Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Mobil. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Mobil is a major American oil company that merged with Exxon in 1999 to form ExxonMobil. It operates petrol stations, carwashes, convenience stores and auto-repair shops throughout the world. It was founded in 1911 and quickly grew to be one of the world’s most important oil companies. Its website claims: “ExxonMobil is the world’s largest publicly traded international oil and gas company. We hold an industry-leading inventory of global oil and gas resources. We are the world’s largest refiner and marketer of petroleum products. And our chemical company ranks among the world’s largest. But we are also a technology company, applying science and innovation to find better, safer and cleaner ways to deliver the energy the world needs.” The company employs over 80,000 people worldwide.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Mobil on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. MOBIL MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Mobil. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Mobil. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Mobil and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Mobil. 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 Mobil. 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
Mobil is a major American oil ______________________ Exxon in 1999 to form ExxonMobil. It operates petrol stations, carwashes, convenience ______________________ shops throughout the world. It was founded in 1911 and ______________________ of the world’s most important oil companies. Its website claims: “ExxonMobil is the ______________________ traded international oil and gas company. We hold an industry-leading ______________________ oil and gas resources. We are the world’s largest refiner and ______________________ products. And our chemical company ranks among the world’s largest. But we are also a technology company, ______________________ innovation to find better, safer and cleaner ways to deliver the ______________________.” The company employs over 80,000 people worldwide.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Mobil is a major American oil company that edmgre with Exxon in 1999 to form ExxonMobil. It ostaerep petrol stations, carwashes, convenience stores and auto-iprear shops throughout the world. It was founded in 1911 and iuqkylc grew to be one of the world’s most important oil companies. Its website claims: “ExxonMobil is the world’s largest publicly edardt international oil and gas company. We hold an industry-leading vnertioyn of global oil and gas resources. We are the world’s largest rneeifr and marketer of petroleum products. And our chemical company ranks among the world’s largest. But we are also a technology company, gnayilpp science and innovation to find better, safer and cleaner ways to dreleiv the energy the world needs.” The company ylmsepo over 80,000 people worldwide.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Mobil is a oil American major merged that company with Exxon in 1999 to form ExxonMobil. It operates petrol stations, carwashes, convenience stores and auto-repair shops throughout the world. It was founded in 1911 and the important to of most grew one world’s quickly be oil companies. Its website claims: “ExxonMobil is the world’s oil international traded publicly largest and gas company. We hold inventory an of industry global - oil leading and gas resources. largest and are world’s refiner We the marketer of petroleum products. And our chemical largest world’s the among ranks company. But we are technology , science a company applying also and innovation to find better, safer and cleaner ways to energy the deliver needs world the.” The company employs over 80,000 people worldwide.
mobil is a major american oil company that merged with exxon in 1999 to form exxonmobil it operates petrol stations carwashes convenience stores and auto-repair shops throughout the world it was founded in 1911 and quickly grew to be one of the world’s most important oil companies its website claims “exxonmobil is the world’s largest publicly traded international oil and gas company we hold an industry-leading inventory of global oil and gas resources we are the world’s largest refiner and marketer of petroleum products and our chemical company ranks among the world’s largest but we are also a technology company applying science and innovation to find better safer and cleaner ways to deliver the energy the world needs” the company employs over 80000 people worldwide
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Mobil .......... (be) a major American oil company that merged with Exxon in 1999 to .......... (form) ExxonMobil. It operates petrol stations, carwashes, convenience stores and auto-repair shops throughout the world. It was .......... (found) in 1911 and quickly .......... (grow) to .......... (be) one of the world’s most important oil companies. Its website claims: “ExxonMobil .......... (be) the world’s largest publicly traded international oil and gas company. We .......... (hold) an industry-leading inventory of global oil and gas resources. We .......... (be) the world’s largest refiner and marketer of petroleum products. And our chemical company .......... (rank) among the world’s largest. But we .......... (be) also a technology company, applying science and innovation to find better, safer and cleaner ways to .......... (deliver) the energy the world needs.” The company .......... (employ) over 80,000 people worldwide.
Mobil is a ____________ American oil company that merged with Exxon in 1999 to ____________ ExxonMobil. It operates petrol stations, carwashes, convenience stores and auto-____________ shops throughout the world. It was founded in 1911 and quickly ____________ to be one of the world’s most important oil companies. Its website ____________: “ExxonMobil is the world’s largest publicly traded international oil and gas company. We ____________ an industry-leading inventory of global oil and gas ____________. We are the world’s largest refiner and marketer of petroleum products. And our chemical company ____________ among the world’s largest. But we are also a technology company, ____________ science and innovation to find better, safer and cleaner ways to deliver the energy the world ____________.” The company employs over 80,000 people worldwide.
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PROJECT MOBIL
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Mobil. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Mobil 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.
MOBIL – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Mobil 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 – Mobil 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 – Mobil customer
You are a customer of Mobil. 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 Mobil. 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.
MOBIL – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Mobil New Products Director
You have created a new product for Mobil. 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 Mobil.
Role B – Mobil 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 – Mobil 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 – Mobil Shareholder
You know a lot about Mobil’s 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 Mobil. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Mobil. 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. MOBIL POSTERMake a poster about Mobil. 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 MOBIL LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Mobil. 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 Mobil. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
