Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Xerox. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Xerox Corporation is the world’s leading document management company. The company website says Xerox offers “true end-to-end solutions, from back-office support to the printed page”. It was founded in 1906 as the Haloid Photographic Company, which manufactured photographic paper and equipment. In 1959, it shot to fame when it introduced the world’s first photocopier. It changed its name to Xerox. Its copiers became so commonplace around the world that the word ‘xerox’ became a verb and entered the Oxford English Dictionary. This is something Xerox says breaches its copyright. Today, it makes printers, copiers and other office equipment and offers business services that include document management consulting expertise. The company employs 130,000 worldwide and brings in around $20 billion in revenue.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Xerox on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. XEROX MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Xerox. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Xerox. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Xerox and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Xerox. 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 Xerox. 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
Xerox Corporation is the world’s ________________________ company. The company website says Xerox offers “true end-to-end solutions, from back-office ________________________ page”. It was founded in 1906 as the Haloid Photographic Company, which ________________________ paper and equipment. In 1959, it shot to fame when it introduced the world’s first photocopier. It changed its name to Xerox. Its copiers ________________________ around ________________________ ‘xerox’ became a verb and entered the Oxford English Dictionary. This is something Xerox ________________________. Today, it makes printers, copiers and other office equipment and offers business services that include document ________________________ expertise. The company employs 130,000 ________________________ around $20 billion in revenue.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Xerox Corporation is the world’s leading mectnodu management company. The company website says Xerox offers “true end-to-end soulntosi, from back-office topspur to the printed page”. It was founded in 1906 as the Haloid Photographic Company, which manufactured photographic paper and timepnqeu. In 1959, it shot to fame when it introduced the world’s first photocopier. It changed its name to Xerox. Its copiers became so macmeoplcon around the world that the word ‘xerox’ became a verb and reteden the Oxford English Dictionary. This is something Xerox says breaches its igtyhprco. Today, it makes printers, ipeorsc and other office equipment and offers business services that include document management consulting expertise. The company eslpomy 130,000 worldwide and brings in around $20 billion in vuernee.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Xerox the is Corporation document leading world’s management company. The company website says Xerox - end solutions , from offers “ true end - to back-office support to the printed page”. It was founded in 1906 as the Haloid Photographic Company, which manufactured photographic paper and equipment. In 1959, it shot to the introduced it when fame photocopier first world’s. It changed its name to Xerox. Its copiers became so commonplace the that world the around word ‘xerox’ became a verb and entered the Oxford English Dictionary. says Xerox something is This breaches its copyright. Today, it makes printers, copiers and other and equipment office services business offers that include document expertise consulting management. The company brings 130 000 and employs , worldwide in around $20 billion in revenue.
xerox corporation is the world’s leading document management company the company website says xerox offers “true end-to-end solutions from back-office support to the printed page” it was founded in 1906 as the haloid photographic company which manufactured photographic paper and equipment in 1959 it shot to fame when it introduced the world’s first photocopier it changed its name to xerox its copiers became so commonplace around the world that the word ‘xerox’ became a verb and entered the oxford english dictionary this is something xerox says breaches its copyright today it makes printers copiers and other office equipment and offers business services that include document management consulting expertise the company employs 130000 worldwide and brings in around $20 billion in revenue
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Xerox Corporation .......... (be) the world’s leading document management company. The company website .......... (say) Xerox .......... (offer) “true end-to-end solutions, from back-office support to the printed page”. It was .......... (found) in 1906 as the Haloid Photographic Company, which .......... (manufacture) photographic paper and equipment. In 1959, it .......... (shoot) to fame when it .......... (introduce) the world’s first photocopier. It .......... (change) its name to Xerox. Its copiers .......... (become) so commonplace around the world that the word ‘xerox’ .......... (become) a verb and .......... (enter) the Oxford English Dictionary. This is something Xerox says .......... (breach) its copyright. Today, it .......... (make) printers, copiers and other office equipment and offers business services that .......... (include) document management consulting expertise. The company .......... (employ) 130,000 worldwide and .......... (bring) in around $20 billion in revenue.
Xerox Corporation is the world’s ____________ document management company. The company website says Xerox offers “____________ end-to-end solutions, from back-____________ support to the printed page”. It was founded in 1906 as the Haloid Photographic Company, which manufactured photographic paper and ____________. In 1959, it shot to ____________ when it introduced the world’s first photocopier. It changed its name to Xerox. Its copiers became so ____________ around the world that the word ‘xerox’ became a ____________ and entered the Oxford English Dictionary. This is something Xerox says breaches its ____________. Today, it makes printers, copiers and other office equipment and offers business services that include document management consulting ____________. The company employs 130,000 worldwide and brings in around $20 billion in ____________.
equipment
expertise
leading
commonplace
office
revenue
verb
true
fame
copyright
PROJECT XEROX
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Xerox. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Xerox 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.
XEROX – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Xerox 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 – Xerox 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 – Xerox customer
You are a customer of Xerox. 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 Xerox. 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.
XEROX – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Xerox New Products Director
You have created a new product for Xerox. 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 Xerox.
Role B – Xerox 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 – Xerox 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 – Xerox Shareholder
You know a lot about Xerox’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 Xerox. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Xerox. 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. XEROX POSTERMake a poster about Xerox. 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 XEROX LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Xerox. 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 Xerox. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
