Yep, I think the general consensus is that they can ask either:
1) ATLEAT one related (in which you may use 2 if you wish)
2) ONLY one related (you must use 1 and have sufficient info on it to make up for the 2nd related)
Only for maths, everything else is year 12 only but assumed knowledge means that you should be carrying over the skills from year 11, i.e. chemical equations from year 11 chemistry, essay writing skills from histories etc etc.
You should know all 5 poems (or all articles, chapters etc.) for ANY module. Reason is the Board of Studies have started asking specific poems and chapters to crack down on people who don't read all what is prescribed.
Re: What absurd things have people done in your school due to competition and rivalry
Sooo true, throughout HSC I always come across people who "don't study" and somehow manage to get really high marks for ENGLISH. Supposedly, their just born with knowledge of Hamlet, Frankenstein quotes and...