The Reading / Listening - Level 5

The German carmaker Volkswagen (VW) has said it will recall around 11 million cars because of the emissions tests scandal. The company is in big trouble. Some industry experts say the recall could cost the automaker more than $6.5 billion. Last week, VW admitted cheating in emissions tests in the USA and Europe. It changed data to falsely show that VW cars were more fuel-efficient than they really are. VW is Europe's largest carmaker and employs over 750,000 people. It has lost more than a third of its market value and has damaged its image as being a leader in clean energy.

Bosses at VW could face criminal charges. A Volkswagen board member told the BBC that some staff acted criminally over emission tests. He said the people who let this happen, or who decided to install the cheating software, acted criminally. He said they must take responsibility. He added: "We only found out about the problems in the last board meeting, shortly before the media did. I want to be quite open, so we need to find out why the board wasn't informed earlier about the problems when they were known about over a year ago."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/09/29/uk-volkswagen-emissions-plan-idUKKCN0RT0P820150929
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/business-34397426
  • http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/vw-board-member-some-staff-were-warned-about-cheat-year-ago


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

The German

a.

third of its market value

2.

recall around 11 million cars

b.

more than $6.5 billion

3.

The company is in big

c.

energy

4.

the recall could cost the automaker

d.

efficient

5.

fuel-

e.

carmaker Volkswagen

6.

employs

f.

because of the emissions

7.

It has lost more than a

g.

over 750,000 people

8.

a leader in clean

h.

trouble



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

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

Bosses at VW could face

a.

responsibility

2.

A Volkswagen board

b.

criminally

3.

some staff acted

c.

open

4.

the people who let

d.

criminal charges

5.

He said they must take

e.

earlier

6.

in the last board

f.

member

7.

I want to be quite

g.

meeting

8.

the board wasn't informed

h.

this happen

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

The German carmaker Volkswagen (VW) has (1) ___________________ around 11 million cars because of the emissions tests scandal. The company is in big trouble. Some (2) ___________________ say the recall could cost the automaker more than $6.5 billion. Last week, VW admitted cheating in emissions tests in the USA and Europe. It changed data (3) ___________________ that VW cars were more fuel-efficient than they really are. VW is Europe's largest carmaker (4) ___________________ 750,000 people. It has lost more (5) ___________________ its market value and has damaged its image as being a (6) ___________________ leader in clean energy.

Bosses at VW (7) ___________________ charges. A Volkswagen board member told the BBC that (8) ___________________ criminally over emission tests. He said the people who (9) ___________________, or who decided to install the cheating software, acted criminally. He said they must take responsibility. He added: "We only (10) ___________________ the problems in the last board meeting, shortly before the media did. I want to be quite open, so we need (11) ___________________ the board wasn't informed (12) ___________________ problems when they were known about over a year ago."

VOLKSWAGEN SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about Volkswagen 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

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 

 

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------  

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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