ARTICLE WRITING

Articles and speeches express the personal opinions of the writer. Input for an article/speech
may be in the form of verbal/visual input. The output may be descriptive or argumentative. n
addition, one has to keep in mind the target readers, the purpose of writing the article, as well as
an appropriate style. An article is a piece of non-fiction prose writing especially meant for
newspapers, magazines or your school magazine. An article is written for a specific purpose like
These are informing, persuading, convincing or entertaining the reader. It is divided into three
main parts.

1. Introduction This part establishes the content. This sentence or paragraph should
have thought-provoking language so as to draw the reader’s attention.
2. Body This part should detail different aspects of the topic like causes, effects,
advantages, disadvantages, merits, demerits, etc.
3. Conclusion It concludes the main idea and presents your viewpoint, comments or
criticism as well as your recommendations. Always end articles with an appeal, a
conclusion or a warning.

Points to be Kept in Mind

 Understand carefully the hints/information given in the question.

 Arrange all the hints/information in an order in which you want them to develop for
writing the article.
 Use the hints/information provided in the question after interpreting them properly.
 Divide your article into several paragraphs. All the sentences in each paragraph should
logically lead to the objective for which the article is being written.
 The whole composition should not be sketchy. Every sentence should be linked with the
rest into a single whole.
 The language of an article should be straightforward, to the point, and objective. Avoid
using informal expressions, slang (words which are not used in the literary language), or
abbreviations, particularly in persuasive or argumentative articles.
 Articles are usually written in the third person.
 Adhere to the word limit of 150-200 words.

I. BASED ON VERBAL INPUT

Question 1:
Many children get nervous before the board exams, which affects their health and performance.
Good counselling is needed to help them overcome what is called ‘exam fever’. Write an article
in 150-200 words on ‘Need for Counselling before Board Exams’. You are Mallika/Mihir.
Answer:

Need For Counselling Before Board Exams

by Mihir
When the board exams approach, schools work hard to prepare their students for succeeding in
them. Extra classes are held, more assignments are given and mock tests, called ‘pre-boards’ are
held. But what many schools do not attempt is devising mechanisms to de-stress the students, by
organising workshops or counselling sessions.

For this task, they need the help of professional counsellors. Such counsellors identify students
who are stressed and help them release the anxiety and fear factor attached to exams. Such
student’s anxiety levels automatically start building up during this part of the year. The system
has become so competitive that despite the schools not wanting to burden children with studies,
they end up allowing the students to enroll for coaching classes and tuitions.

Parents can help their children in guiding them, rather than controlling them, and following
simple tips. They should ensure a positive environment at home besides helping the child to
balance the activities in the day (too much of studying is not productive), providing healthy food
and snacks during the day, and making sure that the child is able to relax during the day and
ensuring proper sleep at night for him. Parents need to understand that they also have to sacrifice
on outings or parties and be there when their child needs them, stop comparing them with other
kids, and avoid statements which create anxieties or fear. Parents must understand that an exam
is just another event in one’s life and not a monster or something to be afraid of.

Question 2:
You are Aditi/Aditya. You visited the Taj at Agra during the Autumn break when the Historical
Society of your school organised a trip. You were impressed and noted the following points:
Autumn break—school closed—trip to Agra organised—journey—Taj Express—first sight of
the Taj—impressions—History teacher as guide—some other places visited— Red Fort,
Fatehpur Sikri—trip: educative & entertaining.
Using the above notes and your own ideas, write an article on ‘A visit to a Place of Historical
Interest’ in 150-200 words.
Answer:

A VISIT TO A PLACE OF HISTORICAL INTEREST

(by Aditi / Aditya)

School supplies
The schools in Delhi closed for autumn break on Saturday, the 27th September. The Historical
Society of our school arranged a trip to Agra. We started early in the morning the next day by the
Taj Express. The two hour journey was very pleasant and quite comfortable. After half-an-hour
we had the first glimpse of the Taj. It is indeed a marvel in marble, one of the wonders of the
world. The serene beauty of the Taj cast a spell on me. It appeared to me like a dream in marble.
Our History teacherplayed the role of a guide as well. He explained each part of this monument
in detail. Then we visited other places of historical interest such as the Red Fort and the Moti
Masjid. The visit to Fatehpur Sikri and the ‘Buland Darwaja’ filled us with excitement. This
historical town is now uninhabited. On the whole, the trip proved very educative and
entertaining. For the first time History appeared as a vivid and living subject.
come in vogue. Genetic engineering, cloning and miraculous cures for diseases are now available

It is a welcome step that the government has banned smoking in public places like railway
station, bus terminus, parks, cinemas and social gathering. Smoking is injurious to health. It
endangers our life and is a serious health hazard. Smoking is a very bad habit. Children take to it
for fun in tender age and soon become addicts. One may start with a cigarette a day and end with
a packet or two per day. Smoking causes great damage to our mind and body, heart and purse. A
tobacco addict falls a prey to many ailments such as cough, cancer and heart ailments. Lungs and
respiratory as well as circulatory systems get impaired. Even the digestion system is badly
affected. Smoking is a slow poison which holds its victim in its clutches firmly. The sooner it is
left, the better it will be and the best thing is not to start smoking.

Question :3
You are Priya/Piyush. You have noticed growing tendency towards violence among young
people. Write an article for the school magazine in about 150-200 words highlighting the role of
the media, viz the TV and the Cinema.
Answer:

VIOLENCE AMONG YOUTH

(by Priya/Piyush)

Recently a very disturbing trend has been noticed in the behavioural pattern of the teenagers. It is
the growing tendency towards violence among the youth. They have turned aggressive and
assertive. They indulge in violent protests and loud outbursts of emotion. They take out
processions and hold demonstrations at the slightest provocation. If opposed, they indulge in
arson and looting. They take sinister delight in damaging public property. The tendency to vent
their anger, show themselves off and impress others with their heroic feats forces them in off-
beat activities. The media, viz the cable TV and the films with overdose of violence is largely
responsible for fanning the tendency of violence among the young people. Lack of proper
parental care and control and a desire to emulate their peers are other contributory factors. They
should realize the difference between reel life and real life.

