Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on MTV. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
MTV is perhaps the most famous music video TV channel in the world. It started life as Music Television on August 1, 1981. The first words spoken on the channel were, "ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll". The first music video shown on MTV was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles. MTV became well known for its video of Apollo 11 moon landing with the U.S.A. flag having a picture of MTVs logo on it. The channel has changed a lot and no longer plays just music. It now broadcasts many different programmes, including reality television shows. In addition to TV shows, MTV has a long history of community, social and political activism, which it promotes through its http://think.mtv.com/ website. It encourages people to fight for their rights.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about MTV on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. MTV MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of MTV. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about MTV. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about MTV and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about MTV. 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 MTV. 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
MTV is perhaps the most famous ___________________ in the world. It started life as Music Television on August 1, 1981. The ___________________ on the channel were, "ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll". The first music video shown on MTV was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles. MTV ___________________ for its video of Apollo ___________________ with the U.S.A. flag having a picture of MTVs logo on it. The channel has changed a ___________________ plays just music. It now broadcasts many different programmes, including reality television shows. ___________________ shows, MTV has a long history of community, social and political activism, which ___________________ its http://think.mtv.com/ website. It encourages people to ___________________.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
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UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
MTV perhaps is TV video music famous most the channel in the world. It August on Television Music as life started 1, 1981. The first words spoken on the channel were, "and , and ladies gentlemen rock roll". The first music video shown on MTV was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles. became MTV of video its for known well Apollo 11 having flag . A S U the with landing moon a MTVs it channel of on The picture logo has. changed a lot plays longer no and music just. It now broadcasts many different programmes, including reality television shows. In addition to TV shows, MTV has a long history of community, social and political activism, which it promotes through its http://think.mtv.com/ website. It encourages to for rights people fight their.
mtv is perhaps the most famous music video tv channel in the world it started life as music television on august 1 1981 the first words spoken on the channel were "ladies and gentlemen rock and roll" the first music video shown on mtv was "video killed the radio star" by the buggles mtv became well known for its video of apollo 11 moon landing with the usa flag having a picture of mtvs logo on it the channel has changed a lot and no longer plays just music it now broadcasts many different programmes including reality television shows in addition to tv shows mtv has a long history of community social and political activism which it promotes through its http//thinkmtvcom/ website it encourages people to fight for their rights
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
MTV .......... (be) perhaps the most famous music video TV channel in the world. It .......... (start) life as Music Television on August 1, 1981. The first words .......... (speak) on the channel were, "ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll". The first music video .......... (show) on MTV was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles. MTV .......... (become) well known for its video of Apollo 11 moon landing with the U.S.A. flag having a picture of MTVs logo on it. The channel has .......... (change) a lot and no longer plays just music. It now .......... (broadcast) many different programmes, including reality television shows. In addition to TV shows, MTV .......... (have) a long history of community, social and political activism, which it .......... (promote) through its http://think.mtv.com/ website. It .......... (encourage) people to fight for their rights.
MTV is perhaps the most famous music video TV channel in the world. It ____________ life as Music Television on August 1, 1981. The first words ____________ on the channel were, "ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll". The first music video ____________ on MTV was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles. MTV became well known for its video of Apollo 11 moon ____________ with the U.S.A. flag having a picture of MTVs ____________ on it. The channel has changed a lot and no ____________ plays just music. It now broadcasts many different programmes, including ____________ television shows. In addition to TV shows, MTV has a long history of community, ____________ and political activism, which it ____________ through its http://think.mtv.com/ website. It encourages people to fight for their ____________.
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PROJECT MTV
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of MTV. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How MTV 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.
MTV – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – MTV 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 – MTV 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 – MTV customer
You are a customer of MTV. 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 MTV. 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.
MTV – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – MTV New Products Director
You have created a new product for MTV. 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 MTV.
Role B – MTV 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 – MTV 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 – MTV Shareholder
You know a lot about MTV’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 MTV. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about MTV. 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. MTV POSTERMake a poster about MTV. 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 MTV LESSON:Make your own English lesson on MTV. 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 MTV. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
