Unit 7
Theme: Traffic Accidents
Genre: News Report
 A news report aims at providing the reader with a fact-based recount of
an event.
Details of Writing Task

Rubrics: You are a news reporter. You have to write a report on an
accident you witnessed yesterday and the article will be published in the
newspaper.
Features
Context: Newspaper
Writer: A news reporter
Audience: Newspaper readers
Target Language: i) Simple past tense and past continuous tense
ii) Prepositions
1
Pre-writing Activities
1. Structure of a News Report
1A: A news report usually consists of the following elements in the list below. Match
the structural elements with the definitions provided in the table.






Conclusion
Headline
Quote
The body paragraph
The lead
Name of the reporter
Elements of a news report
Definitions
1.
The name of the person who wrote the report
2.
The exact words said by someone e.g. a witness
3.
A line of words that summarises the report
4.
Fact-based details of the event
5.
The beginning of a news story
6.
The ending of a news story, usually consisting
of new and important information
1B: Fill in the boxes below with the elements of a news report mentioned above.
2 Teens Die in New Year's Day Crash
in Tuen Mun
By Chris Wong
Two teenagers died and two
Dennis Kwan, 20, the driver, was
others were injured when
pronounced dead at 2:30 p.m.,
their vehicle crashed into a
two hours after he was sent to
lamp post at midnight on New Tuen Mun hospital. Athena Lee,
Year’s Day in Tuen Mun.
19, the front-seat passenger, was
certified dead with blunt trauma
“The vehicle was travelling at to the head on arrival at the
about 130 kmph when the hospital.
accident took place. As it
turned at the roundabout, the The other two passengers were
driver seemed to lose control seriously injured and admitted
and hit the lamppost,” said a into the Intensive Care Unit of
police spokesman.
Tuen Mun Hospital.
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Notes for Teachers:

If possible, teachers can
also include a photo with
a caption.
1C: Answer the questions according to the news report you have read in 1B.
Questions
Answers
1. What happened?
2. When did the event happen?
3. Who were involved?
4. Where did the event take place?
5.
Why did the event happen?
6. What was the latest information
about the victims?
2. Language Features
2A: When we write a news report, we have to pay attention to some typical language
features. Answer the following questions according to the news report in 1B.
Questions
Answers
1. What are the two tenses mainly used
in the news report? Please list some
examples.
2.
What is the difference between the
uses of these two tenses?
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3.
List out some of the prepositions
that appeared in the news report.
2B and 2C are more detailed
exercises to practise the above
language features.
2B: Fill in the blanks with the simple past or past continuous tense.
Motorbike Almost Kills Three-year-old Girl
By Chris Wong
A
motorbike
accident
______________ (happen) in Yau Ma
Tei yesterday morning at 10: 00 a.m. A
three-year-old girl ____________ (be)
slightly injured and admitted into
Queen’s Hospital.
“The
driver__________________
(ride) the bike along XX Street when
suddenly
a
three-year-old
girl
_____________ (step) out from the
pavement,” one pedestrian said.
The driver, 25 years old,
_______________________ (ride) at a
rather
slow
speed
and
__________________ (manage) to
stop in time. The little girl just
___________________ (fall) in front
of the bike and was slightly injured. An
ambulance
___________________
(arrive) in five minutes and
____________________ (take) the girl
to the Queen’s Hospital. She
_____________ (be) discharged in the
afternoon.
2C: Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.
Two Bank Robbers Arrested after Long Chase
By Chris Wong
A bank robbery happened _____ 3 pm
_____ Nathan Road (in Mongkok)
yesterday. Two robbers, aged 28 and
34, were finally arrested after being
chased by the police _____ half an
hour.
“Two men dashed _____ of the bank
The policeman _____ motorcycle
continued with the chase _____ the car,
while two police constables _____
patrol at Dundas Street were called to
the scene. After a 30-minute chase, the
two robbers were finally intercepted
_____ Ferry Street. Shortly before the
two robbers were arrested, the car
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with a huge bag and got _____ a car
stopped _____ Waterloo Road when it
parked outside 7-Eleven _____
Portland Street. A policeman _____
motorcycle rushed _____ the scene
and chased _____ the car,” said
passer-by Stephen Wong.
crashed _____ a taxi _____ a speed of
95 kmph. The two bags of money were
recovered _____ the car. The
35-year-old driver sustained injuries to
his head and was held _____ the
custodial ward of Kwong Wah
Hospital.
After being chased _____ two blocks,
the two robbers got off _____ Nathan
Road.
Writing Task
You are going to write a news report on an accident. The accident can
be based on your own experience or imagined by yourself.
 Writing Tip s

A good news report should be:
- Clear. Use simple language.
-
Concise. The report should be short.
Correct. The report should only contain facts.
A News Report
Headline:
When did the accident happen?
Where did the accident take place?
Who was / were involved?
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What happened exactly?
Why did the accident happen?
Any quotes from anybody?
What was the latest information about the accident?
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Post-writing Evaluation
 Evaluation Form 
 Content and Structure
Excellent Pretty Average
Needs
Good
Improvement




