Reading and Analysing News
FoundationNews has a headline, a lead and a body; understand events with the six questions. Compare reports, tell facts from opinions, check sources, and think before sharing — be a reader who analyses.
- News has a headline, a lead and a body, keeping us in touch with current affairs.
- Ask the six questions to understand a story fully.
- Tell facts from opinions and watch the standpoint behind the wording.
文體小知識：媒體素養說明文教我們讀懂新聞的結構和立場，查證消息來源，做精明而負責任的讀者。
§Text Passage
1News helps us understand society and the world. A news report usually has three parts: the headline sums up and attracts; the lead (first paragraph) gives the most important facts; the body tells the story in detail. Primary 4 readers can apply the six questions — who, what, when, where, why and how — and once all six are answered, the event is clear.
2In Primary 3 we learned to read news; in Primary 4 we analyse it. Compare how different media report the same event: watch the wording of headlines — the same match is a narrow win in one paper and a heartbreak loss in another, showing how words carry a standpoint; check whether the report is balanced — does it give all sides; and tell facts (checkable) from opinions (a reporter's or commentator's view).
3Sources are the key: reliable news names its sources — official announcements, reporters on the spot or interviewed experts; phrases such as sources say or it is rumoured online deserve extra care. Clickbait headlines exaggerate on purpose, and pictures that do not match the story or old news recycled as new are common tricks. When a startling message arrives, check official sites and reputable media before judging.
4A responsible reader is also a responsible sharer: verify before forwarding, and never pass on unverified messages; when commenting, respect others and never attack them personally; notice the kind of media you usually read and deliberately meet different views, so your thinking stays balanced. Media literacy is a compulsory lesson of the information age — the more you practise, the sharper your eye.
1Summary 重點摘要
News has a headline, a lead and a body; understand events with the six questions. Compare reports, tell facts from opinions, check sources, and think before sharing — be a reader who analyses.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
The words or pictures reporting current events, made of headline, lead and body.
The title summing up a story.
The first paragraph giving the most important facts.
Understanding an event through who, what, when, where, why and how.
The viewpoint and attitude behind a report or comment.
Reporting that gives all sides of an event.
Where news material comes from, such as official announcements and expert interviews.
Deliberately exaggerated headlines fishing for clicks.
The ability to analyse and judge media messages.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Learn the structure of newsA news report has a fixed structure: headline, lead, body and pictures each do their own job. For example, in a sports day report, read the headline our school breaks three records first to grasp the gist; then find in the lead who, what, when and where; the body tells the story in detail. Knowing the structure lets us grasp the key points of news quickly — saving time and reading well.
- Step 2: Analyse with the six questionsThe six questions are a handy tool for analysing news; answer all six and we hold the whole picture. For example, a library open day news item: who — staff, pupils and parents; what — the open day; when — Saturday morning; where — the school library; why — to promote reading; how — with stalls and story-telling. Checking with the six questions one by one leaves out no important detail, and retelling the news to others becomes orderly too.
- Step 3: Tell facts from opinionsNews holds both objective facts and subjective opinions, and the two must be told apart. For example, the library opens at nine in the morning is a checkable fact; the library is the best place is a personal opinion. Facts can be verified true or false, while opinions differ from person to person and are never simply right or wrong. Telling them apart keeps us from mistaking others' views for truth, and makes our thinking and judgement clearer.
- Step 4: Compare different mediaDifferent media report the same event from angles and with words that may differ greatly. For example, of one typhoon, paper A's headline reads the city braces itself and paper B's reads shoppers clear the shelves — the wording shows different angles, so read both. Notice whether each report interviews different voices and whether it is balanced. Reading several reports before judging gives a fuller picture of the event.
- Step 5: Check the sourcesNews and messages need their sources checked, and unverified content should never be fully trusted. For example, a report saying sources say classes stop next month deserves a look at the school website and the Education Bureau's announcements; with no official word, it must not be repeated as fact. Reliable news names its sources — official announcements or reporters on the spot. Phrases such as it is rumoured online or sources say deserve extra care.
- Step 6: Spot clickbaitClickbait uses exaggerated headlines to attract clicks, while the content rarely lives up to them. For example, a headline screams shock — one food crashes your grades, but the article only gives a doctor's ordinary dietary advice: loud title, thin content. Meeting an over-sensational headline, first ask ourselves: has the headline stolen our judgement? Open it, read carefully, and only then decide whether to believe and share, never led by the nose by exaggerated words.
- Step 7: Be a responsible sharerBefore sharing messages in groups and on social platforms, take up the duty of checking. For example, verify the suspension message on the school website before forwarding; when commenting, argue about matters, never about persons, and keep the words polite. Responsible sharing keeps wrong information from spreading and makes online discussion more reasonable and civil, so everyone can exchange views in a healthy environment.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Example: Wai receives a group message: all classes across Hong Kong suspended tomorrow — share this at once! The message names no source. What steps should she take?
- Alarming words urging immediate sharing are classic signs of false news; stay calm, and neither forward nor reply.
- Check the source: the message does not say it comes from the school, the Education Bureau or the government — its origin is unknown.
- Compare and verify: browse the school website and government press releases; no such announcement can be found.
- Tell her family it is unverified and remind classmates not to share it, waiting for the official word.
- Answer: Wai should stay calm, check the source, then verify on the school website and government releases; she should not forward unverified messages, should remind others, and should treat official announcements as the standard.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1What three parts does a news story usually have?
Q2What are the six questions of the six-question method?
Q3Why compare several media when analysing news?
Q4Why be careful with phrases like sources say?
Q5How can we be responsible sharers of information?
8Recap Recap
- News has a headline, a lead and a body, keeping us in touch with current affairs.
- Ask the six questions to understand a story fully.
- Tell facts from opinions and watch the standpoint behind the wording.
- Sources are key: beware it is rumoured online and spot clickbait.
- Verify before forwarding, compare several outlets — be a reader who analyses.