OSSLT OSSLT - Ontario Secondary School Literacy Writing a News Report 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the opening paragraph of a news report, which summarizes the most important information, called?
- Byline
- Headline
- Lead (Correct answer)
- Subheading
Correct answer: Lead
The lead (or lede) is the first paragraph of a news report and answers the most essential questions about the story concisely.
Question 2: Which structural format do news reports typically follow, placing the most important information first?
- Pyramid
- Inverted pyramid (Correct answer)
- Circular structure
- Chronological order
Correct answer: Inverted pyramid
The inverted pyramid places the most critical facts at the top and less important details toward the end of the article.
Question 3: A strong news report lead must answer which set of essential questions?
- Who, What, When, Where, Why (and How) (Correct answer)
- Introduction, Body, Conclusion
- Claim, Evidence, Reasoning
- Topic, Argument, Counter-argument
Correct answer: Who, What, When, Where, Why (and How)
Answering the five Ws (and H) ensures readers immediately understand the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the story.
Question 4: What is the bold title at the top of a news article that summarizes the story called?
- Byline
- Caption
- Headline (Correct answer)
- Lead
Correct answer: Headline
The headline is a brief, attention-grabbing title that gives readers a quick idea of the article's main topic.
Question 5: News reports are primarily written in which verb tense?
- Future tense
- Past tense (Correct answer)
- Present perfect tense
- Conditional tense
Correct answer: Past tense
News reports use the past tense because they describe events that have already occurred.
Question 6: What is a 'byline' in a news article?
- The closing sentence of the report
- The name of the reporter who wrote the article (Correct answer)
- A short summary beneath the headline
- A quotation from a key source
Correct answer: The name of the reporter who wrote the article
A byline credits the journalist by appearing below the headline, typically reading 'By [Author Name].'
OSSLT OSSLT - Ontario Secondary School Literacy Writing a News Report 1
What is the opening paragraph of a news report, which summarizes the most important information, called?