Breaking News English

1.  DICTATION: The teacher will read to you slowly and clearly the first half of the first paragraph, repeating passages where necessary. Students will write down the speech. The teacher will repeat the passage slowly again.

Self correct your work. Be honest with yourself on the number of errors. Advise the teacher of your total no of errors. Less than 5 is very good. 10 are acceptable. Any more is room for improvement! More than 20 - we need to do some work!

2. GAME CONSOLES: Walk around the class and briefly find out what people know about Nintendo’s new Wii game console, the rival Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360. Share your findings with new partners / the class.

3. READING: Get students to read the passage aloud. Swap readers every paragraph.

4. VOCABULARY: Students circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting (circle) and which are most boring (underline).

 Video game / Japan / electronics / Nintendo / electronics store / Microsoft / fans / demand / fun / graphics /  hotcakes / Xbox 360 / Wii / PlayStation 3 / Sony

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

6. SENTENCE STARTERS: With your partner(s), finish these sentence starters. Talk about the sentences you made.

a)    The Xbox 360  ____________________________________________

b)    Wii is____ _______________________________________________

c)    Microsoft ________________________________________________

d)    Sony says its______________________________________________

e)    The competition ___ _______________________________________

f)     Fans of the _______________________________________________

g)    The games console ________________________________________

h)    One enthusiast ____________________________________________

7. ONE MINUTE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you can associate with games consoles. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

8. FIVE MINUTES: Choose six of these words. Write three sentences using these words. Try to associate them with games consoles. Discuss with your partner. Spend five minutes on this exercise.

9. COMPUTER GAMES

In pairs - Think of 6 computer games you play or know. Which is your favorite? Why? Discuss.

1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6. 7. 8.

The teacher will select some examples from the class.

10. BOARD GAMES

Swap pairs! – Now think of 8 board games people play. Which is your favorite? Why? Discuss.

1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6. 7. 8.

The teacher will select some examples from the class.

11. TRADITIOAL GAMES

In pair’s think of 8 traditional games children play. Fill in your findings below. Discuss with your partner.

Do traditional games vary from country to country? Have they changed over the decades? Do more children play computer games than traditional games these days? Discuss.

1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6. 7. 8.

The teacher will select some examples from the class.

12. REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE A KID

Discuss the following with your partner:

1. Which of the above traditional games did you play as a kid?
2. Which of the above board games did you play as a kid?
3. Which of the above computer games did you play as a kid?
4. How many do you still play?!

13. 2 MINUTE DEBATES:

In pairs debate the following…

Student A v Student B

a)    The new Nintendo Wii is best v Sony’s PlayStation 3 is better.

b)    Microsoft’s Xbox 360 is best v Sony’s PlayStation 3 is better.

c)    Microsoft’s Xbox 360 is best v The new Nintendo Wii is better.

d)    Computer games are great v I don’t like computer games.

e)    Computer games are for nerds and geeks v I prefer doing something else.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	Sales of computer games in London outstrip supply.	T / F
b.	Nintendo sold out at its launch in Japan on December first.	T / F
c.	European fans will have to wait until May 2007 for the new Sony console.	T / F
d.	Sony had a troubled launch in November of its product.	T / F
e.	Sony could not produce enough of its new PlayStation 3	T / F
f.	Sony’s sales target is three million PlayStation 3’s.	T / F
g.	The new and oddly named Wii sold like pancakes.	T / F
h.	Nintendo expects to sell 4.5 million Wii’s worldwide.	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

a.	heating up	choose
b.	retailers	realistic
c.	viable	strangely
d.	delays	stores
e.	satisfy	fan
f.	oddly	strategy
g.	cope with	intensifying
h.	enthusiast	meet
i.	game plan	handle
j.	opt for	hold ups

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article

a.	The electronics giant	while the PS3 is too expensive
b.	Competition in the	to sell four million units
c.	Nintendo is	of two million PlayStation 3’s
d.	Sales of the product	the last of the makers to launch…
e.	…furnace like conditions	were made by lottery
f.	The Wii is amazing fun,	outside the store
g.	This frustrated and angered	many fans
h.	Nintendo expects	could not produce anywhere near enough
i.	I’d waited	video game market is heating up…
j.	Sony’s target	ahead of Christmas

GAP FILL: READING

Put the words in the column on the right into the gaps in the text.

