The German company Birkenstock, which makes sandals, has become a public company. This means people can buy shares in the company. Even though some people were worried about the company’s future, Birkenstock has become very popular. This is because of partnerships with fashion designers and famous people wearing their sandals. But, some customers are worried that this change might make the company care more about money and less about the quality of their sandals.
Birkenstock’s move to become a public company has made some people ask questions. They wonder if the company can keep doing well and if this change will be good or bad for the brand. The company plans to keep 80% of the shares, which shows they believe in their future success. But, the shares started selling at a lower price than expected, which shows some people are worried about the company’s future. Some customers are also worried that this change might make the brand less special.
Even though there are worries about Birkenstock becoming a public company, it has done a good job of making people want their sandals. They have done this through partnerships with fashion designers and new designs. The company has changed from a family business to a modern company that has to think about its investors. Even though this change might make some investors careful, loyal customers believe that people will still like Birkenstock as long as the sandals stay comfortable and supportive.
Original news source: Birkenstock: Once-uncool sandal maker now worth billions (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will read the article and summarize the main points in their own words. They can then share their summaries with the class and discuss any differences or similarities.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. One student from each team will come to the board and choose a vocabulary word from the article. They must then draw a picture to represent the word, while their team tries to guess what it is. The team with the most correct guesses wins.
– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Students will individually read the article and think about the following question: “Do you think Birkenstock becoming a public company will be good or bad for the brand?” They will then pair up with a partner and discuss their thoughts. Finally, they will share their opinions with the class.
– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will have 5 minutes to create a summary of the article. They can use keywords or phrases to represent the main points. After the time is up, each group will present their summary to the class in 1 minute or less.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: In pairs, students will discuss the pros and cons of Birkenstock becoming a public company. They can take turns sharing their ideas and try to come up with at least three points for each side. After the discussion, they can share their thoughts with the class.
Comprehension Questions:
1. What does it mean for Birkenstock to become a public company?
2. Why have some people become worried about Birkenstock’s future?
3. How have partnerships with fashion designers and famous people helped Birkenstock become popular?
4. Why are some customers worried about the change to a public company?
5. How many shares does Birkenstock plan to keep?
6. Why are some people worried about the future of the company?
7. What does Birkenstock have to think about now that it is a modern company?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
The German company Birkenstock, which makes sandals, has become a public company. This (1)______ (2)______ can buy shares in the company. Even though some people were worried about the company’s future, Birkenstock has become very popular. This is because of partnerships with fashion designers and famous people (3)______ their sandals. But, some customers are worried that this (4)______ might (5)______ the (6)______ care more about money and less about the quality of their sandals.
Birkenstock’s move to become a public company has made some people ask questions. They wonder if the company can keep doing well and if this change will be good or bad for the brand. The company plans to keep 80% of the shares, which shows they believe in their future (7)______. But, the shares started selling at a lower price than expected, which shows some people are worried about the company’s future. Some customers are also worried that this change might make the brand less (8)______.
Even though there are worries about Birkenstock becoming a public company, it has done a good job of making people want their (9)______. They have (10)______ this through partnerships with fashion designers and new designs. The company has (11)______ from a family business to a modern company that has to think about its investors. Even though this change might make some investors careful, loyal (12)______ believe that people will still like Birkenstock as long as the sandals stay comfortable and supportive.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is a public company?
2. How would you feel if you could buy shares in a company?
3. Do you like Birkenstock sandals? Why or why not?
4. What do you think might happen if a company cares more about money than the quality of their products?
5. How do you think partnerships with fashion designers and famous people can make a brand more popular?
6. Do you think becoming a public company will be good or bad for Birkenstock? Why?
7. Why do you think some people are worried about the company’s future?
8. How do you think the company feels about their future success if they plan to keep 80% of the shares?
9. Why do you think some customers are worried that the brand might become less special?
10. How do you think a company can make people want their products?
11. What do you think might happen when a family business becomes a modern company?
12. Why do you think loyal customers believe that people will still like Birkenstock as long as the sandals stay comfortable and supportive?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. Birkenstock
2. public
3. shares
4. worry
5. future
6. brand
7. customers
8. sandals
Meanings:
(a) Shoes that are comfortable and good for your feet
(b) Feeling anxious or concerned about something
(c) When a company allows people to buy parts of it
(d) The name and reputation of a company or product
(e) Pieces of a company that people can buy
(f) What will happen in the time to come
(g) People who buy and use a company’s products
(h) A company that makes comfortable and supportive shoes
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What does it mean for Birkenstock to become a public company?
