Tesla, a company that makes electric cars, didn’t do as well as before in the first part of 2024. They gave fewer cars to people who bought them, the smallest number in more than a year. Because of this, the value of Tesla’s shares went down a lot. Some experts are saying this is a very bad situation for Tesla, like a big mess.

There are a few reasons why Tesla didn’t sell as many cars. There was a fire at one of their factories in Europe, problems with shipping things around the world, and not as many people in places like China wanted to buy their cars. Other companies are also making electric cars, making it harder for Tesla. Even though Tesla made their cars cheaper, it didn’t help much.

This is a tough time for Tesla because it’s the first time since 2020 that they sold fewer cars than before. Other car companies are also thinking they might not make as many electric cars as they thought because not as many people are buying them. But, people still think more electric cars will be sold this year. Tesla needs to find a way to do better despite these problems.

Original news source: Tesla ‘disaster’ with fewest deliveries since 2022 (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Word Association
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, students take turns saying a word that comes to mind when they hear the word “Tesla” or “electric cars.” They should try to think of as many related words as possible within a certain time limit (e.g. 1 minute). The group with the most words wins.

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students take turns summarizing the article in their own words. Each student should summarize a different part of the article. They can use bullet points or key phrases to make their summaries. Afterward, they can compare their summaries and discuss any differences or misunderstandings.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, students take turns choosing a word from the article and drawing a picture to represent it. The other students must guess the word based on the drawing. The student who guesses correctly gets to choose the next word.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, students discuss their opinions on electric cars and Tesla. They can use the following questions as prompts: Do you think electric cars are the future? Would you buy a Tesla? Why or why not? Students should take turns asking and answering the questions, and can provide reasons or examples to support their opinions.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, students make a list of the pros and cons of owning an electric car, specifically a Tesla. They can discuss factors such as cost, environmental impact, convenience, and performance. Afterward, students can share their lists with the class and have a group discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of electric cars.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Why didn’t Tesla sell as many cars in the first part of 2024?
2. What are some reasons why Tesla’s shares went down a lot?
3. What are some problems that Tesla faced that made it harder for them to sell cars?
4. Why did other companies making electric cars make it harder for Tesla?
5. Did making their cars cheaper help Tesla sell more cars?
6. When was the last time Tesla sold fewer cars than before?
7. Do people still think more electric cars will be sold this year?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Tesla, a company that makes electric cars, didn’t do as well as before in the (1)______ part of 2024. They gave fewer cars to people who (2)______ them, the smallest number in more than a year. Because of this, the value of Tesla’s shares went down a lot. Some (3)______ are saying this is a very bad (4)______ for Tesla, like a big mess.

There are a few reasons why Tesla didn’t sell as many cars. There was a fire at one of their factories in (5)______, problems with shipping things around the (6)______, and not as many people in places like China wanted to buy their cars. Other companies are also making electric cars, making it (7)______ for Tesla. Even though Tesla made their cars (8)______, it didn’t help (9)______.

This is a tough time for Tesla because it’s the first time since 2020 that they sold fewer cars than before. Other car companies are also (10)______ they might not (11)______ as many electric cars as they thought because not as many people are buying them. But, people still think more electric cars will be sold this year. Tesla needs to (12)______ a way to do better despite these problems.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is Tesla?
2. How do you think Tesla feels about selling fewer cars?
3. Do you like electric cars? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if you bought a car and didn’t get it?
5. Why do you think fewer people in China wanted to buy Tesla cars?
6. What do you think are some challenges for Tesla right now?
7. Do you think Tesla will be able to sell more cars in the future? Why or why not?
8. How do you think the fire at the factory affected Tesla’s sales?
9. What are some other companies that make electric cars?
10. How do you think Tesla can improve their sales?
11. Do you think more people will buy electric cars in the future? Why or why not?
12. How do you think Tesla can compete with other car companies?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. electric
2. shares
3. experts
4. situation
5. factory
6. shipping
7. cheaper
8. tough
9. companies
10. despite
11. sold
12. value

Meanings:
(A) Moving things from one place to another
(B) When something is given to someone else in exchange for money
(C) Businesses that make or sell things
(D) Using electricity to work
(E) People who know a lot about a certain thing
(F) Hard or difficult
(G) Pieces of a company that people can buy and sell
(H) Even though something else is happening
(I) How much something is worth
(J) Not costing as much money
(K) What is happening right now
(L) A big building where things are made
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why did the value of Tesla’s shares go down?
(a) They gave fewer cars to people who bought them
(b) They had a fire at one of their factories
(c) Other companies started making electric cars
(d) Not as many people in China wanted to buy their cars

2. What is the main reason why Tesla didn’t sell as many cars?
(a) There was a fire at one of their factories
(b) Other companies started making electric cars
(c) Not as many people in China wanted to buy their cars
(d) Problems with shipping things around the world

3. When was the last time Tesla sold fewer cars than before?
(a) 2021
(b) 2022
(c) 2023
(d) 2020

4. Why did Tesla make their cars cheaper?
(a) To compete with other companies
(b) To make more money
(c) To sell more cars
(d) To please their customers

5. What is the main problem for Tesla right now?
(a) Other companies are making electric cars
(b) They sold fewer cars than before
(c) There was a fire at one of their factories
(d) People in China don’t want to buy their cars

