Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Duracell. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Duracell is perhaps the world’s best known make of batteries. The brand is owned by the multinational conglomerate Proctor and Gamble. Duracell was founded by scientist Samuel Ruben and entrepreneur Philip Rogers Mallory. They developed an alkaline technology in the 1970s to replace the need for more dangerous mercury batteries. Duracell was introduced in 1974. It is a combination of the words ‘durable’ and ‘cell’. They marketed the batteries as being the world’s longest lasting. The company website says: “As a brand, we realized that there were (and still are) many uses for batteries. And as technology advanced, the uses for batteries only increased. We quickly became the world's leading producer of high-performance alkaline batteries.”
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Duracell on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. DURACELL MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Duracell. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Duracell. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Duracell and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Duracell. 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 Duracell. 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
Duracell ________________________ known make of batteries. The ________________________ multinational conglomerate Proctor and Gamble. Duracell was founded by scientist Samuel Ruben and entrepreneur Philip Rogers Mallory. ________________________ technology in the 1970s ________________________ more dangerous mercury batteries. Duracell was introduced in 1974. ________________________ the words ‘durable’ and ‘cell’. They marketed the batteries as being ________________________. The company website says: “As a brand, we realized that there were (and still are) ________________________. And as technology advanced, the uses for batteries only increased. We quickly became the world's leading producer ________________________ alkaline batteries.”
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Duracell is perhaps the world’s best known make of batteries. The brand is odenw by the multinational conglomerate Proctor and Gamble. Duracell was founded by nsietstci Samuel Ruben and entrepreneur Philip Rogers Mallory. They loveddepe an alkaline technology in the 1970s to ralecep the need for more dangerous mercury batteries. Duracell was introduced in 1974. It is a iomonnbctai of the words ‘ldrubea’ and ‘cell’. They marketed the batteries as being the world’s longest ainglst. The company website says: “As a brand, we readeliz that there were (and still are) many uses for batteries. And as technology dnvdacae, the uses for batteries only increased. We quickly became the world's gindlae producer of high-performance alkaline batteries.”
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Duracell make perhaps world’s known is the best of batteries. The the by owned is brand multinational conglomerate Proctor and Gamble. Duracell was founded by scientist Samuel Ruben and entrepreneur Philip Rogers Mallory. an developed They in technology alkaline the 1970s need more to the for dangerous replace mercury batteries. Duracell was introduced in 1974. It is words and a the ‘durable’ ‘cell’ of combination. They marketed the world’s the being as batteries longest lasting. The company website says: “As a brand, we many there and ) that ( are realized were still uses for batteries. And as technology advanced, the uses for batteries only increased. We quickly became the world's leading of - alkaline producer high performance batteries.”
duracell is perhaps the world’s best known make of batteries the brand is owned by the multinational conglomerate proctor and gamble duracell was founded by scientist samuel ruben and entrepreneur philip rogers mallory they developed an alkaline technology in the 1970s to replace the need for more dangerous mercury batteries duracell was introduced in 1974 it is a combination of the words ‘durable’ and ‘cell’ they marketed the batteries as being the world’s longest lasting the company website says “as a brand we realized that there were (and still are) many uses for batteries and as technology advanced the uses for batteries only increased we quickly became the world's leading producer of high-performance alkaline batteries”
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Duracell .......... (be) perhaps the world’s best known make of batteries. The brand is .......... (own) by the multinational conglomerate Proctor and Gamble. Duracell was .......... (found) by scientist Samuel Ruben and entrepreneur Philip Rogers Mallory. They .......... (develop) an alkaline technology in the 1970s to .......... (replace) the need for more dangerous mercury batteries. Duracell was .......... (introduce) in 1974. It is a combination of the words ‘durable’ and ‘cell’. They .......... (market) the batteries as being the world’s longest lasting. The company website says: “As a brand, we .......... (realize) that there were (and still are) many uses for batteries. And as technology .......... (advance), the uses for batteries only increased. We quickly .......... (become) the world's leading producer of high-performance alkaline batteries.”
Duracell is ____________ the world’s best known make of batteries. The brand is ____________ by the multinational conglomerate Proctor and Gamble. Duracell was ____________ by scientist Samuel Ruben and entrepreneur Philip Rogers Mallory. They developed an alkaline technology in the 1970s to replace the ____________ for more dangerous mercury batteries. Duracell was introduced in 1974. It is a ____________ of the words ‘____________’ and ‘cell’. They marketed the batteries as being the world’s longest ____________. The company website says: “As a brand, we realized that there were (and still are) many uses for batteries. And as technology ____________, the uses for batteries only increased. We quickly became the world's ____________ producer of ____________ -performance alkaline batteries.”
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PROJECT DURACELL
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Duracell. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Duracell 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.
DURACELL – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Duracell 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 – Duracell 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 – Duracell customer
You are a customer of Duracell. 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 Duracell. 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.
DURACELL – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Duracell New Products Director
You have created a new product for Duracell. 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 Duracell.
Role B – Duracell 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 – Duracell 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 – Duracell Shareholder
You know a lot about Duracell’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 Duracell. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Duracell. 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. DURACELL POSTERMake a poster about Duracell. 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 DURACELL LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Duracell. 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 Duracell. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
