A Lesson on Tata

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THE LESSON ON TATA

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The Tata Group is the largest corporation in India. It has a diverse range of business interests, including cars, steel, information technology, energy, tea and hotels. It was founded in 1868 by Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, who set up a company in Mumbai to trade in cotton. The company opened the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai in 1903 and then it invested in steel and power. Today, Tata is showing the power of Indian companies in the global marketplace. It has purchased luxury brand cars, like Jaguar and Land Rover, and foreign-owned steel makers. In 2008, it showcased the world’s cheapest car, the Tata Nano. The website says it is a value-driven company: “Our practice of returning to society what we earn evokes trust among consumers, employees, shareholders and the community.” Tata employs close to 400,000 people worldwide.

ONLINE QUIZZES

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    WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES

    WARM-UPS

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

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

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

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

    5. TRUE OR FALSE: Students find out several facts about Tata. 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 Tata. 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 Tata Group is ________________________ India. It has a diverse range of business interests, including cars, steel, information technology, energy, tea and hotels. It was founded in 1868 by Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, ________________________ in Mumbai to trade in cotton. The company opened the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai in 1903 and ________________________ power. Today, Tata is showing the power of Indian companies ________________________. It has purchased luxury brand cars, like Jaguar and Land Rover, ________________________ makers. In 2008, it showcased the world’s cheapest car, the Tata Nano. The website says it ________________________: “Our practice of returning to society ________________________ among consumers, employees, ________________________.” Tata employs close to 400,000 people worldwide.

    CORRECT THE SPELLING

    The Tata Group is the largest corporation in India. It has a eeivsdr range of business interests, including cars, steel, information technology, neyrge, tea and hotels. It was founded in 1868 by Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, who set up a company in Mumbai to aterd in cotton. The company opened the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai in 1903 and then it eeivdnst in steel and power. Today, Tata is showing the power of Indian companies in the global marketplace. It has pcuadserh luxury brand cars, like Jaguar and Land Rover, and foreign-nodew steel makers. In 2008, it hadcewsos the world’s cheapest car, the Tata Nano. The website says it is a value-denriv company: “Our practice of returning to society what we earn kveeso trust among consumers, employees, shareholders and the toiycmunm.” Tata employs close to 400,000 people worldwide.

    UNJUMBLE THE WORDS

    The Tata in Group the corporation India is largest. It has a diverse range of business interests, including cars, steel, information technology, energy, tea and hotels. It was founded in 1868 by Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, who in in set Mumbai up to a trade company cotton. The company opened the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai in 1903 and power and steel in invested it then. Today, Tata is showing the power Indian in the of companies global marketplace. It has purchased luxury brand cars, like Jaguar and Land Rover, and foreign-owned steel makers. In 2008, car cheapest world’s the showcased it, the Tata Nano. The is company a website value says - it driven: “earn to Our society practice what of we returning evokes trust among consumers, employees, shareholders and the community.” 400 to close employs Tata people 000 , worldwide.

    INSERT THE VOWELS

    Th_ T_t_ Gr__p _s th_ l_rg_st c_rp_r_t__n _n _nd__. _t h_s _ d_v_rs_ r_ng_ _f b_s_n_ss _nt_r_sts, _ncl_d_ng c_rs, st__l, _nf_rm_t__n t_chn_l_gy, _n_rgy, t__ _nd h_t_ls. _t w_s f__nd_d _n 1868 by J_ms_tj_ N_ss_rw_nj_ T_t_, wh_ s_t _p _ c_mp_ny _n M_mb__ t_ tr_d_ _n c_tt_n. Th_ c_mp_ny _p_n_d th_ T_j M_h_l H_t_l _n M_mb__ _n 1903 _nd th_n _t _nv_st_d _n st__l _nd p_w_r. T_d_y, T_t_ _s sh_w_ng th_ p_w_r _f _nd__n c_mp_n__s _n th_ gl_b_l m_rk_tpl_c_. _t h_s p_rch_s_d l_x_ry br_nd c_rs, l_k_ J_g__r _nd L_nd R_v_r, _nd f_r__gn-_wn_d st__l m_k_rs. _n 2008, _t sh_wc_s_d th_ w_rld’s ch__p_st c_r, th_ T_t_ N_n_. Th_ w_bs_t_ s_ys _t _s _ v_l__-dr_v_n c_mp_ny: “__r pr_ct_c_ _f r_t_rn_ng t_ s_c__ty wh_t w_ __rn _v_k_s tr_st _m_ng c_ns_m_rs, _mpl_y__s, sh_r_h_ld_rs _nd th_ c_mm_n_ty.” T_t_ _mpl_ys cl_s_ t_ 400,000 p__pl_ w_rldw_d_.

    PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

    the tata group is the largest corporation in india it has a diverse range of business interests including cars steel information technology energy tea and hotels it was founded in 1868 by jamsetji nusserwanji tata who set up a company in mumbai to trade in cotton the company opened the taj mahal hotel in mumbai in 1903 and then it invested in steel and power today tata is showing the power of indian companies in the global marketplace it has purchased luxury brand cars like jaguar and land rover and foreign-owned steel makers in 2008 it showcased the world’s cheapest car the tata nano the website says it is a value-driven company “our practice of returning to society what we earn evokes trust among consumers employees shareholders and the community” tata employs close to 400000 people worldwide

    CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE

    The Tata Group .......... (be) the largest corporation in India. It .......... (have) a diverse range of business interests, including cars, steel, information technology, energy, tea and hotels. It was .......... (found) in 1868 by Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, who .......... (set) up a company in Mumbai to .......... (trade) in cotton. The company .......... (open) the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai in 1903 and then it invested in steel and power. Today, Tata is .......... (show) the power of Indian companies in the global marketplace. It has .......... (purchase) luxury brand cars, like Jaguar and Land Rover, and foreign-owned steel makers. In 2008, it .......... (showcase) the world’s cheapest car, the Tata Nano. The website .......... (say) it is a value-driven company: “Our practice of returning to society what we earn .......... (evoke) trust among consumers, employees, shareholders and the community.” Tata .......... (employ) close to 400,000 people worldwide.

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    REWRITE WITH SPACES

    TheTataGroupisthelargestcorporationinIndia.Ithasadiverserangeofbusiness
    interests,includingcars,steel,informationtechnology,energy,teaandhotels.Itwas
    foundedin1868byJamsetjiNusserwanjiTata,whosetupacompanyinMumbaitotrade
    incotton.ThecompanyopenedtheTajMahalHotelinMumbaiin1903andthenitinvested
    insteelandpower.Today,TataisshowingthepowerofIndiancompaniesintheglobal
    marketplace.Ithaspurchasedluxurybrandcars,likeJaguarandLandRover,andforeign-
    ownedsteelmakers.In2008,itshowcasedtheworld’scheapestcar,theTataNano.The
    websitesaysitisavalue-drivencompany:“Ourpracticeofreturningtosocietywhatweearn
    evokestrustamongconsumers,employees,shareholdersandthecommunity.”Tata
    employscloseto400,000peopleworldwide.

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    CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

    The Tata Group is the largest corporation in India. It has a ____________ range of business interests, including cars, steel, information technology, ____________, tea and hotels. It was founded in 1868 by Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, who ____________ up a company in Mumbai to trade in cotton. The company opened the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai in 1903 and then it ____________ in steel and power. Today, Tata is showing the power of Indian companies in the ____________ marketplace. It has purchased ____________ brand cars, like Jaguar and Land Rover, and foreign-owned steel makers. In 2008, it ____________ the world’s cheapest car, the Tata Nano. The website says it is a ____________-driven company: “Our practice of returning to society what we earn ____________ trust among consumers, employees, shareholders and the community.” Tata employs ____________ to 400,000 people worldwide.

     

     

    energy
    luxury
    evokes
    diverse
    global
    close
    value
    set
    showcased
    invested

    PROJECT TATA

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

    Main products

     

     

     

    How to improve them

     

     

     

    A brand new ‘killer’ product

     

    How Tata 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.

    TATA – ROLE PLAY 1

    Role  A – Tata 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 – Tata 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 – Tata customer

    You are a customer of Tata. 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 Tata. 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.

    TATA – ROLE PLAY 2

    Role  A – Tata New Products Director

    You have created a new product for Tata. 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 Tata.

    Role  B – Tata 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 – Tata 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 – Tata Shareholder

    You know a lot about Tata’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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    2.

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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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    TATA SURVEY

    Write five GOOD questions about Tata 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.

     

     

     

     

    Q.4.

     

     

     

     

    Q.5.

     

     

     

     

    WRITING 1 – SPEED WRITING

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

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

    ANSWERS

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