An Italian car company called DR Automobiles got into trouble for saying their cars were made in Italy when they were mostly made in China. They used parts from Chinese brands like Chery, BAIC, and JAC, but only did small finishing touches in Italy. The Italian government fined them $6.4 million for this. DR Automobiles said they will fight the fine because they never said the cars were fully made in Italy.

Italy and the European Union (EU) are being strict about cars made outside their region. Recently, cars made in Morocco with Italian flags were taken away in Italy. The company that made them, Stellantis, had to remove the flags. The EU also wants to put high taxes on Chinese electric cars because they think these cars are a threat to their own car makers.

This situation shows that some car companies are not honest about where their cars are made. Regulators want to make sure that companies tell the truth about their products. The fines and strict rules are to protect local businesses and stop false advertising. This means companies need to be clear and honest about where their cars come from.

Original news source: Firm fined for selling China-made cars as Italian (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades

Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a slip of paper with a car-related word or phrase from the article (e.g. “Italian car”, “Chinese electric car”, “false advertising”). One person from each group will act out the word or phrase without speaking, while the others in the group try to guess what it is.

– News Summary

Instructions: Provide a brief summary of the article to the class. Then, divide the students into pairs or small groups. Each group will take turns summarizing the article in their own words, focusing on the main points. Encourage them to use their own vocabulary and expressions.

– Opinion Poll

Instructions: Write the following statement on the board: “Car companies should always be honest about where their cars are made.” Have the students indicate their opinion by standing on one side of the room if they agree, and the other side if they disagree. Then, allow students to share their reasons for their opinion, encouraging them to use English to express their thoughts.

– Vocabulary Pictionary

Instructions: Prepare a list of car-related vocabulary words from the article (e.g. “manufacturer”, “regulator”, “advertising”). Divide the class into teams. One person from each team will come to the front of the class to draw a word without using any letters or numbers. Their team members must guess the word based on the drawing.

– Speed Summarizing

Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a set of sentence strips with key information from the article. One student will have 1 minute to summarize the information on the sentence strip to their partner, who must then try to summarize it back in their own words. After 1 minute, switch roles and repeat the activity with a new sentence strip. Encourage students to speak as quickly and accurately as possible.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did the Italian car company, DR Automobiles, get in trouble for?
2. Where were most of the parts for the cars made?
3. What did DR Automobiles do to the cars in Italy?
4. How much money did the Italian government fine DR Automobiles?
5. Why did DR Automobiles say they will fight the fine?
6. What happened to cars made in Morocco with Italian flags in Italy?
7. Why does the EU want to put high taxes on Chinese electric cars?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

An (1)______ car company called DR Automobiles got into trouble for saying their cars were (2)______ in Italy when they were mostly made in China. They used (3)______ from Chinese brands like Chery, BAIC, and JAC, but only did small finishing touches in Italy. The Italian government fined them $6.4 million for this. DR Automobiles (4)______ they will fight the fine because they never said the cars were fully made in Italy.

Italy and the (5)______ Union (EU) are being strict about cars made outside their region. Recently, cars made in (6)______ with Italian flags were taken away in Italy. The company that made them, Stellantis, had to remove the flags. The EU also (7)______ to put high taxes on (8)______ electric cars because they think these cars are a threat to their own car makers.

This situation (9)______ that some car companies are not honest about where their cars are made. Regulators want to make sure that companies (10)______ the truth about their products. The fines and strict rules are to protect local (11)______ and stop false advertising. This means companies need to be clear and (12)______ about where their cars come from.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a car company?
2. How would you feel if you bought a car that was made in one country but the company said it was made in another country?
3. Do you like cars? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about car companies using parts from different countries?
5. How would you feel if you found out that the car you bought was mostly made in a different country?
6. Do you think it’s important for companies to be honest about where their products are made? Why or why not?
7. What do you think about the fines that the Italian government gave to DR Automobiles? Do you think it was fair? Why or why not?
8. How do you think the Italian government can protect local businesses?
9. Do you think it’s important for countries to support their own car makers? Why or why not?
10. Have you ever bought a product that was made in a different country than you thought? How did you feel when you found out?
11. What do you think about the EU wanting to put high taxes on Chinese electric cars? Do you think it’s a good idea? Why or why not?
12. How can companies be clear and honest about where their products come from?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. regulators
2. fined
3. strict
4. advertising
5. threat
6. protect
7. dishonest
8. finishing
9. region
10. taxes
11. products
12. local

Meanings:
(A) Made to pay money as a punishment
(B) Money people have to pay to the government
(C) To keep safe from harm
(D) People who make sure rules are followed
(E) An area or part of a country
(F) Things that are made to be sold
(G) Telling people about something to make them want to buy it
(H) Very serious and not allowing any exceptions
(I) From a nearby area or community
(J) Something that can cause harm or danger
(K) Not telling the truth
(L) Completing the last small parts of something
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why did DR Automobiles get into trouble?
(a) They used parts from Chinese brands like Chery, BAIC, and JAC.
(b) They said their cars were made in Italy when they were mostly made in China.
(c) They did small finishing touches in Italy.
(d) They were fined $6.4 million by the Italian government.

2. How much was DR Automobiles fined by the Italian government?
(a) $6.4 million
(b) $4.6 million
(c) $2.8 million
(d) $8.2 million

3. What did Stellantis have to do to the cars made in Morocco?
(a) Add Italian flags
(b) Remove the Italian flags
(c) Change the car parts
(d) Increase the price

4. Why does the EU want to put high taxes on Chinese electric cars?
(a) They want to support Chinese car makers.
(b) They want to encourage people to buy Chinese electric cars.
(c) They want to protect local businesses.
(d) They think these cars are a threat to their own car makers.

