Understanding Types of Text

Recount Text: Lovely Party

2012-01-25T20:50:00.002+08:00

Recount text is majorly written in past tense mode. As it tells the story of of certain experience, it must be written in simple past tense, past continuous tense or past perfect tense. Recount text is very similar to narrative text. But recount text does not explore any complication among the participants, rather it recounts the event per event which happened in the last time. Take a look at the following example of recount text about love starts at the party

Love Story Started Again at the Lovely Party
It was Friday again, the day for famous parties at Wellington High School. Students were dancing in the garden and everyone was enjoying the pleasure of being away from boring lessons.
When Sarah came to the party, the music had already started. Tim suddenly noticed Sarah and felt shocked. He had been looking for her for 2 years. They met each other at a holiday camp in 1999, but mysteriously Sarah disappeared after a while. He had been thinking about her since then.
At the party, Sarah was talking to one of her friends while most of the students were drinking as much as they could. Tim decided to talk to her and waited for her friend to leave. When he went next to her, she was searching for something in her bag, so she did not see him. As soon as he touched her on the shoulder, she raised her head and couldn’t believe her eyes. She had never forgot him.
At the end of the party, no one was happier than Sarah and Tim as they found each other after 2 years.

Note: This recount text sample is arranged from: www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=414#a
It is presented for exercise of Simple Past Tense, Past Continuous Tense, and Past Perfect Tense

Narrative Text: Love Story of Antony and Cleopatra

2012-01-16T18:08:00.002+08:00

Mark Antony became one of the three rulers of the Roman Empire, together with Octavius Caesar and Lepidus, and was responsible for the eastern part of the empire. He fell in love with Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt.

As his wife had just died Antony married Octavius’ sister, Octavia, in an attempt to heal the rift between the two emperors. When Cleopatra heard about Antony’s marriage she flew into a jealous rage as she knew that Antony did not love Octavia. Antony went to Athens when war broke out between Caesar and Pompey, Antony sent Octavia back to Rome and he returned to Egypt.

Caesar was very angry with Antony’s behaviour and he declared war on both Antony and Cleopatra. When the Romans arrived, Antony was offered a choice of how to fight. He chose to fight on sea. The Egyptian navy was inadequate. When Cleopatra’s navy turned and fled, Antony followed them. Caesar defeated him.

Antony got news that Cleopatra was dead. Antony was devastated and decided to kill himself. He wounded himself without dying. His followers took him to Cleopatra’s tomb, where he died in her arms.

Note This Narrative text sample about the story of Antony and Cleopatra is arranged and simplified from: www.nosweatshakespeare.com/play-summary/antony-cleopatra/

Text Based Approach for Learning English in High School

2012-01-06T11:53:00.002+08:00

It's time to go to school again. After getting the holiday, day off in learning text genres, it's time to learn several kinds of text again.
Learning English for high school is designed with the concept of text-based approach. There are several kinds of text which are learnt by students of high school. The texts are learnt as the functional language for students' daily communication. Of course, learning English in high school does not forget to learn some grammar and structure, tenses, vocabularies, etc. However, these elements of English is not taught separately.
The texts which should be learnt by students of high school cover four fields of functional language. They are:
1. Procedural text. It includes procedure and explanation texts
2. Informational text. It has four varieties. They are descriptive text, report, news item, and review
3. Story text. This story text covers narrative text, spoof, and recount
4. Persuasive text. It includes analytical exposition, hortatory exposition, and discussion text.
The four main texts are learnt with other functional texts, such as, advertisement, invitation, announcement, banner, poster, and pamphlet. Well, now we are ready to learn text types again.

