Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Kleenex. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Kleenex is a brand name for facial tissues, bathroom tissue, paper towels, and diapers. The name Kleenex has become a noun in many dictionaries, meaning a facial tissue, whatever the brand. The Kimberly-Clark Corporation created Kleenex tissues in 1924. The original material Kleenex came from was called ‘Cellucotton’ and was designed for gas masks in WWI. It took ten years for Kimberly-Clark to market Kleenex as a disposable handkerchief. This changed by the mid-1930s when Kleenex had the slogan “Don’t Carry a Cold in Your Pocket”. The Kleenex website says: “Since Kleenex tissues came on the market in 1924, it has been the No. 1 brand of facial tissue in the world and has become a genuine global icon.” Its new slogan is “It Feels Good To Feel”. Today, Kleenex products are sold in more than 170 countries.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Kleenex on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. KLEENEX MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Kleenex. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Kleenex. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Kleenex and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Kleenex. 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 Kleenex. 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
Kleenex is a _____________________ tissues, bathroom tissue, paper towels, and diapers. The name Kleenex has _____________________ dictionaries, meaning a facial tissue, _____________________. The Kimberly-Clark Corporation created Kleenex tissues in 1924. The original material Kleenex _____________________ ‘Cellucotton’ and _____________________ masks in WWI. It took ten years for Kimberly-Clark to market Kleenex as a disposable handkerchief. This _____________________-1930s when Kleenex had the slogan “Don’t Carry a Cold in Your Pocket”. The Kleenex website says: “Since Kleenex tissues _____________________ in 1924, it has been the No. 1 brand of facial tissue in the world and has become _____________________.” Its new slogan is “It Feels Good To Feel”. Today, Kleenex products are sold in more than 170 countries.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Kleenex is a brand name for facial tissues, bathroom tissue, paper towels, and dierpas. The name Kleenex has become a noun in many dictionaries, meaning a facial tissue, whatever the adbnr. The Kimberly-Clark Corporation created Kleenex tissues in 1924. The aironigl material Kleenex came from was called ‘Cellucotton’ and was nedegdis for gas masks in WWI. It took ten years for Kimberly-Clark to aetrmk Kleenex as a disposable handkerchief. This hdgance by the mid-1930s when Kleenex had the gaolns “Don’t Carry a Cold in Your Pocket”. The Kleenex website says: “Since Kleenex tissues came on the ratemk in 1924, it has been the No. 1 brand of facial tissue in the world and has become a guienen global icon.” Its new slogan is “It Feels Good To Feel”. Today, Kleenex dscprotu are sold in more than 170 countries.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Kleenex name facial is brand for tissues a, bathroom tissue, paper towels, and diapers. The name Kleenex has in noun a become dictionaries many, meaning a facial tissue, whatever the brand. The Kimberly-Clark Corporation created Kleenex tissues in 1924. The original came Kleenex material called was from ‘Cellucotton’ and for masks WWI designed gas in was. It took ten years for Kimberly-Clark to market Kleenex as a disposable handkerchief. changed This when 1930s - mid the by Kleenex had the slogan “Don’t Carry a Cold in Your Pocket”. The Kleenex website says: “Since Kleenex market in 1924 tissues came on the, it has been the No. 1 brand the in tissue facial of has and world become a genuine global icon.” Its new slogan is “It Feels Good To Feel”. Today, in sold are products Kleenex 170 than more countries.
kleenex is a brand name for facial tissues bathroom tissue paper towels and diapers the name kleenex has become a noun in many dictionaries meaning a facial tissue whatever the brand the kimberly-clark corporation created kleenex tissues in 1924 the original material kleenex came from was called ‘cellucotton’ and was designed for gas masks in wwi it took ten years for kimberly-clark to market kleenex as a disposable handkerchief this changed by the mid-1930s when kleenex had the slogan “don’t carry a cold in your pocket” the kleenex website says “since kleenex tissues came on the market in 1924 it has been the no 1 brand of facial tissue in the world and has become a genuine global icon” its new slogan is “it feels good to feel” today kleenex products are sold in more than 170 countries
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Kleenex .......... (be) a brand name for facial tissues, bathroom tissue, paper towels, and diapers. The name Kleenex .......... (have) become a noun in many dictionaries, meaning a facial tissue, whatever the brand. The Kimberly-Clark Corporation .......... (create) Kleenex tissues in 1924. The original material Kleenex .......... (come) from was called ‘Cellucotton’ and .......... (be) designed for gas masks in WWI. It .......... (take) ten years for Kimberly-Clark to market Kleenex as a disposable handkerchief. This .......... (change) by the mid-1930s when Kleenex had the slogan “Don’t Carry a Cold in Your Pocket”. The Kleenex website .......... (say): “Since Kleenex tissues came on the market in 1924, it has .......... (be) the No. 1 brand of facial tissue in the world and .......... (have) become a genuine global icon.” Its new slogan .......... (be) “It Feels Good To Feel”. Today, Kleenex products .......... (be) sold in more than 170 countries.
Kleenex is a brand name for facial tissues, bathroom tissue, ____________ towels, and diapers. The name Kleenex has become a noun in many dictionaries, ____________ a facial tissue, whatever the brand. The Kimberly-Clark Corporation created Kleenex tissues in 1924. The ____________ material Kleenex came from was called ‘Cellucotton’ and was ____________ for gas masks in WWI. It took ten years for Kimberly-Clark to market Kleenex as a ____________ handkerchief. This ____________ by the mid-1930s when Kleenex had the ____________ “Don’t Carry a Cold in Your Pocket”. The Kleenex website says: “Since Kleenex tissues came on the ____________ in 1924, it has been the No. 1 brand of facial tissue in the world and has become a ____________ global icon.” Its new ____________ is “It Feels Good To Feel”. Today, Kleenex products are sold in more than 170 countries.
designed
slogan
genuine
meaning
disposable
slogan
paper
original
market
changed
PROJECT KLEENEX
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Kleenex. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Kleenex 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.
KLEENEX – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Kleenex 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 – Kleenex 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 – Kleenex customer
You are a customer of Kleenex. 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 Kleenex. 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.
KLEENEX – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Kleenex New Products Director
You have created a new product for Kleenex. 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 Kleenex.
Role B – Kleenex 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 – Kleenex 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 – Kleenex Shareholder
You know a lot about Kleenex’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 Kleenex. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Kleenex. 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. KLEENEX POSTERMake a poster about Kleenex. 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 KLEENEX LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Kleenex. 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 Kleenex. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
