Wuerker’s cartoon depicting the

Sample student response for Scenario 1

Furthermore, Bhamra uses an appeal to justice and to the hip-pocket nerve by

Sample student response for Scenario 2

Sample student response for Scenario 3

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