The Reading / Listening - Gaming Furniture - Level 3

The Swedish furniture maker IKEA has released its new range of products - gaming furniture. Now gamers can buy special desks, chairs, sofas and other items to make gamers more comfortable when they play computer games or online games. There are more than 30 products in IKEA's gaming line. One of the more unusual things is an accessory that is like a big wooden hand, to hold your headset. There is also a special pillow with pockets where you can put your hands to keep them warm. IKEA said it spent many years on designing the furniture. It got expert help in making sure it created the right products. To do this, it teamed up with the gaming laptop maker Republic of Gamers.

IKEA said making furniture for gamers was a "natural step" for the company. It wanted to attract millions of gamers around the world to its stores and website. The company said it has created, "relevant, functional, beautiful, and affordable products and complete gaming solutions". It added that it wanted to make products that also appealed to female gamers, saying: "The needs of billions of gamers around the globe are very diverse...46% of gamers are women." It said: "Now we take the first step on our gaming journey, and we do it by presenting affordable, high-performing gaming products and complete solutions that we hope reflect people's personalities and taste."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Gaming Furniture - Level 0,  Gaming Furniture - Level 1   or  Gaming Furniture - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ikea-announces-huge-lineup-of-gaming-furniture-including-a-big-wooden-hand/1100-6487519/
  • https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2021/02/12/ikea-bringing-gaming-furniture-line-to-us-in-october/6739155002/
  • https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/10/22276020/ikea-gaming-lineup-asus-rog-mouse-mat-gaming-hand-accessories-holder-chair-desk


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. FURNITURE: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about furniture. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       furniture / products / gaming / desks / comfortable / wooden hand / pillow / laptop /
       natural / website / beautiful / affordable / female / globe / diverse / journey / solution
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. GAMING: Students A strongly believe gaming is good for us; Students B strongly believe it isn't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. GAMING FURNITURE: What kind of furniture is best for gaming? Why? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What Is Best?

Why?

Sofas

 

 

Desks

 

 

Chairs

 

 

Tables

 

 

TV stands

 

 

Accessories

 

 
MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. PILLOW: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "pillow". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. GAMES: Rank these with your partner. Put the best games at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Action games
  • Role-playing games
  • Strategy games
  • Driving games
  • Puzzle games
  • Art games
  • Shooting Games
  • Sports games

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. range a. A rectangular cloth bag stuffed with feathers, foam rubber, or other soft materials, you put your head on when sleeping or lying down.
      2. product b. Got together with others to work together.
      3. line c. A set of different things of the same general type.
      4. accessory d. Something that is made for sale.
      5. pillow e. A thing which can be added to something else in order to make it more useful or attractive.
      6. expert f. A person who has a lot of knowledge of or skill in a particular area.
      7. teamed up g. Different things of the same type sold by a shop or company.

    Paragraph 2

      8. step h. Very different.
      9. attract i. A way of answering a problem or dealing with a difficult situation.
      10. relevant j. Reasonably priced.
      11. affordable k. A stage in a gradual process.
      12. solution l. A person's likelihood to like and dislike certain things.
      13. diverse m. Cause someone to have a liking for or interest in something or someone.
      14. taste n. Appropriate to or good for the current time, period, or situation.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. IKEA will release new gaming furniture next year.     T / F
  2. The furniture will stop gamers from getting too comfortable in sofas.     T / F
  3. IKEA made a wooden hand that will hold headsets.     T / F
  4. IKEA worked with a gaming laptop maker to develop its new furniture.    T / F
  5. The article says IKEA wants to attract a billion gamers to its stores.     T / F
  6. IKEA wants to appeal to female gamers.     T / F
  7. IKEA said 46 per cent of gamers are women.     T / F
  8. IKEA wants to make furniture to reflect people's taste.     T / F

