Deck 4: How Do You Tell a Basic News Story

Question 1

A lead (or lede) is typically the first paragraph of a news story.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

To avoid confusing audiences on multiple platforms, it's best to tell most news stories in chronological order.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

A news lead should always include the full names of anyone to whom it refers.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The most important part of a news story is its carefully crafted conclusion, which summarizes everything that has been in the story.

Question 5

A folo is a journalist whose main job is following a particularly important person, such as the president or other especially well-known politician or celebrity.

Question 6

Which of the following best describes journalism's inverted pyramid?

A) A story that is top-heavy with celebrity gossip
B) A story that begins with a few paragraphs of a well-told anecdote or description that lead up to the new or most important information in the story
C) A story that deals with the Egyptian coup
D) A story that starts with the newest or most important information and delivers the rest in descending order of importance

Question 7

Which of the following best defines literary journalism?

A) Journalism that is literally true, as opposed to figuratively or metaphorically true
B) Writing that blurs the traditional boundaries between fiction and journalism
C) Journalism that always includes explicit references to literary figures
D) All of the above

Question 8

A basic news lead usually does which of the following:

A) Answers the basic questions: who, what, where and when-and sometimes how and why
B) Is brief and to the point
C) Gets to the most important information right away
D) All of the above

Question 9

Which of the following best describes how broadcast leads differ from print leads?

A) A broadcast lead is more likely to include a throwaway line, one that announces the main topic for listeners who may be engaged in some other activity.
B) A broadcast lead is more likely to be written in the present tense.
C) A broadcast lead is more likely to use a conversational tone.
D) All of the above

Question 10

Which of the following is an example of the basic subject-verb-object sentence structure?

A) A major earthquake struck Southern California.
B) In Southern California, a major city was struck by an earthquake.
C) Because scientists are yet to release a statement, there is no official confirmation of the size of the earthquake that hit Southern California.
D) The governor says that, thanks to the many citizens who texted information to Sacramento, relief efforts have gotten underway much sooner than ever before.

Question 11

In three or four sentences, please describe three qualities of a lead in a news story.

Question 12

In three or four sentences, please describe three qualities of an inverted pyramid news story.

Question 13

For the following fact set, write an inverted pyramid lead emphasizing the what.

Question 14

For the following fact set, write an inverted pyramid lead emphasizing the who.

Question 15

For the following fact set, please a.) write an inverted pyramid story, including style and grammar corrections, and b.) identify one ethical dilemma you see. Using the ethical principles, justify your decision about what to do in this situation.