Example of Discussion Text "The Advantages and Disadvantages of Homeschooling"

2011-11-24T21:09:00.000+08:00

Homeschooling is an alternative way to educate our kids beside sending them to public school. Homeschooling is becoming more popular every day. There are about two million children currently learning at home. However it has some advantages and disadvantages.
Parents choose homeschooling to educate their kids because they believe that homeschooling can be a personalized schedule. Home schooling allows parents and children to work out a schedule that will best work for the child.
Another advantage is flexibility in time and curriculum. By home schooling parents can set the curriculum around vacation, illnesses, and other surprise event
On the other hand, homeschooling can spoil parents' time. Homeschooling needs a lot of time in preparation and delivery. Parents have to research topics, prepare the lessons, set up the projects and field the trips.
So, when thinking about putting children through home school, we should make sure that we understand all of the criteria involved in the home education.
Note: this example of discussion text "The Advantages and Disadvantages of Homeschooling is simplified and arranged from: whitney05.hubpages.com/hub/Advantages-and-Disadvantages-to-Homeschooling

Example of Discussion Text "The Advantage and Disadvantage of the Internet"

2011-11-23T20:58:00.001+08:00

Computer, tablet, mobile phone, and other devices connected to Internet have been the most outstanding innovation in the history of mankind. As with every single innovation, internet has its own advantages and disadvantages.
The target of internet has always been the communication. By the advent of computer's Internet, our earth has reduced and has attained the form of a global village. Now we can communicate in a fraction of second with a person who is sitting in the other parts of the world. Today for better communication, we can avail the facilities of e-mail; we can chat for hours with our loved ones. There are plenty messenger services in offering. With help of such services, it has become very easy to establish a kind of global friendship.
However, Internet also has disadvantageous sides. One of them is the wide spread of unsuitable content for kids. It is a very serious issue and related to children's healthy mental life. There are thousands of such inappropriate contents on the Internet which can be easily found.
Though, internet can also create havoc, destruction and its misuse can be very fatal, the advantages of it outweigh its disadvantages.

This example of discussion text about the advantage and disadvantage of internet is arranged from: www.buzzle.com/articles/advantages-disadvantages-internet.html

After High School; an Example of Discussion Text

2011-11-22T01:26:00.002+08:00

Going to college or getting a job right after graduating high school is the common choices of teens will likely face. Some likely choose to continue studying at college or university but the others try to find job. Here are the reasons.
Why is it so important for student to continue on to post-secondary education; university or college? The reason is that post-secondary education will allow them to get the skills and tools that they will need to help them prepare for a good career. It has been said that the more education they have the more careers will be open for them to choose from. Employers today will tend to be more open to a person with the more education.
However some of them choose to get job right after high school. They believe that education is critical but college is not. In fact, there are numerous careers, such as in healthcare, technology, operations, transportation, and the building trades, that do not require a four-year degree from college or university. Furthermore, as they advance in these careers, there is also nothing stopping them from pursing a college degree at a later age.
So, what are you doing after graduating high school? Think carefully!

This example of discussion text about life after high school is arranged from:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/growing/after_hs.html
http://www.r-go.ca/postsecondary.htm
http://www.quintcareers.com/college_alternatives.html

Example of Discussion Text "School Uniform"

2011-11-20T21:39:00.001+08:00

What is discussion text? Discussion is a text which presents a problematic discourse. This problem will be discussed from different points of view. This kind of text is commonly found in philosophical, historic, and social text. Read the following example of discussion text!

The Pros and Cons of School Uniform
School uniforms are dress codes that are determined by the teaching institutions and students has to follow the designed code obediently everyday. Many people believe that school uniforms should be applied but the others don't.
Uniforms have various advantages for both the family and the child. A united school apparel can relief a financial stress of the backs of many families. As kids tend to compete and imitate each other, the race of following new trends in fashion or, providing different attire for every school day is considered a financial burden, not every family can afford it.
Additionally, a uniform creates a sense of equality between all pupils. Young kids tend to judge others according to their look and what they wear. Uniting their school attire will draw their attention to other criteria and, the only advantage of one student over another would be personality, academic achievement or being good at sports.
On the other hand, as repetition can lead to boredom, children can get frustrated of wearing same thing to school every day. Also, prevent their first steps of individuality by taking away their right to choose what to wear on their own free well.
In conclusion, I believe uniforms aren’t meant to suppress the creativity or freedom of children. It helps redirecting kids’ creativity towards more important things than outer look, and waive financial burden of their families.
Note: This example of discussion text about the pros and cons of school uniform is adapted from http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic40618.html