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

  1. maker
  2. items
  3. unusual
  4. right
  5. teamed up
  6. step
  7. affordable
  8. appealed to
  9. complete
  10. reflect
  1. inexpensive
  2. exact
  3. act
  4. things
  5. show
  6. manufacturer
  7. total
  8. uncommon
  9. attracted
  10. collaborated

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. IKEA has released its new range
  2. chairs, sofas and
  3. One of the more
  4. It got expert
  5. it teamed up with the gaming
  6. It wanted to attract millions
  7. products that also appealed
  8. Now we take the first step on
  9. high-performing gaming
  10. reflect people's personalities
  1. to female gamers
  2. and taste
  3. help
  4. products
  5. of products
  6. unusual things
  7. our gaming journey
  8. laptop maker
  9. of gamers
  10. other items

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
warm
unusual
teamed
range
sofas
right
hold
online

The Swedish furniture maker IKEA has released its new (1) _____________________ of products - gaming furniture. Now gamers can buy special desks, chairs, (2) _____________________ and other items to make them more comfortable when they play computer games or (3) _____________________ games. There are more than 30 products in IKEA's gaming line. One of the more (4) _____________________ things is an accessory that is like a big wooden hand, to (5) _____________________ your headset. There is also a special pillow with pockets where you can put your hands to keep them (6) _____________________. IKEA said it spent many years on designing the furniture. It got expert help in making sure it created the (7) _____________________ products. To do this, it (8) _____________________ up with the gaming laptop maker Republic of Gamers.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
stores
appealed
natural
taste
affordable
journey
attract
diverse

IKEA said making furniture for gamers was a "(9) _____________________ step" for the company. It wanted to (10) _____________________ millions of gamers around the world to its (11) _____________________ and website. The company said it has created, "relevant, functional, beautiful, and (12) _____________________ products and complete gaming solutions". It added that it wanted to make products that also (13) _____________________ to female gamers, saying: "The needs of billions of gamers around the globe are very (14) _____________________...46% of gamers are women." It said: "Now we take the first step on our gaming (15) _____________________, and we do it by presenting affordable, high-performing gaming products and complete solutions that we hope reflect people's personalities and (16) _____________________."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) The Swedish furniture maker IKEA has released its new ______
     a.  ranch of products
     b.  rage of products
     c.  range of products
     d.  derange of products
2)  Now gamers can buy special desks, chairs, sofas ______
     a.  and other item
     b.  and other items
     c.  and another items
     d.  and others items
3)  There are more than 30 products in ______
     a.  IKEA's gaming line
     b.  IKEA's gaming lint
     c.  IKEA's gaming link
     d.  IKEA's gaming limb
4)  One of the more unusual things is an accessory that is like a ______
     a.  big wood in hand
     b.  big wood den hand
     c.  big wooden hand
     d.  big woody hand
5)  To do this, it teamed up with the gaming ______
     a.  laptop maker
     b.  laptop marker
     c.  laptop masker
     d.  laptop make car

6)  IKEA said making furniture for gamers was a "natural step" ______
     a.  for the company
     b.  form the company
     c.  further company
     d.  four the company
7)  It wanted to attract millions of gamers around the world ______
     a.  twits'  stores
     b.  twit stores
     c.  to its stores
     d.  too wits stores
8)  functional, beautiful, and affordable products and complete ______
     a.  game in solutions
     b.  gammy solutions
     c.  gay Ming solutions
     d.  gaming solutions
9)  The needs of billions of gamers around the globe ______
     a.  aren't very diverse
     b.  are very die verse
     c.  are very dye verse
     d.  are very diverse
10)  complete solutions that we hope reflect people's ______
     a.  personal ties and taste
     b.  personality is and taste
     c.  person abilities and taste
     d.  personalities and taste

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The Swedish furniture maker IKEA has released its (1) ____________________ products - gaming furniture. Now gamers can buy special desks, chairs, sofas and (2) ____________________ make them more comfortable when they play computer games or online games. There are more (3) ____________________ in IKEA's gaming line. One of the more unusual things is an accessory that is like a (4) ____________________, to hold your headset. There is also a special pillow with pockets where you can put your hands to (5) ____________________. IKEA said it spent many years on designing the furniture. It got expert help in making sure it created the right products. To do this, it (6) ____________________ the gaming laptop maker Republic of Gamers.

