News is information about important events. It is broadcast on TV, printed in newspapers or posted online. It can also be read at a cafe or yelled across the classroom. News is often about current affairs but can also be about sports, weather or natural disasters. News is interesting because it reflects how people and countries live. It is also useful to keep up with the news in English because it helps us to understand our world and culture.
It’s not easy to decide what makes news. It depends on how significant and how widely-recognised the event is. For example, an insect living on a plant it did not previously inhabit might be important to scientists but not to the average reader of a newspaper or news broadcast. It could be newsworthy, however, if that insect were to destroy crops or cause other harm.
Another factor in deciding what is newsworthy is whether or not the event is new. If a celebrity has died, that is very likely to be newsworthy. It is not, however, newsworthy if an ordinary person dies of natural causes.
Money is another important element in newsworthiness. A fortune made or lost makes for big news, but small sums of money can still be interesting if they affect many people. For example, when the government announces a pay rise for teachers or compensation claims are paid out, these may be headlines. A similar story is when the economy is in turmoil and many businesses close.