News Story-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-34456943

Headline- The man who survived a Taliban roadblock.

Key features:

Online article, photographs that catch the reader eye instantly of children fleeing the city and photos of the Taliban seizing Kunduz.

First had account from a survivor.

How does the article inform and entertain its reader?

The article informs and entertains its reader by straight away telling the reader a man has survived after coming face to face with Taliban troops, this is shown in the headline “man who survived”. This gives the reader entertainment because the article is telling the world what is happening daily and that although this man survived many others have died during the seizure of Kunduz. The article informs the reader that Taliban troops were in control for “seven days”.

The article informs the reader by using Lexical choice “Taliban insurgents” the word “insurgents” informs the reader that the Taliban troops were violent and ready to fight to seize Kunduz and remain in control of the city for as long as possible. The verb “traumatised” is used in the article to really inform the reader that the violence the Taliban are showing is horrible and the affect it is having on Afghan civilians is horrific.

The article uses a concrete noun “they smelled bad” this suggests to the reader that all the dead bodies that are stacked up on the side of the road or giving off a disgusting, sickly stench. The article also engages the reader again by using Lexis in the sub-heading “Killing ground” this once again is effective in informing the reader that during and after the city was captured by the Taliban, the city was filled with death and murder like a battle ground. Also when the article uses the word “beheaded” to highlight to the reader the brutality of the events occurring in Kunduz.

The article gets the attention of the reader by listing the terrible events “mass murder, gang rapes and house-to-house searches by Taliban death squads” this really catches the eye of the reader because it is a straight forward list of what the Afghan civilians are going through. The article uses pre modification in the noun “mass murder” and verb “gang” this informs the reader that this isn’t just a single murder or rape case this is happening right now and has been happening for the last seven days.    

comparative essay of Hector and Irwin

Alan Bennett creates the characters Hector and Irwin, to have two teachers with completely different opposing teaching styles. They both believe that they know what is best for the boys and the others teaching style will not help the boys get into Oxford. The first time we hear about Hector's lessons we hear that they are not structured "Not curriculum directed at all", this shows that Hector is well known and recognised for his unplanned lessons even by the headmaster who is strict on results. Straight away Bennett highlights the fact Irwin is the opposite to this in the stage directions "distributing exercise books", this shows his complete different teaching style because in Hector's lessons the boys have never even wrote a word, and Hector is meant to be a big English teacher.

Bennett always shows in Hector's lessons the boys being praised even when they are wrong he will just correct them, but he still seems happy for their effort "conditional or the subjunctive", this could link to Hector being lazy and not really trying with the boys because deep down he doesn't think they will get into Oxford "forget Oxford and Cambridge". This is the opposite to Irwin "Dull. Dull. Abysmally dull", Irwin sort of restores order in his first lesson with the boys by bringing them back down to earth and telling them that although their work is right, there is around a thousand others applying with the exact same answers; so he is trying to tell them to be unique and force the examiner to remember you personally. 

In some ways you can see similarities between Hector and Irwin, for example Irwin writes his name like it would say "I ruin", this links with Hector because during the play Hector ruins his own career and ends ups in a bad way. Bennett presents Hector as a character who is always hiding his true self, he does this by speaking French in his lessons "un chat un chat", this is a huge part of Hector's character because he is hiding is problems which he has involving the boys, and these problems are unacceptable in any type of society or setting. Irwin was a former student at "Oxford" this once again opposes Bennett's character Hector because he went to "Sheffield". The fact Hector isn't a former Oxford or Cambridge student could make him jealous of the boys "nobody mentions Oxford".    

Jays poem about Bristol

Bristol poem

Not even a premier league football team,

definitely not everybody's perfect dream.

This city packed, overfilling with people,

What astonishing sights could come from such a place?

Maybe the oldest, most usual things will put a smile on your face.

The suspension bridge isn't it amazing?

The lights shining as bright as stars on a nightfall, 

the view of Bristol from dundry, there is nothing more delightful.

The sun shining over brightly,

Cabot tower standing high mightily.

Is there any city better?

Nothing beats Bristol on a sunny day,

it beats any other city in every way.