II. BASED ON VISUAL INPUT

 Study the visuals carefully—you may get a picture, a diagram, a graph, a table etc.—
observe the main points. ‘
 You should think carefully and note the salient points.
 The verbal input may contain a suggestion or guideline.
 The article should be an organic whole.

Question 1:
You are Manish/Manisha. You went to a circus famous for its extraordinary animal shows. You
saw people clapping and shouting with joy while applauding the tricks and feats performed by
some of these wild animals. But you felt miserable to learn the cruel ways and methods used at
the circus to make animals perform antics and dangerous feats. Your father showed you the
pictures given below.
Write an article in 150-200 words on the ‘Plight of Circus Animals’.

Answer:

PLIGHT OF CIRCUS ANIMALS

(by Manish /Manisha)

Animals were born free, but man has tamed them and uses them for his own benefit. Even the
wild animals have not been spared. The more dangerous the animal, the more spectators it draws
to the circus. So man uses these animals as an object of fun, diversion and merriment. In the
world of public entertainment, circus occupies a prominent place. We feel thrilled to watch the
antics of the lion, bear and elephants who dance to their ring master’s tunes. The tricks and feats
of these animals provide a sheer contrast to the adventurous feats of performing artistes. The
children express their joy with clapping while the grown-ups just marvel at the dare devilry of
the ring masters. People ignore hard and harsh facts. The bears, tigers, lions and elephants are
caged, starved and lashed during the long period of their training. They are subjected to blood-
chilling cruelty till they become tame, weak and obedient. Even their angry growls titillate
people. The cruelty to animals should be stopped.

Question 2:
Recently Govt, of NCT has banned the use of plastic bags in entire Delhi. But you see the use of
plastic goods in every walk of life. Some of them are indicated below in the pictures.
Think of the other uses of plastics in human life and write an article on the Role of Plastics in the
Modem Age in about 150-200 words. You are Varsha/Vijay.
Answer:

PLASTIC AND MODERN AGE

(by Varsha/Vijay)

Plastics are synthetic substances—polymers—produced by chemical reactions. They are mostly

made from petroleum. Plastics are everywhere: the pipes that carry water to the fields to irrigate
crops, bright light, handy and portable furniture, light weight but durable and unbreakable
crockery are some of the items made of plastic. The soles of our shoes, the covers of machines
and even their bodies and parts, e.g., the body of the camera, television, computer, washing
machine, mixer-grinder etc. are made of various types of plastics. The steering wheel of your car,
the mobile cell phone and even the ball-pen in your hand are made of polymers. Plastic has
permeated deep into our lives. The high consumption of plastic has created the problem of solid
waste. Recycling of plastic is highly polluting, that is why the carry bags of recycled plastics
have been banned.
Plastic is non-biodegradable. Burning of plastic releases toxic gases in the air. Plastic bags choke
the drains and check flow of sewage system. Some hungry stray cows eat plastic carry bags and
die. However, in spite of the dangers posed by low quality plastic bags, plastic goods are popular
in almost every walk of life.

Question 4:
You are Navin/Neha. You have just visited a glass factory which employs children and have
witnessed the awful [Link] of the boys and their place of work. You share your experiences
with your classmates, who recount the plight of child labour engaged in carpet and cracker
industry, brick-kilns, roadside restaurants and as domestic helps.
With the help of the sketches given below and your own ideas, write an article in about 150-200
words advocating a total ban on child labour.
Answer:

BAN ON CHILD LABOUR

(by Navin/Neha)

Witnessing a factory which employs child labour is a nerve-racking experience. The other day I
was shocked to see the plight of young boys working in a bangle factory in awful conditions.
Their tired looks, haggard bodies, dirty and tom clothes, drooping eyes and blackened hands and
faces revealed their misery. It clearly showed the height of exploitation motivated by greed.
Child labour is also engaged in carpet-making, cracker industry, toy industry, brick-kilns and
road side restaurants and as domestic help. Poverty, hunger and unemployment force the poor
parents to get their wards employed anywhere provided he can bring money. Child-labour is
cheap, docile and unorganised. They can be forced to work for longer hours. The government
should take effective steps to stop this menace. The offenders must be awarded severe penalties
and punishment. This will act as a deterrent for others also.

Question 5:
You are Madhur/Madhuri. While commuting to your school you notice some scooterists wearing
masks and carrying oxygen inhalers. The sudden emission of black smoke at the cross-roads
flashes the answer—environmental pollution—the real culprit.
With the help of the above sketch/picture and your own ideas, write an article in about 150-200
words advocating steps to prevent environmental degradation.
Answer:

PREVENTING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION

(by Madhur/Madhuri)

Environmental degradation is a major problem for the modem city-dwellers. Unprecedented

advance in industrialisation, mining and rapid urbanisation and increasing vehicles of transport
caused a severe strain on the facilities. Emissions of poisonous and harmful gases, discharge of
the effluents and industrial waste have destroyed the purity of air and water. Deforestation and
arbitrary felling of trees have deprived mother earth of her lungs. City-dwellers have fallen prey
to breathing disorders and chest-lung related diseases such as asthma, bronchitis and whooping
cough. There is so much suspended particulate matter in the air that scooterists have to put on
masks and carry oxygen inhalers. The black smoke emitted by the vehicles sends out clouds of
smoke. We should take steps to prevent further environmental degradation.