Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Ford. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
The Ford Motor Company is one of the world’s largest automakers. It was founded by Henry Ford in 1903. He made the company famous for mass-producing cheap family cars on moving assembly lines. The Model T Ford is an important part of automobile history. His production methods were copied by companies all over the world. The company has stayed in family hands since the beginning, making it one of the largest family-controlled businesses in the world today. Ford has an annual revenue of over $100 billion and employs around 250,000 people worldwide. The company also owns Sweden’s Volvo and has shares in Japan’s Mazda and the UK’s Aston Martin. The faltering global economy means most of Ford’s profits now come from financing car loans through the Ford Motor Credit Company.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Ford on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. FORD MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Ford. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Ford. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Ford and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Ford. 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 Ford. 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
The Ford Motor Company is one _________________ automakers. It was founded by Henry Ford in 1903. He made the company famous ___________________ cheap family cars ___________________ lines. The Model T Ford is an important part of automobile history. His production ___________________ by companies all over the world. The company ___________________ hands since the beginning, making it one of the largest ___________________ businesses in the world today. Ford has ___________________ of over $100 billion and employs around 250,000 people worldwide. The company also owns Sweden’s Volvo and has shares in Japan’s Mazda and the UK’s Aston Martin. The faltering global _____________________ of Ford’s profits now come from financing car loans through the Ford Motor Credit Company.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
The Ford Motor Company is one of the world’s lsrgtae automakers. It was founded by Henry Ford in 1903. He made the company famous for mass-producing pheca family cars on moving saybmlse lines. The Model T Ford is an important part of automobile history. His production dostemh were idpeco by companies all over the world. The company has stayed in family hands since the beginning, making it one of the largest family-nlltrocedo businesses in the world today. Ford has an laanunveneeur of over $100 billion and employs around 250,000 people worldwide. The company also owns Sweden’s Volvo and has hsersa in Japan’s Mazda and the UK’s Aston Martin. The faltering global economy means most of Ford’s profits now come from afgncinin car loans through the Ford Motor Credit Company.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
The Ford Motor Company world’s the of one is largest automakers. It was founded by Henry Ford in 1903. He made producing - mass for famous company the cheap family lines assembly moving on cars. The Model T Ford is an important part of automobile history. His production methods were by all the copied companies over world. The company has stayed in family hands since the beginning, largest making one the family it of-controlled businesses in the world today. Ford has an annual revenue employs and billion 100 $ over of around 250,000 people worldwide. The company also owns Sweden’s Volvo Mazda Japan’s in shares has and the and UK’s Aston Martin. The faltering global economy means most of Ford’s now from car profits come financing loans through the Ford Motor Credit Company.
the ford motor company is one of the world’s largest automakers it was founded by henry ford in 1903 he made the company famous for mass-producing cheap family cars on moving assembly lines the model t ford is an important part of automobile history his production methods were copied by companies all over the world the company has stayed in family hands since the beginning making it one of the largest family-controlled businesses in the world today ford has an annual revenue of over $100 billion and employs around 250000 people worldwide the company also owns sweden’s volvo and has shares in japan’s mazda and the uk’s aston martin the faltering global economy means most of ford’s profits now come from financing car loans through the ford motor credit company
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
The Ford Motor Company .......... (be) one of the world’s largest automakers. It was .......... (found) by Henry Ford in 1903. He .......... (make) the company famous for mass-producing cheap family cars on moving assembly lines. The Model T Ford .......... (be) an important part of automobile history. His production methods were .......... (copy) by companies all over the world. The company has .......... (stay) in family hands since the beginning, making it one of the largest family-controlled businesses in the world today. Ford .......... (have) an annual revenue of over $100 billion and .......... (employ) around 250,000 people worldwide. The company also .......... (own) Sweden’s Volvo and has shares in Japan’s Mazda and the UK’s Aston Martin. The faltering global economy .......... (mean) most of Ford’s profits now come from financing car loans through the Ford Motor Credit Company.
The Ford Motor Company is one of the world’s ____________ automakers. It was founded by Henry Ford in 1903. He made the company famous for mass-producing cheap family cars on ____________ assembly lines. The Model T Ford is an important part of automobile ____________. His production ____________ were copied by companies all over the world. The company has ____________ in family hands since the beginning, making it one of the largest family-controlled businesses in the world today. Ford has an ____________ revenue of over $100 billion and employs around 250,000 people worldwide. The company also ____________ Sweden’s Volvo and has shares in Japan’s Mazda and the UK’s Aston Martin. The ____________ global economy means most of Ford’s profits now ____________ from financing car ____________ through the Ford Motor Credit Company.
stayed
moving
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owns
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faltering
annual
PROJECT FORD
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Ford. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Ford 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.
FORD – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Ford 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 – Ford 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 – Ford customer
You are a customer of Ford. 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 Ford. 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.
FORD – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Ford New Products Director
You have created a new product for Ford. 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 Ford.
Role B – Ford 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 – Ford 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 – Ford Shareholder
You know a lot about Ford’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 Ford. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Ford. 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. FORD POSTERMake a poster about Ford. 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 FORD LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Ford. 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 Ford. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
