Answer the following questions. 1) What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘doll’?

1) What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘doll’?

2) Do you think dolls are big business?

3) Can any doll ever dislodge Barbie from the number one position?

4) Do too many dolls have white skin and blonde hair?

5) Why has Barbie led the market for so long?

6) Why do you think dolls are so popular with children?

7) What dolls and other children’s toys most popular in your country?

8) Can boys play with dolls?

9) How have dolls changed over the years?

10) Do you think there needs to be controls over the marketing and advertising of dolls to children?

11) Would you prefer your children to play with toys other than dolls?

12) What do toymakers need to consider when marketing their dolls?

13) What new concept doll would you create for today’s kids?

14) What do you know about Barbie and Bratz?

15) Do you think working on the Barbie or Bratz products would be interesting?

16) Do you think MGA should be allowed to continue making Bratz dolls?

17) Should the Jury automatically believe Carter Bryant and award the rights of Bratz to MGA?

 

Match the following synonyms from the text.

1) makers 2) to settle 3) dispute 4) damages 5) obligation 6) whether 7) former 8) occasions 9) slice 10) to slide

a) argument b) to go down c) duty d) to sort out e) ex- f) producers g) times h) share i) compensation j) if

Match the following phrases from the text (sometimes more than one combination is possible).

1) A jury in America settled the 2) intellectual 3) the amount awarded 4) first and 5) We have an obligation to defend 6) to own the rights 7) Bryant claimed he came 8) They have taken a large 9) Barbie’s sales have slid 10) since Bratz arrived

a) up with the Bratz name b) in damages c) ourselves d) on the scene e) long-running dispute f) over 15 per cent g) slice of the doll market h) foremost i) copyright j) to the Bratz brand

9. Write down different words you associate with the word ‘copyright’. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

10. Is it always easy to choose between two competitors? With your partner(s), decide which of the products below you think are best. Write your reasons why. Change partners and share your ideas.

Products	The best	Why?
Barbie or Bratz
Google or Yahoo
Coke or Pepsi Nokia or iPhone
Firefox or Explorer

11. Divide into two groups and discuss the following:

Ø Group A strongly believes children should no longer play with dolls in today’s technology-rich world;

Ø Group B strongly believes dolls are better than technology for children.

Be ready to give reasons to support your idea.

Divide into groups or pairs and create the concept for the next big thing in dolls. Make a presentation in order to share your ideas. Vote on the best dolls.

§ Name § Concept § Look § Technology

§ Special features § Selling points § Appeal § Edge over competitors

Search the Internet and find out more about dolls around the world. Make a presentation to share your findings with your groupmates.

Write a magazine article about the rivalry between Barbie and Bratz. Include imaginary interviews with both dolls. Read what you wrote to your groupmates.

Write a letter to Mattel CEO Robert Eckert. Ask him three questions about Barbie. Make three suggestions on what he should do to make Barbie an even bigger success. Read your letter to your groupmates. Your groupmates will answer it.

16. You are Barbie (or Ken). How do your human owners treat you? Tell your groupmates about one day in your life.

 

UNIT 14. GOOGLE FIRST 100 BILLION DOLLAR BRAND

 

A. BEFORE LISTENING

Practice the pronunciation of the following words taken from the text which you are going to listen.

The search engine giant, worth, billion, the market research firm, Google, powerful, to value, company, rival, valuable, technology companies, verb, common, to hear, consumer, key, business, to grow, future, strong, ultimate, chief executive, current, environment, to sustain, tough, through, recession, to remain.