A big company that makes games is saying goodbye to 180 people who work on making games. This company also has a place where people can watch others play games, but they are closing their own show there because not many people watch it. Many people who make games are losing their jobs this year, more than 6,000. Even though some very fun games about a hero with a web, a man who fights monsters, and a man with a red hat are doing well, some companies still need to save money.

When people had to stay home because of sickness, they played a lot of games. So, the companies that make games got bigger and hired more people. They spent a lot of money to make their companies better. But now, people are not at home as much, and they are not buying as many games. So, the companies have to be careful with their money. Still, this year, people who love games have many new games to play, with stories about knights, adventures in a magic land, and a hero in a red and blue suit. But the people who know a lot about games say that the companies are spending too much money and need to be careful not to spend too much.

Original news source: Amazon latest firm to cut jobs in gaming industry (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the students into two teams. Prepare a list of vocabulary words from the article (e.g., games, company, hero, monsters, knights, adventures, magic land). One student from a team comes up to the board and picks a word from the list without showing it to others. They draw the word on the board while their team tries to guess the word in English within a time limit. If they guess correctly, they get a point. Then it’s the other team’s turn.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Ask the students to work individually or in pairs to create a catchy headline for the article. Encourage them to use simple but strong words to summarize the main idea. Share the headlines with the class, and discuss which ones best capture the essence of the article.

– Mind Map
Instructions: On the board, write the word “Gaming Industry” in the center. Ask the students to come up one by one and draw lines from the center, adding related words or phrases that they remember from the article (e.g., layoffs, streaming, budget cuts, popular games). This activity will help students visualize the relationships between ideas and reinforce vocabulary.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Prepare a list of statements based on the article (e.g., “It is sad that people are losing their jobs,” “Companies should not spend too much money,” “It’s exciting to have new games to play”). Students walk around the room and ask their classmates whether they agree or disagree with each statement, tallying the responses. Afterward, discuss the results as a class to practice speaking and learn about different opinions.

– Two Truths and a Lie
Instructions: Write three sentences on the board: two that are true according to the article and one that is false. For example, “The company is firing 180 workers,” “The company is starting a new show,” and “There are many new games coming out this year.” Have the students guess which sentence is the lie. This activity encourages critical thinking and attention to detail.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What does the big company that makes games do to 180 people?
2. What is the company closing because not many people watch it?
3. How many people who make games are losing their jobs this year?
4. What kind of games are doing well?
5. Why did game companies get bigger when people had to stay home?
6. Why are game companies trying to save money now?
7. What new kinds of games can people play this year?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A big company that (1)______s games is saying goodbye to 180 people who work on making games. This company also has a place where people can watch others play games, but they are closing their own (2)______ there because not many people watch it. Many people who make games are losing their jobs this year, more than 6,000. Even though some very fun games about a hero with a web, a man who fights monsters, and a man with a red hat are doing well, some companies still need to (3)______ (4)______.

When people had to stay home because of sickness, they played a lot of games. So, the companies that make games got bigger and hired more people. They (5)______ a lot of money to make their companies better. But now, people are not at home as much, and they are not buying as many games. So, the companies have to be careful with their money. Still, this (6)______, people who love games have many new games to play, with stories about knights, adventures in a magic land, and a hero in a red and blue suit. But the people who know a lot about games say that the companies are (7)______ too much money and need to be (8)______ not to spend too much.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a game?
2. Do you like to play games? Why or why not?
3. How would you feel if you could not play games anymore?
4. What is a job?
5. How would you feel if you lost your job?
6. Do you think it is sad when people lose their jobs? Why?
7. Do you like to watch other people play games? Why or why not?
8. What is a hero?
9. Do you think playing games is fun? Why?
10. What do you do when you are at home?
11. Do you like stories about knights and magic lands?
12. Do you think it is important to save money? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. company
2. games
3. people
4. watch
5. jobs
6. fun
7. money
8. play

Meanings:
(a) Coins and paper that you use to buy things
(b) Work that people do to earn money
(c) Have fun and enjoy yourself by doing something
(d) A lot of people
(e) Look at something for a long time
(f) A group of people who work together
(g) Activities that you can do for fun
(h) Something that makes you happy and brings joy
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the big company saying goodbye to?
(a) 180 people who watch games
(b) 180 people who play games
(c) 180 people who make games
(d) 180 people who sell games

2. Why is the company closing their own show?
(a) Not many people watch it
(b) Too many people watch it
(c) They want to save money
(d) They want to hire more people

