Article Writing

Purpose:
To focus on issues of social concern, narrating an event, description of a place, etc.

Format:

• Heading/Title – must be catchy and sharp

• By – name of the author

• Body

I Para: Introduction -Start with a slogan, a question, an amazing fact, figure or statement.

II/III Para: Content -Causes, effects, the present state of affairs, etc.

IV Para: Conclusion -Draw solutions and conclusions

Points To Remember

• The title should catch the attention of the reader.

• Begin with a striking opening sentence which addresses the readers and gets them interested in the topic.

• Present a strong argument for your ideas supporting it with evidence or elaboration.

• Use linking devices (however, therefore, although, even though, in order to, etc) to make the composition
appear a whole.

• Introduce a new point at the beginning of each paragraph that follows, to strengthen your ideas.

• Develop your ideas as much as you can to make them interesting and substantial.

• Conclude with your strongest point.

• Use passive voice, emotive language, rhetorical questions to provide a specific effect.

Solved Questions

1. The Purpose of Education

In modern times, people know the importance of education. Every parent wants to educate his child. Yet, I wonder if
we have yet realized what the real purpose of education is. I am afraid to most of us, it helps to earn more money and
perhaps more respect in a society which values money and power. But even uneducated people have earned a lot of
money and gained respect. I would therefore say that this earning and spending is not the real purpose of education.

To my mind, education should help us to perfect our mind in four basic abilities. First of them is the ability to express
oneself orally and in writing. Second quality of an educated mind is clarity of thought. Third, he should be able to make
valid judgements in conflicting matters. The last and the most important thing is to learn what is important and
unimportant in the world.

2. The Aim of Life

I am sure every boy and girl have to encounter such questions from elderly people. They would ask a teenager, “What
is your aim in life, my son?”. To such questions, you generally reply that you want to become a doctor or an engineer or
a leader, so on and so forth. Yet, think for a while. Is it the aim of life or a means of livelihood? None of these can ever
truly be the aim of life. Since many people have made their jobs their aims of life, much trouble has cropped up.

So, do not make your career your aim of life. I cannot suggest what this aim should be. All that can be said is that it
should be something very high like a star in the sky. Take an example. What was Mahatma Gandhi’s aim in life? Some of
you might say that it was the freedom of India which is not true. He was a sad person on the day of India’s
independence. Arundhati Roi wrote a novel, became famous and got a lot of money. Then she gave up all her time and
energy to serve the poor. What is her aim? So, make your own aim and live for it.

3. Drinking Water

Everybody knows that water is very important for our life. We need water for cleaning, agriculture and in cooking.
However, its most important use is drinking. The drinking water must be pure. If it is not so, it may cause disease and
death. So there are many ways by which we purify our water. The simplest way is to boil the water before drinking.
These days many water purifiers are also available in the market. But these are costly gadgets and everyone cannot
afford them.

It is the duty of the government to provide pure drinking water to the people. The main source of such water is rain.
The crisis occurs when there is less or no rain fall. That is why the conservation of rain water has become very
important. We must do everything possible to preserve drinking water.

4. Co-Education

Co-education is becoming more and more acceptable in the country. It has many advantages. Some people say that it
enhances the performance of the students. It also makes them more disciplined. Perhaps the greatest advantage of co-
education is that it teaches students how to behave with the opposite sex.

Yet, there are many people who consider co-education an evil. Their argument is that in co-educational schools, the
students pay less attention to their studies. They are always trying to spend some time with the opposite sex. This is
true to some extent. However, it happens with those students who enter a co-educational institute in their teens.
Those who enter in a co-educational institute in primary classes, do not become a victim of this syndrome.

5. Patriotism

Patriotism means love for one’s country. A patriot is ready to sacrifice everything for the love of his country. Mahatma
Gandhi, Sardar Bhagat Singh and Swami Vivekananda were among great patriots. It is not, however, the same thing as
nationalism. A nationalist wants his country to dominate other countries. A patriot respects the rights of other nations.
The nationalist says: “My country, right or wrong”. A patriot says, “My country, may she always be right”. A patriot is,
therefore, a man of high character who believes in the idea of ‘Vasudhev Kutumbakam’ which means that the whole
world is a family. It has been rightly said:
“Not gold but only men can make
a nation great and strong.
Men who for truth and honour’s sake
stand fast and suffer long.”

