NEWS ITEM

A. Definition of News Item

Before you try to make a news item text, it is better if you know first ‘what is news item
text?’. News item text is a text that relates to the news. There are two kinds of news item text,
written and spoken. News that we read in newspaper is written text form. News that we hear in
radio or television is spoken text form. This text also has the generic structure. Those are
newsworthy event, sources and background events.

News item is a text which informs readers about events of the day. The events are
considered newsworthy or important.

It means if there is an important event that should be known by many people, then this
event deserves news. Well, the news text is called the news item text. However, if there are
events that people do not deserve, then they are not definitely worth to be news.

B. Purpose of News Item

News Item Text is used to inform readers about events of the day which are
considered newsworthy or important.
Or
– To inform the readers about newsworthy or important events of the day
– To present information the readers about newsworthy or important events of the day

C. Language Feature of News Item

– Focusing on circumstances (using a simple language in writing the text)

– Using saying verbs: “….”, She said, informed, told, reported.
– Sometimes at the beginning of news, the scene is mentioned : Jakarta – … .. / Kuala
Lumpur – …
– Using Past tense in explaining news events. But if it is a fact that until now still happen or
still in the form of fact, then can use simple present tense.
– Short, telegraphic information about story captured in headline
– Using adverbs: time, place and manner.
– Uses of material processes to retell the event

D. Schematic Structure of News Item

1. Main Events / Newsworthy event(s): it recounts the event in summary form.

2. Elaboration / Background event(s): they elaborate what happened, to whom, in what
circumstance
 3. Resource of Information (Source) : it contains comments by participants in, witnesses
to and authorities expert on the event

E. Example of News Item

Pamekasan student wins math contest in Romania

Alyssa Diva Mustika, a student from Pamekasan Junior High School, East Java, won
the gold medal at the International Mathematics Contest held in Romania between March 22 to
29, Antara news agency reported.

Speaking to journalists, Diva said she was glad that she had been able to win the
competition, which she said had been very tight. “Thank God I won. I will study harder,” she
said.

Indonesia sent 10 students to the competition in Romania. Diva is not the first
Pamekasan student to win an international science competition. Oktavian Latief, a student from
SMA Negeri 1 Pamekasan won gold at the International Physics Olympiad in 2006. Another
student, Shohibul Maromi, won the same award in 2010.

“I thank Diva for giving a good name to Indonesia and Pamekasan on the international
stage,” Pamekasan Regent Kholilurrahman said as quoted by Antara.

Structure Paragraph
Main Events Alyssa Diva Mustika, a student from Pamekasan Junior
High School, East Java, won the gold medal at the International
Mathematics Contest held in Romania between March 22 to 29,
Antara news agency reported.

Elaboration Speaking to journalists, Diva said she was glad that she had
been able to win the competition, which she said had been very
tight. “Thank God I won. I will study harder,” she said.

Indonesia sent 10 students to the competition in Romania.

Diva is not the first Pamekasan student to win an international
science competition. Oktavian Latief, a student from SMA Negeri
1 Pamekasan won gold at the International Physics Olympiad in
2006. Another student, Shohibul Maromi, won the same award in
2010.
 Resource of Information “I thank Diva for giving a good name to Indonesia and
Pamekasan on the international stage,” Pamekasan Regent
Kholilurrahman said as quoted by Antara.

F. Exercise

Two state-owned lenders — Bank Mandiri and Bank BNI — will build temporary houses for
400 families displaced by the recent strong earthquake that hit Sigi District, Central Sulawesi
Province.
Second Assistant Secretary of Sigi District Government Iskandar Nontji informed that the
temporary houses for 100 families will be constructed by Bank Mandiri in the South Sibayala
area of Dolo Sub-district. Meanwhile, Bank BNI will erect the temporary shelters for 300
families in Jonoge Village of Sigi Biromaru Sub-district that severely suffered from soil
liquefaction during the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that rocked the area on Sept 28, he noted.
The temporary houses will be constructed on pieces of land, owned by the sub-district
government, village, and community members, he stated, adding that the Sigi district
government will facilitate all related parties to sign a letter of agreement.
“We are going to provide a letter of agreement that will be signed by all related parties to avoid
any unexpected eventuality in the future,” he explained. (Antara, 17th October, 2018)

