Bacon, eggs and Bowie: how year 12 English students tackled ‘human strength and vulnerability’ in HSC paper
Year 12 students in New South Wales, Australia, recently completed their first HSC English exam, which featured a challenging question on human strength and vulnerability. Students shared their experiences of stress, preparation methods, and the relief felt after finishing the assessment.
Why it matters
The HSC is a high-stakes examination process that significantly impacts the academic and career trajectories of thousands of Australian students.
Kayden Tran, 18, a Canley Vale high school student, after finishing his first HSC exam of 2026. Kayden Tran, 18, a Canley Vale high school student, after finishing his first HSC exam of 2026. Australia news Bacon, eggs and Bowie: how year 12 English students tackled ‘human strength and vulnerability’ in HSC paper Tens of thousands of high school students across New South Wales sit the first test of their final exams
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Prefer the Guardian on Google “How does the composer of your prescribed text offer you opportunities to examine assumptions about human strength and vulnerability?”
This was the bamboozling English question tens of thousands of year 12 students sat down to answer on the first day of their final school exams.
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