6. What do experts think about Tesla’s situation?
(a) It’s a great situation for Tesla
(b) It’s a very bad situation for Tesla
(c) It’s a normal situation for Tesla
(d) They don’t know

7. What happened to the value of Tesla’s shares?
(a) It went down a lot
(b) It went up a lot
(c) It stayed the same
(d) It fluctuated

8. What do people still think will happen this year?
(a) Fewer electric cars will be sold
(b) The value of Tesla’s shares will go up
(c) More electric cars will be sold
(d) Other car companies will make more electric cars

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Not many people in places like China wanted to buy Tesla cars.
2. Other companies making electric cars have made it harder for Tesla to sell their cars, even though they made them cheaper.
3. Experts are not saying that this situation is very bad for Tesla and like a big mess.
4. Tesla, a company that makes electric cars, didn’t sell as many cars in the first part of 2024 compared to before.
5. There were many reasons why Tesla didn’t sell as many cars, such as a fire at one of their factories in Europe and problems with shipping.
6. This is not the first time since 2020 that Tesla has sold fewer cars than before, and other car companies are not facing similar challenges.
7. The number of cars given to people who bought them by Tesla was the smallest in over a year.
8. The value of Tesla’s shares went down a lot because of the decrease in car sales.
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 happened to Tesla’s shares when they sold fewer cars?
2. Why didn’t Tesla sell as many cars in the first part of 2024?
3. What are some of the problems that Tesla faced that affected their car sales?
4. How did other companies making electric cars affect Tesla?
5. What does Tesla need to do to improve their situation?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Why didn’t Tesla sell as many cars in the first part of 2024?
Tesla didn’t sell as many cars because there was a fire at one of their factories, they had problems shipping cars, and not as many people wanted to buy their cars in places like China.

2. What are some reasons why Tesla’s shares went down a lot?
Tesla’s shares went down a lot because they sold fewer cars, which made investors worried about the company’s future.

3. What are some problems that Tesla faced that made it harder for them to sell cars?
Tesla faced problems like a factory fire, shipping issues, and a decrease in demand for their cars in certain countries.

4. Why did other companies making electric cars make it harder for Tesla?
Other companies making electric cars made it harder for Tesla because they had more competition. People had more options to choose from, so they might not choose Tesla.

5. Did making their cars cheaper help Tesla sell more cars?
Making their cars cheaper didn’t help Tesla sell more cars as much as they hoped. People still didn’t buy as many cars as before.

6. When was the last time Tesla sold fewer cars than before?
The last time Tesla sold fewer cars than before was in 2020.

7. Do people still think more electric cars will be sold this year?
Yes, people still think more electric cars will be sold this year, despite the challenges faced by Tesla and other car companies.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) first
(2) bought
(3) experts
(4) situation
(5) Europe
(6) world
(7) harder
(8) cheaper
(9) much
(10) thinking
(11) make
(12) find
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. electric
Answer: (D) Using electricity to work

2. shares
Answer: (G) Pieces of a company that people can buy and sell

3. experts
Answer: (E) People who know a lot about a certain thing

4. situation
Answer: (K) What is happening right now

5. factory
Answer: (L) A big building where things are made

6. shipping
Answer: (A) Moving things from one place to another

7. cheaper
Answer: (J) Not costing as much money

8. tough
Answer: (F) Hard or difficult

9. companies
Answer: (C) Businesses that make or sell things

10. despite
Answer: (H) Even though something else is happening

11. sold
Answer: (B) When something is given to someone else in exchange for money

12. value
Answer: (I) How much something is worth
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why did the value of Tesla’s shares go down?
Answer: (a) They gave fewer cars to people who bought them

2. What is the main reason why Tesla didn’t sell as many cars?
Answer: (d) Problems with shipping things around the world

3. When was the last time Tesla sold fewer cars than before?
Answer: (d) 2020

4. Why did Tesla make their cars cheaper?
Answer: (c) To sell more cars

5. What is the main problem for Tesla right now?
Answer: (b) They sold fewer cars than before

6. What do experts think about Tesla’s situation?
Answer: (b) It’s a very bad situation for Tesla

7. What happened to the value of Tesla’s shares?
Answer: (a) It went down a lot

8. What do people still think will happen this year?
Answer: (c) More electric cars will be sold
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Not many people in places like China wanted to buy Tesla cars. (Answer: False)
2. Other companies making electric cars have made it harder for Tesla to sell their cars, even though they made them cheaper. (Answer: True)
3. Experts are not saying that this situation is very bad for Tesla and like a big mess. (Answer: False)
4. Tesla, a company that makes electric cars, didn’t sell as many cars in the first part of 2024 compared to before. (Answer: True)
5. There were many reasons why Tesla didn’t sell as many cars, such as a fire at one of their factories in Europe and problems with shipping. (Answer: False)
6. This is not the first time since 2020 that Tesla has sold fewer cars than before, and other car companies are not facing similar challenges. (Answer: False)
7. The number of cars given to people who bought them by Tesla was the smallest in over a year. (Answer: True)
8. The value of Tesla’s shares went down a lot because of the decrease in car sales. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