A man named Elon Musk is very angry with some companies because they stopped putting their ads on a social media website called X. He talked about this in New York and said these companies are trying to scare him into doing what they want. Some of these companies stopped their ads because they didn’t like some mean things that were said on X, including something Musk said himself. Musk said he was sorry for what he said, but he also told the companies that if they try to use their ads to push him around, he doesn’t care.

Elon Musk thinks if these companies don’t put their ads back on X, the website could stop working. He said that if X stops working, everyone will know it’s because these companies took away their ads. A woman named Linda Yaccarino, who helps run X, shared what Musk said. She thinks X is important because it lets people say what they want but also works with big companies.

The reason companies stopped their ads on X isn’t just because of what Musk said. They are also worried about their ads showing up next to bad or mean things on X. Before the companies stopped their ads, X was already making less money from ads. Now, people are waiting to see if Musk’s angry words will make these companies want to come back to X. X really needs the money from these ads.

Original news source: Elon Musk says advertising boycott will kill X (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a copy of the article. Have them read the article and then take turns summarizing the main points to each other. Encourage them to use their own words and keep their summaries concise.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of statements related to the article, such as “Companies should continue advertising on social media websites.” Divide the class into small groups and give each group the list of statements. Have them discuss each statement and indicate whether they agree or disagree. After the discussion, have each group share their opinions with the rest of the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article on separate slips of paper. Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a set of vocabulary words and a whiteboard or piece of paper. One student from each pair will choose a slip of paper with a word and draw a picture to represent the word, while their partner tries to guess the word. After a certain amount of time, switch roles and continue until all the words have been guessed.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Have each group brainstorm a list of pros and cons for companies advertising on social media websites like X. After they have had time to discuss, have each group share their lists with the rest of the class. Facilitate a class discussion about the different perspectives and reasons behind the pros and cons.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Have the class imagine what might happen next in the situation described in the article. Divide the class into small groups and give each group a set of future prediction cards. Each card should have a different prediction written on it, such as “More companies will follow suit and stop advertising on X,” or “X will find a way to convince the companies to come back.” Have each group discuss their assigned prediction and come up with reasons to support or oppose it. After the discussion, have each group share their prediction and reasoning with the rest of the class.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is angry with some companies for stopping their ads on a social media website called X?
2. Why did some companies stop their ads on X?
3. What did Elon Musk say to the companies that stopped their ads?
4. What does Elon Musk think will happen if these companies don’t put their ads back on X?
5. Who is Linda Yaccarino and what does she think about X?
6. Why did companies stop their ads on X besides what Elon Musk said?
7. Why does X need the money from these ads?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A man (1)______ Elon Musk is very angry with some companies because they (2)______ putting their ads on a social media website called X. He talked about this in New York and said these companies are trying to (3)______ him into doing what they want. Some of these companies stopped their ads because they didn’t like some mean things that were said on X, including something Musk said himself. Musk said he was sorry for what he said, but he also told the (4)______ that if they try to use their ads to (5)______ him around, he doesn’t care.

Elon Musk (6)______ if these companies don’t put their ads back on X, the website could stop working. He said that if X stops working, everyone will know it’s because these companies took away their ads. A woman named Linda (7)______, who helps run X, shared what Musk (8)______. She thinks X is (9)______ because it lets people say what they want but also works with big companies.

The reason companies stopped their ads on X isn’t just because of what Musk said. They are also worried about their ads showing up next to bad or mean things on X. Before the companies stopped their ads, X was already (10)______ less money from ads. Now, (11)______ are (12)______ to see if Musk’s angry words will make these companies want to come back to X. X really needs the money from these ads.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a social media website?
2. How would you feel if someone said mean things about you on a social media website?
3. Do you think it’s fair for companies to stop putting their ads on X because of mean things that were said?
4. Why do you think Elon Musk is angry with these companies?
5. What do you think would happen if X stopped working?
6. Do you think it’s important for people to be able to say what they want on social media websites?
7. How do you think big companies work with social media websites?
8. Why do you think companies are worried about their ads showing up next to bad or mean things on X?
9. Do you think X will make more money from ads if these companies come back?
10. How important do you think ads are for X?
11. Do you like using social media websites? Why or why not?
12. What would you do if someone said mean things about you on a social media website?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. angry
2. ads
3. companies
4. social media
5. website
6. apologize
7. scared
8. money

Meanings:
(a) Feeling very mad or upset
(b) Online places where people can share things
(c) Say sorry for something you did wrong
(d) Feeling afraid or frightened
(e) Pictures or messages that try to sell something
(f) A place on the internet where people can go
(g) Groups of people who work together
(h) The thing people need to buy things
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who is angry with some companies for stopping their ads on social media website X?
(a) Elon Musk
(b) Linda Yaccarino
(c) Mark Zuckerberg
(d) Jeff Bezos

2. Why did some companies stop their ads on social media website X?
(a) They wanted to support Elon Musk.
(b) They didn’t like some mean things said on X.
(c) They wanted to scare Elon Musk.
(d) They wanted to make more money.

3. What did Elon Musk say about the companies trying to push him around?
(a) He doesn’t care.
(b) He will apologize.
(c) He will do what they want.
(d) He will fight back.

