Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Apple. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Apple Inc. is one of the world’s best-known and perhaps favourite companies. It has earned the reputation as being an innovative leader in the fields of personal computers, software, music players, mobile phones and digital music distribution. The company was started by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976. In 2010, it became the world’s most valuable computer company. Apple has succeeded by providing consumers with high quality, groundbreaking products. Almost everything Apple produces creates a media frenzy. The brand loyalty the company enjoys is the envy of any business. The company’s product range is a list of stunning commercial successes, from the iMac to iTunes, the iPod, iPad and iPhone. ‘Fortune’ magazine says Apple is the world’s most admired company.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Apple on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. APPLE MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Apple. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Apple. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Apple and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Apple. 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 Apple. 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
Apple Inc. is one of the world’s ___________________ favourite companies. It has ___________________ as being an innovative ___________________ of personal computers, software, music players, mobile phones and digital music distribution. The company was started by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976. In 2010, it became the ___________________ computer company. Apple has succeeded ___________________ with high quality, groundbreaking products. Almost everything Apple produces ___________________ frenzy. The brand loyalty the company enjoys ___________________ business. The company’s product range is a list of stunning commercial successes, from the iMac to iTunes, the iPod, iPad and iPhone. ‘Fortune’ magazine says Apple is the ___________________ company.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Apple Inc. is one of the world’s best-known and perhaps favourite companies. It has arnede the reputation as being an veiatnniov leader in the fields of personal computers, software, music players, mobile phones and liaditg music distribution. The company was started by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976. In 2010, it became the world’s most evllauba computer company. Apple has succeeded by dgiovnpri consumers with high quality, groundbreaking products. Almost everything Apple produces creates a media yenfzr. The brand aoyltly the company enjoys is the envy of any business. The company’s product angre is a list of untnsgin commercial successes, from the iMac to iTunes, the iPod, iPad and iPhone. ‘Fortune’ magazine says Apple is the world’s most mieradd company.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Apple Inc. known the and world’s is best one - of perhaps favourite companies. as reputation the earned has It being in fields an leader the of innovative personal computers, software, music players, mobile phones and digital music distribution. The company was started by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976. In 2010, it became valuable computer company the world’s most. Apple providing by succeeded has with consumers high quality, groundbreaking products. Almost everything media a creates produces Apple frenzy. The brand loyalty the company the of business is envy any enjoys. The company’s product range is a list of stunning commercial successes, from the iMac to iTunes, the iPod, iPad and iPhone. ‘Fortune’ is magazine the says world’s Apple most admired company.
apple inc is one of the world’s best-known and perhaps favourite companies it has earned the reputation as being an innovative leader in the fields of personal computers software music players mobile phones and digital music distribution the company was started by steve jobs and steve wozniak in 1976 in 2010 it became the world’s most valuable computer company apple has succeeded by providing consumers with high quality groundbreaking products almost everything apple produces creates a media frenzy the brand loyalty the company enjoys is the envy of any business the company’s product range is a list of stunning commercial successes from the imac to itunes the ipod ipad and iphone ‘fortune’ magazine says apple is the world’s most admired company
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Apple Inc. .......... (be) one of the world’s best-known and perhaps favourite companies. It .......... (have) earned the reputation as being an innovative leader in the fields of personal computers, software, music players, mobile phones and digital music distribution. The company .......... (be) .......... (start) by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976. In 2010, it .......... (become) the world’s most valuable computer company. Apple has .......... (succeed) by providing consumers with high quality, groundbreaking products. Almost everything Apple produces .......... (create) a media frenzy. The brand loyalty the company .......... (enjoy) is the envy of any business. The company’s product range .......... (be) a list of stunning commercial successes, from the iMac to iTunes, the iPod, iPad and iPhone. ‘Fortune’ magazine says Apple .......... (be) the world’s most admired company.
Apple Inc. is one of the world’s best-known and ____________ favourite companies. It has earned the reputation as being an ____________ leader in the fields of personal computers, software, music players, mobile phones and ____________ music distribution. The company was started by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976. In 2010, it became the world’s most ____________ computer company. Apple has succeeded by ____________ consumers with high quality, groundbreaking products. Almost everything Apple produces creates a ____________ frenzy. The brand loyalty the company enjoys is the ____________ of any business. The company’s product ____________ is a list of ____________ commercial successes, from the iMac to iTunes, the iPod, iPad and iPhone. ‘Fortune’ magazine says Apple is the world’s most ____________ company.
valuable
media
range
innovative
providing
stunning
perhaps
admired
digital
envy
PROJECT APPLE
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Apple. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Apple 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.
APPLE – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Apple 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 – Apple 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 – Apple customer
You are a customer of Apple. 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 Apple. 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.
APPLE – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Apple New Products Director
You have created a new product for Apple. 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 Apple.
Role B – Apple 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 – Apple 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 – Apple Shareholder
You know a lot about Apple’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 Apple. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Apple. 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. APPLE POSTERMake a poster about Apple. 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 APPLE LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Apple. 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 Apple. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