IKEA said making furniture for gamers was (7) ____________________ for the company. It wanted (8) ____________________ of gamers around the world to its stores and website. The company said it has created, "relevant, functional, beautiful, (9) ____________________ and complete gaming solutions". It added that it wanted to make products that also appealed to female gamers, saying: "The (10) ____________________ of gamers around the globe are very diverse...46% of gamers are women." It said: "Now we take the first step on (11) ____________________, and we do it by presenting affordable, high-performing gaming products and complete solutions that we (12) ____________________ personalities and taste."

Comprehension questions

  1. What does IKEA want gamers to feel when they use the gaming sofas?
  2. How many products are in IKEA's gaming line?
  3. What accessory did IKEA make that can hold a headset?
  4. What does a special pillow allow you to do to your hands?
  5. What is the Republic of Gamers?
  6. How many gamers does IKEA want to attract to its stores?
  7. What kind of gamers does IKEA want to appeal to?
  8. What percentage of gamers are women?
  9. What is IKEA taking a first step on?
  10. What does IKEA hope its products will reflect?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What does IKEA want gamers to feel when they use the gaming sofas?
a) comfortable
b) competitive
c) sleepy
d) alive
2) How many products are in IKEA's gaming line?
a) exactly 30
b) fewer than 30
c) more than 30
d) around 30
3) What accessory did IKEA make that can hold a headset?
a) a giant USB statue
b) a big wooden hand
c) a coat hanger
d) a chair
4) What does a special pillow allow you to do to your hands?
a) shake your fists
b) massage them
c) control the joystick
d) keep them warm
5)  What is the Republic of Gamers?
a) a gaming laptop maker
b) a country
c) a website
d)  a game

6) How many gamers does IKEA want to attract to its stores?
a) tens of millions
b) billions
c) hundreds of thousands
d) millions
7) What kind of gamers does IKEA want to appeal to?
a) teenagers
b) women
c) old people
d) business people
8) What percentage of gamers are women?
a) 48%
b) 45%
c) 42%
d) 46%
9) What is IKEA taking a first step on?
a) a new chapter
b) success
c) its gaming journey
d) a game
10) What does IKEA hope its products will reflect?
a) a mirror
b) people's personalities and taste
c) the 21st century
d) life

Role play

Role  A – Action Games
You think action games are best. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their games. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): driving games, shooting games or sports games.

Role  B – Driving Games
You think driving games are best. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their games. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): action games, shooting games or sports games.

Role  C – Shooting Games
You think shooting games are best. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their games. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): driving games, action games or sports games.

Role  D – Sports Games
You think sports games are best. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their games. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): driving games, shooting games or action games.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'gaming'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'furniture'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • 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.

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

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

    • range
    • comfortable
    • 30
    • wooden
    • warm
    • teamed
    • natural
    • attract
    • added
    • needs
    • journey
    • taste

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - Gaming Furniture

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'furniture'?
    3. What do you think of furniture?
    4. What do you think of gaming furniture?
    5. What is your favourite item of furniture?
    6. How important is it to have special furniture for gaming?
    7. What item of furniture would you really like to buy?
    8. What do you think of the hand-warming pillow?
    9. What do you know about IKEA?
    10. What kind of desk do you use?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'gaming'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you think of gaming?
    5. What are your favourite games?
    6. Why might female gamers need different furniture?
    7. What furniture reflects your personality?
    8. How would you describe your taste in furniture?
    9. How might IKEA's furniture affect gaming ability?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the IKEA designers?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

