Exam practice: unit 1 section

A reading non-fiction texts

Newspaper articles.
Cars are
crushed by
a collapsed
wall at a
car park in
Mito City,
after a
massive
Earthquake
hit Japan
AIIiteration
(repetition of
simiIar sounds) c'
is used to grab the
reader's interest in
the story.
The word massive'
is a superIative
(exaggeration)
which shows just
how powerful the
earthquake was.
Cars are
crushed by
a collapsed
wall at a
car park in
Mito City,
after a
massive
Earthquake
hit Japan
ASSIVE
earthquake
in Japan
unIeashes
ferocious
tsunami
How does this headIine and picture grab our interest?
rews Scour Tsunami Zone for Victims
How does this headIine and picture grab our interest?
Japan earthquake: Emperor Akihito
'deepIy worried'
A massive earthquake has hit the north-east of Japan
triggering a tsunami that has caused extensive damage.
Japan's TV showed cars, ships and even buildings being
swept away in the Fukushima prefecture, after the 8.9
magnitude earthquake.
Officials said a wave as high as 6m (20ft) could strike the
coast.
The quake struck about 250 miles (400km) from Tokyo at a
depth of 20 miles, shaking buildings in the capital for several
minutes.
TV stations interrupted programming on Wednesday to show
the emperor describing the crisis facing the nation as
"unprecedented in scale".
The 77-year-old - deeply respected by many Japanese - said:
" hope from the bottom of my heart that the people will, hand
in hand, treat each other with compassion and overcome
these difficult times."
Japan's head of state - who acceded to the throne in 1989
after the death of his father Hirohito - said he prayed that
every victim would be saved.
Presentation:
Short, boId headIine
grabs the readers attention
Quotation tells the reader
how the emperor of Japan
is feeling makes us
empathise (understand
what victims are going
through)
A massive earthquake has hit the north-east of Japan
triggering a tsunami that has caused extensive damage.
Japan's TV showed cars, ships and even buildings being
swept away in the Fukushima prefecture, after the 8.9
magnitude earthquake.
Officials said a wave as high as 6m (20ft) could strike the
coast.
The quake struck about 250 miles (400km) from Tokyo at a
depth of 20 miles, shaking buildings in the capital for several
minutes.
TV stations interrupted programming on Wednesday to show
the emperor describing the crisis facing the nation as
"unprecedented in scaIe".
The 77-year-old - deeply respected by many Japanese - said:
" hope from the bottom of my heart that the people will, hand
in hand, treat each other with compassion and overcome
these difficuIt times."
Japan's head of state - who acceded to the throne in 1989
after the death of his father Hirohito - said he prayed that
every victim wouId be saved.
Language- Emotive words
highIight just how
devastating the event is -
get us emotionaIIy
invoIved.
Quotations - from
respected figures heIp us
further empathise
Evidence - facts and
statistics are reported to
inform the reader about
the event.
Pop star Shakira meets
earthquake chiIdren in Haiti
oIombian pop star Shakira has met young
survivors of the Haiti earthquake.
The singer flew into the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince to
meet children living in makeshift camps.
She said her charity, Barefoot, is searching for suitable
land to build a school for needy children.
More than 200,000 people died and one million people
were left homeless in the earthquake which struck
the Caribbean island on 12 January.
Humanitarian aid
Arriving in the country on Sunday, Shakira waved to
onlookers and greeted children living on a Haitian
golf course that has been turned into a makeshift
camp for 50,000 quake survivors.
She was welcomed by Hollywood star Sean Penn, who
is providing humanitarian aid at the refugee camps.
They both spoke about challenges confronting Haiti
since the disaster.
Shakira's Barefoot foundation provides nutrition to more
than 6,000 children in Colombia, and she is member
of the ALAS foundation that advocates for children
across Latin America.
Questions to consider when reading:
1. Does the headIine grab the reader's
attention? If yes, why?
2. Language: are there any emotive words
used to make the reader emphasise with
the peopIe of Haiti?
3. What is the meaning of the word
"makeshift"? What impression does it give
of the chiIdren's situation in Haiti?
4. What facts or statistics are used? What
impression do they give of the situation?
Hurricane Katrina:'Tragedy
for beautiful city'
Hurricane Katrina has caused death and
destruction in New OrIeans, Ieaving most of the
Iow-Iying city fIooded and facing desperate
conditions and Iooting. One British man says it is
a "tragedy" for the US city he made his home.
Boats are being used to reach people in areas cut off
by floods.
Back in Britain, Noel Wyatt has been listening to radio
news reports about floods, destruction and looting in
New Orleans, frustrated knowing he can do little to
help friends or rescue his home there.
Mr Wyatt owns a house in the Louisiana city but
returned to Derby around 18 months ago to care for
his sick parents.
But over the last few days, as reports have worsened,
he wishes he could be back in New Orleans helping
out.
Questions to consider when
reading:
1. What does this picture show?
How does it make you feeI?
2. How is the headIine emotive?
3. What three words, aII
beginning with the same Ietter
(therefore using aIIiteration),
make us feeI sorry for the
peopIe of New OrIeans?
4. How does NoeI Wyatt feeI?