Introduction
News Items Text ; Definition, Generic Structures, Purposes, Language Features
English material that we will discuss now is news items text. Before I explain it, I want to ask you, Do you like watching news in television? Do you like reading newspaper? If you like doing all those things, it means that you are familiar with news item, but what is news item text? Many students do not know what exactly it is. Although, this text is learned in senior high school, most of them still get difficulties if they are asked to write news item text.
Before you try to make a news item text, it is better if you know first ‘what is news item text?’. News item text is a text that relates to the news. There are two kinds of news item text, written and spoken. News that we read in newspaper is written text form. News that we hear in radio or television is spoken text form. This text also has the generic structure. Those are newsworthy event, sources and background events.
Definition of News Item
News item is a text which informs readers about events of the day. The events are considered newsworthy or important. It means if there is an important event that should be known by many people, then this event deserves news. Well, the news text is called the news item text. However, if there are events that people do not deserve, then they are not definitely worth to be news.
Generic Structure of News Item
There are three important things in news item text:
# Main Events / Newsworthy event(s): it recounts the event in summary form.
# Elaboration / Background event(s): they elaborate what happened, to whom, in what circumstance
# Resource of Information (Source) : it contains comments by participants in, witnesses to and authorities expert on the event
Purpose of News Item
News Item Text is used to inform readers about events of the day which are considered newsworthy or important.
– To inform the readers about newsworthy or important events of the day
– To present information the readers about newsworthy or important events of the day
Language Feature of News Item
– Focusing on circumstances (using a simple language in writing the text)
– Using saying verbs: “….”, She said, informed, told, reported.
– Sometimes at the beginning of news, the scene is mentioned : Jakarta – … .. / Kuala Lumpur – …
– Using Past tense in explaining news events. But if it is a fact that until now still happen or still in the form of fact, then can use simple present tense.
– Short, telegraphic information about story captured in headline
– Using adverbs: time, place and manner.
– Uses of material processes to retell the event
Example of News Items Text
Didi Petet Died
Veteran actor Didi Widiatmoko, popularly known as Didi Petet, died at the age of 58 at his residence in Sasak Tinggi, Ciputat, South Tangerang, on Friday morning. Didi’s niece Muthia Kautsar said that Didi, who starred in a number of comedy and drama films in the 1980s and 1990s, collapsed and lost consciousness when attending an expo in Milan, Italy, recently. “He just arrived home on May 10 after attending the exhibition. In that city, he collapsed and lost consciousness and returned home in a wheelchair,” she said. On Tuesday, Didi was taken to Bandung for treatment. Muthia said no diseases were detected but he died on Friday. Didi’s body is laid out in his residence on Jl. Bambu Apus in Sasak Tinggi, Ciputat, South Tangerang. It has yet to be decided when and where he will be buried.
Task
Task Reading Comprehension
Bridge breaks in Central Java, killing 5 people and injuring 29 others
A footbridge packed with tourists broke at a mountainous resort on Java Island Wednesday, killing five people and injuring 29 after they plunged into a rocky riverbed, police and tourist officials said.
The victims were evacuated to three nearby hospitals, said Surono, an employee at the Baturaden resort in Central Java province, adding that they fell more than 20 meters (yards) after one of the steel cables holding the small bridge snapped. Local police, chief Emron Putra Agung said five people were killed and 29 injured. The accident occurred as the country enjoys a weeklong holiday marking the end of the Islamic month Ramadan, when people traditionally flock to holiday sites. Baturaden, located 300 kilometers (190 miles) east of the capital Jakarta, is one of the most popular resorts on the slopes of Mount Slamet (3,428 meters, 11,246 feet), Java's second-highest peak.
1. The text tells us about ….
a. The evacuation of the victims.
b. The tourist resort in Central Java.
c. The killing of five visitors in Baturaden.
d. The accident on the broken bridge in Baturaden
e. The popular tourist resort in Central Java.
