You are going to read a newspaper article about a teenage boy who writes a blog about films. Six sentences have been removed from the article.
Choose from the sentences A-G the one which fits each gap (1-6). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.
How to write a good blog
Joey Benson started writing a blog at the age of thirteen. Here, he tells us about his own experiences of blog writing and offers tips for other young bloggers starting out.
‘I never expected to get many followers when I started writing my blog,’ says Joey Benson, now 15. ‘I just wrote down my thought about films I’d seen at the cinema. I didn’t think anyone would take my opinions seriously or even be particularly interested in them.’
Since he started blogging two years ago, however, Joey’s attracted tens of thousands of readers, some of them professional film critics, who are interested in his fresh approach to reviewing films. (1)………… This attention has led to him tripling the number of hits his blog receives, and he now gets sent free tickets for screenings of new films for his age group.
Joey’s style is informal and chatty, and he presents an interesting angle on the films he sees. Instead of simply commenting on how amazing the special effects are, or how effective the sound track is, Joey delves into psychological subject matter like what it was that made the bad guy turn bad or weather the heroes of the story have hidden motives. (2)………… Why did they choose that camera angle to shoot that scene from? Why was that particular animation process selected?
Joey has certainly made an impact on the teenage and film critic blogging scenes. His ideas are far from predictable, and he never fails to surprise readers with a new take on old themes. (3)………… It’s definitely something he manages, though.
With so many talented bloggers out there, how does Joey stand out from the crowd? He says it’s crucial to either find something no one’s written about before or a new way of approaching a subject, like he does. You don’t have to present a balanced opinion of an issue. (4)………… They probably won’t come back again, either.
If you’re hoping to reach a wide range of readers with your blog, following advice from experienced bloggers like Joey is a wise move. You may be truly passionate about a subject close to your heart, and may even consider yourself a bit of an expert on it. This makes it tempting to use jargon and technical words that people familiar with the field will know. (5)………… This means you automatically limit the number of hits you receive on your blog.
‘Remember the expression “first impressions count”?’ asks Joey. ‘Well, that doesn’t just stand for meeting people but when aiming to make an impact with your blog-writing too. (6)………… Then keep their interest by addressing them personally, asking questions and making them think.’
One last word from Joey: ‘Don’t try too hard to use big fancy words or get too hung up on things like grammar. It’s important to check your work afterwards for things like spelling errors, though, and make sure it flows well and is relevant to your target readers. Oh, and make sure you check your facts! You don’t want to get into trouble about what you’ve written. Good luck!’
A Draw the reader in by writing a funny or surprising title.
B He makes it seem easy, but not all young, or indeed older, bloggers hit the right tone.
C A national newspaper recently picked up on his unique style and he’s since appeared in an article about teenage bloggers.
D Age doesn’t matter when you’re writing about something you feel strongly about.
E He isn’t only interested in considering this kind of thing, but in the technicalities of film-making, too.
F However, simply repeating the same thing over again without backing up your ideas with actual examples is unlikely to make readers stick around for long.
G Be aware, though, that a general audience may not, and you may put them off by doing so.
Answer
1 C 2 E 3 B 4 F 5 G 6 A