Newspaper/magazine articles (and blogs) These all need to tell the audience about the experience of you, the reporter. Newspaper articles are more serious Magazine articles are a bit chattier/more informal/talk to the reader directly Blogs are very informal, often sarcastic and usually entertaining or funny. But they all mean you need to describe lots and re-word the information given to make it seem like you went there.

Winter Wonderland – write a blog about your visit. You have recently visited the Winter Wonderland and want to write a blog recommending the experience. In your blog you should cover the following three bullet points. What there is to see and do at the Winter Wonderland? Why you would recommend the experience to others? What advice you might be able to give regarding the day out? Base the blog on what you have read in Passage A and be careful to use your own words. Address each of the three bullets. Write about 250-350 words. Up to 15 marks will be available for the content of your answer, and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. 20 marks in total. (The whole paper is out of 50.) This is clearly something you could give a recommendation about “After our first train was late we found ourselves packed like sardines into the tube as all the workers wrestled to get to their offices as fast as they could. I had been told there was a bus that went right to the venue, but had decided the kids would prefer the train, which was a monumental error.” I know you’re all going to call me stupid, but we decided to take the tube to Winter Wonderland – I don’t know why. It was absolutely packed and we could barely breathe. If I wasn’t being an idiot we would have taken the bus, but unfortunately I was.

More examples: “When we finally arrived, ruddy-faced and bleary-eyed, the mood immediately changed. The kids eyes lit up like streetlights as the true magnificence of their surroundings dawned on them. Even as a huge ‘Christmas sceptic’ I had to say I was astonished. It was like being in the North Pole itself.” Some sights Some experience points Re-write and re-describe it When the kids and me finally arrived, everything changed – they got so excited when they saw all the amazing sights. There was so much fake snow, so many fairy lights and so many decorations that I thought I’d been transported to the real home of Santa – it was incredible!

We had booked onto the Big Wheel (£20 when you pre-book) and that was not a disappointment. Soaring 60m above the ground, we found ourselves with a picture postcard view of the finest sights in London. Say what you see from 60m up (pretend!) Describe how good it was (remember you’re with your kids) Re-write and re-describe it Some ideas, or use your own: We spent… We had already booked…