Feature

What is feature?
Feature articles are human-interest topic which focus in people, place and events. They go deeper than a hard
news coverage. It thoroughly explores a topic. It takes more time and effort to make than a news story because you
need to provide factual research in form of actual or personal interviews and resources. A feature story is not intended
to report a breaking news but to discuss an in-depth look about the subject.
Feature stories give readers information in an entertaining format that highlights an issue by describing the
people , place and events. The power of an article lies in the ability of the journalist on how he can amplify the focus of
an issue. Features have a clear beginning, a middle and an end.

Characteristics
Longer than a hard news
Creative use of language
Have different styles of writing
Entertaining
Need more time to do
Allows personal opinions
Timeless
May provide solutions

Differences Between Feature and News

Feature vs. news contents
News
Must be current
Statements by powerful people
Feature
Timely or timeless
Personal observation and experiences,
anecdote

Feature vs. news style
News
Inverted pyramid
Non-chronological
Concise articles
Lead: most important facts
Style : matter of fact reporting
Feature
Narrative structure
Chronological
Long articles
Lead: grabs the attention of the reader
Style : Personal, colorful, humorous
Lead
Leads in feature stories have opening sentences which grabs the attention of the reader. It can be done by
using arousing and interesting words. The lead must catch the tone of the story. A lead may be sarcastic, ironic,
serious or humorous.
Leads are:
Often longer than one sentences
Chance to grab the readers attention
Should be in third person
Must fit the tone of the story
Source: http://www.slideshare.net/PiritaJuppi/characteristics-and-types-of-feature


A few types of leads
Source: http://teachers.ewrsd.k12.nj.us/savedoff/journalism/features/Basic%20feature_leads.htm
a) Descriptive- feature leads often starts by giving words that can paint a picture in the a persons mind. Uses vivid
detail and color to describe a person, things or events. This type is best sed for travelogues
and personality sketches.
Source: http://studentmedia.ncsu.edu/web/training/technician/the-lead
Example:
Tending to Muslim Hearts and Islam's Future
By: Andrea Elliott

An Imam in America
The young Egyptian professional could pass for any New York bachelor.
Dressed in a crisp polo shirt and swathed in cologne, he races his Nissan Maxima through the rain-slicked streets of
Manhattan, late for a date with a tall brunette. At red lights, he fusses with his hair.
Source: http://www.pulitzer.org/archives/7140


b) Anecdote- Uses short story to tell an interesting story, metaphors or events to demonstrate an aspect of an feature
story.
Example:
Courts Compound Pain of Chinas Tainted Milk
By: EDWARD WONG
BEIJING The first sign of trouble was powder in the babys urine. Then there was blood. By the time the
parents took their son to the hospital, he had no urine at all.
Kidney stones were the problem, doctors told the parents. The baby died on May 1 in the hospital, just two
weeks after the first symptoms appeared. His name was Yi Kaixuan. He was 6 months old.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/17/world/asia/17milk.html?em&_r=0

c) Quotation Lead a direct quotation which stands out as the important element of the story. A dramatic way to
introduce the topic of the article. Avoid famous quotes if possible, using testimony from real
people or experts. This type of lead rarely works because it is hard to find a perfect quote.
Source: http://studentmedia.ncsu.edu/web/training/technician/the-lead
Example :
I wish I could get more money for less work, senior Amanda Weller, who is presently working at Shoprite,
confessed. It was a feeling expressed by many, with student expenses rising and limited working time available.
Source: http://teachers.ewrsd.k12.nj.us/savedoff/journalism/features/Basic%20feature_leads.htm

d) Question Lead- it develops the curiosity of the reader. Used to introduce the topic and arouse the interest of the
reader.
Example:
Have you ever wondered how you would survive if you found yourself alone in the wilderness? How would you defend
yourself against predators? What would you eat? Where would you find water?
Source: http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/writing/sixtrait/organization/leads.html
Components of A feature Article
According to http://hosbeg.com/components-of-a-newspaper-feature-story/
1. The focus of the feature
A feature article must have a focus. A focus is the topic where the feature article is all about. The features topic
must not be specific.
2. The Lead
It grabs the attention of your reader.
3. The body of the feature
After you persuade the readers attention it is the time to bring up the main topic of your feature. The body also
needs to be good so that the readers will not lose interest in the feature.
4. The ending of the feature
Just like the lead and body of the feature, the end is also important. The common ways of ending a feature story
are by telling a statement or quotes. There are two types of ending; summary and twist. The summary , gives
the general summary of the content. The twist is formed when the writer ends with statements which contrasts
the lead or the intro.


Types of Feature
1. News Feature - offers a human-interest view on a hard news event. News features may cover same subjects as hard
news but they do it in a greater depth. Background information is expounded.