1. There is a suitable headline
2. The name of the reporter is
provided.
3. There is a lead that introduces the
beginning of the accident.
4. Body paragraphs show fact-based
details of the accident.
5. There is a conclusion that provides
the updated information of the news.
6. Paragraphs are well-sequenced.
7. Clear and accurate information
about the accident is provided.
 Language Use
Excellent

1.
The past tense and past
continuous tense are used
correctly.
2.
Prepositions
correctly.
3.
Grammar is mostly correct.
4.
Words of a wide range and
generally
accurate
and
appropriate.
5.
Punctuation and spelling are
correct.
are
Pretty Average
Needs
Good
Improvement



used
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 Genre
Excellent

Pretty Average
Needs
Good
Improvement



The general tone and style of the
news report show that the writer is
aware of the purpose, context and
audience of the genre.
Notes for Teachers:

Teachers can adapt the
evaluation form freely for
students’
self-evaluation,
peer evaluation or teacher
evaluation.
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Suggested Answers
1A: A news report usually consists of the elements listed in the box below. Match the
elements with the definitions provided in the table.
Conclusion
The lead
Headline
Quote
Name of the reporter
Elements of a news report
The body paragraph
Definitions
1.
Name of the reporter
The name of the person who wrote the
report
2.
Quote
The exact words said by someone e.g. a
witness
3.
Headline
A line of words that summarises the report
4.
The body paragraphs
Fact-based details of the event
5.
The lead
The beginning of a news story
6.
Conclusion
The ending of a news story, usually
consisting of new and important
information
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1B: Fill in the boxes below with the elements of a news report mentioned above.
2 Teens Die in New Year's Day Crash
in Tuen Mun
Name of the reporter
The Lead
Quote
Headline
By Chris Wong
Two teenagers died and
two others were injured
when their vehicle crashed
into a lamp post at
midnight on New Year’s
Dennis Kwan, 20, the
driver, was pronounced
dead at 2:30 p.m., two
hours after he was sent
to Tuen Mun hospital.
Day in Tuen Mun.
Athena Lee, 19, the
front-seat passenger, was
certified dead with blunt
trauma to the head on
arrival at the hospital.
“The
vehicle
was
travelling at about 130
kmph when the accident
took place. As it turned at
the roundabout, the driver
seemed to lose control and
hit the lamppost,” said a
police spokesman.
The body paragraph
The other two passengers
were seriously injured
and admitted into the
Intensive Care Unit of
Tuen Mun Hospital.
Conclusion
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1C: Answer the questions according to the news report you have read in 1B.
Questions
1. What happened?
2. When did the event happen?
3. Who were involved?
4. Where did the event take place?
5. Why did the event happen?
Answers
There was a car crash.
It happened on New Year’s Day at midnight.
4 teenagers were involved
It took place at a roundabout in Tuen Mun.
The event happened because the vehicle was
driving at a very high speed (130 kmph). The
vehicle crashed into the lamp post at the
round about due to over speed.
6. What was the latest information
about the victims?
Two teenagers died and the other two were
admitted into the Intensive Care Unit.
2A: Answer the following questions according to the news report in 1B.
Questions
Answers
1. What are the two tenses mainly Simple past tense: took place, turned, died…
used in the news report? Please Past continuous: was travelling
list some examples.
2. What is the difference between Simple past tense is mainly used when it
the uses of these two tenses? .
refers to events happened in the past.
Past continuous tense is also used when it
refers to an action that was in progress at a
specific time in the past.
3. List
out
some
of
the Into, on, in, at, to
prepositions that appeared in the
news report.
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2B: Fill in the blanks with the simple past or past continuous tense.
Motorbike Almost Kills Three-year-old Girl
By Chris Wong
A motorbike accident happened in Yau Ma Tei last morning at 10: 00 a.m. A
three-year-old girl was (be) sligtly injured and admitted into Queen’s Hospital.
“The driver was riding (ride) the bike when suddenly a three-year-old girl stepped
(step) out from the pavement,” one pedestrian said.
The driver, 25 years old, was riding (ride) at a rather slow speed and so he managed
(manage) to stop in time. The little girl just fell (fall) and was slightly injured. An
ambulance arrived (arrive) in five minutes and took (take) the girl to the Queen’s Hospital.
She was (be) discharged in the afternoon.
2C: Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.
Two Bank Robbers Arrested after Long Chase
By Chris Wong
A bank robbery happened at 3 pm on / at Nathan Road (in Mongkok) yesterday. Two
robbers, aged 28 and 34, were finally arrested after being chased by the police for half an
hour.
“Two men dashed out of the bank with a huge bag and got into a car parked outside
7-Eleven in / at Portland Street. A policeman on motorcycle rushed to the scene and
chased after the car,” said passer-by Stephen Wong.
After being chased for two blocks, the two robbers got off on / at Nathan Road. The
policeman on motorcycle continued with the chase of the car, while two police constables
on patrol at Dundas Street were called to the scene. After a 30-minute chase, the two
robbers were finally intercepted in / at Ferry Street. Shortly before the two robbers were
arrested, the car stopped on / at Waterloo Road when it crashed into a taxi at a speed of
95 kmph. The two bags of money were recovered from the car. The 35-year-old driver
sustained injuries to his head and was held in the custodial ward of Kwong Wah Hospital.
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