Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on American Express. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
American Express, a.k.a. AmEx, is one of the world’s top 20 global brands. The financial services company was established in 1850. It is one of the 30 companies that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average index. The company’s core business is credit cards and traveller’s cheques. American Express credit cards are seen as a premium product. Its membership fee is higher than most and it markets itself to a richer, business-travelling clientele. As a result, the company suffers less credit losses than its competitors. The company likes to keep with tradition. Its slogan “Don’t Leave Home Without It” dates from 1975. AmEx is frequently high on industry lists. ‘Fortune’ magazine listed it as one of the world’s 30 most admired companies and the ‘New York Times’ reported it has a 91% customer satisfaction rate.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about American Express on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. AMERICAN EXPRESS MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of American Express. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about American Express. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about American Express and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about American Express. 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 American Express. 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
American Express, a.k.a. AmEx, is one of the world’s top 20 global brands. The _____________________ was established in 1850. It is one of the 30 companies that _____________________ Jones Industrial Average index. The company’s _____________________ cards and traveller’s cheques. American Express credit cards are seen as _____________________. Its membership fee is _____________________ it markets itself to a richer, business-travelling clientele. _____________________ company suffers less credit losses than its competitors. The company likes to keep with tradition. Its slogan “Don’t Leave Home Without It” dates from 1975. AmEx is _____________________ industry lists. ‘Fortune’ magazine listed it as one of the world’s 30 _____________________ and the ‘New York Times’ reported it has a 91% customer satisfaction rate.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
American Express, a.k.a. AmEx, is one of the world’s top 20 ogabll brands. The inaanilfc services company was established in 1850. It is one of the 30 companies that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average iednx. The company’s core business is credit cards and traveller’s cheques. American Express credit cards are seen as a eumrmip product. Its membership fee is higher than most and it kaerstm itself to a richer, business-travelling netleeicl. As a result, the company sefsurf less credit losses than its competitors. The company likes to keep with ditrintao. Its slogan “Don’t Leave Home Without It” dates from 1975. AmEx is trqlfunyee high on industry lists. ‘Fortune’ magazine listed it as one of the world’s 30 most idmedar companies and the ‘New York Times’ reported it has a 91% customer satisfaction rate.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
American Express, a.k.a. AmEx, one is top world’s the of 20 global brands. The financial services company was established in 1850. 30 the of one is It that companies make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average index. The cards credit is business core company’s and traveller’s cheques. American Express are cards credit a as seen premium product. Its membership fee is higher than itself markets it and most richer a to, business-travelling clientele. As a result, company credit suffers the less losses than its competitors. The company likes to keep with tradition. Its slogan “Leave It Home Don’t Without” dates from 1975. AmEx is frequently high on industry lists. ‘Fortune’ magazine listed it as one of the world’s 30 most admired companies and the ‘New York Times’ satisfaction customer % 91 a has it reported rate.
american express aka amex is one of the world’s top 20 global brands the financial services company was established in 1850 it is one of the 30 companies that make up the dow jones industrial average index the company’s core business is credit cards and traveller’s cheques american express credit cards are seen as a premium product its membership fee is higher than most and it markets itself to a richer business-travelling clientele as a result the company suffers less credit losses than its competitors the company likes to keep with tradition its slogan “don’t leave home without it” dates from 1975 amex is frequently high on industry lists ‘fortune’ magazine listed it as one of the world’s 30 most admired companies and the ‘new york times’ reported it has a 91% customer satisfaction rate
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
American Express, a.k.a. AmEx, .......... (be) one of the world’s top 20 global brands. The financial services company .......... (be) established in 1850. It is one of the 30 companies that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average index. The company’s core business .......... (be) credit cards and traveller’s cheques. American Express credit cards .......... (be) .......... (see) as a premium product. Its membership fee is higher than most and it .......... (market) itself to a richer, business-travelling clientele. As a result, the company .......... (suffer) less credit losses than its competitors. The company .......... (like) to keep with tradition. Its slogan “Don’t Leave Home Without It” dates from 1975. AmEx is frequently high on industry lists. ‘Fortune’ magazine listed it as one of the world’s 30 most admired companies and the ‘New York Times’ reported it .......... (have) a 91% customer satisfaction rate.
American Express, a.k.a. AmEx, is one of the world’s top 20 ____________ brands. The financial services company was ____________ in 1850. It is one of the 30 companies that ____________ up the Dow Jones Industrial Average index. The company’s ____________ business is credit cards and traveller’s cheques. American Express credit cards are seen as a ____________ product. Its membership fee is higher than most and it markets itself to a richer, business-travelling ____________. As a result, the company suffers less credit losses than its competitors. The company ____________ to keep with tradition. Its slogan “Don’t Leave Home Without It” dates from 1975. AmEx is ____________ high on industry lists. ‘Fortune’ magazine listed it as one of the world’s 30 most ____________ companies and the ‘New York Times’ reported it has a 91% customer satisfaction ____________.
likes
established admired global core clientele make frequently premium
PROJECT AMERICAN EXPRESS
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of American Express. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How American Express 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.
AMERICAN EXPRESS – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – American Express 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 – American Express 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 – American Express customer
You are a customer of American Express. 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 American Express. 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.
AMERICAN EXPRESS – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – American Express New Products Director
You have created a new product for American Express. 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 American Express.
Role B – American Express 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 – American Express 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 – American Express Shareholder
You know a lot about American Express’ 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 American Express. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about American Express. 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. AMERICAN EXPRESS POSTERMake a poster about American Express. 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 AMERICAN EXPRESS LESSON:Make your own English lesson on American Express. 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 American Express. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
