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　　The article is a news story about a boy's strange disappearance. Though a lot of efforts have been made to investigate the case, it still remains a mystery. How to read a news article is designed and presented. All the activities are involved with checking and enhancing students' reading abilities. Students are expected to gain an overall understanding of the article and learn to read in different ways according to the type of the article.

　　Suggested teaching procedures

　　* Lead-in

　　Ask students the following questions by having them focus on the title of the article 'Boy missing, police puzzled'.

　　Does the title arouse your interest when you read it? Can you complete the title?

　　From the title what information can you get? And what else do you want to know? For example:

　　'boy missing' ( How / When / Where was the boy missing? )

　　'police puzzled' ( For what are they puzzled? / What are the police going to do with the boy's disappearance and how?)

　　Are you curious about why the writer uses a non-complete sentence as a title? Do you know it's a feature of a news title? What are the other features of a news title?

　　Can you guess what details may be covered in the following news story?

　　* Reading comprehension

　　1 Before asking students to skim the passage, let them look at the news photographs first and describe as much as possible what is happening in the photograph. And then let them find answers to the questions in A.

　　Answers 1 The article is about a missing boy / UFOs and aliens.

　　2 Justin Foster is missing. 3 No.

　　2 Ask students to recall the question in Lead-in and ask them if they have got specific answers to "How / When / Where was the boy missing?" The teacher can guide students to pay attention to the first paragraph, as all the relevant information is in the first paragraph. Tell them the first paragraph gives the main topic and most important facts. The followings are all covered.

　　When and where was the boy missing?

　　What caused the boy's sudden disappearance?

　　How old was the boy?

　　Why do people show interest in his disappearance?

　　3 Ask students to scan the article again and locate specific information according to C1 and C2. The first three questions in C1 check some background information about Justin while Questions 4 and 5 check students' comprehension about aliens. C2 requires students to identify some details to support the main points of the story. Ask students to complete the exercises individually and check them as a class. If there are disagreements, welcome them. The teacher can ask students to distinguish between facts and opinions about Justin Foster.

　　Answers C1 1 He lives in Dover, New Hampshire.

　　2 He plays basketball and baseball.

　　3 He has a sister.

　　4 They were white.

　　5 Mavis Wood has been taken.

　　6 Sam Peterson was in charge of the case.

　　C2

　　Main points

　　Supporting details

　　Justin Foster went missing.

　　Mrs Foster thought that Justin had stayed the night at a friend's house.

　　Mr Foster was surprised that his son did not tell anyone that he was staying out late.

　　Justin Foster did not show up at the family lunch the next day.

　　The police found that Justin returned home.

　　Justin's friends said that Justin headed home after playing basketball with them.

　　Witnesses said that they saw Justin walking towards his home at 10.45 p.m..

　　Kelly heard him put on his favourite CD.

　　The boy was taken away by aliens.

　　Kelly saw a large spaceship flying outside.

　　Kelly heard Justin shout.

　　Mavis Wood said that the aliens took her away so that they could do scientific research on her.

　　4 Ask students to self-evaluate how well they understand and comprehend the article with the following exercise. This step is optional and the teacher can conduct it flexibly.

　　Justin Foster

　　strange object (UFO)

　　5 Have students pay attention to the different features of each paragraph with the following activities.

　　a Ask students to conduct a discussion about how they usually choose whether the news article is worth reading or not and what methods they use in their reading. The following question can be used to begin with the activity first.As is known to all, newspapers play an important part in our daily life. Whenever or wherever you are, you can be informed of the latest news by reading a newspaper. From your own experience, how do you usually select the news you'd like to read, by taking a look at its title or by being attracted by its colourful pictures?

　　Encourage students to express their own opinions and their reasons.

　　b Ask students to tell the differences between the first paragraph of the article and the following paragraphs. The teacher can begin like this:

　　Compared with the following paragraphs, does the first paragraph serve as the most important one in the article?

　　c Ask students to read the Reading strategy of how to read a newspaper article. Tell students both the title and the first paragraph that is called the Lead play a key role in their understanding of a news article .

　　6 Ask students to complete D and E individually. The meanings of the words in D are not difficult for them to identify after students have read through the passage twice. E is a diary written by Kelly. It requires students to understand the letter first and then write down the missing words to make it meaningful.

　　Answers

　　D 1a 2d 3h 4b 5f 6g 7e 8c

　　E (1)bad (2)favourite (3) aliens (4)creatures (5) nightmare (6) Justin (7) not (8) puzzled (9) witnesses (10) murdered

　　* Post-reading activities

　　1 Ask students to retell the story according to the diagram on Page 8. The teacher can write down some key words or phrases on the blackboard or the overhead projector for students to refer to if they are in trouble.

　　2 Ask students to give an ending to the story. Though the police have made efforts to investigate the case, how Justin was missing remained a mystery. Was he really seized by aliens or were there any other reasons? If time doesn't permit, the teacher can assign this activity as homework. The teacher can begin like this:

　　All the people are concerned about Justin's disappearance. What do you think might have happened to him?

　　Was he in danger? If he were taken away by aliens, how would they treat him?

　　All the endings are acceptable.

　　3 Ask students to turn their attention to the questions in F. Let students do some speaking practice according to the sample.

　　Resources

　　1 Newspaper articles are often seen as shortened forms of news report that gives full information. The lead----- the first paragraph of a news story plays the most important part in the understanding of the whole story. It is usually a one- or two- sentence summary of the particular event being reported, because so much information are usually put into a small space, and some complex sentences are generally used in the first paragraph. The headline and first paragraph effectively summarize the story's content.

　　The teacher can encourage students to read English newspapers. There are several advantages of using a newspaper to improve our English. A newspaper is inexpensive, easily obtained and the materials are authentic. Besides, understanding the news stories rely on the students' knowledge of social and cultural experience. Newspapers mirror our national values, habits and preferences. Newspaper reading is more like the overall improvement of students' abilities than being simply informed of new information. Students will find time and efforts devoted to understanding the social and cultural materials rewarding.

　　2 Following are some newspaper activities the teacher can utilize in their teaching:

　　a Encourage students to read the newspaper daily. Ask them what articles they find interesting and read and discuss those articles with them.

　　b Read newspaper coverage of a major news story and watch the same story presented on television. Talk about the differences between reading newspapers and watching television news.

　　c Read the newspaper for issues that have some direct effect on students' families. Locate news stories and opinions in editorials, letters to the editor and editorial columns. Ask students which facts are most important and which opinions are closest to theirs.

　　d Review TV and movie schedules, discussing which shows and movies are appealing and why. Compare reviews with those written by media critics.

　　e Ask students to find persuasive letters to the editor. Identify and discuss the author's style and tone. Encourage students to respond with their own letters to the editor when they encounter ideas with which they disagree.