Example : http://www.unicef.org/sowc97/download/newsfeat.pdf


Exploding the myths
about child labour

VITOR, A 12-YEAR-OLD BOY, WAS ELECTROCUTED WHILE WORKING ON A BUILDING SITE
with his father. He was killed by a high-voltage shock from a live cable he inadvertently
touched while operating a cement mixer.
Vitor might have been one of the many millions of child labourers who work
in developing countries in hazardous conditions. But he wasnt. He lived in
Portugal and worked for his fathers construction company.
Child labour, as UNICEFs The State of the Worlds Children 1997 report
explains, is a complex, often misunderstood problem. The myths that surround
it impede solutions, and the report examines those myths to help dispel them.
One myth is that children work only in poor countries. In fact, children work
all over the world, in both industrialized and developing countries, although it
is in the developing world that most child labour takes place.
Not all labour, however, is hazardous. It is the nature of the work children
do and the conditions in which they labour not the fact that they work that
determines how they are affected.
In the industrialized world, children of ethnic minorities or immigrant
groups are those most likely to do hazardous work, the report points out. In the
United States, for example, a high proportion of children working in agriculture
come from immigrant or ethnic-minority families. A 1990 survey of
Mexican-American children working in the farms of New York state showed that
almost half had worked in fields still wet with pesticides and over a third had
themselves been sprayed.
Refuting another myth, the report argues that the elimination of hazardous
child labour does not have to wait until poverty is eliminated, even though
poverty particularly the exploitation of poverty is an important contributing
factor. However poor their families may be, children would not be harmed by
work if there were not people prepared and able to exploit them, the report says.
There are a number of measures that can be taken immediately to reduce
the impact of poverty that will help protect children and families from exploitation.
Income-generating and credit schemes can alleviate some of the greatest
pressures on poor people, as can the provision of basic services such as safe
water, health care and education. In fact, education is key to keeping children
out of hazardous labour.
Also distorting the picture of child labour is the perception that children in
developing countries work primarily to produce consumer goods such as clothing
and toys for consumers in rich countries. In fact, only a tiny minority of children
work in the export sector. A great many more are doing the kind of work
in which 10-year-old Maria is engaged as she weaves between the traffic in downtown
Lima, Peru, selling chewing-gum to whoever will buy.
Like Maria, children are involved in a wide range of different jobs outside
the export sector. A 1995 study in Bangladesh identified 300 such jobs, ranging
from brick-making to stone-breaking, street-hawking to rag-picking. The vast
majority of children work for their families or in agriculture or hidden away in
houses, far from the reach of the official labour inspectors.
If we allow the notion that the most exploited child workers are all in the
industrial export sector to take hold, we would do a grave disservice to that
great majority of children who labour in virtual invisibility, says the report.
Connected to this notion is another myth: that the only way to counter child
labour is through government sanctions and consumer boycotts initiated in
developed countries. Such sweeping measures would affect export production
only, one of the smallest parts of the child labour problem.
Sanctions and boycotts are blunt instruments that can do more harm than
good, when they simply throw children out of work without simultaneously
offering them and their families other ways to survive and improve their lives.
The report looks at the impact that the mere threat of one such measure, the
Harkin Bill in the US, had on the thousands of children involved in the garment
industry in Bangladesh, who were immediately let go by their employers.
UNICEF advocates a comprehensive strategy against hazardous child labour,
including compulsory education for children and employment for parents.
Although much remains to be done, much has already been accomplished
to eliminate hazardous child labour and the damage it does to children. Projeto
Ax in Brazil, for example, is an imaginative programme that offers literacy and
skills training to children living and working on the streets in the town of
Salvador. The most important thing, says Axs founder Cesare de Florio La
Rocca, is to stimulate the child to dream and wish, and to offer a number of
concrete opportunities to help the child realize those dreams.
The Child Labour Abolition Support Scheme (CLASS) is grappling with the
exploitation of children in the beedi (tobacco) rolling industry in Indias Tamil
Nadu state. Most children begin working in that industry to pay their parents
debts, so CLASS has concentrated on providing new and less rapacious sources
of credit for poor families. In addition, project staff have recognized that the
best alternative to child labour is to offer high-quality, relevant schooling to children,
something very much missing in many countries. So CLASS has pioneered
the retraining of elementary teachers to be more participative and
enthusiastic in their techniques, using a simple approach called joyful learning.
There are also projects aimed specifically at encouraging and educating the
media about child labour. Since 1989, for example, a media advocacy group
called PRESSHOPE has been working in the Philippines to involve both television
and print media in child protection. The group is building on the success of
a community organization that used an imaginative campaign to put the question
of child prostitution in Pagsanjan on the national and international agendas.

2. Informative Feature a feature that shows practical information about a subject. It educates readers in an
entertaining way.

Example (http://www.gemsociety.org/article/tools-tools-tools-the-fundamentals/)

