A Lesson on BMW

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THE LESSON ON BMW

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BMW (Bavarian Motor Works in English) is a German car, motorbike and engine maker. It is well known for its high quality luxury vehicles. Its website states: “The BMW Group has its sights set firmly on the premium sector of the international automobile market.” The company has its roots in aircraft engines. Its blue and white logo signifies an airplane propeller cutting through a blue sky. It moved to the production of motorbikes after World War I, and automobiles in 1928. The company bought the MINI brand in 2001 and owns Rolls Royce. The BMW group produces almost 1.5 million cars and 90,000 motorbikes a year. BMW is heavily involved in motorsport. It won the Paris-Dakar rally six times and the F1 driver’s championship once. The company’s current slogan is “Joy is BMW”.

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    WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES

    WARM-UPS

    1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about BMW on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).

    2. BMW MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of BMW. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.

    3. RUMOURS: Each student writes down a pretend rumour about BMW. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.

    4. GOOD AND BAD: Brainstorm good and bad things about BMW and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.

    5. TRUE OR FALSE: Students find out several facts about BMW. 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 BMW. 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

    BMW (Bavarian Motor Works in English) is a German car, motorbike and engine maker. __________________ its high quality luxury vehicles. Its website states: “The BMW Group has __________________ on the premium sector of the international automobile market.” The company __________________ aircraft engines. Its blue and white logo signifies an airplane propeller cutting through a blue sky. It __________________ of motorbikes after World War I, and automobiles in 1928. The company bought the MINI __________________ Rolls Royce. The BMW group produces almost 1.5 million cars and 90,000 motorbikes a year. BMW is heavily __________________. It won the Paris-Dakar rally six times and the F1 driver’s championship once. The company’s __________________ “Joy is BMW”.

    CORRECT THE SPELLING

    BMW (Bavarian Motor Works in English) is a German car, motorbike and eiegnn maker. It is well known for its high quality xuyrul vehicles. Its website states: “The BMW Group has its sights set firmly on the muepmri sector of the international automobile market.” The company has its roots in aircraft engines. Its blue and white logo niifegsis an airplane propeller cutting through a blue sky. It moved to the onuocitrpd of motorbikes after World War I, and automobiles in 1928. The company bought the MINI brand in 2001 and owns Rolls Royce. The BMW group puersdoc almost 1.5 million cars and 90,000 motorbikes a year. BMW is lheiyva nvvdoeil in motorsport. It won the Paris-Dakar rally six times and the F1 driver’s championship once. The company’s rruncte onsgla is “Joy is BMW”.

    UNJUMBLE THE WORDS

    BMW (Bavarian Motor Works in English) is a German car, motorbike and engine maker. for high is known its It well quality luxury vehicles. Its website states: “The BMW Group set on has sights firmly the its premium sector of the international automobile market.” The company has engines aircraft in roots its. Its blue and white logo signifies an airplane cutting a sky propeller through blue. It moved production the to after motorbikes of World War I, and automobiles in 1928. The company bought the MINI brand in 2001 and owns Rolls Royce. The BMW produces 5 group 1 cars almost million and 90,000 motorbikes a year. heavily BMW involved is in motorsport. It won the Paris-Dakar rally six times and the F1 driver’s championship once. The company’s current ” BMW is Joy “ is slogan.

    INSERT THE VOWELS

    BMW (B_v_r__n M_t_r W_rks _n _ngl_sh) _s _ G_rm_n c_r, m_t_rb_k_ _nd _ng_n_ m_k_r. _t _s w_ll kn_wn f_r _ts h_gh q__l_ty l_x_ry v_h_cl_s. _ts w_bs_t_ st_t_s: “Th_ BMW Gr__p h_s _ts s_ghts s_t f_rmly _n th_ pr_m__m s_ct_r _f th_ _nt_rn_t__n_l __t_m_b_l_ m_rk_t.” Th_ c_mp_ny h_s _ts r__ts _n __rcr_ft _ng_n_s. _ts bl__ _nd wh_t_ l_g_ s_gn_f__s _n __rpl_n_ pr_p_ll_r c_tt_ng thr__gh _ bl__ sky. _t m_v_d t_ th_ pr_d_ct__n _f m_t_rb_k_s _ft_r W_rld W_r _, _nd __t_m_b_l_s _n 1928. Th_ c_mp_ny b__ght th_ M_N_ br_nd _n 2001 _nd _wns R_lls R_yc_. Th_ BMW gr__p pr_d_c_s _lm_st 1.5 m_ll__n c_rs _nd 90,000 m_t_rb_k_s _ y__r. BMW _s h__v_ly _nv_lv_d _n m_t_rsp_rt. _t w_n th_ P_r_s-D_k_r r_lly s_x t_m_s _nd th_ F1 dr_v_r’s ch_mp__nsh_p _nc_. Th_ c_mp_ny’s c_rr_nt sl_g_n _s “J_y _s BMW”.

    PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

    bmw (bavarian motor works in english) is a german car motorbike and engine maker it is well known for its high quality luxury vehicles its website states “the bmw group has its sights set firmly on the premium sector of the international automobile market” the company has its roots in aircraft engines its blue and white logo signifies an airplane propeller cutting through a blue sky it moved to the production of motorbikes after world war i and automobiles in 1928 the company bought the mini brand in 2001 and owns rolls royce the bmw group produces almost 15 million cars and 90000 motorbikes a year bmw is heavily involved in motorsport it won the paris-dakar rally six times and the f1 driver’s championship once the company’s current slogan is “joy is bmw”

    CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE

    BMW (Bavarian Motor Works in English) .......... (be) a German car, motorbike and engine maker. It .......... (be) well known for its high quality luxury vehicles. Its website states: “The BMW Group .......... (have) its sights set firmly on the premium sector of the international automobile market.” The company .......... (have) its roots in aircraft engines. Its blue and white logo .......... (signify) an airplane propeller cutting through a blue sky. It .......... (move) to the production of motorbikes after World War I, and automobiles in 1928. The company .......... (buy) the MINI brand in 2001 and owns Rolls Royce. The BMW group .......... (produce) almost 1.5 million cars and 90,000 motorbikes a year. BMW is heavily .......... (involve) in motorsport. It won the Paris-Dakar rally six times and the F1 driver’s championship once. The company’s current slogan .......... (be) “Joy is BMW”.

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    REWRITE WITH SPACES

    BMW(BavarianMotorWorksinEnglish)isaGermancar,motorbikeandenginemaker.Itiswellknownforits
    highqualityluxuryvehicles.Itswebsitestates:“TheBMWGrouphasitssightssetfirmlyonthepremiumsector
    oftheinternationalautomobilemarket.”Thecompanyhasitsrootsinaircraftengines.Itsblueandwhitelogo
    signifiesanairplanepropellercuttingthroughabluesky.ItmovedtotheproductionofmotorbikesafterWorld
    WarI,andautomobilesin1928.ThecompanyboughttheMINIbrandin2001andownsRollsRoyce.TheBMW
    groupproducesalmost1.5millioncarsand90,000motorbikesayear.BMWisheavilyinvolvedinmotorsport.
    ItwontheParis-DakarrallysixtimesandtheF1driver’schampionshiponce.Thecompany’scurrent
    sloganis“JoyisBMW”.

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    CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

    BMW (Bavarian Motor Works in English) is a German car, motorbike and ____________ maker. It is well known for its high ____________ luxury vehicles. Its website ____________: “The BMW Group has its sights set firmly on the ____________ sector of the international automobile market.” The company has its ____________ in aircraft engines. Its blue and white logo ____________ an airplane propeller cutting through a blue sky. It ____________ to the production of motorbikes after World War I, and automobiles in 1928. The company bought the MINI brand in 2001 and owns Rolls Royce. The BMW group ____________ almost 1.5 million cars and 90,000 motorbikes a year. BMW is heavily ____________ in motorsport. It won the Paris-Dakar rally six times and the F1 driver’s championship once. The company’s current ____________ is “Joy is BMW”.

     

     

    roots
    quality
    moved
    premium
    slogan
    engine
    involved
    states
    signifies
    produces

    PROJECT BMW

    Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of BMW. Complete this  table with your project partner(s):

    Main products

     

     

     

    How to improve them

     

     

     

    A brand new ‘killer’ product

     

    How BMW 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.

    BMW – ROLE PLAY 1

    Role  A – BMW 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 – BMW 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 – BMW customer

    You are a customer of BMW. 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 BMW. 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.

    BMW – ROLE PLAY 2

    Role  A – BMW New Products Director

    You have created a new product for BMW. 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 BMW.

    Role  B – BMW 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 – BMW 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 – BMW Shareholder

    You know a lot about BMW’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.

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    JOB INTERVIEW ROLE PLAY

    INTERVIEWER  (Write the questions you want to ask the candidate.)

    1.

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    INTERVIEWEE  (Write questions you want to ask the interviewer.)

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    DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

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    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

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    BMW SURVEY

    Write five GOOD questions about BMW in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

    When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

     

    STUDENT 1

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    STUDENT 2

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    STUDENT 3

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    Q.1.

     

     

     

     

    Q.2.

     

     

     

     

    Q.3.

     

     

     

     

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    WRITING 1 – SPEED WRITING

    Write anything about BMW for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

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    WRITING 2 – LETTER OF COMPLAINT

    Write a letter to BMW. Complain about one of its products. Ask for a refund. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

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    WRITING 3 – LETTER OF APOLOGY

    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 BMW. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

    3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about BMW. 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. BMW POSTER Make a poster about BMW. 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 BMW LESSON: Make your own English lesson on BMW. 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 BMW. Share your findings with the class.

    ANSWERS

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