5. What do regulators want car companies to do?
(a) Tell the truth about where their cars are made.
(b) Use parts from Chinese brands.
(c) Increase the price of their cars.
(d) Remove the Italian flags.

6. Why are fines and strict rules put in place?
(a) To encourage companies to use Chinese parts.
(b) To support Italian car makers.
(c) To protect local businesses and stop false advertising.
(d) To increase the taxes on Chinese electric cars.

7. What does it mean for companies to be clear and honest about where their cars come from?
(a) To use parts from Chinese brands.
(b) To remove the Italian flags.
(c) To increase the price of their cars.
(d) To tell the truth about where their cars are made.

8. What is the main idea of this article?
(a) The Italian government fined DR Automobiles $6.4 million.
(b) The EU wants to put high taxes on Chinese electric cars.
(c) Some car companies are not honest about where their cars are made.
(d) Regulators want to protect local businesses and stop false advertising.

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The European Union wants to put high taxes on Chinese electric cars because they think they are a threat to their own car makers.
2. The Italian government fined the car company $6.4 million for their accurate claims.
3. Cars made in Morocco with Italian flags were taken away in Italy.
4. The company that made those cars had to add more flags.
5. An Italian car company got in trouble for saying their cars were made in Italy, and they were indeed fully made in Italy.
6. Regulators want car companies to be honest about where their cars are made to protect local businesses and stop false advertising.
7. The car company plans to accept the fine because they clearly stated the cars were fully made in Italy.
8. The company used parts from Chinese brands like Chery, BAIC, and JAC.
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 did the Italian car company DR Automobiles get in trouble for?
2. Where were the parts of the cars mostly made?
3. Why did the Italian government fine DR Automobiles?
4. What did the company Stellantis have to do with the Italian flags on the cars made in Morocco?
5. Why do regulators want car companies to be honest about where their cars are made?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What did the Italian car company, DR Automobiles, get in trouble for?
DR Automobiles got in trouble for saying their cars were made in Italy when they were mostly made in China.

2. Where were most of the parts for the cars made?
Most of the parts for the cars were made in China.

3. What did DR Automobiles do to the cars in Italy?
DR Automobiles only did small finishing touches to the cars in Italy.

4. How much money did the Italian government fine DR Automobiles?
The Italian government fined DR Automobiles $6.4 million.

5. Why did DR Automobiles say they will fight the fine?
DR Automobiles said they will fight the fine because they never said the cars were fully made in Italy.

6. What happened to cars made in Morocco with Italian flags in Italy?
Cars made in Morocco with Italian flags were taken away in Italy, and the company had to remove the flags.

7. Why does the EU want to put high taxes on Chinese electric cars?
The EU wants to put high taxes on Chinese electric cars because they think these cars are a threat to their own car makers.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Italian
(2) made
(3) parts
(4) said
(5) European
(6) Morocco
(7) wants
(8) Chinese
(9) shows
(10) tell
(11) businesses
(12) honest
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. regulators
Answer: (D) People who make sure rules are followed

2. fined
Answer: (A) Made to pay money as a punishment

3. strict
Answer: (H) Very serious and not allowing any exceptions

4. advertising
Answer: (G) Telling people about something to make them want to buy it

5. threat
Answer: (J) Something that can cause harm or danger

6. protect
Answer: (C) To keep safe from harm

7. dishonest
Answer: (K) Not telling the truth

8. finishing
Answer: (L) Completing the last small parts of something

9. region
Answer: (E) An area or part of a country

10. taxes
Answer: (B) Money people have to pay to the government

11. products
Answer: (F) Things that are made to be sold

12. local
Answer: (I) From a nearby area or community
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why did DR Automobiles get into trouble?
Answer: (b) They said their cars were made in Italy when they were mostly made in China.

2. How much was DR Automobiles fined by the Italian government?
Answer: (a) $6.4 million

3. What did Stellantis have to do to the cars made in Morocco?
Answer: (b) Remove the Italian flags

4. Why does the EU want to put high taxes on Chinese electric cars?
Answer: (d) They think these cars are a threat to their own car makers.

5. What do regulators want car companies to do?
Answer: (a) Tell the truth about where their cars are made.

6. Why are fines and strict rules put in place?
Answer: (c) To protect local businesses and stop false advertising.

7. What does it mean for companies to be clear and honest about where their cars come from?
Answer: (d) To tell the truth about where their cars are made.

8. What is the main idea of this article?
Answer: (c) Some car companies are not honest about where their cars are made.
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The European Union wants to put high taxes on Chinese electric cars because they think they are a threat to their own car makers. (Answer: True)
2. The Italian government fined the car company $6.4 million for their accurate claims. (Answer: False)
3. Cars made in Morocco with Italian flags were taken away in Italy. (Answer: True)
4. The company that made those cars had to add more flags. (Answer: False)
5. An Italian car company got in trouble for saying their cars were made in Italy, and they were indeed fully made in Italy. (Answer: False)
6. Regulators want car companies to be honest about where their cars are made to protect local businesses and stop false advertising. (Answer: True)
7. The car company plans to accept the fine because they clearly stated the cars were fully made in Italy. (Answer: False)
8. The company used parts from Chinese brands like Chery, BAIC, and JAC. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