- Theme: Traffic Accidents
- Genre: News Report
Ø A news report aims at providing the reader with a fact-based recount of an event.
- Details of Writing Task
Ø Rubrics: You are a news reporter. You have to write a report on an accident you witnessed yesterday and the article will be published in the newspaper.
- Pre-writing Activities
1. Structure of a News Report
1A: A news report usually consists of the following elements in the list below. Match the structural elements with the definitions provided in the table.
· Conclusion· Headline
· Quote / · The body paragraph
· The lead
· Name of the reporter
Elements of a news report / Definitions
1. / The name of the person who wrote the report
2. / The exact words said by someone e.g. a witness
3. / A line of words that summarises the report
4. / Fact-based details of the event
5. / The beginning of a news story
6. / The ending of a news story, usually consisting of new and important information
1B: Fill in the boxes below with the elements of a news report mentioned above.
/ 2 Teens Die in New Year's Day Crashin Tuen Mun
By Chris Wong
/ Two teenagers died and two others were injured when their vehicle crashed into a lamp post at midnight on New Year’s Day in Tuen Mun.
“The vehicle was travelling at about 130 kmph when the accident took place. As it turned at the roundabout, the driver seemed to lose control and hit the lamppost,” said a police spokesman. / Dennis Kwan, 20, the driver, was pronounced dead at 2:30 p.m., two hours after he was sent to Tuen Mun hospital. Athena Lee, 19, the front-seat passenger, was certified dead with blunt trauma to the head on arrival at the hospital.
The other two passengers were seriously injured and admitted into the Intensive Care Unit of Tuen Mun Hospital. /
1C: Answer the questions according to the news report you have read in 1B.
Questions / Answers1. What happened?
2. When did the event happen?
3. Who were involved?
4. Where did the event take place?
5. Why did the event happen?
6. What was the latest information about the victims?
2. Language Features
2A: When we write a news report, we have to pay attention to some typical language features. Answer the following questions according to the news report in 1B.
Questions / Answers1. What are the two tenses mainly used in the news report? Please list some examples.
2. What is the difference between the uses of these two tenses?
3. List out some of the prepositions that appeared in the news report.
2B: Fill in the blanks with the simple past or past continuous tense.
Motorbike Almost Kills Three-year-old GirlBy Chris Wong
A motorbike accident ______(happen) in Yau Ma Tei yesterday morning at 10: 00 a.m. A three-year-old girl ______(be) slightly injured and admitted into Queen’s Hospital.
“The driver______(ride) the bike along XX Street when suddenly a three-year-old girl ______(step) out from the pavement,” one pedestrian said. / The driver, 25 years old, ______(ride) at a rather slow speed and ______(manage) to stop in time. The little girl just ______(fall) in front of the bike and was slightly injured. An ambulance ______(arrive) in five minutes and ______(take) the girl to the Queen’s Hospital. She ______(be) discharged in the afternoon.
2C: Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.
Two Bank Robbers Arrested after Long ChaseBy Chris Wong
A bank robbery happened _____ 3 pm _____ Nathan Road (in Mongkok) yesterday. Two robbers, aged 28 and 34, were finally arrested after being chased by the police _____ half an hour.
“Two men dashed _____ of the bank with a huge bag and got _____ a car parked outside 7-Eleven _____ Portland Street. A policeman _____ motorcycle rushed _____ the scene and chased _____ the car,” said passer-by Stephen Wong.
After being chased _____ two blocks, the two robbers got off _____ Nathan Road. / The policeman _____ motorcycle continued with the chase _____ the car, while two police constables _____ patrol at Dundas Street were called to the scene. After a 30-minute chase, the two robbers were finally intercepted _____ Ferry Street. Shortly before the two robbers were arrested, the car stopped _____ Waterloo Road when it crashed _____ a taxi _____ a speed of 95 kmph. The two bags of money were recovered _____ the car. The 35-year-old driver sustained injuries to his head and was held _____ the custodial ward of Kwong Wah Hospital.
- Writing Task
You are going to write a news report on an accident. The accident can be based on your own experience or imagined by yourself.
Writing Tip sØ A good news report should be:
- Clear. Use simple language.
- Concise. The report should be short.
- Correct. The report should only contain facts.
Headline:
When did the accident happen?
Where did the accident take place?
Who was / were involved?
What happened exactly?
Why did the accident happen?
Any quotes from anybody?
What was the latest information about the accident?
