Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Zara. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Zara is a global brand of clothing owned by the Inditex Group. It was established in 1975 by Spanish fashion designer and tycoon Amancio Ortega. The first store opened in Galicia, Spain, where it is now headquartered. The company is very unusual in the fashion retail world and incorporates many pioneering concepts. The company takes just two weeks to get its products on its store shelves after designing them, compared with six months for its competitors. It does not advertise, preferring instead to use money on opening new stores. Zara also owns and controls every stage of production from design, manufacture, supply and sales. A Louis Vuitton spokesperson described it as “possibly the most innovative and devastating retailer in the world”. Zara operates in over 70 countries.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Zara on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. ZARA MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Zara. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Zara. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Zara and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Zara. 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 Zara. 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
Zara is a global _____________________ by the Inditex Group. It was established in 1975 by Spanish fashion designer and tycoon Amancio Ortega. The first store opened in Galicia, Spain, where _____________________. The company is very unusual in the fashion retail _____________________ many pioneering concepts. The company takes just two weeks _____________________ its store shelves after designing them, compared with six months for its competitors. It does not advertise, _____________________ use money on opening new stores. Zara also _____________________ stage of _____________________, manufacture, supply and sales. A Louis Vuitton spokesperson described it as “possibly _____________________ and devastating retailer in the world”. Zara operates in over 70 countries.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Zara is a global brand of clothing owned by the Inditex Group. It was bdhtaeleiss in 1975 by Spanish fashion designer and tycoon Amancio Ortega. The first store opened in Galicia, Spain, where it is now headquartered. The company is very uasnuul in the fashion etrlai world and incorporates many pioneering spctcnoe. The company takes just two weeks to get its psroctud on its store shelves after designing them, compared with six months for its competitors. It does not siteedvar, preferring instead to use money on pognnie new stores. Zara also owns and ltosrnoc every stage of production from design, manufacture, supply and sales. A Louis Vuitton spokesperson described it as “ypsoisbl the most innovative and devastating arlreeit in the world”. Zara operates in over 70 countries.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Zara is owned a brand clothing by global of the Inditex Group. It in fashion 1975 was by established Spanish designer and tycoon Amancio Ortega. The first store opened in Galicia, Spain, where it is now headquartered. The unusual very is company retail fashion the in world incorporates and concepts pioneering many. The company takes just two weeks to get its products on its shelves them after store designing, compared with six months for its competitors. It does not advertise, preferring money instead on to opening use new stores. Zara also and owns of stage every controls production from design, manufacture, supply and sales. A Louis Vuitton spokesperson described it as “possibly the most retailer devastating and innovative the in world”. Zara operates in over 70 countries.
zara is a global brand of clothing owned by the inditex group it was established in 1975 by spanish fashion designer and tycoon amancio ortega the first store opened in galicia spain where it is now headquartered the company is very unusual in the fashion retail world and incorporates many pioneering concepts the company takes just two weeks to get its products on its store shelves after designing them compared with six months for its competitors it does not advertise preferring instead to use money on opening new stores zara also owns and controls every stage of production from design manufacture supply and sales a louis vuitton spokesperson described it as “possibly the most innovative and devastating retailer in the world” zara operates in over 70 countries
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Zara .......... (be) a global brand of clothing .......... (own) by the Inditex Group. It was .......... (establish) in 1975 by Spanish fashion designer and tycoon Amancio Ortega. The first store .......... (open) in Galicia, Spain, where it .......... (be) now headquartered. The company is very unusual in the fashion retail world and .......... (incorporate) many pioneering concepts. The company .......... (take) just two weeks to .......... (get) its products on its store shelves after designing them, compared with six months for its competitors. It does not .......... (advertise), preferring instead to .......... (use) money on opening new stores. Zara also .......... (own) and .......... (control) every stage of production from design, manufacture, supply and sales. A Louis Vuitton spokesperson .......... (describe) it as “possibly the most innovative and devastating retailer in the world”. Zara .......... (operate) in over 70 countries.
Zara is a global brand of clothing ____________ by the Inditex Group. It was established in 1975 by Spanish fashion designer and ____________ Amancio Ortega. The first store opened in Galicia, Spain, where it is now headquartered. The company is very unusual in the fashion ____________ world and incorporates many pioneering ____________. The company takes just two weeks to get its products on its store ____________ after designing them, compared with six months for its competitors. It does not advertise, ____________ instead to use money on opening new stores. Zara also owns and controls every ____________ of production from design, manufacture, supply and ____________. A Louis Vuitton spokesperson described it as “possibly the most ____________ and devastating retailer in the world”. Zara ____________ in over 70 countries.
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Zara. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Zara 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.
ZARA – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Zara 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 – Zara 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 – Zara customer
You are a customer of Zara. 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 Zara. 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.
ZARA – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Zara New Products Director
You have created a new product for Zara. 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 Zara.
Role B – Zara 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 – Zara 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 – Zara Shareholder
You know a lot about Zara’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 Zara. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Zara. 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. ZARA POSTERMake a poster about Zara. 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 ZARA LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Zara. 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 Zara. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
