Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Kraft. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Kraft Foods, Inc. is the world’s second largest confectionery, food, and drinks company (after Nestlé). It has dozens of household-name brands which it markets in more than 155 countries. It was founded by James L. Kraft in 1903. He started a door-to-door cheese business. Kraft had a very shaky start but by 1914 he was selling thirty-one varieties of cheese across the U.S.A. and had opened his own cheese factory. In 1915, the company invented processed cheese that did not need refrigeration. The U.S. Army bought millions of kilograms for soldiers’ rations during World War I. Today the company owns brands such as Cadbury, Philadelphia cheese, Vegemite, and Nabisco. Twelve of these brands each generate over $1 billion. Around 30% or revenues come from confectionary and 14% from cheese.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Kraft on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. KRAFT MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Kraft. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Kraft. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Kraft and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Kraft. 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 Kraft. 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
Kraft Foods, Inc. is _______________________ confectionery, food, and drinks company (after Nestlé). It has _______________________ brands which it markets in more than 155 countries. It was founded by James L. Kraft in 1903. He started _______________________ business. Kraft _______________________ but by 1914 he was selling thirty-one varieties of cheese across the U.S.A. and had opened his own cheese factory. In 1915, the company _______________________ that did not need refrigeration. The U.S. Army bought millions of kilograms _______________________ World War I. Today the _______________________ as Cadbury, Philadelphia cheese, Vegemite, and Nabisco. Twelve of these brands each generate over $1 billion. Around 30% _______________________ confectionary and 14% from cheese.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Kraft Foods, Inc. is the world’s second seralgt confectionery, food, and drinks company (after Nestlé). It has sodnze of household-name brands which it markets in more than 155 countries. It was eddfuon by James L. Kraft in 1903. He started a door-to-door cheese business. Kraft had a very hasky start but by 1914 he was selling thirty-one rvestiaie of cheese across the U.S.A. and had opened his own cheese rfoayct. In 1915, the company invented processed cheese that did not need refrigeration. The U.S. Army bought osmillin of kilograms for soldiers’ sonriat during World War I. Today the company owns brands such as Cadbury, Philadelphia cheese, Vegemite, and Nabisco. Twelve of these brands each tneeerga over $1 billion. Around 30% or uneervse come from confectionary and 14% from cheese.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Kraft Foods, Inc. is the world’s second largest confectionery, food, and drinks company (after Nestlé). It brands name - household of dozens has which it markets in more than 155 countries. It was founded by James L. Kraft in 1903. a door door cheese - He to started - business. Kraft start shaky very a had 1914 by but he was selling thirty-one S U the across cheese of varieties and . A had opened his own cheese factory. In 1915, the company not did that cheese processed invented need refrigeration. The U.S. Army bought millions of kilograms rations World I soldiers’ during War for. Today the Cadbury company owns brands such as, Philadelphia cheese, Vegemite, and Nabisco. Twelve of these brands each generate over $1 billion. Around 30% or revenues come confectionary 14 from from and % cheese.
kraft foods inc is the world’s second largest confectionery food and drinks company (after nestlé) it has dozens of household-name brands which it markets in more than 155 countries it was founded by james l kraft in 1903 he started a door-to-door cheese business kraft had a very shaky start but by 1914 he was selling thirty-one varieties of cheese across the usa and had opened his own cheese factory in 1915 the company invented processed cheese that did not need refrigeration the us army bought millions of kilograms for soldiers’ rations during world war i today the company owns brands such as cadbury philadelphia cheese vegemite and nabisco twelve of these brands each generate over $1 billion around 30% or revenues come from confectionary and 14% from cheese
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Kraft Foods, Inc. .......... (be) the world’s second largest confectionery, food, and drinks company (after Nestlé). It .......... (have) dozens of household-name brands which it .......... (market) in more than 155 countries. It was founded by James L. Kraft in 1903. He .......... (start) a door-to-door cheese business. Kraft .......... (have) a very shaky start but by 1914 he .......... (be) selling thirty-one varieties of cheese across the U.S.A. and had .......... (open) his own cheese factory. In 1915, the company .......... (invent) processed cheese that did not need refrigeration. The U.S. Army .......... (buy) millions of kilograms for soldiers’ rations during World War I. Today the company .......... (own) brands such as Cadbury, Philadelphia cheese, Vegemite, and Nabisco. Twelve of these brands each .......... (generate) over $1 billion. Around 30% or revenues .......... (come) from confectionary and 14% from cheese.
Kraft Foods, Inc. is the world’s second ____________ confectionery, food, and drinks company (after Nestlé). It has dozens of ____________-name brands which it markets in more than 155 countries. It was ____________ by James L. Kraft in 1903. He started a door-to-door cheese business. Kraft had a very ____________ start but by 1914 he was selling thirty-one ____________ of cheese across the U.S.A. and had opened his own cheese ____________. In 1915, the company invented processed cheese that did not need refrigeration. The U.S. Army bought millions of kilograms for soldiers’ ____________ during World War I. Today the company owns brands ____________ as Cadbury, Philadelphia cheese, Vegemite, and Nabisco. Twelve of these brands each ____________ over $1 billion. Around 30% or ____________ come from confectionary and 14% from cheese.
varieties
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PROJECT KRAFT
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Kraft. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Kraft 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.
KRAFT ROLE PLAY 1
Role A Kraft 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 Kraft 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 Kraft customer
You are a customer of Kraft. 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 Kraft. 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.
KRAFT ROLE PLAY 2
Role A Kraft New Products Director
You have created a new product for Kraft. 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 Kraft.
Role B Kraft 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 Kraft 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 Kraft Shareholder
You know a lot about Kraft’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 Kraft. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Kraft. 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. KRAFT POSTERMake a poster about Kraft. 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 KRAFT LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Kraft. 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 Kraft Foods. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.