Procedure / Instruction Text - How To Tie a Neck Tie

2011-10-28T20:22:00.002+08:00

The example of procedure text bellow is the instruction on how to tie a neck tie. Remember that a procedure or instruction text is commonly arranged in imperative sentences. Let's see the following example of a procedure text. This procedure or instruction text is about how to tie a neck tie, the half windsor knot

How to Tie a Neck Tie
First of all, start with the wide end on your right. Extend it about 12" below the narrow end.
Secondly, cross the wide end over the narrow, and back underneath.
Then, bring the wide end up, and turn down through loop.
After that, pass the wide end around to the front from your left to right.
Then, bring the wide end up through the loop.
Finally, pull the wide end through the knot in front. Tighten and draw up to collar.
Note: this procedure text sample is arranged from: www.how-to-tie-a-tie.org/necktie.php

How to Make Ice Cream " example of Procedure Text"

2011-10-04T22:31:00.003+08:00

How to make something completely is the best example of procedure text. As we all know that a procedure text is instructing, showing the steps of making completely something. This kind of text in English is commonly organized in imperative sentences. Bellow is another example of procedure text.

Making Ice Cream without Machine
First of all. prepare your ice cream mixture, then chill it over an ice bath.
Then, pour your custard mixture in a deep baking dish and put in the freezer.
After forty-five minutes, remove it from the freezer and stir it vigorously with a spatula or whisk.
Continue to check the mixture every 30 minutes, stirring vigorously as it’s freezing.
Keep checking periodically and stirring until the ice cream is frozen.
The last step, transfer the ice cream to a covered storage container until ready to serve.

Note: this example of procedure text instructing how to make ice cream is simplified from: www.davidlebovitz.com/2007/07/making-ice-crea-1/

Narrative in Love Story "Naruto and Hinata"

2011-09-26T22:16:00.001+08:00

Naruto was walking alone in the Konoha village, he saw Hinata and waved to her. Fortunately
Hinata turned around and walked over to him.

"Hey, Hinata, would you like to take a walk with me?" Naruto asked smilingly but Hinata blushed and looked down, quiet for a second.
"Hm? What's wrong?" Naruto ask looking at her.
"Oh! Um nothing Naruto kun. I... I love to.. walk with with you." Hinata said shyly.

Naruto placed his hands behind his head and smiled. Hinata walked by him as the two were silent for a moment. "Hinata, why are you so quiet all the time?" Naruto broke the silent.
Hinata didnt answer, then hesitated, "....I.... I've... always... been... that way." She said softly.
"I see. You need to talk more-- how am I supposed to know more about you, if you don't talk. You're always acting weird around me." Naruto pointed out.
Hinata looked at him shyly then looked down looking ashamed. "S.......sorry. I--"
"Hm?" Naruto replied not opening his mouth.
"I..... I l--li.....like y.. you!" She said finally committing her feelings. Her face blushed a deep red.

Naruto stopped walking. He didn't know what to say. Silence took ove the moment.
Tears filled in Hinata's eyes "S-sorry!" She said in a quiet tone as she took off running, ashamed. Tears flew from her eyes as she ran passed.

Naruto ran after her. But Hinata ran fast. Suddenly She tripped on a tree stump. Her face implanted in the dirt, as her hands clenched the grass and dirt. She sobbed quietly.

Naruto finally caught up to her. He crouched down, placed his hand, shaking on Hinatas shoulder. "Hinata... do... do you really like me?" He asked in his quiet tone.
Under her muffled crying voice, Hinata answered, "y...yes..."
Naruto didn't answer for a moment, then he replied, "Well... I have...feelings for you too.... I like you, Hinata"

Note: This example of narrative text in love story of Naruto and Hinata is arranged from: quizilla.teennick.com/stories/4743668/hinata-and-naruto-mini-story

How to Iron a Shirt , Another Example of "Procedure Text"

2011-09-25T23:14:00.002+08:00

How to make some thing is the best text as an example of procedure text. A procedure is an instruction to do something. Below is another example of procedure text in pressing a shirt.

