Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Volkswagen. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Volkswagen, also known as VW, is one of the world's largest automobile manufacturers. It has plans to become the biggest producer by 2018. The company is based in Wolfsburg, Germany. It was founded in 1937 by the National Socialist trade union German Labour Front. The name Volkswagen means “people’s car” in German. The company’s first success was the VW Type 82E – the Beetle, which is the best-selling car of all time. The company is part-owned by Porsche, the German state of Lower Saxony and the oil-rich Gulf state of Qatar. Volkswagen has built a reputation for quality and reliable cars. Models such as the Golf, Polo and New Beetle are bestsellers worldwide. The company is investing heavily in hybrid technology and is a leader in greener, electric vehicles.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Volkswagen on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. VOLKSWAGEN MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Volkswagen. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Volkswagen. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Volkswagen and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Volkswagen. 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 Volkswagen. 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
Volkswagen, also known as VW, ____________________ largest automobile manufacturers. It has plans to become the ____________________ 2018. The ____________________ Wolfsburg, Germany. It was founded in 1937 by the National Socialist trade union German Labour Front. The name Volkswagen means “people’s car” in German. The company’s first success was the VW Type 82E – the Beetle, which is the ____________________ time. The company is ____________________, the German state of Lower Saxony ____________________ state of Qatar. Volkswagen has built a reputation ____________________ cars. Models such as the Golf, Polo and New Beetle are bestsellers worldwide. The company is investing ____________________ technology and is a leader in greener, electric vehicles.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Volkswagen, also known as VW, is one of the world's largest ieomtaobul manufacturers. It has plans to become the biggest producer by 2018. The company is based in Wolfsburg, Germany. It was eodundf in 1937 by the National Socialist trade nionu German Labour Front. The name Volkswagen means “people’s car” in German. The company’s first csuecss was the VW Type 82E – the Beetle, which is the best-selling car of all time. The company is part-dweon by Porsche, the German state of Lower Saxony and the oil-rich Gulf state of Qatar. Volkswagen has built a reputation for quality and leerbial cars. Models such as the Golf, Polo and New Beetle are erbsstelles worldwide. The company is investing elhiayv in hybrid technology and is a leader in nregree, electric lcihseev.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Volkswagen, also known as VW, is one of the world's largest automobile manufacturers. It has plans to producer biggest the become 2018 by. The company is based in Wolfsburg, Germany. It was founded in 1937 by the National Socialist German trade Labour union Front. The name Volkswagen means “people’s car” in German. success the The first was VW company’s Type 82E – the Beetle, which best car time the selling all is - of. The Porsche is - by company part owned, the German state of Lower Saxony and the oil-rich Gulf state of Qatar. Volkswagen a for and built reputation quality has reliable cars. Models such as the Golf, Polo and New Beetle are bestsellers worldwide. investing company heavily is The in hybrid greener and a in technology is leader, electric vehicles.
volkswagen also known as vw is one of the world's largest automobile manufacturers it has plans to become the biggest producer by 2018 the company is based in wolfsburg germany it was founded in 1937 by the national socialist trade union german labour front the name volkswagen means “people’s car” in german the company’s first success was the vw type 82e – the beetle which is the best-selling car of all time the company is part-owned by porsche the german state of lower saxony and the oil-rich gulf state of qatar volkswagen has built a reputation for quality and reliable cars models such as the golf polo and new beetle are bestsellers worldwide the company is investing heavily in hybrid technology and is a leader in greener electric vehicles
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Volkswagen, also .......... (know) as VW, .......... (be) one of the world's largest automobile manufacturers. It .......... (have) plans to .......... (become) the biggest producer by 2018. The company is .......... (base) in Wolfsburg, Germany. It was .......... (found) in 1937 by the National Socialist trade union German Labour Front. The name Volkswagen .......... (mean) “people’s car” in German. The company’s first success .......... (be) the VW Type 82E – the Beetle, which .......... (be) the best-selling car of all time. The company is part-.......... (own) by Porsche, the German state of Lower Saxony and the oil-rich Gulf state of Qatar. Volkswagen has .......... (build) a reputation for quality and reliable cars. Models such as the Golf, Polo and New Beetle .......... (be) bestsellers worldwide. The company is .......... (invest) heavily in hybrid technology and .......... (be) a leader in greener, electric vehicles.
Volkswagen, also known as VW, is one of the world's ____________ automobile manufacturers. It has plans to become the biggest producer by 2018. The company is ____________ in Wolfsburg, Germany. It was founded in 1937 by the National Socialist trade ____________ German Labour Front. The name Volkswagen ____________ “people’s car” in German. The company’s first success was the VW Type 82E – the Beetle, which is the best-selling car of all ____________. The company is part-owned by Porsche, the German state of Lower Saxony and the oil-____________ Gulf state of Qatar. Volkswagen has built a ____________ for quality and reliable cars. Models such as the Golf, Polo and New Beetle are ____________ worldwide. The company is investing ____________ in hybrid technology and is a leader in ____________, electric vehicles.
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PROJECT VOLKSWAGEN
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Volkswagen. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Volkswagen 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.
VOLKSWAGEN – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Volkswagen 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 – Volkswagen 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 – Volkswagen customer
You are a customer of Volkswagen. 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 Volkswagen. 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.
VOLKSWAGEN – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Volkswagen New Products Director
You have created a new product for Volkswagen. 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 Volkswagen.
Role B – Volkswagen 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 – Volkswagen 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 – Volkswagen Shareholder
You know a lot about Volkswagen’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 Volkswagen. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Volkswagen. 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. VOLKSWAGEN POSTERMake a poster about Volkswagen. 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 VOLKSWAGEN LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Volkswagen. 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 Volkswagen. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