Nintendo Wii game console outsells Sony PS3
 

___________ in the video game __________ market is heating up to ________-like conditions ahead of Christmas. Nintendo’s new Wii console sold out at many major Japanese ___________ retailers on its launch day on December first. The player is seen as a ________ competitor to Sony Corporation’s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360. Nintendo is the last of the makers to launch its new product. Sony had a much-troubled ________ in November. After months of delays due to technical difficulties, the electronics giant could not produce anywhere near enough PS3 units to ________ demand. This __________ and angered many fans, especially in Japan, where sales of the product were made by lottery. Even worse for European fans, who have to wait until March 2007 for the console to reach store shelves.

launch satisfy viable console competition frustrated furnace electronics

Like the PS3, the new and oddly-named Wii sold like __________. Japan’s largest electronics store, Yodobashi Camera, opened its doors at 7 a.m. – two-and-a-half hours early - to ________ with the demand. However, at 8 a.m. it had sold out of Wii units. One satisfied __________, Tomokazu Nakajima, said: “I'd waited outside the store since 6:30 p.m.” He added: “The Wii is amazing fun, while the PS3 is too expensive.'' His __________ sum up Nintendo’s game plan in capturing a ___________ part of the games console market. Rather than opt for expensive graphics, Nintendo has gone for easy-to-learn games with a ________, palm-sized motion ________ that is brandished like a sword or tennis racket. Nintendo expects to sell four million units worldwide by Dec. 31, compared with Sony's target of two million ___________ 3’s.

sentiments wireless sensor cope enthusiast hotcakes significant PlayStation

GAP FILL: LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

Nintendo Wii game console outsells Sony PS3

Competition __ ___ _____ game console market is heating up to furnace-like conditions ahead of Christmas. Nintendo’s new Wii console sold out at many major Japanese electronics retailers on its launch day on December first. The player is ____ __ _ viable competitor to Sony Corporation’s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360. Nintendo is the ____ __ ___ ______ to launch its new product. Sony had a much-troubled launch in November. After months of delays due to _________ ____________, the electronics giant could not produce anywhere near enough PS3 units to satisfy demand. This frustrated and _______ ____ ____, especially in Japan, where sales of the product were made by lottery. Even worse for European fans, who have to wait until _____ ____ for the console to _____ _____  shelves.

Like the PS3, the new ___ _____-______ Wii sold like hotcakes. Japan’s largest electronics store, Yodobashi Camera, opened its doors at 7 a.m. – two-and-a-half hours early - to cope ____ ___ demand. However, at 8 a.m. it had sold out of Wii units. One satisfied enthusiast, Tomokazu Nakajima, said: “I'd waited _______ ___ _____ since 6:30 p.m.” He added: “The Wii is amazing fun, while ___ ___ is too expensive.'' His sentiments sum up Nintendo’s game plan in capturing a significant part of the _____ _______ ______. Rather than opt for expensive graphics, Nintendo has gone for easy-to-learn games with a wireless, palm-sized motion sensor that is brandished like a sword or tennis racket. Nintendo expects to sell four million _____ _________ by Dec. 31, compared with Sony's ______ __ two million PlayStation 3’s.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘competition’ and ‘launch’.

• Share your findings with your partners.
• Make questions using the words you found.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text or subject in question.

• Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:

·      PlayStation 3 ·      Japan ·      Wii ·      Xbox 360 ·      Sony Corporation

·      Nintendo ·      Christmas ·      European fans ·      Graphics ·      Games

DISCUSSION

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

1. Did the headline make you want to read the article?
2. Do you play computer games?
3. If yes to no 2 – which ones?
4. Which game is your favorite?
5. Which games console do you have?
6. Which one do you prefer?
7. What advantages are there with this console?
8. What disadvantages are there with it compared with the others on the market?
9. Are you someone who locks themselves in their room playing computer games for hours on end?
10. Do you belong to any on line chat rooms specializing in computer talk?