How to Iron a Shirt
What you need to press a shirt are iron board, iron cover, iron, hanger, needle, thread, splint, button, handkerchief, sprayer, and dry-mat foot

The Steps of Pressing Shirt
1. Use protector for safety
2. Plug in the electricity
3. Choose the suitable temperature for the clothes material
4. Make wet the 100% cotton clothes if it is necessary
5. Start to iron the shirt from the collar, sleeve then body
6. Iron by following line if there is a fold
7. After completely done, hang the shirt
8. Check the result and do it again if it is necessary
9. After completely ironing, put back the equipments and chemicals
10. And don't forget, clean working area

Birds "Example of Report Text"

2011-09-20T00:47:00.001+08:00

A report text is to describe generic participants. It means, a report text is giving description of general classification of things, and not a thing in particular condition. The following text about bird is a best example of a report text

Birds
Birds are interesting flying animals. They are vertebrates and warm blooded animals. They belong to aves class and they can be found all over the world.

Birds breath with their air pocket. Beside as respiration organ, air pocket also can enlarge or reduce their weight when flying or swimming.

There are many kinds of birds. Earth bird has special characteristic. They have different morphology according to their food and their habitat. Some of them eat seeds, pollen, fish or meat. There are some species that live in land and the others live in water. Land birds live on their nest.

Female birds have specific tasks. they lay eggs and feed their baby, Beside that they look for foods for their baby.

Note, this example of report text about bird is taken from: peperonity.com/go/sites/mview/genrereport/14817713

Making Apple Juice " Example of Procedure Text"

2011-09-16T17:39:00.002+08:00

Procedure text is an instruction to do something completely. Procedure or instruction text can be a recipe, manual guide, technical instruction, making kite, etc. Remember, the steps in a procedure text are arranged in imperative sentences. Below is an example of procedure text on how to make delicious apple juice.

Making Apple Juice
Ingredients and Supplies
Apples
Cinnamon
Sugar
Large pot with lid
Ladle
Colander or sieve
Filter- cheesecloth, jelly bag, or coffee filters
Canning jars
Jar grabber
Canner

The Steps to Make Apple Juice
First, Choose the sweet apples
Then, core the apples and cop them
After that, prepare the jar
Next, cook the apples. Turn the stove on high. Once the water is boiling well, turn down and continue to cook until the apples are soft.
Then, strain the apples. You can run it through a sieve or colander.
After that, Heat the juice on low until you've collected enough juice to fill the jars.
And finally, can the juice into canning jars.

Note, this example of procedure text on how to make apple juice is arranged and simplified from: www.howtodothings.com/food-drink/how-to-make-apple-juice

Example of Recount "My Fantastic Holiday"

2011-09-15T00:16:00.001+08:00

Retelling about one's holiday can be good as an example of recount text. It recounts the events in chronological order. Read the following recount about holiday.

My Holiday was Fantastic
Last summer I got a fantastic holiday. I visited some great places.

I went to an airport and was going to fly to Cleveland. I was spending there two days. I liked to see some Cleveland Cavaliers basketball matches.

Then I went to Hollywood. Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States. It had become world-famous as the center of the film industry. Four major film companies – Paramount, Warner Bros., RKO and Columbia – had studios in Hollywood. I did not want to leave but I had to.

After that, I went to New York city. I visited the Statue of Liberty. I went from the bottom of Manhattan to the top of the crown. That was very amazing.

The places made me feel at home but I have to go home. Next time I would return to them.

"Two Tibetan Monks Receive Prison Terms" A News Item Text

2011-09-04T23:33:00.002+08:00

News items text is a text which tells the daily newsworthy. It has generic structure of NEWSWORTHY EVENT, BACKGROUND EVENT, and SOURCES, To see the implementation of this structure, see the following news item passage.