Tools, tools, tools:
The fundamentals
by Helen Goga

The dictionary defines ability as 'the quality that makes an action or process possible; the capacity or power to do
something; cleverness, talent'.
Wire artists know that their success lies in their ability to handle their tools and control the wire; the ability to use hand
tools has a direct impact on the wire. So it comes as no surprise that, whenever wire artists meet, they should talk about
wire and what neat tools they have just bought. In fact, talking about pliers is probably the one thing they are most willing
to share. But, make no mistake -- "You toucha my pliers, I breaka you face!"
Their love of hand tools is not the only thing they have in common. Many are confirmed toolaholics and are proud of it.
Legends have been shared about particular artists and the incredible number of tools they own; these stories often precede
them. This poses many questions, such as: Why?, What early life trauma led them to this? and Have they ever considered
seeking help?
When watching a wire artist choose their hand tools, you will notice their nimble fingers expertly sliding up the handle
and over the jaws while the vinyl cushion grips slip into their waiting palm. These artists are adept with their hands, but
some careful observers have reported seeing a quick, frisky pinch of the vinyl. You might hear a soft exhalation and a
just-audible moan as their eyelids flutter for an instant, or you may see them replace the pliers with a "hmph" and an air of
dismissal.
What are they looking for? As a general rule, not much. But that "not much" is sure hard to find. For example, when
evaluating round-nose pliers, the wire artist is looking for a truly ROUND jaw -- not one that is oval, or has ridges or flat
spots, because they know all of their loops, coils and circles will reflect whatever they have seen and felt on the surface on
the jaw. This jaw must be smooth so as to not scratch the surface of the metal. The artist will also judge the space between
the jaws, determining whether the wire will be held securely; if the space is too wide, the wire will slip.
Inexpensive pliers
It is very likely that the first pair of pliers ever purchased by our wire artist friend were inexpensive ones that didn't last
because of their construction. Box-joint construction outlasts and outperforms all other types; it keeps its precise
alignment, never loosening or wobbling, and opens and closes smoothly.
Knowing the long hours they will be holding the pliers, the artist tests how it feels in their hand; the tool must feel
comfortable. Manufacturers understand this need, offering plastic- and foam-grip handles. This not only provides grip but
gives some insulating qualities.
The same criteria apply when evaluating flat-nose pliers but, because the pliers will be used for different purposes, a few
more attributes are added to the "wish list." For example, flat-nose pliers come in different sizes; the size will determine
their application. Wide-nose pliers could be used to bend over the end of the wire when you begin your bindings, but
wouldn't work well for tight spots such as those in many of the ring designs. Tapered, slim, flat-nose pliers would work
well for these. As the inside surface of flat-nose pliers may be either smooth or serrated, the wire artist makes sure that the
surface is smooth.
Cutter and nippers may be purchased as sidecutters or end cutters. The shape of the edges of the jaw will determine how
the ends of the wire will be cut, allowing for either a flush or semi-flush cut. A flush cut is one in which the edge of the
wire is cut off squarely, whereas a semi-flush cut leaves a point on the end of the wire. Depending on the need and the
desired end result, both types of pliers and both types of cuts are useful.
These are the three basic tools required to start a career as a wire artist jeweller. There are combinations of these, such as
pliers that have one round-nose jaw with an opposing flat-nose jaw, rosary pliers (which are round-nose pliers with a side
cutter) and so on.
Specialty pliers
There are, as well, specialty pliers such as coiling pliers or bent needle-nose. When an artist needs the tapered jaw of a
needle-nose plier but the flat surface of a flat-nose plier, they may use chain-nose pliers, appreciating that the jaw edges
are bevelled to prevent the marring of soft wire. The choice made is a matter of personal preference and technique. All
one has to do is check out catalogues of tools, supplies and equipment for technicians and craftsmen to see all the
variations and choices available.
Complementary to these hand tools, wire artists frequently use pin vises, ring mandrels, jewelry (or bench) vises, calipers,
rulers, pocket- or penknives, jewelers' files, ring sizers and an opti-visor.
In defence of all the many plier enthusiasts you may meet, wire art is really a study of how wire is successfully
manipulated into a certain shape. The tool used to do this is is just an extension of the artist's hand and should be used to
guide the wire into place without undue pressure or force. Because the tool is so critical, it comes under scrutiny. As an
artist becomes more involved with the artform and begins to play with design, it is inevitable that specific tools begin to
find an exact use; ergo, the 101 pliers.
3. Personality profile - a story which reveal the personality of someone trough anecdotes, incidents and quotes.

Example

Momma
by Pfc. David Alberti

Its 7 a.m. on an already warm Monday morning. As the soldier stands in line at
the Consolidated Dining Facility, he squints through hungover eyes at the eggs
being mercilessly beaten to a syrupy, yellow-white glop that will soon be his
omelet breakfast.
His head hurts. His whiskey-tortured stomach feels as if it is in the early stages
of rigor mortis. He wants to go back to bed. He wants to go home. He wants his
mother.
Now, honey. It cant be that bad! says a voice from behind the grill.
Momma, it can be that bad, moans the young soldier.
Momma laughs a warm, compassionate laugh and hands the man his plate.
Here, soldier, you put a little hot sauce on them eggs. If it dont make that head
feel a little better, itll sure make you forget it for a while!
The soldier smiles, and it doesnt hurt so much. Thats what Momma does, and
thats why shes Momma.
Momma is really Johnetta Colbert, the senior server and union steward at the
CDF. But for the last three of her seven years here and to hundreds of soldiers
who have passed through Fort Harrison, she has been known affectionately as
Momma.
Momma is a large, black woman. She is only 5 feet, 4 inches tall, but she is
large in a strong, maternal way. Her clear, dark eyes and soft, smooth, lineless
complexion give her back 20 of her 50 years.
I aint got no children of my own, she confided. My and Earl, my husband, we
were married 21 years and always wanted em. But were separated ... been
separated seven years now. Her voice trailed off, then picked up. But now Ive
got hundreds of kids. These soldiers like their Momma cookin em breakfast.
And Momma has been cooking breakfast for the troops at Fort Harrison for
seven years. When she and her husband separated in 1974, Momma moved
from St. Louis, where she was born, to Indianapolis, where she had a close
friend. How did she end up working in a mess hall?
I needed a job! You aint got nothin if you aint got a job. Everybodys got to
have work, she laughed.
Momma has worked all of her life, starting at the age of 16, cleaning and
canning fish in a St. Louis fishery in 1947. She stayed at it for 27 years until she
came to Indianapolis.
The morning shift that Momma works six days a week starts serving the troops
at 5:30 a.m. In order to catch the Fort Harrison bus from her home in the city,
she gets up at 4 a.m. Yet she always shows sympathy to the yawning soldiers
who file past her each morning. Once in a while I get a smart alec or some wise
guy in line. I dont get mad at em, just give em a good looking at -- she
squinted her eyes, crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow -- and that usually
gets my point across.
People is people, she explained. God says to treat everyone like youd want
to be treated. Smile and try and be happy. She feels the soldier has it hard
sometimes ... they (soldiers) deserve a smile and a good meal more than most!
Momma feels a strong responsibility toward the soldiers she feeds. Shes very
professional, very picky about the food and service the troops get, said Walter
W. Trotter III, one of Mommas co-workers. She tries to keep everybody
working, and in a good mood if she can.
As the union steward of the dining facility, things are not always that simple. If
theres a problem (with management) she tries to work it out first, Trotter
continued. But if its the worker whos the problem, shes the first one to kick
em in the rear.
Momma is working toward retirement now. I get tired sometimes, and I sure
would like to know I could wake up tomorrow and know I dont have to go to
work. She looked down at her strong, scarred hands and added, But I guess
after doin somethin for a while, youd miss it if you left it.
After these long years of hard work and long hours, Momma finds strength in
her church, the Freedom Baptist Church in Indianapolis. Active as a member of
the missionary board, board of trustees and an alto in the choir, Momma said
shed like to work for the church when she leaves the mess hall and her troops.
Maybe Id work at our (churchs) day-care center. She smiled her warm
maternal smile at the thought and added, Yeah. I guess Id like workin with the
little kids if I could.
Johnetta Colbert, Momma to so many young men and women, finishes work
at 2 p.m. each day and walks to the bus stop on strong but tired legs. No family
welcomes her home. But each morning weary soldiers come to Mrs. Colbert to
find a smile and a laugh and the hot meal that she serves so well.
Thats what Momma does. Thats why shes Momma.

