Read the given paragraph carefully and keeping in mind the qualities of Journalistic Writing, answer the questions given at the end of the paragraph.
The misery of superstorm Sandy’s devastation grew as millions along the US East Coast faced life without power or mass transit for days, and huge swaths of New York City remained eerily quiet. The US death toll climbed to at least 48, many of the victims killed by falling trees, and rescue work continued. The storm that made landfall in New Jersey on Monday evening with hurricane force cut power to more than 8.2 million across the East and put the presidential campaign on hold just one week before Election Day. New York was among the hardest hit, with its financial heart closed for a second day. The storm caused the worst damage in the 108-year history of the city’s subway system
“This was a devastating storm, maybe the worst that we have ever experienced,” Bloomberg- City Mayor, New York said. But the full extent of the damage in New Jersey was being revealed as morning arrived. Emergency crews fanned out to rescue hundreds.
The death toll from Sandy in the US included several killed by falling trees. Airlines canceled more than 15,000 flights. New York City’s three major airports remained closed. Some bridges into the city reopened at midday, but most major tunnels and bridges remained closed, as were schools and Broadway theaters. The storm sent a nearly 14-foot surge of seawater, a record, coursing over Lower Manhattan’s seawalls and highways and into low-lying streets. The water inundated tunnels, subway stations and the electrical system that powers Wall Street and sent hospital patients and tourists scrambling for safety. Skyscrapers swayed and creaked in winds that partially toppled a crane 74 stories above Midtown.
Q1- The basic questions that journalists strive to answer when chasing a news story are “who,” “what,” “where,” when,” “why” and “how.” In the light of this statement, select at least three sentences from the given paragraph that come under any three of these question categories (who, what, where etc.)
Note: Only one sentence for one category. (3 Marks)
Q2- Suggest a headline for this story? (2 Marks)
Q3- Read the above paragraph and outline only TWO striking differences that you find between journalistic writing and creative writing. (2 marks)
Q4- What are the unanswered questions or holes in this news story for an interested reader that need follow-up stories on the same issue? Give only three points. (3 marks)
Q5- How would you tell this news story to a friend? Rephrase it in your own words in not more than FIVE lines in a paragraph. (5 Marks)
Solution: Coming soon