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

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

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

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    The Swedish furniture maker IKEA has released its new (1) ____ of products - gaming furniture. Now gamers can buy special desks, chairs, sofas and (2) ____ items to make them more comfortable when they play computer games or online games. There are more than 30 (3) ____ in IKEA's gaming line. One of the more (4) ____ things is an accessory that is like a big wooden hand, to hold your headset. There is also a special pillow with pockets (5) ____ you can put your hands to keep them warm. IKEA said it spent many years on designing the furniture. It got expert help in making sure it created the right products. To do (6) ____, it teamed up with the gaming laptop maker Republic of Gamers.

    IKEA said making furniture for gamers was a "natural step" for the company. It wanted to (7) ____ millions of gamers around the world to its stores and website. The company said it has created, "relevant, functional, beautiful, and (8) ____ products and complete gaming solutions". It added that it wanted to make products that also appealed (9) ____ female gamers, saying: "The needs (10) ____ billions of gamers around the globe are very diverse...46% of gamers are women." It said: "Now we take the first step (11) ____ our gaming journey, and we do it by presenting affordable, high-performing gaming products and complete solutions that we hope reflect people's personalities and (12) ____."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     strange     (b)     arrange     (c)     derange     (d)     range    
    2. (a)     the others     (b)     another     (c)     others     (d)     other    
    3. (a)     produces     (b)     products     (c)     produce     (d)     productive    
    4. (a)     unusually     (b)     usually     (c)     unusual     (d)     use    
    5. (a)     what     (b)     that     (c)     where     (d)     which    
    6. (a)     this     (b)     which     (c)     them     (d)     us    
    7. (a)     construct     (b)     attract     (c)     erect     (d)     destruct    
    8. (a)     affordable     (b)     afford     (c)     affords     (d)     affording    
    9. (a)     of     (b)     to     (c)     on     (d)     at    
    10. (a)     at     (b)     as     (c)     of     (d)     by    
    11. (a)     as     (b)     at     (c)     on     (d)     however    
    12. (a)     tasteful     (b)     tasty     (c)     tasted     (d)     taste

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. released its new narge of products
    2. make them more mrfotcbaole
    3. an sceasocry that is like a big wooden hand
    4. a special illpow
    5. gsidnieng the furniture
    6. It got xepert help

    Paragraph 2

    1. ttraact millions of gamers
    2. evelarnt, functional, beautiful
    3. complete gaming tlusioons
    4. pealaped to female gamers
    5. very evirdse
    6. frelect people's personalities

    Put the text back together

    (...)  them warm. IKEA said it spent many years on designing the furniture. It got expert help in making
    (...)  line. One of the more unusual things is an accessory that is like a big wooden hand, to hold your
    (...)  can buy special desks, chairs, sofas and other items to make them more comfortable when they
    (...)  millions of gamers around the world to its stores and website. The company said it has created, "relevant,
    (...)  IKEA said making furniture for gamers was a "natural step" for the company. It wanted to attract
    (...)  play computer games or online games. There are more than 30 products in IKEA's gaming
    (...)  products and complete solutions that we hope reflect people's personalities and taste."
    (...)  sure it created the right products. To do this, it teamed up with the gaming laptop maker Republic of Gamers.
    (  1  ) The Swedish furniture maker IKEA has released its new range of products - gaming furniture. Now gamers
    (...)  make products that also appealed to female gamers, saying: "The needs of billions of gamers around the
    (...)  functional, beautiful, and affordable products and complete gaming solutions". It added that it wanted to
    (...)  step on our gaming journey, and we do it by presenting affordable, high-performing gaming
    (...)  globe are very diverse...46% of gamers are women." It said: "Now we take the first
    (...)  headset. There is also a special pillow with pockets where you can put your hands to keep

