Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Nissan. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Nissan is one of the world’s largest car manufacturers. It started as the Kwaishinsha Motorcar Co. in 1918 and then the DAT Motorcar Co. The company became Nissan in the 1930s. It became a major supplier of equipment to Japan’s military before WWII. Nissan expanded overseas in the 1950s. Its compact Datsun car was a huge international success and established Japanese cars outside of Japan. By 1970, they were one of the largest car exporters in the world. Its globalization continued with making cars overseas and forming partnerships with companies such as Renault. Carlos Ghosn became president of Nissan in 2000 when the company was in big financial difficulties. He masterminded a spectacular corporate turnaround to re-establish Nissan as a leading and profitable manufacturer.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Nissan on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. NISSAN MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Nissan. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Nissan. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Nissan and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Nissan. 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 Nissan. 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
Nissan is ______________________ car manufacturers. It started as the Kwaishinsha Motorcar Co. in 1918 and then the DAT Motorcar Co. The company became Nissan in the 1930s. It ______________________ of equipment to Japan’s military before WWII. Nissan ______________________ 1950s. Its compact Datsun car was a huge international ______________________ Japanese cars outside of Japan. By 1970, they were one of the ______________________ in the world. Its globalization continued with making cars overseas and ______________________ companies such as Renault. Carlos Ghosn became president of Nissan in 2000 when the company was ______________________. He masterminded a spectacular corporate turnaround to re-establish Nissan as ______________________ manufacturer.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Nissan is one of the world’s eltsgar car manufacturers. It started as the Kwaishinsha Motorcar Co. in 1918 and then the DAT Motorcar Co. The company became Nissan in the 1930s. It became a major pupisrel of equipment to Japan’s military before WWII. Nissan expanded ssarvoee in the 1950s. Its atmpocc Datsun car was a huge international success and hseaeltbids Japanese cars outside of Japan. By 1970, they were one of the largest car xostrrpee in the world. Its globalization continued with making cars overseas and mrifnog partnerships with companies such as Renault. Carlos Ghosn became president of Nissan in 2000 when the company was in big fnaiaclin difficulties. He erdmsimdante a spectacular corporate oaudrnntur to re-establish Nissan as a leading and profitable manufacturer.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Nissan world’s the of one is manufacturers car largest. It started as the Kwaishinsha Motorcar Co. in 1918 and then the DAT Motorcar Co. The company became Nissan in the 1930s. became It to equipment of supplier major a Japan’s military before WWII. Nissan expanded overseas in the 1950s. compact car a Its Datsun was huge international success Japanese and cars established outside of Japan. , the they largest were By one 1970 of car exporters in the world. Its globalization continued with cars and partnerships making overseas forming with companies such as Renault. Carlos Ghosn became company the when 2000 in Nissan of president was in big financial difficulties. He masterminded a spectacular establish corporate to - Nissan turnaround re as a leading and profitable manufacturer.
nissan is one of the world’s largest car manufacturers it started as the kwaishinsha motorcar co in 1918 and then the dat motorcar co the company became nissan in the 1930s it became a major supplier of equipment to japan’s military before wwii nissan expanded overseas in the 1950s its compact datsun car was a huge international success and established japanese cars outside of japan by 1970 they were one of the largest car exporters in the world its globalization continued with making cars overseas and forming partnerships with companies such as renault carlos ghosn became president of nissan in 2000 when the company was in big financial difficulties he masterminded a spectacular corporate turnaround to re-establish nissan as a leading and profitable manufacturer
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Nissan .......... (be) one of the world’s largest car manufacturers. It .......... (start) as the Kwaishinsha Motorcar Co. in 1918 and then the DAT Motorcar Co. The company .......... (become) Nissan in the 1930s. It .......... (become) a major supplier of equipment to Japan’s military before WWII. Nissan .......... (expand) overseas in the 1950s. Its compact Datsun car .......... (be) a huge international success and .......... (establish) Japanese cars outside of Japan. By 1970, they .......... (be) one of the largest car exporters in the world. Its globalization .......... (continue) with making cars overseas and forming partnerships with companies such as Renault. Carlos Ghosn .......... (become) president of Nissan in 2000 when the company .......... (be) in big financial difficulties. He .......... (mastermind) a spectacular corporate turnaround to re-establish Nissan as a leading and profitable manufacturer.
Nissan is one of the world’s largest car manufacturers. It ____________ as the Kwaishinsha Motorcar Co. in 1918 and then the DAT Motorcar Co. The company became Nissan in the 1930s. It became a major ____________ of equipment to Japan’s ____________ before WWII. Nissan expanded overseas in the 1950s. Its ____________ Datsun car was a huge international success and ____________ Japanese cars outside of Japan. By 1970, they were one of the largest car ____________ in the world. Its globalization continued with making cars ____________ and forming partnerships with companies such as Renault. Carlos Ghosn became president of Nissan in 2000 when the company was in big financial ____________. He masterminded a spectacular corporate ____________ to re-establish Nissan as a leading and ____________ manufacturer.
overseas
established
profitable
started
exporters
military
turnaround
supplier
difficulties
compact
PROJECT NISSAN
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Nissan. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Nissan 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.
NISSAN – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Nissan 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 – Nissan 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 – Nissan customer
You are a customer of Nissan. 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 Nissan. 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.
NISSAN – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Nissan New Products Director
You have created a new product for Nissan. 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 Nissan.
Role B – Nissan 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 – Nissan 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 – Nissan Shareholder
You know a lot about Nissan’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 Nissan. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Nissan. 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. NISSAN POSTERMake a poster about Nissan. 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 NISSAN LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Nissan. 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 Nissan. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
