Bina Bangsa School Bandung

Department of English and Literature

Term 4 Worksheet

Name: _____________________ Marks: ________/25

Class: Secondary 2 Parent’s Signature:_____________
Duration: 60 minutes Date: 28 March 2021

Directed Writing: News Article

INSTRUCTIONS:
Write in dark blue or black pen.
Do not use highlighters, glue or correction fluid.

Read Passage A carefully, and then answer Question 1.

Passage A

The victim, Tom Clyde, is on the run trying to escape from his captors after he was badly beaten for
betraying them.

Tom panted down the deserted roadway, wheezing as he gasped to fill his lungs with
gulps of air. His left leg stung like crazy and his right arm hung loosely at his side, blood
oozing from the small hole below the elbow. Desperate, he paused at the entrance to a
silent cemetery, breathing heavily. He listened carefully for any tell-tale sound. There was
none. Relieved, he plunged on between the gravestones. The moon cast eerie shadows
across his path and the swaying limbs of trees added to the unworldly atmosphere. He felt
strange and totally isolated.

Suddenly he saw the distant beams from two torches. He shivered then looked
around, confused. Now he could hear the howling of the dogs. He could almost smell their
breath. His feet sank into the soggy grass as he staggered over the lawn. Then he saw it –
an open grave! Perhaps he could hide deep in its darkness. He moved to the edge, then
slithered down like a snake till his feet struck something wooden. Oh no, the coffin had
already been placed, then why was the grave unfilled? He had no time to answer such
questions. Carefully he laid down on top of the coffin, when suddenly the lid slipped off
revealing a skinny corpse covered in a white shroud. He slipped into the case and pulled the
top into place.

Long moments of silence followed. He did not move in case he disturbed the body
and he held his breath lest he experience the odours of the corpse. Several minutes passed
and he heard nothing. He knew he could not remain in this hole for much longer and he
began to worry that facing his pursuers might be easier than spending a night on top of a
dead body. He waited a little longer, then slowly slid the coffin lid to one side. There was no
sound. He lay still for several minutes and then sat up. The moon had disappeared into a
cloudy sky and the wind had dropped. There was absolutely no sound. Slowly he stood up
and peered over the edge of the grave. Nothing. His spirits rose.

When he reached the entrance to the cemetery, he paused. On the opposite side of
the road was a yellow street lamp. In the distance he could hear the reassuring sound of a
police siren and the solid gravel beneath his feet felt good. He moved off to his left. Then he
saw them. They had clearly searched the graveyard and were now retracing their steps. He
pulled his cap lower, hunched his shoulders and quickly moved on into the darkness of the
street.

Initially they did not see him but they soon knew where he was and he soon knew
that they were on his track. He glanced back and saw the yellow orbs. Cold fear gripped his
whole body. If they caught him, they would show him little mercy. No one forgives treachery,
especially blabbing to the cops. But he had no option; it was either him or them. As he
struggled, he thought back over the recent weeks.

Once Tom had been a successful businessman, with a wife, good home, two cars
and the future looked rosy. Then one morning, a stranger arrived at his office with a
seemingly innocent proposition. He owned a real estate company and this stranger wanted
to rent one of the largest holding warehouses his company represented. The papers were
all in order and the gentleman was offering a very generous rental. The market was tight and
it was hard to get good rental money so he accepted the offer. Everything seemed all right,
until one day he received a call from the local police. They wanted to search the warehouse.
He couldn’t object – he had no reason to object. And that was when the nightmare began.
The police found several boxes containing heroin and he was charged as an accessory.
What could he say? He had to reveal the name of his client and this enabled the police to
bust the whole ring. He was a hero overnight to many and a nasty snitch to a few – to these
his image was tarnished forever.

Back to the present. Suddenly he saw it – a police car. It was parked on the far side
of the street with a copper inside. He could not believe his luck; his prayers were answered.
 3

1 You are a reporter of a local newspaper. Write a news report highlighting Tom’s
nightmarish experience. Your report should:

• describe the events that led to him being charged as an accessory

• give details on how he escaped from his captors
• include the possible measures the police will take to catch the man’s pursuers

Base your ideas on what you have read from the passage, but do not copy from it.

You should write between 1 and 1½ sides, allowing for the size of your handwriting.

Up to 15 marks will be available for the content of your answer, and up to 5 marks for
the quality of your writing.

[Total: 20]