2. Some local tourist were killed and injured in Baturaden when ….
a. They were swimming in the river.
b. They were enjoying the view on the small bridge.
c. They were in the riverbed.
d. They were climbing Mount Slamet, Central Java.
e. They were swinging on the small bridge over the Rocky River.
3. The footbridge in Baturaden broke because ….
a. It couldn’t afford supporting overload.
b. It had been too old to walk on.
c. It had not been used for long time.
d. It lied on the slope of Mount Slamet.
e. It was used to evacuate the victims.
4. How many victims were in this accident?
a. Five
b. Twenty nine
c. Thirty
d. Twenty four
e. Thirty four
5. Which of the following statement is NOT TRUE according to the text?
a. The broken footbridge killed five visitors.
b. The accident happened at the end of Ramadhan.
c. The victims were left behind without relief.
d. The visitors were killed because of falling into a rocky riverbed.
e. The bridge broke because of one of the broken steel cables.
6. “…. killing five people and injuring 29 after they plunged into a rocky riverbed.”(the first paragraph). What is the similar meaning of the words “plunged into”?
a. fell back
b. fell away
c. fell down
d. fell off
e. fell on
An Alliance Could Answer The Growing Threat from Google and Facebook
Apple, which has stumbled in its efforts to get into social media, has talked with Twitter in recent months about making a strategic investment in it, according to people briefed on the matter.
Although apple has been hugely successful in selling phones and tablets, it has little traction in social networking, which has become a major engine of activity on the Web and on mobile devices. Social media are increasingly influencing the ways people spend their time and money — important consideration for Apple, which also sells application, games, music and movies.
Apple has considered an investment in the hundreds of millions of dollars, one that could value Twitter at more than $10 billion, up from an $8.4 billion valuation last year, these people said. They declined to be identified because the discussions were private.
There is no guarantee that the two companies, which are not in negotiations at the moment, will come to an agreement. But the earlier talks are a sign that they may form a stronger partnership amid intensifying competition from companies like Google and Facebook.
Apple has not made many friends in social media. Its relationship with Facebook, for example, has been strained since a deal to build Facebook featured into Ping, Apple's music-centric social network, fell apart. Facebook is also aligned with Microsoft, which owns a small stake in it. And Google, an Apple rival in the phone market, has been pushing its own social network, Google Plus.
7.What is the news about?
a. Social networking.
b. Apple's new products.
c. Twitter strategic investment.
d. Twitters success in social media.
e. Apple's plan to cooperate with Twitter.
8. According to the news, Apple has not been very successful in ....
a selling phones
b. strategic investment
c. cooperating with Twitter
d. getting into social media
e. selling game applications
9. "But the earlier talks are sign that they may form a stronger partnership".
The underlined word means ....
a. collusion
b. competition
c. agreement
d. negotiation
e. collaboration
Process
Hi, my beloved students
Here isi the explanation how to do the task. Please read the news text and choose the best answer for each question by crossing (X) a, b, c, d or e!
Evaluation
Answer the following questions, if you correct in one number you will get 1 poin
Conclusion
News item is a text which informs readers about events of the day. The events are considered newsworthy or important. It means if there is an important event that should be known by many people, then this event deserves news. Well, the news text is called the news item text. However, if there are events that people do not deserve, then they are not definitely worth to be news. There are three important things in news item text:
- Main Events / Newsworthy event(s)
- Elaboration / Background event(s)
- Resource of Information (Source)
A news story is a factual, prose story for print or broadcast media about a person, place or event answering these five questions: who, what, when, where, why and how. A news story is written in the inverted-pyramid style, giving the most important information first and additional details later.
Credits
Hello Miss Tiarma! You are the best! Just wanna thank you for becoming a great lecturer for me and my friends.
Teacher Page
Dear teachers. this WebQuest provides material and tsks for learning news item text. There are also examples of news item text that the students will understand about the generic structure and language features of news item text.
This lesson was design to the student at 12 grade. By the end of the lesson, they are expected to be able identified social function, generic structure, and language features of a news item text