Source: http://www.capmembers.com/media/cms/Personality_Feature_Writing_Tips_E70A30F5B1D74.pdf

4. Human Interest feature- a short piece , told in a very entertaining way , concentrates on emotionally appealing subjects.

Example
Contemplating the mystery of what happened to Glen and Bessie Hyde
By Jeff Louderback

What happened to Glen and Bessie Hyde?

To this day, many adventure seekers who pass along the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon and are aware of the
Hyde story contemplate the answer to that long-lived question.

In 1928, the Hydes were a newlywed couple attempting to run the ferocious rapids of the Colorado River. If they had
succeeded, Bessie would have been the first known woman to accomplish the feat. Instead, they were last seen on the
river in November 1928, and they were never heard from again.

The Hydes met on a passenger ship traveling to Los Angeles in 1927. They were married on April 12, 1928 on the 16th
anniversary of the Titanic sinking and a day after Bessies divorce from her first husband was finalized.

Glen was an expert boat builder who had rafting experience traversing the Salmon and Snake rivers in Idaho a couple
years earlier. Bessie was more of a novice. Glen built a 20-foot-long wooden sweep scow and the couple embarked on a
honeymoon adventure down the Green and Colorado rivers in October 1928.

To Glen, it was more than just a casual float. He was committed to setting a new speed record for traveling through the
Grand Canyon, and he wanted Bessie to make history as the first documented woman to run the canyon.

According to Bessies detailed journal, the couple was ahead of schedule and making remarkable progress. The couple
stopped to resupply on November 16, hiking along the Bright Angel Trail where they met brothers Ellsworth and Emery
Kolb, legendary photographers who operated a cliffside studio.

Glen and Bessie knocked on the studio door and introduced themselves to the Kolbs, explaining that they were
honeymooners who had been rafting on the river for 26 days. The Kolb brothers said that the couple asked to have their
photo taken on the canyon rim, and they would return to retrieve it after the trip was completed.

According to Emory Kolb, Glen said that they did not have life preservers, a comment that evoked a warning from Kolb
that Glen responded to with a laugh. Bessie, Emory Kolb said, looked nervous about the remaining journey ahead. As
Glen and Bessie prepared to depart and walk down the trail to their boat, Emory Kolbs daughter Emily appeared, nicely
dressed. Bessie remarked, I wonder if I shall ever wear pretty shoes again.

Some historians have noted that a man named Adolph G. Sutro accompanied the couple back into the canyon, taking
photographs and even riding a short distance with them in the boat. If this is true, Sutro was likely the last person to see
them alive.

By early December, Glen and Bessie had not been heard from. Emory Kolb initiated a search of the area that included a
small plane that flew through the inner gorge of the canyon. The pilot saw the Hydes scow snagged in the rocks on the
river.

When the rescue party which included Kolb reached the boat, they found everything securely packed. Food, clothing,
books and even Bessies journal were neatly in place. A camera found in the boat revealed the final photo to have been
shot near river mile 165 on or about November 27.

Glens father, Reith Hyde, hired a group of men to search the canyon within the area where Glen and Bessie likely
traveled. Days, weeks and months passed with no success. Because of the storys romance, along with the lack of
conclusive evidence regarding the couples fate, a myriad of legends and theories have surfaced over the years.

One theory suggests that Glen was an abusive husband whose prolonged exposure to the extreme conditions of the canyon
heightened his nasty behavior. It is speculated by some people that Bessie grew tired of the rough treatment of her new
husband, murdered him and hiked out of the canyon to start a new life. Many of Glens friends and family members
discounted that theory; however, stating that he was not an abusive person and that he dearly loved Bessie.

Another story supports the speculation that Bessie shot and killed Glen because of his abusive tendencies. Some friends of
Georgie Clark, a woman who gained notoriety for her rafting adventures in the Grand Canyon, speculate that she was
Bessie Hyde.

Conversations about Clarks connections to Bessie started when friends were perusing her personal items following her
death in 1992. People who had known her for decades had never been invited inside her home.

Upon looking at Clarks personal effects, her friends learned that her birth certificate indicated that her real name was
Bessie DeRoss, not Georgie. Clark or Georgie White (which was another surname she sometimes used). The latter two
were the last names of husbands she had divorced.

Her friends curiosity was further peaked when they found the marriage license of Glen and Bessie Hyde at her home, and
a pistol in her lingerie drawer. Colorado River historian Brad Dimock whose book, Sunk Without a Sound The
Tragic Colorado River Honeymoon of Glen and Bessie Hyde, investigates the couples story and the subsequent theories
looked at the items from Clarks home and concluded from photographs that Clark and Bessie Hyde were not the same
person.