3. How many people who make games are losing their jobs this year?
(a) More than 6,000
(b) Less than 100
(c) Exactly 180
(d) Exactly 1,000

4. Why did the companies that make games get bigger?
(a) People stopped playing games
(b) The companies had to save money
(c) The companies didn’t hire more people
(d) People played a lot of games when they had to stay home

5. Why are the companies not buying as many games now?
(a) People are at home all the time
(b) People are not playing games anymore
(c) People are not at home as much
(d) The companies are spending too much money

6. What do people who love games have this year?
(a) No new games to play
(b) Many new games to play
(c) Only one new game to play
(d) Only old games to play

7. What do the people who know a lot about games say about the companies?
(a) They are saving too much money
(b) They are spending too much money
(c) They are not making enough money
(d) They are not hiring enough people

8. What is the main idea of the article?
(a) People are not buying as many games
(b) Companies that make games need to save money
(c) People who love games have many new games to play
(d) A big company is saying goodbye to 180 people

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. When people had to stay home because of sickness, they avoided playing games.
2. The company is closing their own show where people can watch others play games because not many people watch it.
3. Some companies still need to save money, even though these games are doing well.
4. Now, people are not at home as much and not buying as many games, so the companies have to be careful with their money.
5. Some very boring games about a hero with a web, a man who fights monsters, and a man with a red hat are not doing well.
6. Many people who make games are gaining jobs this year, more than 6,000.
7. A big company that makes games is saying hello to 180 people who work on making games.
8. The companies that make games got bigger and hired more people because of this.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What is the game company doing to some people who make games?
2. What is the game company closing because not enough people watch it?
3. Why did the game companies get bigger when people had to stay home?
4. Why do the game companies need to be careful with their money now?
5. What kind of new games can people play this year?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What does the big company that makes games do to 180 people?
The big company is saying goodbye to 180 people who help make games.

2. What is the company closing because not many people watch it?
The company is closing their own show where people watch others play games.

3. How many people who make games are losing their jobs this year?
More than 6,000 people who make games are losing their jobs this year.

4. What kind of games are doing well?
Games about a hero with a web, a man who fights monsters, and a man with a red hat are doing well.

5. Why did game companies get bigger when people had to stay home?
Game companies got bigger because people played a lot of games when they had to stay home.

6. Why are game companies trying to save money now?
Game companies are trying to save money now because people are not at home as much and are not buying as many games.

7. What new kinds of games can people play this year?
People can play new games with stories about knights, adventures in a magic land, and a hero in a red and blue suit this year.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) make
(2) show
(3) save
(4) money
(5) spent
(6) year
(7) spending
(8) careful
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. company
Answer: (f) A group of people who work together

2. games
Answer: (g) Activities that you can do for fun

3. people
Answer: (d) A lot of people

4. watch
Answer: (e) Look at something for a long time

5. jobs
Answer: (b) Work that people do to earn money

6. fun
Answer: (h) Something that makes you happy and brings joy

7. money
Answer: (a) Coins and paper that you use to buy things

8. play
Answer: (c) Have fun and enjoy yourself by doing something
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the big company saying goodbye to?
Answer: (c) 180 people who make games

2. Why is the company closing their own show?
Answer: (a) Not many people watch it

3. How many people who make games are losing their jobs this year?
Answer: (a) More than 6,000

4. Why did the companies that make games get bigger?
Answer: (d) People played a lot of games when they had to stay home

5. Why are the companies not buying as many games now?
Answer: (c) People are not at home as much

6. What do people who love games have this year?
Answer: (b) Many new games to play

7. What do the people who know a lot about games say about the companies?
Answer: (b) They are spending too much money

8. What is the main idea of the article?
Answer: (d) A big company is saying goodbye to 180 people
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. When people had to stay home because of sickness, they avoided playing games. (Answer: False)
2. The company is closing their own show where people can watch others play games because not many people watch it. (Answer: True)
3. Some companies still need to save money, even though these games are doing well. (Answer: True)
4. Now, people are not at home as much and not buying as many games, so the companies have to be careful with their money. (Answer: True)
5. Some very boring games about a hero with a web, a man who fights monsters, and a man with a red hat are not doing well. (Answer: False)
6. Many people who make games are gaining jobs this year, more than 6,000. (Answer: False)
7. A big company that makes games is saying hello to 180 people who work on making games. (Answer: False)
8. The companies that make games got bigger and hired more people because of this. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