Chapter One: Deadline Writing: Be Prepared To Discuss Your Answers On Thursday
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mslenihanChapter One: Deadline Writing: Be Prepared To Discuss Your Answers On Thursday
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mslenihanAmerica’s Best Newspaper Writing – Chapter One: Deadline Writing
Chapter One: Deadline Writing
1) Read through the introduction to chapter one. Explain the shift within the journalistic
community. What changed? What stayed the same?
Report from the Middle East: Shiva for a Child Slain in a Palestinian Raid by Richard Ben Cramer
2) Define shiva. Why did the author choose this word over “wake”? How did the impact change?
3) Summarize the events of the shooting.
4) How has the author kept your attention? What techniques does he employ to describe the
narrative?
5) How are the hostilities of the region explained?
6) Why does the author end the piece as he does? What effect does it have on the reader?
Report from the Middle East: A Walk Through No-Man’s Land by Richard Ben Cramer
7) What is Fatah?
8) Describe the environment of Lebanon, as seen through the author’s eyes.
9) To what effect is the author’s juxtaposition? (The indication of birds singing between bomb
blasts)
10) How would you characterize Dr. Shaheen?
11) Again the author ends his piece abruptly. Why do you think he chooses to do that?
After Reading:
12) Why are these two stories in the section about deadline writing? Why wouldn’t they be
classified in another section?
13) Research, on the laptops at the back, some history behind Lebanon and Israel. This is a case
where Wikipedia would be useful, though you should keep in mind the bias behind the
information, especially on such an emotional subject.
a. What has changed in the region?
b. What has been happening recently?
c. What caused the conflict in 1978? What caused the most recent conflict? Are they a
direct result of each other? How do you know?