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1) An example of a lead which develops character is:
The Frisbee careened off the wall, kissed the counter, and
broke three dishes. Pieces of ceramic dishes scattered across
the floor as the Frisbee settled amid the debris and slowly spun
in ever smaller circles. The echoing clatter sounded throughout
the house.
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2) An example of a lead which employs dialogue is:
�Half the lies people tell about me are not true. I never
get a break!�
�So half the lies people tell about you are true? Do you
ever listen to what you say?�
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3) An example of a lead which develops character is:
One tiny box lay under the tree. Shiny blue and silver paper
seemed to beckon to me. My name written clearly in block
letters was revealed by a white blinking Christmas tree light,
and beneath the name read �From Santa.� Among all the other
presents, this gift was most special.
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4) An example of a lead which develops setting is:
As the sky began to lighten, I realized that the sun peaking
over the horizon indicated Christmas morning was finally here.
Footfalls on the wooden floor indicated others were up. The
long hours of lying in bed thinking about what was under the
Christmas tree were over. The smells of breakfast, coffee,
bubbling oatmeal, and toast, were seeping under my door.
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5) An example of a lead which employs onomatopoeia is:
The clang of pots signaled her mother was angry. As the
refrigerator door slammed, plates clattered on to the table,
and silverware plinked into place, Alice knew she was in
trouble. The ring of the phone startled her, but her mother�s
quick slam of the receiver back to the cradle indicated she
would not be getting any calls tonight.
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6) An example of a lead which offers an invitation to the reader is:
Imagine being confronted by one of your parents at midnight
on your front steps when you were supposed to be home at ten
o�clock. Your mother or father has that angry �you�re grounded�
look on her or his face. You have the �how am I going to get out
of this one� brain scramble going on in your head.
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7) An example of a lead which attempts to develop humor is:
As I yanked on the arched fiberglass fishing rod, the two
pound bass flew out of the water right into my face causing me
to take two stumbling steps backward, teeter on the edge of the
dock, and fall heels over head into the cattails, mud, and
shallow water of Lake Mead. The bass bounced once on my
chest, landed again on my face, and wiggled off across the mud
flats jerking the rod along behind him as he scooted into
deeper water.
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8) An example of a lead which develops suspense is:
When was the last time you lay in your bed awake for four
hours? Did you count the minutes? Which Christmas do you
remember best?
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9) An example of a lead which places the reader in the action is:
The Frisbee careened off the wall, kissed the counter, and
broke three dishes. Pieces of ceramic dishes scattered across
the floor as the Frisbee settled amid the debris and slowly spun
in ever smaller circles. The echoing clatter sounded throughout
the house.
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10) An example of a lead which creates suspense is:
The strange man snuck around the side of the cabin toward
my mother. His hands moved toward her neck. A sinister smile
played across his lips. His shadow alerted my mother. I was
too far away to be of any help. She spun to confront whoever
cast the dark outline on the wall as a half-voiced scream died in
her throat.
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21) What is a lead?
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22) Explain why all lead types do or do not work with every story.
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23) Why would making a connection to your lead in your conclusion
be an effective writing technique?
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24) Explain why a writer should intentionally use an effective lead.
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25) Any time you write, what is your intention?