- Post-writing Evaluation
ü Evaluation Form ü
Ø Content and Structure
ExcellentJJJ / Pretty
Good
JJ / Average
K / Needs Improvement
L
1. There is a suitable headline
2. The name of the reporter is provided.
3. There is a lead that introduces the beginning of the accident.
4. Body paragraphs show fact-based details of the accident.
5. There is a conclusion that provides the updated information of the news.
6. Paragraphs are well-sequenced.
7. Clear and accurate information about the accident is provided.
Ø Language Use
ExcellentJJJ / Pretty
Good
JJ / Average
K / Needs Improvement
L
1. The past tense and past continuous tense are used correctly.
2. Prepositions are used correctly.
3. Grammar is mostly correct.
4. Words of a wide range and generally accurate and appropriate.
5. Punctuation and spelling are correct.
Ø Genre
ExcellentJJJ / Pretty
Good
JJ / Average
K / Needs Improvement
L
The general tone and style of the news report show that the writer is aware of the purpose, context and audience of the genre.
- Suggested Answers
1A: A news report usually consists of the elements listed in the box below. Match the elements with the definitions provided in the table.
Conclusion Headline Quote The body paragraphThe lead Name of the reporter
1. Name of the reporter / The name of the person who wrote the report
2. Quote / The exact words said by someone e.g. a witness
3. Headline / A line of words that summarises the report
4. The body paragraphs / Fact-based details of the event
5. The lead / The beginning of a news story
6. Conclusion / The ending of a news story, usually consisting of new and important information
1B: Fill in the boxes below with the elements of a news report mentioned above.
2 Teens Die in New Year's Day Crashin Tuen Mun
By Chris Wong /
Two teenagers died and two others were injured when their vehicle crashed into a lamp post at midnight on New Year’s Day in Tuen Mun.
“The vehicle was travelling at about 130 kmph when the accident took place. As it turned at the roundabout, the driver seemed to lose control and hit the lamppost,” said a police spokesman. / Dennis Kwan, 20, the driver, was pronounced dead at 2:30 p.m., two hours after he was sent to Tuen Mun hospital. Athena Lee, 19, the front-seat passenger, was certified dead with blunt trauma to the head on arrival at the hospital.
The other two passengers were seriously injured and admitted into the Intensive Care Unit of Tuen Mun Hospital. /
1C: Answer the questions according to the news report you have read in 1B.
Questions / Answers1. What happened? / There was a car crash.
2. When did the event happen? / It happened on New Year’s Day at midnight.
3. Who were involved? / 4 teenagers were involved
4. Where did the event take place? / It took place at a roundabout in Tuen Mun.
5. Why did the event happen? / The event happened because the vehicle was driving at a very high speed (130 kmph). The vehicle crashed into the lamp post at the round about due to over speed.
6. What was the latest information about the victims? / Two teenagers died and the other two were admitted into the Intensive Care Unit.
2A: Answer the following questions according to the news report in 1B.
Questions / Answers1. What are the two tenses mainly used in the news report? Please list some examples. / Simple past tense: took place, turned, died…
Past continuous: was travelling
2. What is the difference between the uses of these two tenses? . / Simple past tense is mainly used when it refers to events happened in the past.
Past continuous tense is also used when it refers to an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past.
3. List out some of the prepositions that appeared in the news report. / Into, on, in, at, to
2B: Fill in the blanks with the simple past or past continuous tense.
Motorbike Almost Kills Three-year-old Girl
By Chris Wong
A motorbike accident happened in Yau Ma Tei last morning at 10: 00 a.m. A three-year-old girl was (be) sligtly injured and admitted into Queen’s Hospital.
“The driver was riding (ride) the bike when suddenly a three-year-old girl stepped (step) out from the pavement,” one pedestrian said.
The driver, 25 years old, was riding (ride) at a rather slow speed and so he managed (manage) to stop in time. The little girl just fell (fall) and was slightly injured. An ambulance arrived (arrive) in five minutes and took (take) the girl to the Queen’s Hospital. She was (be) discharged in the afternoon.
2C: Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.
Two Bank Robbers Arrested after Long Chase
By Chris Wong
A bank robbery happened at 3 pm on / at Nathan Road (in Mongkok) yesterday. Two robbers, aged 28 and 34, were finally arrested after being chased by the police for half an hour.
“Two men dashed out of the bank with a huge bag and got into a car parked outside 7-Eleven in / at Portland Street. A policeman on motorcycle rushed to the scene and chased after the car,” said passer-by Stephen Wong.
After being chased for two blocks, the two robbers got off on / at Nathan Road. The policeman on motorcycle continued with the chase of the car, while two police constables on patrol at Dundas Street were called to the scene. After a 30-minute chase, the two robbers were finally intercepted in / at Ferry Street. Shortly before the two robbers were arrested, the car stopped on / at Waterloo Road when it crashed into a taxi at a speed of 95 kmph. The two bags of money were recovered from the car. The 35-year-old driver sustained injuries to his head and was held in the custodial ward of Kwong Wah Hospital.
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