    Put the words in the right order

    1. released   range   its   products   .   new   IKEA   of   has
    2. games   .   more   play   comfortable   Make   them   when   they
    3. An   like   that   a   wooden   hand   .   is   accessory
    4. pillow   a   is   special   with   pockets   .   There   also
    5. gaming   laptop   It   the   with   teamed   up   maker   .
    6. furniture   for   gamers   Making   a   was   natural   step   .
    7. millions   gamers   Attract   around   from   of   the   world   .
    8. also   that   Make   appealed   products   female   to   gamers   .
    9. gamers   Billions   the   around   of   globe   are   diverse   .
    10. that   we   hope   Solutions   people's   reflect   personalities   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    The Swedish furniture maker IKEA has released its new ranger / range of products - gaming furniture. Now gamers can buy special / specially desks, chairs, sofas and other items / itemise to make them more comfortable when they play computer games or online games. There are more than 30 produce / products in IKEA's gaming line. One of the more unusually / unusual things is an accessory that is like / liken a big wooden hand, to hold your headset. There is also a special pillow with packets / pockets where you can put your hands to keep them warm. IKEA said it spent / spend many years on designing the furniture. It got expat / expert help in making sure it created the right products. To do this, it teamed up / on with the gaming laptop maker Republic of Gamers.

    IKEA said making furniture for gamers was a "natural step" for the company. It wanted to attractive / attract millions of gamers around the world to its stores / shores and website. The company said it has creative / created, "relevant, functional, beautiful, and afforded / affordable products and complete gaming solutions / solves". It added that it wanted to make products that also appealed to female gamers, saying: "The necessary / needs of billions of gamers around the glove / globe are very diverse...46% of gamers are women." It said: "Now we take the first step / steep on our gaming journey, and we do it by presenting afford / affordable, high-performing gaming products and complete solutions that we hope reflect people's personalities and tasty / taste."

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    Th_  Sw_d_sh  f_rn_t_r_  m_k_r  _K__  h_s  r_l__s_d  _ts  n_w  r_ng_  _f  pr_d_cts  -  g_m_ng  f_rn_t_r_.  N_w  g_m_rs  c_n  b_y  sp_c__l  d_sks,  ch__rs,  s_f_s  _nd  _th_r  _t_ms  t_  m_k_  th_m  m_r_  c_mf_rt_bl_  wh_n  th_y  pl_y  c_mp_t_r  g_m_s  _r  _nl_n_  g_m_s.  Th_r_  _r_  m_r_  th_n  30  pr_d_cts  _n  _K__'s  g_m_ng  l_n_.  _n_  _f  th_  m_r_  _n_s__l  th_ngs  _s  _n  _cc_ss_ry  th_t  _s  l_k_  _  b_g  w__d_n  h_nd,  t_  h_ld  y__r  h__ds_t.  Th_r_  _s  _ls_  _  sp_c__l  p_ll_w  w_th  p_ck_ts  wh_r_  y__  c_n  p_t  y__r  h_nds  t_  k__p  th_m  w_rm.  _K__  s__d  _t  sp_nt  m_ny  y__rs  _n  d_s_gn_ng  th_  f_rn_t_r_.  _t  g_t  _xp_rt  h_lp  _n  m_k_ng  s_r_  _t  cr__t_d  th_  r_ght  pr_d_cts.  T_  d_  th_s,  _t  t__m_d  _p  w_th  th_  g_m_ng  l_pt_p  m_k_r  R_p_bl_c  _f  G_m_rs.