Richard Westwood, who wrote a biography about Clark, has also said that there is little proof to substantiate the theory
that Clark was actually Bessie Hyde.



Many historians surmise that another theory likely describes what happened to the Hydes. Glen and Bessie, according to
this opinion, accidentally drowned in the Colorado River. According to historians, the mile 232 rapid was not well-known
and was not charted in 1928, yet it is regarded as one of the most brutal areas of the river. The Hydes did not have the
appropriate equipment to tackle this rapid, it is speculated. Those who crave a romantic tale have said that Bessie fell into
the rapids, Glen leaped in to save her and both drowned.

In the 1970s, two additional stories surfaced regarding Bessie Hyde. In 1971, an elderly woman on a commercial boat tour
spoke up when the story of Glen and Bessie Hyde was told by a guide during a campfire dinner. The woman claimed that
she was Bessie and that, after she had enough of her husbands abusive behavior during the trip, she napped, stabbed him,
left him for dead and hiked out of the canyon to start a new life.

The guide told about the womans claims, and researchers looked into the story. They determined that, though the woman
resembled Bessie with her features and her height, she was a retired psychologist who liked to tell tales. Though it could
not be proven that, without a doubt, the woman was not Bessie Hyde, her claim was discounted, keeping the legend of
what happened to the Hydes alive.

In 1976, skeletal remains with a bullet inside the skull were found on the canyon rim on the property that belonged to
Emory Kolb, who was reportedly one of the last people to see the Hydes alive. Eventually, though, a forensic
investigation found that the skeleton belonged to a man no older than 22 who died no earlier than 1972, which ruled out
Glen Hyde.

Today, the question of what happened to Glen and Bessie Hyde remains unanswered. Like the Hydes during their ill-fated
honeymoon expedition, adventure seekers today can encounter areas of the Grand Canyon that can only be seen from the
water like emerald pools, hidden waterfalls, colorful flowers and thriving wildlife. Grand Canyon Expeditions offers
eight-day motorized boat tours and 14-day to 16-day Dory boat trips on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon.

The guided tours include hiking remote areas of the canyon, learning about the natural splendor and scintillating history of
the area, swimming in side canyons and running class IV whitewater rapids.

The Grand Canyon features a diverse and majestic geological extravaganza. It stretches for 277 miles, measures from four
to 18 miles in width, and averages a mile in depth. Covering more than 1.2 million acres, the semi-arid canyon consists of
raised plateaus, steep-walled canyons, desert basins at lower elevations and forests at higher elevations. Canyon walls
provide wide-ranging fossil specimens, a vast array of geological features and rock types, and numerous caves.

Though the Grand Canyon is a desert, it is teeming with plants and wildlife. Cactus and wildflowers dot the riverbanks as
well as cool glens with tumbling waterfalls and ferns. Grand Canyon Expeditions passengers might see bighorn sheep,
mule deer, coyotes, and ringtail cats along the riverbanks and in tributary canyons. Hawks, golden eagles, falcons, great
blue herons and egrets fly overhead.

The eight-day excursions cover the entire 277 miles of the canyon, beginning at Lees Ferry, Arizona (in Grand Canyon
National Park) and ending at Pearce Ferry on Lake Mead. During the adventure, passengers will negotiate nearly 200
exciting white water rapids in safety and first-class comfort.

For people who want to experience the grandeur of the river and the canyon at a more leisurely pace, Grand Canyon
Expeditions offers the 14-day to 16-day Dory trips. Sturdy wooden vessels that are designed to withstand the rigors of
whitewater, Dory boats allow passengers to see the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon much like Powell and his men.
Source : http://www.jefflouderback.com/contemplating-the-mystery-of-what-happened-to-glen-and-bessie-hyde/

5. Historical Feature story about interesting aspect of a historical subject

Example
Glen Arbor commemorates September 11 attacks
By: Jacob Wheeler
Sun editor

More than 200 patriotic Americans, local townspeople and students from two high schools attended an emotionally
stirring September 11 Memorial Service at the Glen Lake Fire Department this morning an annual event in Glen Arbor
to remember the fallen, to honor those that serve in uniform and risk their lives for our communities and our nation, and as
a reminder that evil still exists today in a dangerous world. - See more at
The 70-minute ceremony featured the Glen Lake School Choir singing the Star Spangled Banner, God Bless America
and A Prayer for Tomorrow; bagpipers playing Amazing Grace, as is traditionally done at New York City funerals for
fallen police and firemen, and the Taps farewell salute, by Norm Wheeler and William Brodin. At 8:43 a.m., the
moment when the first hijacked airplane hit the Twin Towers 12 years ago, the fire station bells sounded their mournful
chimes, followed by one minute of silence.
Glen Lake Fire Chief John Dodson officiated the service, which also featured remarks by Glen Lake Community
Reformed Church Reverend Andy Bossardet, and a history lesson from Major General Mike Lehnert, who lives in nearby
Elk Rapids and is a veteran of military campaigns in Panama, Kuwait and Iraq. Paying homage to local families who
serve, Lehnert recalled driving by a house on M-72 this morning that boasts three Marine flags one for every son in
uniform, whose sons Kevin, Keith and Kyle and all in the Marine Corps.) Acknowledging that soldiers are often honored
for their service, while firemen receive little credit for their sacrifice, Lehnert concluded his remarks by turning and
saluting the Glen Lake firemen.
Glen Arbor resident Ted Peterson designed the memorial which sits in front of the Fire Department and features a beam
that was salvaged from the wreckage at Ground Zero standing over a reflecting pool. Peterson spoke about his inspiration
for making complex art out of simple topics, but in this case making simple art out of complex topics. The beam came
from the Twin Towers wreckage and arrived in Glen Arbor last year.
Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, and Leelanau County resident Taro), whose father helped design the Twin Towers in
Manhattan, also created an emotionally moving video (together with Julie Weeks) about the families of firemen lost in the
terrorist attacks. Watch the slideshow below:

Finally, the memorial service featured sobering photos of the smoking wreckage at Ground Zero in the days after the
terrorist attack. Anthony Miller, an Native American ironworker from nearby Peshawbestown, traveled to New York
immediately after learning of the tragedy and spent 40 days there aiding the dangerous cleanup effort in the still
smoldering wreckage.
Wed cut iron, the big stuff, and trim it down to a size that it could be loaded on a truck and hauled away, Miller told
the Leelanau Enterprise. The air was thick. The wreckage burned for weeks.


Source: http://glenarborsun.com/glen-arbor-commemorates-september-11-attacks/



6. How to do feature - explains how to do something . It explains how to make or do things that are uncommon to us.

Example
How to Save Money on Food
Author: Janis Cormier
If you think that Im going to divulge the best couponing strategies or reveal secrets about how to shop the sales at your
local supermarket, well, youre wrong. What I want to tell you about is how to save money on foodby growing your
own.

And before you start moaning that you cant because you have a black thumb or you havent any room to grow fresh
vegetables, herbs and fruit Im going to tell you how easy it is. All you need is a corner of your yard, or a balcony, or if
you havent either of these rent a plot in a nearby community garden.

An amazing amount of food can be grown in a small space if you use intensive planting methods and that food will be
tastier and fresher than anything youll buy from the store, and cost less too!

Of course if you lack knowledge about how to grow, or what crops can be grown where you live you should probably
enlist some help. Ask questions at your local garden centre, they can advise you on local conditions. Companies like West
Coast Seeds publish catalogues that are chock full of helpful information. But the best resource is a garden buddy,
preferrably someone with decades of gardening experience who you can call (or email) with all your stupid questions who
will patiently explain the arcane art of coaxing food from those tiny little specks or lumpy bumpy spheres inside of
vegetable seed packages. Your Hortophile friend will happily tell you about the power of compost, which organic
fertilizers you should invest in, and when to harvest your potatoes.

A big part of growing food successfully depends upon your local climate; you need to know when the last (and first) frost
dates are in an average year. And if you live somewhere that never sees frost, thats important too! But the single most
important requirement for a successful garden is attached to the bottoms of your legs your feet! As an old gardener once
told me, The best fertilizer for a garden is the footsteps of the gardener.


You must pay attention to whats happening, spend at least a few minutes each day in your garden, checking to see if your
veggies need some water or are drowning, monitoring for pests and watching for signs of disease. Its not a bad way to
defuse after a busy day at work; strolling around the garden observing the progress of your crops, perhaps harvesting
something for dinner.

Gardening is addictive and contagious; once youve spent a season or two experimenting with growing your own food
you might find the neighbours asking YOU for advice about growing food. And that would be beneficial for all our
neighborhoods, leading to better food security, helping others learn how to save money on food and building greener and
friendlier communities.

Source: http://technorati.com/women/article/how-to-save-money-on-food/









Activity

Determine what type of lead was used in each number.

1.
Penmanship suffers in computer age
By Lini S. Kadaba
Knight Ridder News Service
Friday, August 27, 1999
PHILADELPHIA -- Welcome to Camp HandRIGHTing Ink., a place to mind one's p's and q's and other details of proper
penmanship.This is a place for children to practice putting pencil to paper -- something that has become a necessity in the
age of computers.
Source: .( http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/conspiracies-up-in-the-sky/story-e6frg6z6-
1226817968777#mm-premium)


2.
How to look hot in the heat
BY: GLYNIS TRAILL-NASH- THE AUSTRALIAN
HAVING spent 25 years in Perth, you'd think I would know how to dress in summer. Stylishly surviving a season when
the temperature is consistently more than 35C should be second nature. Alas, no.
The only way I ever found to cope with severe heat was in a tepid bath with very cold champagne, but at some point you
have to leave the house. Ditto lounging around the house in vintage slips trying to channel Elizabeth Taylor in Cat on a
Hot Tin Roof or Butterfield 8. And failing.
Source: . http://www.theaustralian.com.au/executive-living/fashion/how-to-look-hot-in-the-heat/story-e6frg8k6-
1226817932781

3.
Banking on a bush lifeline
BY: SUE NEALES THE AUSTRALIAN


FARMERS in drought-stricken Queensland simply refer to it as The Letter. The dreaded formal note telling them that
their bank - and it could be Suncorp, Rabobank, NAB, Westpac, ANZ, Landmark or the Commonwealth - wants to
revalue their property and start discussing mediation.
Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/banking-on-a-bush-lifeline/story-e6frg6z6-1226817011036#

4.
Giving on the go
BY MICHELLE ROWE THE AUSTRALIAN
THIRTEEN boys are writing earnestly in exercise books while sitting cross-legged on a wooden floor. The room, devoid
of desks, chairs and blackboard, is in the central west of Bhutan at a monastery-based school that lacks even the most
basic educational equipment.
I am visiting Khuruthang Lhakhang to sample a philanthropic program run by Amanresorts, one of a growing number of
accommodation and tour operators that invite travellers to lend a hand in some of the world's poorest communities.
Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/executive-living/giving-on-the-go/story-e6frg9zo-1226816993199
5
Bumps in road to prosperity
BY HENRY ERGAS THE AUSTRALIAN

"CECILY, you will read your Political Economy in my absence", Miss Prism instructs the young heiress in Oscar Wilde's
The Importance of Being Earnest. But, the prudish governess hastens to add, "the chapter on the Fall of the Rupee you
may omit. It is somewhat too sensational. Even these metallic problems have their melodramatic side."
Source: . http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/bumps-in-road-to-prosperity/story-fn7078da-
1226815294831#

Activity

Write a feature lead for each number.

