Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Guinness. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
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Guinness is a popular Irish alcoholic drink famous throughout the world. It is a type of beer called a dry stout. It has a distinctive burnt flavor from the use of roasted barley in the brewing process. The company was founded in 1759 by Arthur Guinness at the St. James's Gate Brewery, Dublin. Guinness is still made there today. In 1769 Guinness started exporting his ale - six and a half barrels were sent to England. Today, Guinness is exported all over the world, making it Ireland’s most successful ever export. Guinness has run some very clever advertising campaigns, most notable “Pure Genius” and “Guinness Is Good For You”. There are many studies that prove Guinness has beneficial health effects. For a time, doctors advised pregnant women to drink a little Guinness. The company has stopped this slogan and now promotes responsible drinking in moderation.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Guinness on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. GUINNESS MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Guinness. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Guinness. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Guinness and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Guinness. 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 Guinness. 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
Guinness is a popular Irish alcoholic drink famous ____________________. It is a type of beer called a dry stout. It has a distinctive burnt flavor from the use of roasted barley ____________________. The company was founded in 1759 by Arthur Guinness at the St. James's Gate Brewery, Dublin. Guinness is still made there today. In 1769 Guinness ____________________ ale - six and a half ____________________ England. Today, Guinness is exported all over the world, making it Ireland’s ____________________ export. Guinness has run some very clever ____________________, most notable “Pure Genius” and “Guinness Is Good For You”. There are many ____________________ Guinness has beneficial health effects. For a time, doctors advised pregnant women to drink a little Guinness. The company has stopped this slogan and ____________________ drinking in moderation.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Guinness is a ulpaorp Irish alcoholic drink famous throughout the world. It is a type of beer called a dry stout. It has a distinctive burnt afvrol from the use of roasted barley in the brewing srsoepc. The company was founded in 1759 by Arthur Guinness at the St. James's Gate Brewery, Dublin. Guinness is still made there today. In 1769 Guinness tedasrt exporting his ale - six and a half barrels were sent to England. Today, Guinness is exported all over the world, making it Ireland’s most fslseuuscc ever export. Guinness has run some very clever advertising campaigns, most otebnal “Pure Genius” and “Guinness Is Good For You”. There are many usiestd that evpor Guinness has beneficial health cfstefe. For a time, doctors advised pregnant women to drink a little Guinness. The company has stopped this oasnlg and now promotes responsible drinking in moderation.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Guinness popular a is drink alcoholic Irish famous throughout the world. called a a type dry of It beer is stout. It has a distinctive burnt flavor from the use of roasted process brewing the in barley. The company was founded in 1759 by Arthur Guinness at the St. James's Gate Brewery, Dublin. Guinness is still made there today. In 1769 Guinness started exporting his ale - six and a were barrels half England to sent. Today, Guinness is exported all over the world, making it Ireland’s most successful ever export. Guinness has run some very campaigns clever most advertising notable , “Pure Genius” and “Guinness Is Good For You”. There are many studies that beneficial has Guinness prove effects health. For a time, pregnant doctors women advised to drink a little Guinness. The company has stopped this slogan and now moderation drinking promotes in responsible.
guinness is a popular irish alcoholic drink famous throughout the world it is a type of beer called a dry stout it has a distinctive burnt flavor from the use of roasted barley in the brewing process the company was founded in 1759 by arthur guinness at the st james's gate brewery dublin guinness is still made there today in 1769 guinness started exporting his ale - six and a half barrels were sent to england today guinness is exported all over the world making it ireland’s most successful ever export guinness has run some very clever advertising campaigns most notable “pure genius” and “guinness is good for you” there are many studies that prove guinness has beneficial health effects for a time doctors advised pregnant women to drink a little guinness the company has stopped this slogan and now promotes responsible drinking in moderation
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Guinness .......... (be) a popular Irish alcoholic drink famous throughout the world. It is a type of beer .......... (call) a dry stout. It .......... (have) a distinctive burnt flavor from the use of roasted barley in the brewing process. The company was .......... (found) in 1759 by Arthur Guinness at the St. James's Gate Brewery, Dublin. Guinness is still .......... (make) there today. In 1769 Guinness .......... (start) exporting his ale - six and a half barrels were .......... (send) to England. Today, Guinness is .......... (export) all over the world, making it Ireland’s most successful ever export. Guinness has .......... (run) some very clever advertising campaigns, most notable “Pure Genius” and “Guinness Is Good For You”. There are many studies that .......... (prove) Guinness has beneficial health effects. For a time, doctors .......... (advise) pregnant women to drink a little Guinness. The company has stopped this slogan and now .......... (promote) responsible drinking in moderation.
Guinness is a ____________ Irish alcoholic drink famous throughout the world. It is a type of beer called a dry stout. It has a distinctive burnt ____________ from the use of roasted barley in the brewing process. The company was ____________ in 1759 by Arthur Guinness at the St. James's Gate Brewery, Dublin. Guinness is still made there ____________. In 1769 Guinness started exporting his ale - six and a half barrels were ____________ to England. Today, Guinness is exported all over the world, making it Ireland’s most successful ____________ export. Guinness has run some very clever advertising campaigns, ____________ notable “Pure Genius” and “Guinness Is Good For You”. There are many studies that ____________ Guinness has beneficial health effects. For a time, doctors advised pregnant women to drink a little Guinness. The company has stopped this ____________ and now ____________ responsible drinking in moderation.
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PROJECT GUINNESS
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Guinness. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Guinness 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.
GUINNESS – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Guinness 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 – Guinness 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 – Guinness customer
You are a customer of Guinness. 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 Guinness. 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.
GUINNESS – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Guinness New Products Director
You have created a new product for Guinness. 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 Guinness.
Role B – Guinness 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 – Guinness 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 – Guinness Shareholder
You know a lot about Guinness’ 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 Guinness. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Guinness. 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. GUINNESS POSTERMake a poster about Guinness. 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 GUINNESS LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Guinness. 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 Guinness. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