    _K__  s__d  m_k_ng  f_rn_t_r_  f_r  g_m_rs  w_s  _  "n_t_r_l  st_p"  f_r  th_  c_mp_ny.  _t  w_nt_d  t_  _ttr_ct  m_ll__ns  _f  g_m_rs  _r__nd  th_  w_rld  t_  _ts  st_r_s  _nd  w_bs_t_.  Th_  c_mp_ny  s__d  _t  h_s  cr__t_d,  "r_l_v_nt,  f_nct__n_l,  b___t_f_l,  _nd  _ff_rd_bl_  pr_d_cts  _nd  c_mpl_t_  g_m_ng  s_l_t__ns".  _t  _dd_d  th_t  _t  w_nt_d  t_  m_k_  pr_d_cts  th_t  _ls_  _pp__l_d  t_  f_m_l_  g_m_rs,  s_y_ng:  "Th_  n__ds  _f  b_ll__ns  _f  g_m_rs  _r__nd  th_  gl_b_  _r_  v_ry  d_v_rs_...46%  _f  g_m_rs  _r_  w_m_n."  _t  s__d:  "N_w  w_  t_k_  th_  f_rst  st_p  _n  __r  g_m_ng  j__rn_y,  _nd  w_  d_  _t  by  pr_s_nt_ng  _ff_rd_bl_,  h_gh-p_rf_rm_ng  g_m_ng  pr_d_cts  _nd  c_mpl_t_  s_l_t__ns  th_t  w_  h_p_  r_fl_ct  p__pl_'s  p_rs_n_l_t__s  _nd  t_st_."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    the swedish furniture maker ikea has released its new range of products  gaming furniture now gamers can buy special desks chairs sofas and other items to make them more comfortable when they play computer games or online games there are more than 30 products in ikeas gaming line one of the more unusual things is an accessory that is like a big wooden hand to hold your headset there is also a special pillow with pockets where you can put your hands to keep them warm ikea said it spent many years on designing the furniture it got expert help in making sure it created the right products to do this it teamed up with the gaming laptop maker republic of gamers

    ikea said making furniture for gamers was a natural step for the company it wanted to attract millions of gamers around the world to its stores and website the company said it has created relevant functional beautiful and affordable products and complete gaming solutions it added that it wanted to make products that also appealed to female gamers saying the needs of billions of gamers around the globe are very diverse 46% of gamers are women it said now we take the first step on our gaming journey and we do it by presenting affordable highperforming gaming products and complete solutions that we hope reflect peoples personalities and taste

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    TheSwedishfurnituremakerIKEAhasreleaseditsnewrangeofproducts
    -gamingfurniture.Nowgamerscanbuyspecialdesks,chairs,sofasand
    otheritemstomakegamersmorecomfortablewhentheyplaycomputer
    gamesoronlinegames.Therearemorethan30productsinIKEA'sgamin
    gline.Oneofthemoreunusualthingsisanaccessorythatislikeabigwood
    enhand,toholdyourheadset.Thereisalsoaspecialpillowwithpocketsw
    hereyoucanputyourhandstokeepthemwarm.IKEAsaiditspentmanyy
    earsondesigningthefurniture.Itgotexperthelpinmakingsureitcreate
    dtherightproducts.Todothis,itteamedupwiththegaminglaptopmake
    rRepublicofGamers.IKEAsaidmakingfurnitureforgamerswasa"natur
    alstep"forthecompany.Itwantedtoattractmillionsofgamersaroundth
    eworldtoitsstoresandwebsite.Thecompanysaidithascreated,"releva
    nt,functional,beautiful,andaffordableproductsandcompletegamings
    olutions".Itaddedthatitwantedtomakeproductsthatalsoappealedtof
    emalegamers,saying:"Theneedsofbillionsofgamersaroundtheglobe
    areverydiverse...46%ofgamersarewomen."Itsaid:"Nowwetakethef
    irststeponourgamingjourney,andwedoitbypresentingaffordable,hig
    h-performinggamingproductsandcompletesolutionsthatwehoperef
    lectpeople'spersonalitiesandtaste."

    Free writing

    Write about gaming furniture for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    All furniture should be better designed. Discuss.

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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: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. FURNITURE: Make a poster about furniture. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. ENGLISH STUDY FURNITURE: Write a magazine article about designing furniture for learning English. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on furniture. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to make furniture better. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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