Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Goldman Sachs. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Goldman Sachs is a global investment banking and securities firm. It also deals in investment management and other financial services. Most of its clients are institutions, governments, pension funds and very wealthy people. It was founded in 1869 by a German immigrant to New York Marcus Goldman. His son-in-law Samuel Sachs joined the firm in 1885 and their company became Goldman-Sachs. They joined the New York Stock Exchange in 1896 and have been a major force on it ever since. The company’s website says it highly values its employees: “Our principal assets are our people, capital and reputation. We are committed to maintaining a culture of diversity, integrity and strong business principles.” The company usually only employs those with MBAs from leading business schools. Its annual revenues are in excess of $50 billion.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Goldman Sachs on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. GOLDMAN SACHS MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Goldman Sachs. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Goldman Sachs. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Goldman Sachs and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Goldman Sachs. They write these down and add the same number of things about the company that are false. Students test each other on which of their points are true or false.
6. FACTS:In groups, students write down as many facts as they can about Goldman Sachs. The winner is the group with the most facts. Teacher may wish to have groups share their facts to make sure they are real.
LISTENING / READING GAP FILL
Goldman Sachs ______________________ banking and securities firm. It also deals ______________________ and other financial services. Most of its clients are institutions, governments, ______________________ wealthy people. It was founded in 1869 by a German immigrant to New York Marcus Goldman. His son-in-law Samuel Sachs ______________________ and their company became Goldman-Sachs. They joined the New York Stock Exchange in 1896 and have been a major ______________________. The company’s website says it highly values its employees: “Our principal assets are our people, ______________________. We are committed to ______________________ diversity, integrity and strong business principles.” The company usually only employs those with MBAs from leading business schools. Its annual ______________________ of $50 billion.
PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS
goldman sachs is a lgaobl investment banking and tescriuise firm. it also deals in investment management and other financial services. most of its lcestni are institutions, governments, pension funds and very thewaly people. it was founded in 1869 by a german immigrant to new york marcus goldman. his son-in-law samuel sachs joined the firm in 1885 and their company became goldman-sachs. they joined the new york stock exchange in 1896 and have been a jaomr force on it ever since. the company’s website says it highly levusa its employees: “our principal aetsss are our people, capital and reputation. we are committed to maintaining a culture of ritdyeisv, integrity and strong business principles.” the company usually only spleoym those with mbas from leading business schools. its annual revenues are in seexsc of $50 billion.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Goldman Sachs global a is and banking investment securities firm. deals also It management investment in and other financial services. Most of its clients are institutions, governments, pension funds and very wealthy people. a by 1869 in founded was It German immigrant to New York Marcus Goldman. His son-in-law Samuel Sachs in firm the joined company their and 1885 became Goldman-Sachs. They joined the New York Stock Exchange in 1896 been it a ever major and force have on since. The company’s website says it highly values its employees: “people our are assets principal Our, capital and reputation. committed are We a maintaining to culture of diversity, integrity and strong business principles.” usually employs with company only those The MBAs from leading business schools. Its annual revenues are in excess of $50 billion.
Goldman Sachs is a global investment banking and securities firm It also deals in investment management and other financial services Most of its clients are institutions governments pension funds and very wealthy people It was founded in 1869 by a German immigrant to New York Marcus Goldman His son-in-law Samuel Sachs joined the firm in 1885 and their company became Goldman-Sachs They joined the New York Stock Exchange in 1896 and have been a major force on it ever since The company’s website says it highly values its employees “Our principal assets are our people capital and reputation We are committed to maintaining a culture of diversity integrity and strong business principles” The company usually only employs those with MBAs from leading business schools Its annual revenues are in excess of $50 billion
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Goldman Sachs .......... (be) a global investment banking and securities firm. It also .......... (deal) in investment management and other financial services. Most of its clients .......... (be) institutions, governments, pension funds and very wealthy people. It was .......... (found) in 1869 by a German immigrant to New York Marcus Goldman. His son-in-law Samuel Sachs .......... (join) the firm in 1885 and their company became Goldman-Sachs. They .......... (join) the New York Stock Exchange in 1896 and have .......... (be) a major force on it ever since. The company’s website .......... (say) it highly values its employees: “Our principal assets .......... (be) our people, capital and reputation. We are .......... (commit) to maintaining a culture of diversity, integrity and strong business principles.” The company usually only .......... (employ) those with MBAs from leading business schools. Its annual revenues .......... (be) in excess of $50 billion.
