Question 1

What is NCEA AS 91148 about?

Accepted Answer

This is an external listening exam worth 5 credits. You listen to several spoken Spanish audio passages on everyday topics and answer questions in English (or Te Reo Māori or Spanish) to show how well you understood what you heard. The topics are familiar things like people, places, travel, food, and community life. You are not being tested on your speaking — just on how well you can make meaning from what you hear.

Question 2

What do students need to do for AS 91148?

Accepted Answer

1. Listen to a variety of Spanish audio passages (conversations, reports, stories, media clips) on everyday topics 2. Answer questions about what you heard — showing you understood the main ideas, details, and any implied meanings 3. Write your answers in English, Te Reo Māori, or Spanish — your choice 4. Use the listening notes pages provided in the exam booklet to jot down key information while you listen 5. Base all your answers strictly on what is said in the passages, not on your own opinions or outside knowledge

Question 3

What's the difference between Achieved, Merit, and Excellence for AS 91148?

Accepted Answer

Achieved: You show you understood the general meaning (the gist) of the passages. You get the main point across and use some key vocabulary correctly, even if a few words are mistranslated and your answers are fairly short. Merit: You clearly understood the passages and communicate the main ideas with specific detail and relevant examples taken directly from what you heard. Your answers are unambiguous and well-supported — not just a vague summary. Excellence: You show a thorough understanding, including things that were implied or not directly stated. You back up your conclusions with specific details from the passages, and you explain the deeper meaning or logical conclusions the text points to — not just what was explicitly said.

Question 4

What mistakes do students typically make in AS 91148?

Accepted Answer

1. Translating words directly instead of interpreting the actual meaning — this stops students reaching Excellence 2. Mistranslating key vocabulary, for example getting words like 'sitios de interés' (places of interest), 'emocionante' (exciting, not emotional), or 'los niveles de sangre' (blood levels) wrong 3. Not using the listening notes pages provided — stronger students used these to help structure their answers 4. Bringing in personal opinions or outside knowledge instead of sticking to information from the passages 5. Giving very short answers or leaving questions blank, which means not enough evidence to award marks 6. Repeating the same idea twice or adding a personal opinion when asked for inference, rather than drawing a conclusion from the text

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