Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Nokia. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Nokia is a Finnish telecommunications corporation. It is Finland’s largest company and accounts for 25% of the country’s exports and a third of the value of the Helsinki Stock Exchange. Nokia has its roots in another form of communication – paper. It was established in 1865 by mining engineer Fredrik Idestam who started manufacturing paper. The company is named after the Nokianvirta River which it used for its paper mill. In 1902, the company started producing electricity. It merged with two other companies in 1967 to form the Nokia Corporation and produced household goods. In the 1980s the company decided to solely focus on mobile phone technology. Today, it employs 123,000 people in 120 countries. It is the world’s largest producer of mobile phones.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Nokia on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. NOKIA MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Nokia. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Nokia. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Nokia and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Nokia. 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 Nokia. 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
Nokia is a Finnish telecommunications corporation. It is Finland’s ____________________________ 25% of the country’s exports and ____________________________ the Helsinki Stock Exchange. ____________________________ another form of communication – paper. It was established in 1865 by mining engineer Fredrik Idestam who started manufacturing paper. ____________________________ the Nokianvirta River ____________________________ mill. In 1902, the company started producing electricity. It ____________________________ companies in 1967 to form the Nokia Corporation and produced household goods. In the 1980s the company ____________________________ on mobile phone technology. Today, it employs 123,000 people in 120 countries. It is the ____________________________ of mobile phones.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Nokia is a Finnish telecommunications corporation. It is Finland’s largest company and otccansu for 25% of the country’s exports and a rhidt of the value of the Helsinki Stock Exchange. Nokia has its roots in another form of communication – paper. It was sbhedtsaiel in 1865 by mining engineer Fredrik Idestam who started manufacturing paper. The company is named after the Nokianvirta River which it used for its paper mill. In 1902, the company started uipcgrndo electricity. It rgeedm with two other companies in 1967 to form the Nokia Corporation and produced dhelhoous goods. In the 1980s the company decided to yslloeucfso on mobile phone technology. Today, it myeplos 123,000 people in 120 countries. It is the world’s largest producer of mobile phones.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Nokia is a Finnish telecommunications corporation. It is for accounts and company largest Finland’s % 25 of the country’s the and value a of third the of exports Helsinki Stock Exchange. in roots its has Nokia of form another communication – paper. It was established in 1865 by Fredrik engineer mining started who Idestam manufacturing paper. The company is named after the Nokianvirta River mill paper its for used it which. In 1902, the company started producing electricity. It merged to 1967 in companies other two with form the Nokia Corporation and produced household goods. In the focus the decided solely 1980s company to on mobile phone technology. Today, it employs 123,000 people in 120 countries. mobile of producer largest world’s the is It phones.
nokia is a finnish telecommunications corporation it is finland’s largest company and accounts for 25% of the country’s exports and a third of the value of the helsinki stock exchange nokia has its roots in another form of communication – paper it was established in 1865 by mining engineer fredrik idestam who started manufacturing paper the company is named after the nokianvirta river which it used for its paper mill in 1902 the company started producing electricity it merged with two other companies in 1967 to form the nokia corporation and produced household goods in the 1980s the company decided to solely focus on mobile phone technology today it employs 123000 people in 120 countries it is the world’s largest producer of mobile phones
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Nokia .......... (be) a Finnish telecommunications corporation. It is Finland’s largest company and .......... (account) for 25% of the country’s exports and a third of the value of the Helsinki Stock Exchange. Nokia .......... (have) its roots in another form of communication – paper. It was .......... (establish) in 1865 by mining engineer Fredrik Idestam who .......... (start) manufacturing paper. The company is .......... (name) after the Nokianvirta River which it .......... (use) for its paper mill. In 1902, the company .......... (start) producing electricity. It .......... (merge) with two other companies in 1967 to .......... (form) the Nokia Corporation and .......... (produce) household goods. In the 1980s the company .......... (decide) to solely focus on mobile phone technology. Today, it .......... (employ) 123,000 people in 120 countries. It .......... (be) the world’s largest producer of mobile phones.
Nokia is a Finnish telecommunications ____________. It is Finland’s largest company and accounts for 25% of the country’s ____________ and a third of the ____________ of the Helsinki Stock Exchange. Nokia has its ____________ in another form of communication – paper. It was established in 1865 by mining engineer Fredrik Idestam who started manufacturing paper. The company is ____________ after the Nokianvirta River which it used for its paper mill. In 1902, the company started producing electricity. It ____________ with two other companies in 1967 to ____________ the Nokia Corporation and produced ____________ goods. In the 1980s the company decided to ____________ focus on mobile phone technology. Today, it employs 123,000 people in 120 countries. It is the world’s largest ____________ of mobile phones.
value
household
corporation
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producer
form
exports
solely
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PROJECT NOKIA
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Nokia. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Nokia 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.
NOKIA – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Nokia 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 – Nokia 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 – Nokia customer
You are a customer of Nokia. 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 Nokia. 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.
NOKIA – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Nokia New Products Director
You have created a new product for Nokia. 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 Nokia.
Role B – Nokia 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 – Nokia 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 – Nokia Shareholder
You know a lot about Nokia’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 Nokia. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Nokia. 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. NOKIA POSTERMake a poster about Nokia. 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 NOKIA LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Nokia. 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 Nokia. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
