A good lead not only tells a reader what's in the story, it does it in a way as to emphasize the importance and significance of the subject. Don't use passive verbs in leads and focus on the news and what is being said, changed, or voted on. Put the news in the lead. If someone delivers a speech, tell the reader what was said about the topic, not just that the topic was discussed. The verb's job is to describe an action.
Sentences generally work best when they are powered by strong verbs.
Use active verbs unless there is no comfortable way to get around using a passive verb. How to use Quotes - Always put good quotes up high in the article. But try to avoid this. However, avoid the overuse of brackets. Make sure you're writing an article, not just listing quotes.