(a) People can buy shares in the company
(b) The company is closing down
(c) The company is changing its name
(d) The company is moving to a different country
2. Why has Birkenstock become popular?
(a) They lowered the price of their sandals
(b) They stopped making sandals
(c) They started selling their sandals online
(d) Partnerships with fashion designers and famous people wearing their sandals
3. What are some customers worried about with Birkenstock becoming a public company?
(a) The company closing down
(b) The company changing its name
(c) The company caring more about money and less about the quality of their sandals
(d) The company moving to a different country
4. What percentage of shares does Birkenstock plan to keep?
(a) 50%
(b) 20%
(c) 100%
(d) 80%
5. Why are some people worried about the company’s future?
(a) The company is closing down
(b) The company is changing its name
(c) The shares started selling at a lower price than expected
(d) The company is moving to a different country
6. How has Birkenstock made people want their sandals?
(a) Through partnerships with fashion designers and new designs
(b) By lowering the price of their sandals
(c) By closing down their stores
(d) By stopping production of their sandals
7. What kind of company has Birkenstock changed into?
(a) A family business
(b) A modern company that has to think about its investors
(c) A company that only cares about money
(d) A company that doesn’t care about its customers
8. What do loyal customers believe is important for Birkenstock to stay popular?
(a) The company changing its name
(b) The sandals staying comfortable and supportive
(c) The company closing down
(d) The company moving to a different country
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. Birkenstock has become popular despite partnerships with fashion designers and famous people wearing their sandals.
2. Becoming a private company means that people can buy shares in Birkenstock.
3. The shares of Birkenstock started selling at a lower price than expected, which shows some people are worried about the company’s future.
4. Birkenstock plans to keep 80% of the shares, which shows they believe in their future success.
5. Birkenstock, a German company that makes sandals, has become a public company.
6. Some people are confident that Birkenstock can continue to do well as a public company.
7. Some customers are worried that becoming a public company might make Birkenstock care more about money and less about the quality of their sandals.
8. Despite worries, loyal customers doubt that people will still like Birkenstock even if the sandals stay comfortable and supportive.
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 does it mean for Birkenstock to become a public company?
2. Why are some customers worried about the change?
3. How many shares does Birkenstock plan to keep?
4. Why are some people worried about the company’s future?
5. How has Birkenstock made people want their sandals?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. What does it mean for Birkenstock to become a public company?
It means that people can buy shares in the company and become part owners.
2. Why have some people become worried about Birkenstock’s future?
Some people are worried because they think the company might care more about making money than making good sandals.
3. How have partnerships with fashion designers and famous people helped Birkenstock become popular?
By working with fashion designers and famous people, more people have heard about Birkenstock and want to buy their sandals.
4. Why are some customers worried about the change to a public company?
They are worried that the company might not focus on making high-quality sandals anymore.
5. How many shares does Birkenstock plan to keep?
Birkenstock plans to keep 80% of the shares.
6. Why are some people worried about the future of the company?
Some people are worried because the shares started selling at a lower price than expected, which shows that some people are unsure about the company’s future success.
7. What does Birkenstock have to think about now that it is a modern company?
As a modern company, Birkenstock has to think about its investors and make sure they are happy.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) means
(2) people
(3) wearing
(4) change
(5) make
(6) company
(7) success
(8) special
(9) sandals
(10) done
(11) changed
(12) customers
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. Birkenstock
Answer: (h) A company that makes comfortable and supportive shoes
2. public
Answer: (c) When a company allows people to buy parts of it
3. shares
Answer: (e) Pieces of a company that people can buy
4. worry
Answer: (b) Feeling anxious or concerned about something
5. future
Answer: (f) What will happen in the time to come
6. brand
Answer: (d) The name and reputation of a company or product
7. customers
Answer: (g) People who buy and use a company’s products
8. sandals
Answer: (a) Shoes that are comfortable and good for your feet
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What does it mean for Birkenstock to become a public company?
Answer: (a) People can buy shares in the company
2. Why has Birkenstock become popular?
Answer: (d) Partnerships with fashion designers and famous people wearing their sandals
3. What are some customers worried about with Birkenstock becoming a public company?
Answer: (c) The company caring more about money and less about the quality of their sandals
4. What percentage of shares does Birkenstock plan to keep?
Answer: (d) 80%
5. Why are some people worried about the company’s future?
Answer: (c) The shares started selling at a lower price than expected
6. How has Birkenstock made people want their sandals?
Answer: (a) Through partnerships with fashion designers and new designs
7. What kind of company has Birkenstock changed into?
Answer: (b) A modern company that has to think about its investors
8. What do loyal customers believe is important for Birkenstock to stay popular?
Answer: (b) The sandals staying comfortable and supportive
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Birkenstock has become popular despite partnerships with fashion designers and famous people wearing their sandals. (Answer: False)
2. Becoming a private company means that people can buy shares in Birkenstock. (Answer: False)
3. The shares of Birkenstock started selling at a lower price than expected, which shows some people are worried about the company’s future. (Answer: True)
4. Birkenstock plans to keep 80% of the shares, which shows they believe in their future success. (Answer: True)
5. Birkenstock, a German company that makes sandals, has become a public company. (Answer: True)
6. Some people are confident that Birkenstock can continue to do well as a public company. (Answer: False)
7. Some customers are worried that becoming a public company might make Birkenstock care more about money and less about the quality of their sandals. (Answer: True)
8. Despite worries, loyal customers doubt that people will still like Birkenstock even if the sandals stay comfortable and supportive. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧
