Adapted from
http://sun.iwu.edu/~jplath/leads.html.
A few worksheets ago, you practiced short summary leads. Yet these are not the only types of leads used by professionals. Here are five other types of leads, with examples:
* Picture or Dramatic Lead: sets the stage for an article using imagery.
Mourners lined up for miles yesterday in the pouring rain to take one last look and lay flowers near the coffin of Mother Teresa, who lived among Calcutta's sick and needy for 35 years.
* Background Lead: puts the news in context of what led to it.
After two weeks of picketing, United Auto Workers put down their signs yesterday following an agreement which would give members a 10 percent raise.
* Ironic or Contrast Lead: uses surprising, interesting or strange side facts to put the news in larger context.
St. John's Church survived the 1868 fire that destroyed most of Bloomington, and it weathered firebombs thrown in anger during the sixties. But it crumbled last night under the weight of snow from yesterday's freak storm.
* Punch Lead: summarizes the story with a more adventurous and literary tone than a Simple Summary Lead.
Two muskrats have taken over Holiday Pool, evading would-be capturers and forcing residents to look for other ways to survive the latest heat-wave.
* Quotation Lead: uses a particularly good quote to tell the story through implication.
"When a man bites another human being's ear, he should be banned from boxing for life," Evander Holyfield said, pressing a handkerchief against the side of his bloodied head.
When being creative, be careful not to "bury" your lead. Be sure always that your leads get to the heart of your stories!
DIRECTIONS
You've been given five articles from the JSR website. They all feature good examples of Simple Summary Leads.
Read the whole articles, then rewrite their leads using a variety of the creative lead styles listed above. Use at least four of the different styles over the course of the worksheet.
Identify the style of lead at the beginning of your answer.
You may conduct additional research in order to complete this assignment.
EXAMPLE
Original Lead
from
http://www.jstudentboard.com/reporter/articles/sports/international-sports/pyeongchang-unveils-olympic-emblem/"On May 3, the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) released the official emblem for the highly anticipated 2018 winter Olympics."
New Lead:
(BACKGROUND LEAD) "The May 3 unveiling of the 2018 Winter Olympics logo is the latest step in a years-long process that began in the early 2000s, when the Korean city of PyeongChang first began its quest to host the Olympic Games."