新闻英语写.pptVIP

Story Structures The Inverted Pyramid English News Writing March 3, 2011 Things to bear in mind: accuracy, objectivity fairness Accuracy: detail, circumstance intent Objectivity: presenting the news without reflecting any personal or corporate bias Fairness: looking for contrasting views and reporting on them without favoring one side or another. Story Structures Inverted Pyramid: a summary lead that gives the focus, followed by supporting points in descending order of importance Wall Street Journal formula: an anecdotal lead + the body arranged topically + the ending coming full circle Hourglass: starts with hard news, proceeds in a chronological order, ends with comments or outcome of the news List: a lead and backup information + a list of supporting points Pyramid: chronological storytelling Sections: dividing a story into sections and separating them by a graphic device The Inverted Pyramid The inverted pyramid form comes from the American Civil War The inverted pyramid lead is presented as simply and clearly as possible How do you decide what is most important and what should follow in descending order of importance? The inverted pyramid saves readers time and editors space The inverted pyramid does have some shortcomings Example: Carnival accident kills 16 in Brazil by Bradley Brooks, Mon?Feb?28, 10:28?am?ET SAO PAULO (AP) – At least 16 people were electrocuted when a power line fell atop a packed pre-Carnival street parade in rural Brazil, police said Monday. Witnesses reported a high-voltage power line sparked and fell on the dancing crowd after it was hit by metallic streamers commonly tossed during Brazils Carnival or by fireworks, police said, though the cause remained under investigation. We have at least 16 dead, among them teenagers, said a police spokesman in the town of Bandeira do Sul in Minas Gerais state, north of Rio de Janeiro, where the accident happened Sunday