Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on NBA. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
The NBA (National Basketball Association) is the professional body that controls basketball in the U.S.A. and Canada. It consists of 30 franchised teams, of which 29 are in the U.S. and one is in Canada. It was founded in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America and changed its name three years later. The NBA is now a multi-billion-dollar business and has spread its appeal to an international audience. Many players from outside North America play in it, helping basketball become more popular. Among recent players is Yao Ming, who has increased basketball’s fan base in his native China. The 2009–10 season had a record 83 international players. This internationalization means the NBA is televised in over 200 countries.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about NBA on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. NBA MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of NBA. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about NBA. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about NBA and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about NBA. 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 NBA. 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 NBA (National Basketball Association) is the professional _________________________ in the U.S.A. and Canada. It consists _________________________, of which 29 are in the U.S. and one is in Canada. It was founded in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America and changed its name three years later. The NBA is now _________________________ business and has spread its appeal to _________________________. Many players from outside North America play in it, helping basketball become more popular. _________________________ is Yao Ming, who has increased basketball’s _________________________ China. The _________________________ 83 international players. This internationalization means the NBA _________________________ countries.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
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UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
The NBA (National Basketball Association) is the basketball controls that body professional in the U.S.A. and Canada. teams franchised 30 of consists It of , which 29 are in the U.S. and one is in Canada. It was founded of Association Basketball the as 1946 in America and changed its name three years later. The NBA is now a business - and billion has - spread dollar multi its appeal to an international audience. Many players from outside North America play in it, helping basketball become more popular. Among recent players is Yao Ming, who has basketball’s his fan native base increased in China. The 2009–10 83 record a had season international players. This internationalization televised is NBA the means in over 200 countries.
the nba (national basketball association) is the professional body that controls basketball in the usa and canada it consists of 30 franchised teams of which 29 are in the us and one is in canada it was founded in 1946 as the basketball association of america and changed its name three years later the nba is now a multi-billion-dollar business and has spread its appeal to an international audience many players from outside north america play in it helping basketball become more popular among recent players is yao ming who has increased basketball’s fan base in his native china the 2009–10 season had a record 83 international players this internationalization means the nba is televised in over 200 countries
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
The NBA (National Basketball Association) .......... (be) the professional body that .......... (control) basketball in the U.S.A. and Canada. It .......... (consist) of 30 franchised teams, of which 29 .......... (be) in the U.S. and one is in Canada. It was .......... (found) in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America and .......... (change) its name three years later. The NBA is now a multi-billion-dollar business and has .......... (spread) its appeal to an international audience. Many players from outside North America .......... (play) in it, helping basketball .......... (become) more popular. Among recent players .......... (be) Yao Ming, who has .......... (increase) basketball’s fan base in his native China. The 2009–10 season .......... (have) a record 83 international players. This internationalization .......... (mean) the NBA is televised in over 200 countries.
The NBA (National Basketball Association) is the professional ____________ that controls basketball in the U.S.A. and Canada. It ____________ of 30 ____________ teams, of which 29 are in the U.S. and one is in Canada. It was founded in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America and changed its name three years later. The NBA is now a ____________-billion-dollar business and has spread its ____________ to an international ____________. Many players from outside North America play in it, helping basketball become more ____________. Among recent players is Yao Ming, who has increased basketball’s fan ____________ in his native China. The 2009–10 season had a ____________ 83 international players. This internationalization means the NBA is ____________ in over 200 countries.
body
audience
base
multi
appeal
televised
franchised
record
popular
consists
PROJECT NBA
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of NBA. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How the NBA 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.
NBA – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – NBA 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 – NBA 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 – NBA customer
You are a customer of NBA. 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 NBA. 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.
NBA – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – NBA New Products Director
You have created a new product for NBA. 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 NBA.
Role B – NBA 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 – NBA 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 – NBA Shareholder
You know a lot about NBA’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 NBA. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about NBA. 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. NBA POSTERMake a poster about NBA. 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 NBA LESSON:Make your own English lesson on NBA. 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 the NBA. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
