Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Fedex. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
FedEx, or Federal Express, is an international logistics company. It began operations in 1973 and has grown to serve and reach every corner of the world. The company website gives an overview: “FedEx provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services…Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 275,000 employees and contractors to remain absolutely, positively focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities.” FedEx is regularly honored as a top company to work for and is often on ‘Fortune’ magazine’s list of the most admired global companies.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about FedEx on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. FEDEX MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of FedEx. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about FedEx. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about FedEx and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about FedEx. 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 FedEx. 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
FedEx, or Federal Express, is _____________________ company. It began operations in 1973 and has grown to _____________________ corner of the world. The company website gives an overview: “FedEx provides customers and businesses _____________________ portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services…Consistently ranked _____________________ admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 275,000 employees and _____________________ absolutely, positively focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards _____________________ customers and communities.” FedEx is _____________________ top company to work for and is often on ‘Fortune’ magazine’s list of the _____________________ companies.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
FedEx, or Federal Express, is an international ticlsgsoi company. It began ooirtspean in 1973 and has grown to serve and reach every rnecro of the world. The company website gives an overview: “FedEx provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad roltfoiop of transportation, e-commerce and business services…Consistently ndarek among the world's most admired and ertdstu employers, FedEx pnrsiesi its more than 275,000 employees and contractors to naremi absolutely, positively focused on safety, the highest ielthca and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities.” FedEx is ueygrlalr honored as a top company to work for and is often on ‘Fortune’ magazine’s list of the most admired global companies.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
FedEx, or Federal Express, is an international logistics company. began It grown has and 1973 in operations to every reach and serve world the of corner. The company website gives an overview: “FedEx provides customers with broad and worldwide a portfolio businesses of transportation, e-commerce and business services…Consistently most world's the among ranked admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than , employees contractors 275 000 and to remain absolutely, on focused positively safety, the highest ethical needs the and standards professional and of their customers and communities.” FedEx is regularly honored as a top company to work for and is often on ‘Fortune’ magazine’s the admired companies of most global list.
fedex or federal express is an international logistics company it began operations in 1973 and has grown to serve and reach every corner of the world the company website gives an overview “fedex provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation e-commerce and business services…consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers fedex inspires its more than 275000 employees and contractors to remain absolutely positively focused on safety the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities” fedex is regularly honored as a top company to work for and is often on ‘fortune’ magazine’s list of the most admired global companies
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
FedEx, or Federal Express, .......... (be) an international logistics company. It .......... (begin) operations in 1973 and has grown to .......... (serve) and reach every corner of the world. The company website .......... (give) an overview: “FedEx .......... (provide) customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services…Consistently .......... (rank) among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx .......... (inspire) its more than 275,000 employees and contractors to .......... (remain) absolutely, positively focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities.” FedEx is regularly .......... (honor) as a top company to work for and .......... (be) often on ‘Fortune’ magazine’s list of the most admired global companies.
FedEx, or Federal Express, is an international ____________ company. It began operations in 1973 and has grown to ____________ and reach every corner of the world. The company website gives an ____________: “FedEx provides customers and businesses worldwide with a ____________ portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services…Consistently ____________ among the world's most admired and ____________ employers, FedEx inspires its more than 275,000 employees and contractors to ____________ absolutely, positively focused on safety, the ____________ ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities.” FedEx is ____________ honored as a top company to work for and is often on ‘Fortune’ magazine’s list of the most admired ____________ companies.
serve
trusted
regularly
overview
global
logistics
ranked
highest
broad
remain
PROJECT FEDEX
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of FedEx. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How FedEx 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.
FEDEX – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – FedEx 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 – FedEx 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 – FedEx customer
You are a customer of FedEx. 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 FedEx. 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.
FEDEX – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – FedEx New Products Director
You have created a new product for FedEx. 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 FedEx.
Role B – FedEx 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 – FedEx 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 – FedEx Shareholder
You know a lot about FedEx’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 FedEx. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about FedEx. 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. FEDEX POSTERMake a poster about FedEx. 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 FEDEX LESSON:Make your own English lesson on FedEx. 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 Federal Express. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