1. A study at the University of Michigan shatters some myths. The results were announced today. Women have a
reputation for gossiping and talking, yet the study found the reputation is undeserved. The study, which required
researchers to observe a number of people at work, found that women work both longer and harder than men
that men spend more time goofing off on the job. The study found that the average employed man spends 52
minutes, or 11 percent of each working day, not working: in scheduled coffee breaks, unscheduled rest breaks, at
lunch beyond the normal hour and so forth. The average working woman spends only 35 minutes, or 8 percent of
her working day, in such scheduled and unscheduled rest breaks. The same study found that the amount of effort
expended by women at work is 112 percent that of men. The discrepancy is more dramatic than the statistics
indicate because men earn more than women for the same type of work. The average man in the study earned $13
an hour, compared to 9.34 for the average woman. The women tended to hold mainly clerical jobs, but those in
managerial positions also outperformed their male counterparts.
2. Many freebies no longer are free. Because of rising expenses and other problems, American business
establishments are eliminating many services and other amenities once offered their customers free of charge.
Many of the services that gasoline stations used to offer for free to attract customers have gone the way of the
dinosaursthey have become extinct. Gasoline stations no longer wash windshields, and many no longer even
provide the squeegee, the windshield cleaner or the towels so customers can do it themselves. One station owner
said he quit offering the service because his customers reportedly were using too many cleaning towels, which
cost a two cents each. Service stations have also discontinued free giveawaysfree car washes with a fillup, free
glasses and steak knives, free road mapsbecause of the increasing costs of the freebies. "We can't justify the
cost of the freebies. We don't make much profit on a gallon of gas and if you start giving things away to attract
customers, we end up making nothing. We found that we weren't getting enough new customers to cover the cost
of the free items," said Cecil LaCette, manager of Southside Service. Some gasoline stations restrict the use of
their washroom facilities and charge for the air used to inflate tires. LaCette said: "When you buy new clothes,
you no longer expect to receive a free wooden or plastic hanger. When men buy a pair of slacks, alterations
which used to always be freemay cost $10 to $20." Along with the disappearance of those items go free gift-
wrapping, which was benefit to many last-minute holiday shoppers. Coffee or soda refills, once free at many
restaurants, no longer are free. And many restaurants serve water only upon request.
3. Someone called 18 people in the city last night. The caller identified himself as the president of Rutherford Ford,
Inc., 2780 Doss Boulevard. He told each of the people that they had just won a new car from his dealership.
Interviewed by reporters today, most of the people who received the calls said that at first they just couldn't
believe it. And they were right. They couldn't. The person who called was a prankster, and Allen Rutherford,
president of the dealership, says he has no idea who placed he calls, and that he's spending all his time today
trying to explain the situation to those 18 people. "Someone apparently has a sick idea of humor," Rutherford
said. After convincing people they had won a new car, the caller asked them to drop by the dealership this
morning to pick it up. All 18 were there when the dealership opened its doors at 9 a.m. "I told them we never
offered to give away a car," Rutherford said. "One woman told me she couldn't believe she'd won, and then she
told me she couldn't believe it when I told her she hadn't. Two other women began to cry, and a man is
threatening to sue me."
4. The police in this municipality received a call at 3:45 p.m. yesterday afternoon. A woman shouted at the sergeant
who answered the telephone. She said: "My son's been beaten. His teacher whipped him this afternoon, and he's
all red where she paddled him. Can teachers do that? That's assault and battery, and I want her arrested." Two
police officers were sent to the home. They questioned the boy, who is 9 years old. At his mother's insistence, the
police officers also inspected the boy's reported injuries. They reported: "We couldn't tell that the boy had been
paddled. His fanny didn't look red to us, but we did notice that his pants legs were wet and muddy. As we talked,
it became obvious that he boy was lying. He finally admitted that he had stopped to play on the way home from
school, forgot the time and got home late. He told his mother that the teacher had spanked him and kept him after
school. His mother was there with us and heard the whole story. She said she'd take of the situation, and we're
quite certain that she will, as she was very embarrassed. In fact, we could hear her giving the kid a real paddling
as we leftand a hard one."
5. Thomas J. Serle works for Parker Bros. Circus, which is in town this week. Performances are scheduled at 2 p.m.
and 7:30 p.m. every day through Sunday, beginning today. Serle, who maintains a home in Fort Lauderdale, is a
laborer who helps care for the animals at the circus, including 10 elephants. During a conversation with a reporter,
he said: "Some people look on work with a circus as a glamorous job. It ain't. But I been doing it all my life, and
it's too late for me to change. I'll be 60 next year. I was born into it. Both my folks were circus people. I started
out as an acrobat until I fell and busted a leg. It never healed quite right, so they offered me this job, and I took it.
What else could I do? There's all kinds of myths about circuses, like about these elephants here. Some people say
they're afraid of mice, but that's crazy. When we pen the elephants up for the winter there's always mice that get in
their hay, and it don't bother them none. The elephants never try to run away or stomp them or anything. They
share the same cages all winter. And then some people say elephants got a good memory. Hell, some of the ones
we got are so dumb they can't remember a simple trick from one year to the next."