6. The Role of Money In Our Life

Since early childhood, we are being told : “If money is lost, nothing is lost; if health is lost, something is lost but if
character is lost, everything is lost”. Yet we find people running after wealth from the cradle to the grave. So, it is difficult
to agree with the old saying.

The truth is that human beings are made of body and soul. For those who do not believe in soul, I would replace the
word ‘soul’ with mind. As far as the body is concerned, money is of the highest importance. We can’t maintain this body
without the things which money gives us. But soul or mind is equally if not more important for us. For them great ideas
and good character is important. So, I will conclude that money has an important role to play but it is not all.

Practice Question
Question 1:
You read in the newspaper about a baby girl found abandoned at the railway station. You are touched by the fact that
people consider the girl child as a burden and not as an asset. Write an article for a magazine on ‘Saving the Girl Child’.
Take help from the hints provided. You are Neeraj Bhardwaj.
Hints

• Value and worth of girl child

• Female foeticide

• One million girls killed every year

• Boy-girl ratio getting imbalanced

• Girls will simply vanish from the face of the Earth

• Create awareness in society to put an end to this social evil

Question 2:
Parents today are facing a major problem with their children. They waste most of their time on Facebook and other
social networking sites, with the result that their studies and other important activities are neglected. Write an article
on this issue taking ideas from the hints given below.
Hints

• Teenagers waste time.

• Parents’ fear of the dangers involved.

• Pros include fast spread of information, source of news, solves crimes, helps students with academic work,
improves relationships.

• Cons include spread of false information, students waste time, leads to stress, misunderstandings and
arguments. Children develop self-cantered personalities. Leads to loneliness and depression.

Answer:

Pros and Cons of Social Networking Sites

Social networking has taken today’s youth by storm. Teenagers go crazy over it and spend most of their time in socialising
on these sites. At the same time, it has created worry among the parents of teenagers. Parents now fear the worst, when
they hear of ruined reputations, cybercrimes, online predators and other dangers.

When we talk about the pros and cons then there are always two sides of a coin. Let us take the positive aspect of
networking first. Social networking sites spread information faster than any other media. These sites are the best source
of news. These sites help solve crimes more quickly. The best advantage of social networking sites is for the students.
They help a student to do better at school. They can easily discuss educational topics and assignments. Thus, they can
score better grades in academics. It also improves relationships and increases friend circle. People can connect with their
family and friends living abroad through skype and e-mail facilities. It helps to stay in touch with friends, they cannot
meet regularly.

Social network helps to spread false and unreliable information, which may harm groups, communities, and even nations.
Students waste time by playing games and socialising. Therefore, they tend to score lower grades in academics, which
leads to stress, misunderstandings, and arguments. Children spend less time in face-to-face interactions and this leads
to self-centred personalities and behaviour. A person may suffer from loneliness, depression, anxiety, and general
distress.
To sum up we can say that it’s wise to tread carefully and be aware of the pros and cons before we indulge.

Question 3:
Looking at the increasing obesity among school children write an article on the topic in taking help from the hints given
below.
Hints

• problem of being overweight in common in children.

Question 4:
Due to selfish human activities and overuse of natural resources, global warming is taking place, which poses danger to
humankind. Write an article to highlight the effects of global warming using the hints given below.

Hints

• Increase in Earth’s temperature between 0.4-0.8 degrees Celsius.

• Increased levels of greenhouse gases and excessive cutting of trees are the major causes.

• Further rise between 1.4-5.8 degrees Celsius by 2100.

• Rising sea levels, severe storms, and other severe weather conditions.

• Can lead to ocean acidification, the collapse of tropical rain forests, and huge masses of ice falling into oceans.

• Preventive steps should be taken to check global warming.

Question 5:
Terrorism is the biggest and most dangerous threat to humanity today. Write an article on the topic ‘Terrorism a Threat
to Humanity’, using the hints given below.
Hints

• Intended to create fear, target civilians.

• Terrorists use sophisticated methods.

• Hijacking, hostage-taking, and bomb blasts.

• Chemical, biological and cyber-attacks.

• Study of historical, ideological, and economic factors to combat terrorism.