Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Rolex. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Rolex is one of the most famous brands of high-quality luxury watches. They are widely regarded as status symbols. The company was started by Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis in London in 1905. They registered the name “Rolex” in 1908. In 1919, the company moved to Geneva, Switzerland, where it has stayed ever since. Rolex has been a pioneer in watch-making and produced the first ever self-winding watch, the first watch with an automatically changing date and the first underwater time piece. Today, the company produces over 2,000 watches a day, all put together by highly skilled workers. The company has a never-ending job of pursuing counterfeits of its products. Rolex generates around $3 billion in annual revenues and employs just less than 3,000 staff.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Rolex on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. ROLEX MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Rolex. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Rolex. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Rolex and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Rolex. 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 Rolex. 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
Rolex is one of the ______________________-quality luxury watches. They are ______________________ symbols. The company was started by Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis in London in 1905. They ______________________ “Rolex” in 1908. In 1919, the company moved to Geneva, Switzerland, where it has stayed ever since. Rolex ______________________ watch-making and produced the first ever self-winding watch, the first watch ______________________ changing date and the ______________________. Today, the company produces over 2,000 watches a day, all put together ______________________. The company has a never-ending job ______________________ of its products. Rolex generates around $3 billion in annual revenues and employs just less than 3,000 staff.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Rolex is one of the most famous brands of high-ulyiqta luxury watches. They are widely eredragd as status mslobsy. The company was started by Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis in London in 1905. They retdgeeisr the name “Rolex” in 1908. In 1919, the company moved to Geneva, Switzerland, where it has stayed ever since. Rolex has been a iponree in watch-making and produced the first ever self-winding watch, the first watch with an automatically nhgniacg date and the first underwater time piece. Today, the company eopcusdr over 2,000 watches a day, all put together by highly kldslie workers. The company has a never-ending job of uungpirs counterfeits of its products. Rolex generates around $3 billion in annual eesnevru and employs just less than 3,000 staff.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Rolex high most is famous one brands of of the-quality luxury watches. They are widely regarded as status symbols. The company was started by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis in London in his brother - in - law 1905. They registered the name “Rolex” in 1908. In 1919, the company moved to Geneva, Switzerland, where it has stayed ever since. pioneer watch has a in Rolex been-making the produced and winding - self ever first watch, first with automatically the watch an changing date and the first underwater time piece. Today, the company watches a day produces over 2 , 000, all put together by highly skilled workers. The company has a never-ending products of counterfeits its job pursuing of. Rolex generates around 3 in revenues $ billion annual and employs just less than 3,000 staff.
rolex is one of the most famous brands of high-quality luxury watches they are widely regarded as status symbols the company was started by hans wilsdorf and his brother-in-law alfred davis in london in 1905 they registered the name “rolex” in 1908 in 1919 the company moved to geneva switzerland where it has stayed ever since rolex has been a pioneer in watch-making and produced the first ever self-winding watch the first watch with an automatically changing date and the first underwater time piece today the company produces over 2000 watches a day all put together by highly skilled workers the company has a never-ending job of pursuing counterfeits of its products rolex generates around $3 billion in annual revenues and employs just less than 3000 staff
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Rolex .......... (be) one of the most famous brands of high-quality luxury watches. They .......... (be) widely regarded as status symbols. The company was .......... (start) by Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis in London in 1905. They .......... (register) the name “Rolex” in 1908. In 1919, the company .......... (move) to Geneva, Switzerland, where it has .......... (stay) ever since. Rolex has .......... (be) a pioneer in watch-making and .......... (produce) the first ever self-winding watch, the first watch with an automatically changing date and the first underwater time piece. Today, the company .......... (produce) over 2,000 watches a day, all .......... (put) together by highly skilled workers. The company .......... (have) a never-ending job of pursuing counterfeits of its products. Rolex .......... (generate) around $3 billion in annual revenues and .......... (employ) just less than 3,000 staff.
Rolex is one of the most famous brands of high-quality ____________ watches. They are widely regarded as status symbols. The company was started by Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis in London in 1905. They ____________ the name “Rolex” in 1908. In 1919, the company ____________ to Geneva, Switzerland, where it has ____________ ever since. Rolex has been a ____________ in watch-making and produced the first ever self-winding watch, the first watch with an automatically changing date and the first ____________ time piece. Today, the company produces over 2,000 watches a day, all ____________ together by highly skilled workers. The company has a never-____________ job of pursuing ____________ of its products. Rolex generates around $3 billion in annual ____________ and employs just less than 3,000 staff.
underwater
registered
luxury
revenues
ending
stayed
counterfeits
put
pioneer
moved
PROJECT ROLEX
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Rolex. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Rolex 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.
ROLEX – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Rolex 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 – Rolex 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 – Rolex customer
You are a customer of Rolex. 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 Rolex. 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.
ROLEX – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Rolex New Products Director
You have created a new product for Rolex. 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 Rolex.
Role B – Rolex 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 – Rolex 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 – Rolex Shareholder
You know a lot about Rolex’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 Rolex. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Rolex. 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. ROLEX POSTERMake a poster about Rolex. 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 ROLEX LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Rolex. 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 Rolex. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