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

1. Did you like reading this article?
2. What do you think about what you read?
3. What was the first computer game you played?
4. What computer games do your friends play?
5. What are the top 3 computer games on the market at the moment that people play?
6. Why do you think Sony launched their PlayStation 3 console in stages rather than a worldwide launch on the same day?
7. Are computer graphics getting better?
8. Have you ever created your own computer game?
9. How do you see computer games developing in the future? 
10. Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

1. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
2. Was there a question you didn’t like?
3. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
4. What did you like talking about?
5. Which was the most difficult question?

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: Search the Internet. Find out information about Nintendo’s Wii, Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. FANS QUEUE FOR NEW GAME CONSOLE: NEWS ARTICLE: You are the Far East correspondent, based in Japan, for Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper. You have been assigned to write a story on the launch of Nintendo’s Wii game in Japan. Talk (imagine) to some excited fans who have been queuing all night for the new console. Find out what they think of it – from the reviews published so far. Compare it to the others on the market. Write a feature on what you have found. (Minimum 100 words) Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Which entry was best and why?

4. LETTER: Write a letter to The Daily Telegraph Newspaper complaining about not being able to get your hands on the Nintendo Wii. Ask the manufacturer three questions on why they haven’t made enough consoles? Show your letter to your classmates in the next lesson. Your classmates will answer your questions.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. F

b. T

c. F

d. T

e. T

f. F

g. F

h. F

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.	heating up	intensifying
b.	retailers	stores
c.	viable	realistic
d.	delays	hold ups
e.	satisfy	meet
f.	oddly	strangely
g.	cope with	handle
h.	enthusiast	fan
i.	game plan	strategy
j.	opt for	choose

PHRASE MATCH:

a.	The electronics giant	could not produce anywhere near enough
b.	Competition in the	video game market is heating up…
c.	Nintendo is	the last of the makers to launch…
d.	Sales of the product	were made by lottery
e.	…furnace like conditions	ahead of Christmas
f.	The Wii is amazing fun,	while the PS3 is too expensive
g.	This frustrated and angered	many fans
h.	Nintendo expects	to sell four million units
i.	I’d waited	outside the store
j.	Sony’s target	of two million PlayStation 3’s

GAP FILL:

Nintendo Wii game console outsells Sony PS3

Competition in the video game console market is heating up to furnace-like conditions ahead of Christmas. Nintendo’s new Wii console sold out at many major Japanese electronics retailers on its launch day on December first. The player is seen as a viable competitor to Sony Corporation’s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360. Nintendo is the last of the makers to launch its new product. Sony had a much-troubled launch in November. After months of delays due to technical difficulties, the electronics giant could not produce anywhere near enough PS3 units to satisfy demand. This frustrated and angered many fans, especially in Japan, where sales of the product were made by lottery. Even worse for European fans, who have to wait until March 2007 for the console to reach store shelves.

Like the PS3, the new and oddly-named Wii sold like hotcakes. Japan’s largest electronics store, Yodobashi Camera, opened its doors at 7 a.m. – two-and-a-half hours early - to cope with the demand. However, at 8 a.m. it had sold out of Wii units. One satisfied enthusiast, Tomokazu Nakajima, said: “I'd waited outside the store since 6:30 p.m.” He added: “The Wii is amazing fun, while the PS3 is too expensive.'' His sentiments sum up Nintendo’s game plan in capturing a significant part of the games console market. Rather than opt for expensive graphics, Nintendo has gone for easy-to-learn games with a wireless, palm-sized motion sensor that is brandished like a sword or tennis racket. Nintendo expects to sell four million units worldwide by Dec. 31, compared with Sony's target of two million PlayStation 3’s.

 

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