Pre-released media texts- My temper is rising

What it is about ?

The author, Mike Humes', opinion on how global warming is being greatly exaggerated by the media.

Fact + opinion

• Opinionated- all about his opinion
• persuasive
• biased
• Some other opinions are brought in then knocked down

Language

• Religious connotations
  • 'Act of God'- passing the blame- a convenient excuse
  • 'angels' immediately puts you on the good side
  • 'evil' implies it is good against evil
  • 'sinner'- acting against God
  • 'let us all pledge to cut emissions'- preaching

• 'it is hard to see how anybody can be sure'- biased,ridicules other argument
• 'shipped in'- brought in all the way from Greenland to prove the point, last resort
• 'more to the point'opinionated phrase

Effectiveness of headline, images and layout

Headline

• 'My temper is rising' immediately suggests attitude, pun temperature is rising
• 'must' modal verb places blame, mocks other argument
• '...' elipses, encourages audience to think

Layout

• lots of short paragraphs giving a lot of different points to back up his arguments
• Online readership may be young and up-to-date with technology