4. What does Elon Musk think could happen if the companies don’t put their ads back on X?
(a) X could become more popular.
(b) X could make more money.
(c) X could stop working.
(d) X could change its name.

5. Who helps run social media website X?
(a) Elon Musk
(b) Mark Zuckerberg
(c) Jeff Bezos
(d) Linda Yaccarino

6. Why does Linda Yaccarino think X is important?
(a) It works with big companies.
(b) It makes a lot of money.
(c) It lets people say what they want.
(d) It is owned by Elon Musk.

7. Why are companies worried about their ads showing up on X?
(a) They want to support Elon Musk.
(b) They want to scare Elon Musk.
(c) They want to make more money.
(d) They don’t want their ads next to bad or mean things.

8. What is X in need of?
(a) More users
(b) Money from ads
(c) More mean things said on the website
(d) More companies to stop their ads

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. Musk apologized for his comments, but also warned the companies that he doesn’t care if they try to use their ads to control him.
2. Musk believes these companies are attempting to encourage him into doing what they want.
3. Some companies stopped their ads on X because they didn’t dislike the mean things said on the website, including something Musk himself said.
4. Elon Musk is upset with some companies because they stopped advertising on a social media website called X.
5. The companies stopped their ads not only because of Musk’s comments, but also because they were concerned about their ads appearing next to negative content on X.
6. X was already making less money from ads before the companies stopped advertising, and now they are waiting to see if Musk’s angry words will convince the companies to return.
7. Musk thinks that if these companies put their ads back on X, the website will continue working.
8. A woman named Linda Yaccarino, who helps run X, disagrees with Musk and believes the website is unimportant because it inhibits people from expressing themselves while working with big companies.
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. Why is Elon Musk angry with some companies?
2. What is the social media website called that Elon Musk is talking about?
3. Why did some companies stop putting their ads on the website?
4. What does Elon Musk think will happen if these companies don’t put their ads back on the website?
5. Why are the companies worried about their ads showing up on the website?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who is angry with some companies for stopping their ads on a social media website called X?
Elon Musk is angry with some companies for stopping their ads on X.

2. Why did some companies stop their ads on X?
Some companies stopped their ads on X because they didn’t like some mean things that were said on the website.

3. What did Elon Musk say to the companies that stopped their ads?
Elon Musk said he was sorry for what he said, but he also told the companies that if they try to use their ads to push him around, he doesn’t care.

4. What does Elon Musk think will happen if these companies don’t put their ads back on X?
Elon Musk thinks that if these companies don’t put their ads back on X, the website could stop working.

5. Who is Linda Yaccarino and what does she think about X?
Linda Yaccarino helps run X and she thinks X is important because it lets people say what they want but also works with big companies.

6. Why did companies stop their ads on X besides what Elon Musk said?
Companies also stopped their ads on X because they were worried about their ads showing up next to bad or mean things on the website.

7. Why does X need the money from these ads?
X needs the money from these ads because it was already making less money from ads and now it needs the money even more.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) named
(2) stopped
(3) scare
(4) companies
(5) push
(6) thinks
(7) Yaccarino
(8) said
(9) important
(10) making
(11) people
(12) waiting
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. angry
Answer: (a) Feeling very mad or upset

2. ads
Answer: (e) Pictures or messages that try to sell something

3. companies
Answer: (g) Groups of people who work together

4. social media
Answer: (b) Online places where people can share things

5. website
Answer: (f) A place on the internet where people can go

6. apologize
Answer: (c) Say sorry for something you did wrong

7. scared
Answer: (d) Feeling afraid or frightened

8. money
Answer: (h) The thing people need to buy things
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who is angry with some companies for stopping their ads on social media website X?
Answer: (a) Elon Musk

2. Why did some companies stop their ads on social media website X?
Answer: (b) They didn’t like some mean things said on X.

3. What did Elon Musk say about the companies trying to push him around?
Answer: (a) He doesn’t care.

4. What does Elon Musk think could happen if the companies don’t put their ads back on X?
Answer: (c) X could stop working.

5. Who helps run social media website X?
Answer: (d) Linda Yaccarino

6. Why does Linda Yaccarino think X is important?
Answer: (c) It lets people say what they want.

7. Why are companies worried about their ads showing up on X?
Answer: (d) They don’t want their ads next to bad or mean things.

8. What is X in need of?
Answer: (b) Money from ads
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. Musk apologized for his comments, but also warned the companies that he doesn’t care if they try to use their ads to control him. (Answer: True)
2. Musk believes these companies are attempting to encourage him into doing what they want. (Answer: False)
3. Some companies stopped their ads on X because they didn’t dislike the mean things said on the website, including something Musk himself said. (Answer: False)
4. Elon Musk is upset with some companies because they stopped advertising on a social media website called X. (Answer: True)
5. The companies stopped their ads not only because of Musk’s comments, but also because they were concerned about their ads appearing next to negative content on X. (Answer: True)
6. X was already making less money from ads before the companies stopped advertising, and now they are waiting to see if Musk’s angry words will convince the companies to return. (Answer: True)
7. Musk thinks that if these companies put their ads back on X, the website will continue working. (Answer: False)
8. A woman named Linda Yaccarino, who helps run X, disagrees with Musk and believes the website is unimportant because it inhibits people from expressing themselves while working with big companies. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