Quiz
Write a feature article given the information below.
1.
Seven million Filipinos visit Wattpad every month, coming second behind Americans and ahead of users from
United Kingdom, Vietnam, Canada, Australia, Turkey, India, Germany and Spain.
Filipinos are the second biggest users of the world's biggest online reading and storytelling platform Wattpad,
according to latest data from social media monitor SocialBakers.
There are currently 300,000 completed stories coming from Filipinos.
Twenty-three percent of Wattpad's Android traffic also comes from the Philippines.
Wattpad co-founder and chief executive officer Allan Lau said HaveYouSeenThisGirLs Wattpad story, 'The
Diary of An Ugly Girl,' is poised to become the Philippines best-selling book this year.

Source: http://www.philstar.com/news-feature/2014/01/30/1284837/filipinos-among-top-users-worlds-largest-
ebook-community
2.
Philippine Postal Corp. (PhlPost) delivers letters, cards, flowers, chocolates and toys in time for Valentines Day
To receive letters is more traditional and romantic. It would be better if it is accompanied by roses and
chocolates, Postmaster General Josefina dela Cruz said
Postmaster General Josefina dela Cruz said they are reviving their Love Express via PhlPost, a special delivery
service, from Feb 10 until Feb. 14.
Stalls would be put up on the ground floor of the Main Central Post Office at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila
Dela Cruz said a team of letter carriers, the Express Elite Force, would deliver the items via Domestic Express
Mail Service (DEMS)
The current rate for DEMS is P60 for the first 20 grams within the National Capital Region and P70 for delivery
in areas outside Metro Manila

Source: http://www.philstar.com/news-feature/2014/02/09/1288323/phlpost-revives-love-express

3.
Headline: Warning issued vs chat rooms, online dating
MANILA, Philippines - Filipinos using chat rooms and online dating sites to find love or meet people, be warned.
The Bureau of Customs is urging the public to be on guard against individuals who prey on single men and
women who use dating service websites, chat rooms and social media sites.
The scam starts with a suspect befriending a victim online, spending weeks or even months building up a
romantic relationship with the lonely and vulnerable victim through email.
The perpetrators, who claim to come from Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, promise potential
victims packages containing luxury bags, jewelry, electronic gadgets and even money that would be sent to them
once they pay purported customs duties and taxes.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/
Quiz 2
1.
Headline : INFOGRAPHIC: The sexual and internet behaviour of the Filipino youth
According to a recent study by the University of the Philippines (UP) Population Institute, the prevalence of
premarital sex and teenage pregnancy among young Filipinos has increased over the past years.
The research findings showed that majority of todays young Filipinos had their first premarital sex experience
without the use of condom or any other form of contraception to prevent pregnancy or sexually-transmitted
disease.
Dr. Josefina Natividad said in her presentation of the study's conclusion that the rise of the new forms of sexual
activity and new means of meeting sexual partners may also be attributed to today's new technologies.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/

3.
Headline; Pinoy romance: Sense of humor trumps good looks

Nine out of 10 Filipinos find people with a sense of humor more attractive than those with just good looks, a
survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed yesterday.
The survey, conducted face-to-face with 1,550 adults from Dec. 11 to 16 last year, said only 10 percent of the
respondents chose good looks over sense of humor in finding a man or a woman attractive.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/

Quiz 3
: INFOGRAPHIC: Filipinos 3rd heaviest drinkers in the world
Euromonitor said that adults in the Philippines each take 5.4 shots of distilled alcohol weekly, making the country
third in the list of the world's heaviest drinkers.

.

Source: http://www.philstar.com/






2.
This was what Rock Ed Philippines founder Gang Badoy-Capati realized after getting her wish done by a soldier
she had known only as Manny Sundalo from whom she had requested for an airlift for victims of the Florida
bus accident in Mountain Province early this month.
Manny Sundalo would turn out to be Armed Forces chief of staff Manuel Bautista.
I was given a number to call so I can request for airlifts for the critical care survivors during the Florida bus crash
in Bontoc. Someone gave me a number saying ito, sundalo, si Manny - matutulungan ka niyan, kilala mo yan
(this one is a soldier. He can help you. You know him), she narrated.
I bugged Manny Sundalo and was a bit stern and firm, told him, Sir, aasahan ko yang helicopter ha ng 5 am sa
Bontoc (Sir, I expect that helicopter at 5 am in Bontoc). And he was really listo (smart) and said, Yes Maam, I
guarantee it, she said.
The Rock Ed Philippines founder said that when they got to Bontoc, the Air Force was there, available, willing
(and) efficient.
They flew everyone as best they could. Done and done. I was so grateful. So I (messaged) Manny the soldier
again and said thank you, broke the news that Mylo (Cabardo, one of the victims) didnt make it but we were
grateful for the chance to try everything for his family, said Badoy-Capati.

She said Manny called her back and said, At your service, Maam, condolence, sorry about your friends.
Badoy said she was surprised upon learning that she had been dealing with the countrys top soldier all along.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/news-feature/2014/02/20/1292428/manny-sundalo-rescue
3.
The Axe Apollo Academy declared Crossfit MNL trainer Chino Roque as the first Filipino astronaut, joining 24
others from all over the world in a trip to space
Spaceman Buzz Aldrin, the second person to walk on the moon, declared Roque as a winner at the awarding
ceremonies held at the Rocket Garden of the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Florida.
Roque beat compatriots Evan Ray Datuin and Ramil Santos for the chance to go to space after his performance in
the air combat, G force and assault training rounds of the test.
Roque joined the competition as a replacement to Air Force Lieutenant Mario Mendoza who had to withdraw
from the competition to serve his duties to the military.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/news-feature/2013/12/06/1264978/fitness-trainer-declared-first-filipino-astronaut