Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on CNN. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
CNN (Cable News Network) is an American-owned cable news channel that is viewed in over 200 countries. It was founded in 1980 by media giant Ted Turner. He succeeded in his vision of providing 24-hour television news coverage. CNN was the first all-news TV channel in the USA. It is owned by parent company Time Warner. The CNN websites says: “CNN is constantly updated to bring you the top news stories from around the world. It is produced by dedicated staff in London and Hong Kong, working with colleagues at CNN's world headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, and with bureaus worldwide. CNN relies heavily on its global team of over 4,000 news professionals.” Estimates are that CNN reaches 100 million American households and a million U.S. hotel rooms.
SEE A SAMPLE Mail this business English lesson to friends and teachers. Click the @ below.
WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about CNN on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. CNN MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of CNN. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about CNN. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about CNN and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about CNN. 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 CNN. 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
CNN (Cable News Network) is ____________________ news channel that ____________________ 200 countries. It was founded in 1980 by media giant Ted Turner. He succeeded in ____________________ 24-hour television news coverage. CNN was the first all-news TV channel in the USA. ____________________ company Time Warner. The CNN websites says: “CNN is constantly updated ____________________ news stories from around the world. It is produced ____________________ in London and Hong Kong, working with colleagues at CNN's world headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, and ____________________. CNN relies heavily on its global team of over 4,000 news professionals.” Estimates are that CNN reaches 100 million American ____________________ million U.S. hotel rooms.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
CNN (Cable News Network) is an American-wndeo cable news channel that is vwdeei in over 200 countries. It was founded in 1980 by media giant Ted Turner. He succeeded in his vision of igivdporn 24-hour television news coverage. CNN was the first all-news TV channel in the USA. It is owned by tnraep company Time Warner. The CNN websites says: “CNN is stoatnnycl updated to bring you the top news stories from around the world. It is produced by cditeaded staff in London and Hong Kong, working with colleagues at CNN's world headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, and with surabue worldwide. CNN relies vlyeiha on its global team of over 4,000 news professionals.” Estimates are that CNN hcsaere 100 million American ohussdoelh and a million U.S. hotel rooms.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
CNN (Cable News Network) is an American-owned cable in that over is news viewed channel 200 countries. It was founded in 1980 by media giant Ted Turner. He succeeded providing of vision his in 24-hour television news coverage. CNN was the first all-news TV channel in the USA. owned is It company parent by Time Warner. The CNN websites says: “CNN is constantly updated to from stories news top the you bring around the world. It by staff London produced dedicated in is and Hong Kong, working with colleagues at CNN's world headquarters in Atlanta, worldwide bureaus with and , Georgia. CNN relies heavily its team over on global of 4,000 news professionals.” Estimates are that CNN reaches 100 million U million a and households American S. hotel rooms.
cnn (cable news network) is an american-owned cable news channel that is viewed in over 200 countries it was founded in 1980 by media giant ted turner he succeeded in his vision of providing 24-hour television news coverage cnn was the first all-news tv channel in the usa it is owned by parent company time warner the cnn websites says “cnn is constantly updated to bring you the top news stories from around the world it is produced by dedicated staff in london and hong kong working with colleagues at cnn's world headquarters in atlanta georgia and with bureaus worldwide cnn relies heavily on its global team of over 4000 news professionals” estimates are that cnn reaches 100 million american households and a million us hotel rooms
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
CNN (Cable News Network) .......... (be) an American-owned cable news channel that is .......... (view) in over 200 countries. It was .......... (found) in 1980 by media giant Ted Turner. He .......... (succeed) in his vision of providing 24-hour television news coverage. CNN was the first all-news TV channel in the USA. It is .......... (own) by parent company Time Warner. The CNN websites says: “CNN .......... (be) constantly updated to bring you the top news stories from around the world. It is .......... (produce) by dedicated staff in London and Hong Kong, working with colleagues at CNN's world headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, and with bureaus worldwide. CNN .......... (rely) heavily on its global team of over 4,000 news professionals.” Estimates .......... (be) that CNN reaches 100 million American households and a million U.S. hotel rooms.
CNN (Cable News Network) is an American-owned cable news channel that is ____________ in over 200 countries. It was founded in 1980 by ____________ giant Ted Turner. He succeeded in his vision of providing 24-hour television news ____________. CNN was the first all-news TV channel in the USA. It is ____________ by ____________ company Time Warner. The CNN websites says: “CNN is constantly ____________ to bring you the top news stories from around the world. It is produced by dedicated ____________ in London and Hong Kong, working with colleagues at CNN's world headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, and with bureaus ____________. CNN relies ____________ on its global team of over 4,000 news professionals.” Estimates are that CNN ____________ 100 million American households and a million U.S. hotel rooms.
owned
worldwide
updated
media
heavily
coverage
reaches
viewed
staff
parent
PROJECT CNN
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of CNN. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How CNN 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.
CNN – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – CNN 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 – CNN 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 – CNN customer
You are a customer of CNN. 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 CNN. 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.
CNN – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – CNN New Products Director
You have created a new product for CNN. 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 CNN.
Role B – CNN 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 – CNN 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 – CNN Shareholder
You know a lot about CNN’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.
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
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 CNN. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about CNN. 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. CNN POSTERMake a poster about CNN. 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 CNN LESSON:Make your own English lesson on CNN. 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 CNN. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
