Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Budweiser. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Budweiser is one of the biggest selling beers in the world. It is brewed by the Anheuser-Busch breweries in the United States but it has its origins in the Czech Republic. In 2008 Anheuser-Busch sold most of the operations to the Belgian-Brazilian beer giant InBev, to create the largest brewing company in the world. Brewing of the pale lager beer started in 1876 and has become an American icon. Budweiser accounts for over half of all beers sold in the USA. Like other beers, Budweiser is known for its distinctive bottle and label, both of which remained largely unchanged since 1876. Tradition is important to the company. Its website says: “At Budweiser, we take enormous pride in brewing the great American lager. But being a part of American history and life is what really makes us proud.”
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Budweiser on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. BUDWEISER MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Budweiser. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Budweiser. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Budweiser and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Budweiser. 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 Budweiser. 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
Budweiser is one of the __________________ in the world. It is brewed by the Anheuser-Busch breweries in the United States __________________ in the Czech Republic. In 2008 Anheuser-Busch sold most of the operations to the Belgian-Brazilian beer giant InBev, to ___________________ brewing company in the world. Brewing of the pale lager beer started in 1876 and has become an American icon. Budweiser ___________________ half of all beers sold in the USA. Like other beers, Budweiser is known for its distinctive bottle and label, both ___________________ largely unchanged since 1876. Tradition is important to the company. Its website says: “At Budweiser, we take ___________________ brewing the great American lager. But being a part of American history ___________________ really makes us proud.”
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Budweiser is one of the biggest selling beers in the world. It is bweedr by the Anheuser-Busch breweries in the United States but it has its iiognsr in the Czech Republic. In 2008 Anheuser-Busch sold most of the opeitrnaos to the Belgian-Brazilian beer giant InBev, to retcea the largest nrwiebg company in the world. Brewing of the pale lager beer started in 1876 and has become an American icon. Budweiser uocntcsa for over half of all beers sold in the USA. Like other beers, Budweiser is known for its nitctiesvdi bottle and label, both of which remained alleyrg unchanged since 1876. Tradition is important to the company. Its website says: “At Budweiser, we take enormous eidrp in brewing the great American lager. But being a part of American history and life is what really makes us drpuo.”
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Budweiser beers one the selling is of biggest in the world. It is brewed by the Anheuser-Busch breweries in the United States has its origins in the Czech but it Republic. In 2008 Anheuser-Busch most sold to operations the of the Belgian-Brazilian beer giant InBev, to create the brewing largest world the in company. Brewing of the pale lager beer started in 1876 and has become an American icon. Budweiser accounts for over half of all Like in other the beers USA beers . sold, Budweiser is label distinctive known bottle for and its, both of which remained largely unchanged since 1876. Tradition is important to the company. Its website says: “At Budweiser, we brewing in pride enormous take the great American lager. But being a part of American history and what makes proud is really us life.”
budweiser is one of the biggest selling beers in the world it is brewed by the anheuser-busch breweries in the united states but it has its origins in the czech republic in 2008 anheuser-busch sold most of the operations to the belgian-brazilian beer giant inbev to create the largest brewing company in the world brewing of the pale lager beer started in 1876 and has become an american icon budweiser accounts for over half of all beers sold in the usa like other beers budweiser is known for its distinctive bottle and label both of which remained largely unchanged since 1876 tradition is important to the company its website says “at budweiser we take enormous pride in brewing the great american lager but being a part of american history and life is what really makes us proud”
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Budweiser .......... (be) one of the biggest selling beers in the world. It is .......... (brew) by the Anheuser-Busch breweries in the United States but it .......... (have) its origins in the Czech Republic. In 2008 Anheuser-Busch .......... (sell) most of the operations to the Belgian-Brazilian beer giant InBev, to .......... (create) the largest brewing company in the world. Brewing of the pale lager beer .......... (start) in 1876 and has become an American icon. Budweiser accounts for over half of all beers sold in the USA. Like other beers, Budweiser is .......... (know) for its distinctive bottle and label, both of which remained largely unchanged since 1876. Tradition .......... (be) important to the company. Its website says: “At Budweiser, we .......... (take) enormous pride in brewing the great American lager. But .......... (be) a part of American history and life is what really .......... (make) us proud.”
Budweiser is one of the biggest selling beers in the world. It is ____________ by the Anheuser-Busch breweries in the United States but it has its ____________ in the Czech Republic. In 2008 Anheuser-Busch sold most of the ____________ to the Belgian-Brazilian beer giant InBev, to ____________ the largest brewing company in the world. Brewing of the pale lager beer started in 1876 and has become an American ____________. Budweiser accounts for over half of all beers sold in the USA. Like other beers, Budweiser is known for its ____________ bottle and label, both of which remained largely ____________ since 1876. Tradition is important to the company. Its website says: “At Budweiser, we take ____________ pride in brewing the great American lager. But being a ____________ of American history and life is what really makes us ____________.”
brewed
part
distinctive
create
enormous
operations
unchanged
proud
origins
icon
PROJECT BUDWEISER
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Budweiser. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Budweiser 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.
BUDWEISER – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Budweiser 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 – Budweiser 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 – Budweiser customer
You are a customer of Budweiser. 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 Budweiser. 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.
BUDWEISER – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Budweiser New Products Director
You have created a new product for Budweiser. 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 Budweiser.
Role B – Budweiser 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 – Budweiser 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 – Budweiser Shareholder
You know a lot about Budweiser’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 Budweiser. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Budweiser. 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. BUDWEISER POSTERMake a poster about Budweiser. 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 BUDWEISER LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Budweiser. 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 Budweiser. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