Goldman Sachs is a global investment banking and securities ____________. It also deals in investment management and other financial services. Most of its ____________ are institutions, governments, pension funds and very ____________ people. It was founded in 1869 by a German immigrant to New York Marcus Goldman. His son-in-law Samuel Sachs ____________ the firm in 1885 and their company became Goldman-Sachs. They joined the New York Stock Exchange in 1896 and have been a ____________ force on it ever since. The company’s website says it highly ____________ its employees: “Our ____________ assets are our people, capital and reputation. We are committed to maintaining a culture of ____________, integrity and strong business principles.” The company usually only ____________ those with MBAs from leading business schools. Its annual revenues are in ____________ of $50 billion.
major
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joined
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wealthy
PROJECT GOLDMAN SACHS
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Goldman Sachs. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Goldman Sachs is better than the competition
How to beat the competition
Part 2. Change partners and look at their project. Suggest improvements. Ask for advice on your project:
Part 3. Make a presentation on your project. Give it to the class. Vote the best projects.
GOLDMAN SACHS – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Goldman Sachs CEO
You believe your company is the best in the world. It pays its workers very well and working conditions are great. Your company is very green – it cares about the environment. You think your levels of customer service are great. Disagree with person B, C and D.
Role B – Goldman Sachs worker
You think it’s a bad company to work for. You’re very unhappy with pay, raises and bonuses. You are very unhappy with the working environment. You don’t like the company’s policy on the environment. You keep hearing profits are more important than customers. Disagree with A and C. Tell D the truth.
Role C – Goldman Sachs customer
You are a customer of Goldman Sachs. You used to think it was great, but not now. Its workers are always very rude. No one ever answers the phone. You are shocked about its policy on the environment. You think all staff should get less pay. You disagree with person A and B. Tell D the truth.
Role D – A journalist
You keep hearing bad things about Goldman Sachs. You want to tell the world in your newspaper. You heard the CEO gets a huge bonus every year. You found a company memo saying profits are more important than the environment. You want to know why so many staff are ill. Find the truth.
GOLDMAN SACHS – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Goldman Sachs New Products Director
You have created a new product for Goldman Sachs. You believe the new product will be the company’s best ever. It will be a bestseller. There are people who do not agree with you. You need B, C and D on your side. Tell them why this is a product that will bring great things to Goldman Sachs.
Role B – Goldman Sachs Marketing Director
You think the company’s new product is a really bad idea. It will give your company a really bad name. You think the New Products Director is trying to destroy the company. Try to get him/her to understand there’s no way the new product will sell. Try to get person C and D on your side.
Role C – Goldman Sachs Market Researcher
You have interviewed thousands of people about the new product. They don’t like it or hate it. You think it will be successful if they make many changes. Tell the New Products Director he/she needs to change the product. You neither like nor trust person B. Disagree will him/her.
Role D – Goldman Sachs Shareholder
You know a lot about Goldman Sachs’ new product. You are worried it will not sell and share prices will go down. You think A is crazy and must find a new job. You agree with everything B says. You don’t agree with C. The new product should not go on the market.
Write a letter of apology to the customer. Explain why you cannot give a refund. Show your partner your letter. Correct each other’s work.
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HOMEWORK
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about Goldman Sachs. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Goldman Sachs. What have they done recently? What are their plans? Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
4. GOLDMAN SACHS POSTERMake a poster about Goldman Sachs. Make sure you sell the company to the public. Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters.
5. MY GOLDMAN SACHS LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Goldman Sachs. Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Teach the class / another group when you have finished.
6. ONLINE SHARING:Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, MySpace page, Twitter stream, Del-icio-us / StumbleUpon account, or any other social media tool to get opinions on Goldman Sachs. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
