Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Sony. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Sony Corporation is one of Japan’s biggest multinational conglomerates. It is renowned worldwide for high-tech innovation and quality electronics products, many of which are household names. It was founded by Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka in 1946. They popularized tiny transistor radios and gained a solid market share in Europe and the U.S. The Sony name was created by combining "sonus," (Latin for "SONIC," meaning sound), with "sonny," - a youthful boy. It was chosen for its simple pronunciation that is the same in any language. Today, Sony is a market leader in batteries, computer game consoles, cameras, music and movies and financial services. The Sony Walkman and PlayStation are among their pioneering products. The company’s turnover is close to $100 billion a year.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Sony on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. SONY MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Sony. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Sony. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Sony and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Sony. 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 Sony. 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
Sony Corporation ____________________ multinational conglomerates. It ____________________ for high-tech innovation and quality electronics products, many of which ____________________. It was founded by Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka in 1946. ____________________ transistor radios and gained a solid market share in Europe and the U.S. The Sony name was ____________________ "sonus," (Latin for "SONIC," meaning sound), with "sonny," - a youthful boy. It was chosen for ____________________ that is the same in any language. Today, Sony is a market leader in batteries, ____________________, cameras, music and movies and financial services. The Sony Walkman and PlayStation are ____________________ products. The company’s turnover is close to $100 billion a year.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Sony Corporation is one of Japan’s biggest multinational conglomerates. It is dwnnoeer worldwide for high-tech ivnnnaioto and quality electronics products, many of which are sdoulhhoe names. It was founded by Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka in 1946. They popularized tiny transistor radios and dgneai a solid market share in Europe and the U.S. The Sony name was created by noicmngbi "sonus," (Latin for "SONIC," meaning sound), with "sonny," - a youthful boy. It was chosen for its simple pronunciation that is the same in any ulganage. Today, Sony is a market leader in batteries, computer game esosonlc, cameras, music and movies and canflinia services. The Sony Walkman and PlayStation are manog their pioneering products. The company’s rouretvn is close to $100 billion a year.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Sony Japan’s multinational is of biggest Corporation one conglomerates. is It high for worldwide renowned-tech electronics and products quality innovation, many of which are household names. It was founded by Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka in 1946. They popularized tiny solid transistor and a market radios gained share in Europe and the U.S. The Sony name was created by combining "sonus," (Latin for "SONIC," meaning sound), with "sonny," - a youthful boy. It was chosen for its simple any in same the is that pronunciation language. Today, Sony is computer , batteries in leader market a game consoles, cameras, music and movies and financial services. Walkman PlayStation among Sony and are The their pioneering products. The company’s turnover is billion year to 100 a close $..
sony corporation is one of japan’s biggest multinational conglomerates it is renowned worldwide for high-tech innovation and quality electronics products many of which are household names it was founded by akio morita and masaru ibuka in 1946 they popularized tiny transistor radios and gained a solid market share in europe and the us the sony name was created by combining "sonus" (latin for "sonic" meaning sound) with "sonny" - a youthful boy it was chosen for its simple pronunciation that is the same in any language today sony is a market leader in batteries computer game consoles cameras music and movies and financial services the sony walkman and playstation are among their pioneering products the company’s turnover is close to $100 billion a year
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Sony Corporation .......... (be) one of Japan’s biggest multinational conglomerates. It .......... (be) renowned worldwide for high-tech innovation and quality electronics products, many of which .......... (be) household names. It was .......... (found) by Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka in 1946. They .......... (popularize) tiny transistor radios and .......... (gain) a solid market share in Europe and the U.S. The Sony name was .......... (create) by combining "sonus," (Latin for "SONIC," meaning sound), with "sonny," - a youthful boy. It was .......... (choose) for its simple pronunciation that .......... (be) the same in any language. Today, Sony .......... (be) a market leader in batteries, computer game consoles, cameras, music and movies and financial services. The Sony Walkman and PlayStation .......... (be) among their pioneering products. The company’s turnover .......... (be) close to $100 billion a year.
Sony Corporation is one of Japan’s biggest multinational conglomerates. It is ____________ worldwide for high-tech innovation and quality electronics products, many of which are ____________ names. It was founded by Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka in 1946. They popularized ____________ transistor radios and gained a solid market ____________ in Europe and the U.S. The Sony name was created by ____________ "sonus," (Latin for "SONIC," meaning sound), with "sonny," - a youthful boy. It was chosen for its ____________ pronunciation that is the same in any language. Today, Sony is a market ____________ in batteries, computer game ____________, cameras, music and movies and financial services. The Sony Walkman and PlayStation are ____________ their pioneering products. The company’s ____________ is close to $100 billion a year.
leader
renowned
share
turnover
consoles
simple
among
tiny
household
combining
PROJECT SONY
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Sony. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Sony 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.
SONY – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Sony 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 – Sony 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 – Sony customer
You are a customer of Sony. 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 Sony. 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.
SONY – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Sony New Products Director
You have created a new product for Sony. 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 Sony.
Role B – Sony 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 – Sony 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 – Sony Shareholder
You know a lot about Sony’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 Sony. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Sony. 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. SONY POSTERMake a poster about Sony. 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 SONY LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Sony. 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 Sony. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