1. What is the text about?

A. Building temporary houses for displaced family
B. Planning to displace the temporary house
C. Signing a letter of agreements to build a permanent house
D. New luxury house will be built by BNI
E. Assistant Secretary has built temporary houses
2. What can we infer from the text?
A. The temporary house will be build in the family lands
B. The displaced family will build 400 houses for two state banks
C. Shelters will be built by two state banks for the earthquake victims
D. Bank Mandiri will be built in the South Sibayala
E. Bank BNI will be built by the earthquake victims in Jonoge Village of Sigi
3. What makes 400 families displaced?
A. Local governement
B. 7.4-magnitude earthquake
C. Temporary shelters
D. 400 houses
E. Mandiri bank and BNI
4. “The temporary houses will be constructed on pieces of lanD..” The temporary word has
antonym of ……..
A. Momentary
B. Transitory
C. Limited
D. Permanent
E. Seasonal
5. “We are going to provide a letter of agreement that will be signed by all related parties to
avoid any unexpected eventuality in the future,” he explained.
“He” refers to . . .
A. Second Assistant Secretary
B. temporary houses
C. 7.4-magnitude earthquake
D. 400 families
E. Jonoge Village
6. How many temporary houses will be constructed by Bank Mandiri in the South Sibayala ?
A. 10
B. 100
C. 1000
D. 10000
E. 100000
7. What will Bank Mandiri constructed in the South Sibalaya for 100 families ?
A. Temporary houses
B. Permanent school
C. Mall public
D. Gas station
E. Hospital
8. Where strong earthquake happended that displaced 400 families ?
A. Surabaya, east java
B. New zeland
C. Sigi District, Central Sulawesi Province.
D. Central of Indonesia
E. Entire universe
9. When 7.4-magnitude earthquake happended that displaced 400 families ?
A. 32 January
B. 28 September
C. 17 August
D. 222 July
E. 25 May
10. “We are going to provide a letter of agreement that will be signed by all related parties to
avoid any unexpected eventuality in the future,”
“We” refers to . . .
A. Goverment
B. Earthquake
C. 100 families
D. Temporary shelters
E. South Sibayala
Indonesia has embarked on the task of counting its islands in order to better protect its
territory and marine resources. It hopes to locate and name an additional 1,700 islands in time
for the UN Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names in August. Indonesia
wants to claim sovereignty and fishing rights in the waters surrounding the islands, many of
which its neighbors also claim.

The Indonesian government says illegal fishing in its waters is costing billions of dollars
in lost revenue each year. A fisheries spokeswoman told the BBC: "Sixty per cent of islands in
Indonesia don't have a name or officially have legal status, so they can easily be taken or
claimed by another country."

Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago. At the last UN conference on geographical

names in 2012, Indonesia registered 13,466 islands. A law in 1996 estimated that the number
of islands was 17,508. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea defines an island as, "a
naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is still exposed at high tide".

A spokesman from Indonesia's Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries explained the
scale of the task the counting team had. He said: "We have to visit every one of these islands,
and then we note the coordinates, the name, the meaning of the name, the history of the land
and describe the landscape and its geographical history…all that in great detail."

1. What kind of rights does Indonesia want to claim?

A. Water rights
B. Legal rights
C. Fishing rights
D. Lost rights
E. Mountain rights
2. Why does the growth of Indonesian smokers have to be concerned?
A. 1,000
B. 11,000
C. 17000
D. 7,100
E. 1,700
3. When must an island be exposed for it to officially be an island?
A. At noon
B. At midnight
C. At low tide
D. At high tide
E. At night
4. "Indonesia has embarked on the task of counting ...." (paragraph 1) synonym of the
underlined word is ....
A. Stayed
B. Launched
C. Stopped
D. Moved
E. Convened
5. How many island have been indonesia registered ?
A. 3,466 islands
B. 13,466 islands
C. 1,466 islands
D. 123,466 islands
E. 133,466 islands
6. "a naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is still exposed at high tide".
The synonym of the underlined text is . . .
A. Ringed
B. Agape
C. Free
D. Unfenced
E. Dive
7. "a naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is still exposed at high tide".
The antonym of the underlined text is . . .
A. Unfenced
B. Fenced
C. Ringed
D. Binded
E. Locked
8. He said: "We have to visit every one of these islands, and then we note the coordinates, . . “
“He” refers to . .
A. BBC
B. Neighbors
C. Indonesia
D. UN Conference
E. A spokesman from Indonesia's Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries
9. Why they can easily be taken or claimed by another country ?
A. Illegal fishing in its waters is costing billions of dollars in lost revenue each year.
B. Indonesia don't have a name or officially have legal status.
C. Indonesia registered 13,466 islands
D. Indonesia has embarked on the task of counting its islands in order to better protect its
territory and marine resources.
E. A fisheries spokeswoman told to the BBC
10. "Sixty per cent of islands in Indonesia don't have a name or officially have legal status, so
they can easily be taken or claimed by another country." This was said by . . .
A. The BBC
B. A fisheries spokeswoman
C. Indonesia goverment
D. Fisherman
E. Neighbor
ANSWER :
1. A. Building temporary houses for displaced family
2. C. Shelters will be built by two state banks for the earthquake victims
3. B. 7.4-magnitude earthquake
4. D. Permanent
5. A. Second Assistant Secretary
6. B. 100
7. A. Temporary houses
8. C. Sigi District, Central Sulawesi Province.
9. B. 28 September
10. A. Goverment

1 C. Fishing rights
2 E. 1,700
3 D. At high tide
4 B. Launched
5 B. 13,466 islands
6 A. Ringed
7 A. Unfenced
8 E. A spokesman from Indonesia's Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries
9 B. Indonesia don't have a name or officially have legal status.
10 B. A fisheries spokeswoman