Two Tibetan Monks Sentenced to Prison
A Chinese court sentenced two more Tibetan monks to long prison terms on Tuesday, accusing them of “intentional homicide” in the death of another monk, who immolated himself last March, according to Xinhua.

The court sentenced Tsering Tenzin and Tenchum of the Kirt Monastery in the Tibetan area of Sichuan Province to 13 and 10 years in prison, respectively. On Monday, the same court found a 46-year-old monk, Drongdru, guilty of “intentional homicide” in the death of the monk, a 16-year-old who was his nephew and disciple.

Prosecutors said that after the teenager immolated himself, the three monks hid him and delayed emergency treatment. Human rights groups said the teenage monk was protesting government policies in Tibet.

This News Item Text sample is taken from: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/01/world/asia/01briefs-China.html

Tornado strikes South Bandung "A News Item Text"

2011-08-31T23:46:00.004+08:00

This is another example of news item text. For more news item samples, read news item label. The news item text below is about natural disaster, tornado. If you want to know the post about tornado which is categorized as a report text, read Tornadoes as example of Report Text.

Mini-tornado, hail strikes South Bandung
A “mini-tornado” coupled with a hail storm hit some areas in South Bandung on Wednesday afternoon for approximately 30 minutes.

The weather panicked residents as hail stones penetrated corrugated iron rooftops. The wind swirled things around while hail stones made thudding sounds on our roof. Residents reported that the authorities had shut down the electricity in the area to prevent short circuits

“There was no sign of rain. All of a sudden, we saw dark clouds above followed by strong winds. Afterwards, it rained hard with hail stones,” said a resident.

This News item sample is arranged from: www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/08/31/mini-tornado-hail-strikes-south-bandung.html

Example of Report Text about Animal "Tyrannosaurus Rex"

2011-08-17T23:29:00.001+08:00

As my previous post of report text, it explains in detail the characteristic of general, classes, group of thing. Now this is another example of report text which explain the "Tyrant lizard king", Report text will be arranged in GENERAL CLASSIFICATION and followed with DESCRIPTION. Read the following text.

Tyrannosaurus Rex
Tyrannosaurus rex, sometimes just called T-rex, is believed to be the largest and most fearsome predator on Earth's land ever to have existed.

This dinosaur once lived in the Creataceous period approximately 68 to 65 million years ago. The T-rex lived in a humid, semi-tropical environment, in open forests with nearby rivers and in coastal forested swamps. The seasons were mild.

Tyrannosaurus rex was up to 40 feet (12.4 m) long, about 15 to 20 feet (4.6 to 6 m) tall. The arms were only about 3 feet (1 m) long. Tyrannosaurus rex was roughly 5 to 7 tons in weight.

As a carnivorous dinosaur, this giant predator most likely ambushed their prey, and devoured them with jaws full of white sharp teeth. With it's fast ability to run at an astonishing speed of 32 mph (50 kmh), a perfect slim and stiff tail that gave it an excellent balance and allowed it to make quick turns, equipped this gigantic predator and made it even more deadly, like a killing machine.

This example of report text about animal is arranged from:
enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaurs/dinos/Trex.shtml
wiki.answers.com/Q/Bagaimanakah_contoh_teks_report

TELEVISION "Example of Report Text and Generic Structure"

2011-08-16T11:16:00.001+08:00

Now we are going to discuss more about a report text. Report text tries to explain the detail of things as they are. Why is a text called a REPORT TEXT, and not other types? Well, because the text cover the structure of GENERAL CLASSIFICATION and DESCRIPTION. Well, let's see the following example of a report text about TV

Television
Television, or TV, is one of humanity's most important means of communication. It brings pictures and sounds from around the world into millions of homes.

People, with a television set in their houses, can sit and watch the president makes a speech or visits a foreign country. They can see a war being fought. Through television, viewers at home can see and learn about people, places, and things in a away lands.

