Joe McGinniss Speech

Worksheet for chapters on accidents, obituaries and courts

Chapter 18 Accidents and Disasters

1) If vehicle A hit vehicle B according the accident report by police, driver A is clearly at fault and the news story should say so. True or False and why?

2) Eyewitness accounts of an airplane accident by people on the ground are notoriously unreliable, according to the book. True or False

3) When do reporters use the word "disaster"?

4) An elderly man crashed a $50,000 Porsche into a $500,000 statue in the center of town, destroying it, and he was killed. What is the most important detail that you should lead the story with?

Chapter 19 Obituaries

5) Should the reporter approach some stories/obituaries with the intention of writing routinely?

6) Which of the following information is required in all obituaries? A) name, age, occupation and address of deceased B) Date and place of death C) Cause of death D) Date of birth and birthplace E) Survivors in the immediate family F) Friends G) Pets H) Memberships, military service I) Awards and achievements J) Height and weight K) funeral arrangements L) Where to send donations in the deceased's honor.

7)Where does the reporter gather material for the obituary?

8) True of False: Obituaries are one of the most if not the most widely read -- and with greater attention to detail -- sections of the newspaper.

9) How does the manner in which the subject died influence how the obituary is written (371)?

10) Does an obituary have a theme?

11) Should embarrassing material be omitted from an obituary?

Chapter 21 Courts

12) True or False: There are two judicial systems: state and federal

13) True or False: Key differences between a criminal and civil trial is that the accused must be found be guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and the verdict must be unanimous in a CRIMINAL l trial but in a CIVIL trial, which involves damages and contracts, the likelihood of the defendant's liability is at issue and only 9 of 12 jurors must agree on the verdict.

14) What's an arraignment?

15) What's an indictment?

16) The lawyers for the prosecution and defense can reject potential jurors based on their sex or race. True or False?