Additionally, television brings its viewers a steady stream of programs that are designed to entertain. In fact, TV provides many more entertainment programs than any other kind of information media. The programs include action-packed dramas, light comedies, soap operas, sports events, cartoons, quizzes, variety shows and motion pictures.

Simple and Clear Example of Report Text "Football"

2011-08-08T22:58:00.004+08:00

A report text can be very similar to a descriptive text. However, they can be distinguished easily from the object which is discussed. A report text commonly describes things in general while descriptive text tends to explain the characterization of a specific thing. Bellow is simple example of report text

Football Play
Football is a game played by two teams of eleven. They try to score by kicking or heading the ball into the other team’s goal. Ten of the players can not use their hands. The goal keeper can handle the ball to stop it going into the goal.
Games similar to football have been played for many centuries. The rules of the games were written down in 1863. In England, the FA ( Football Association ) cup was first played for in 1872. In the same year, England played Scotland in the first game.
Today the most important International Competition is the World Cup which takes place in every four years. Brazil and Italy have each won the world cup three times.

This sample of report text about football play is taken from: report-text.blogspot.com/2009/06/football_02.html

Contoh Recount text " Short Biography of Kurt Cobain"

2011-08-02T23:10:00.003+08:00

What is recount text? Recount text is a text which list and describe one's experiences by retelling events in the order in which they happened

Recount text can found in the way of a biography is written. A biography conveys details about a person's life or about an episode in their life. See the following example of recount text about the life of someone.

Short Biography of Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain was the lead singer and the guitarist of an American grunge band called Nirvana. He was born in Aberdeen, Washington, on 20 February 1967.

When Cobain was eight years old, his parents divorced. This divorce gave bad impact on his life. At his fourteenth birthday, his uncle gave him a guitar as the gift. Since that, he began work on his own songs. He and his friend, Krist Novoselic usually practiced music in the upstairs room of a salon own by Novoselic`s mother.

In 1986, they formed a grunge band named Nirvana. Cobain was the vocalist as well as guitarist and Novoselic played bass. They released their first album titled Bleach in 1989. In 1991 they released the second album, Never mind. It was their greatest album which made them a kind of popular superstar. This album included popular songs like Smell Like Teen Spirit, About A Girl, Come as You Are, In Bloom and Lithium.

However the popularity was intimidating to Cobain. He began addicted to drugs and became worse, even he overdosed on heroin. On March 30, he went to a rehabilitation but ran away. He was reported missing for a few days. Then on 8 April 1994, he was found dead in his house in Lake Washington. He had shot himself.

Example of Recount Text "Biography of Marion Barber"

2011-07-31T13:18:00.003+08:00

I have posted an example of recount text about retelling a terrible experience. And this is another recount text in a biography, a short written account of a Dallas Cowboys starter

Biography of Marion Barber
Marion Barber was born on June 9, 1983, and growing up in Minnesota. He attended Wayzata High School in Minnesota, and excelled in football, baseball, and track. Then, he attended the University of Minnesota, where he majored in Business Marketing.

In his college football career, Marion Barber would earn myriad honors and broke numerous records to boot. Marion Barber’s 3,276 yards and 14 100-yard rushing games ranked third in Minnesota Golden Gophers history.

Marion Barber hit the big time when the Dallas Cowboys selected him as the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. Fans with Dallas Cowboys tickets watched Marion Barber emerge as a starter, rushing for 95 yards against the Seattle Seahawks and 127 yards against the Arizona Cardinals, which was the first 100-yard rushing game of the season for the Dallas Cowboys. He and the Dallas Cowboys agreed to a six-year contract extension worth $45 million. His stats will continue to improve and impress his teammates, coaches, and fans with Dallas Cowboys tickets.

This example of recount text in biography of Marrion Barber is simplified from: www.onlinetickets.com/info/sports_nfl/dallas_cowboys/marion_barber_bio.html

Recount Text "Biography of Albert Einstein"

2011-07-30T23:06:00.001+08:00

Recount text is commonly labeled as non-fiction writing. It is one of kind text genres, beside of narrative, spoof and others. Recount text can be a found in many ways to write a biography. The following is an example of recount text about the written account of famous scientist life, Albert Einstein

Short Biography of Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was born near the end of the 1800s in Ulf, Germany. He graduated from the University of Zurich in Switzerland at age 26. That was also when he did his famous work in physics. Fourteen years later he won the Nobel Prize for Physics.
For the next ten years he lived in Germany and traveled a lot to talk to other scientists. Then in the early 1930s he had to leave Germany because of Hitler and the Nazi party. He moved to the United States. From that time until his death he lived in Princeton, New Jersey. He died at the age of 74.

Example of Spoof "What Time is It?"

2011-07-29T02:20:00.004+08:00

Reading a spoof text can be very interesting as it has an unpredictable plot of the story. There will be a tricky "arrangement". As we build understanding of the plot to certain condition, a spoof text will be ended with a special contradictory ending. Bellow is another example of spoof text.

What time is it?
A tramp lie down and sleep in the park. He had been sleeping for about 5 minutes when a couple walked by. The man stopped, woke the tramp up , and asked him, "Excuse me.
Do you know what the time is?" The tramp replied, "I'm sorry - I don't have a watch, so I don't know the time."
The man apologized for waking the tramp and the couple walked away.

The tramp lay down again, and after a few minutes went back to sleep. Just then, a woman, who was out walking her dog, shook the tramp's shoulder until he woke up again.
The woman said, "I'm sorry to trouble you, but I'm afraid I've lost my watch - do you happen to know the time?" The tramp was a little annoyed at being woken up again, but he politely told the woman that he didn't have a watch and didn't know the time.

After the woman had gone, the tramp had an idea.
He opened the bag that contained all his possessions and got out a pen, a piece of paper and some string. On the paper, he wrote down, 'I do not have a watch. I do not know the time'.
He then hung the paper round his neck and eventually dropped off again.

After about 15 minutes, a policeman who was walking through the park noticed the tramp asleep on the bench, and the sign around his neck.
He woke the tramp up and said, "I read your sign. I thought you'd like to know that it's 2:30 p.m."

This example of spoof text is taken from www.kinglishschool.com/joke_tramp.htm

"Bear Killed Old Man at Yellowstone Park" News Item

2011-07-08T01:30:00.000+08:00

A grizzly bear killed a 57-year-old man hiking in Yellowstone National Park with his wife Wednesday. It's the first fatal bear mauling in the park since 1986.

The bears involved in Wednesday's encounter have not been captured, and park officials said they did not immediately have enough information to determine what measures, if any, they might take in the aftermath of the attack.

According to the AP, Yellowstone National Park is home to at least 600 grizzly bears, though some say the population is over 1,000. While the attack is the first fatal mauling in the park since 1986, it's the third in the region in little over a year.

A National Park Service statement said the couple surprised the mother grizzly while with her cubs, and that the grizzly fatally mauled the man in "an attempt to defend a perceived threat to her cubs."

This news item text sample is arranged from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/07/yellowstone-national-park-grizzly-bear-attack_n_892050.html

A News Item 'Giant Wombat Skeleton Found'

2011-07-06T21:06:00.002+08:00

The fossil of a car sized mega-wombat has been unearthed in northern Australia, scientists said Wednesday
A relative of the modern-day wombat, the diprotodon skeleton was dug up in remote Queensland last week and scientists believe it could shed valuable light on the species' demise.
Along with Australia's other mega fauna,which included towering kangaroos and gigantic crocodiles, diprotodon became extinct around the same time that indigenous tribes first appeared. "There's been a lot of debate about what killed the mega fauna and it's quite a hot topic in paleontology," Sue Hand, a professor on the team that made the discovery.
There could be some very interesting data to be extracted from the find.The animal was two metres tall (6 feet,six inches) and 3.5 metres (11 feet, six inches) long. It was the size of arhinoceros or a car, pigeon-toed and with a backward-facing pouch.
"They basically looked a lot like a wombat, a very big beefed-up wombat,much bigger than obviously anything that's around today," said Hand.

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