The CEO of Uber, Dara Khosrowshahi, recently said that customers waiting for an Uber ride should be okay with waiting a bit longer for an electric vehicle. He thinks a short delay is not a big deal and can help the environment. Khosrowshahi also talked about the importance of governments supporting the sales of electric vehicles, especially affordable ones made in China that are good for the environment.
Uber is working to use more electric rides to meet its goal of having all its car journeys in zero-emission vehicles by 2040. While most Ubers are still petrol, diesel, or hybrid cars, the company is pushing for more electric vehicles for a greener future. Customers can already choose electric rides when booking an Uber, and soon they will have more options to show they prefer electric rides.
Khosrowshahi knows that switching to electric vehicles might affect Uber's profits at first. But he believes that in the long run, using electric vehicles will help the environment and Uber's business. Uber is also adding more delivery services to compete with other delivery companies by offering fast and easy delivery of different products.
Khosrowshahi sees Chinese-made electric vehicles as part of the solution to getting more people to use electric cars, despite challenges like tariffs. He thinks the government should help make electric vehicles cheaper, especially for Uber drivers who drive a lot. He suggests giving subsidies to businesses and corporate fleets to encourage more people to use electric vehicles.
Original news source: Be prepared to wait longer for an electric taxi, says Uber boss (BBC)
π§ Listen:
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Ask students to read the article individually and then summarize it in their own words. They should focus on the main points and key information. After that, have students share their summaries with a partner or in small groups. Encourage them to discuss any differences in their summaries and come up with a final summary of the article together.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Select key vocabulary words from the article (e.g., electric vehicle, emissions, subsidies) and write each word on a separate piece of paper. Have students pick a word and draw it on the board without using any letters, numbers, or symbols. Their classmates must guess the word based on the drawing. This activity can help reinforce vocabulary from the article in a fun and engaging way.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into groups and assign each group a role (e.g., Uber customers, Uber drivers, environmentalists). Ask each group to discuss the pros and cons of Uber's plan to switch to electric vehicles. Encourage them to consider different perspectives and come up with a list of advantages and disadvantages. After the group discussions, have each group present their findings to the class and facilitate a brief debate.
– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Write the following question on the board: "Do you think Uber's shift to electric vehicles is a positive step for the environment?" Ask students to think about their answer for a minute, then pair up with a partner to discuss their thoughts. After the pair discussion, open the floor for a class discussion where students can share their opinions and reasoning behind their answers. Encourage respectful dialogue and active listening.
– Headline Creation
Instructions: Have students work in pairs or small groups to come up with a catchy headline for the article about Uber's CEO discussing the shift to electric vehicles. Encourage them to be creative and concise in capturing the main idea of the article. After they have drafted their headlines, ask each group to share their headline with the class and explain why they chose it. This activity can help students practice summarizing information and using eye-catching language.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
Dara Khosrowshahi thinks customers should be okay with waiting a bit longer for an electric vehicle.
Khosrowshahi believes it is important for governments to support the sales of electric vehicles because they are good for the environment and can help reduce pollution.
Uber's goal is to have all its car journeys in zero-emission vehicles by 2040.
Uber is working towards using more electric rides by allowing customers to choose electric rides when booking an Uber and by pushing for more electric vehicles to be used.
Khosrowshahi thinks that switching to electric vehicles might affect Uber's profits at first because it may require initial investment and changes to their current operations.
Uber is planning to compete with other delivery companies by offering fast and easy delivery of different products through their delivery services.
According to Khosrowshahi, Chinese-made electric vehicles play a role in getting more people to use electric cars as they are affordable and good for the environment.
Khosrowshahi suggests that the government should give subsidies to businesses and corporate fleets to make electric vehicles more affordable, especially for Uber drivers who drive a lot.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
The CEO of Uber, Dara Khosrowshahi, recently said that customers waiting for an Uber ride should be okay with waiting a bit longer for an vehicle. He thinks a short delay is not a big deal and can help the . Khosrowshahi also about the importance of governments supporting the sales of electric vehicles, especially affordable ones made in that are good for the environment. Uber is working to use more electric rides to meet its goal of having all its car journeys in zero-emission by 2040. While most are still petrol, diesel, or hybrid cars, the is for more electric vehicles for a greener future. Customers can already choose electric rides when booking an Uber, and soon they will have more options to show they prefer electric . Khosrowshahi that switching to electric vehicles might affect Uber's profits at first. But he that in the long run, using electric vehicles will help the environment and Uber's business. Uber is also adding more services to compete with other delivery companies by offering fast and easy delivery of different products. Khosrowshahi sees Chinese-made electric vehicles as part of the solution to more people to use electric cars, despite challenges like tariffs. He the should help make electric vehicles cheaper, especially for Uber drivers who drive a lot. He suggests giving subsidies to and corporate fleets to encourage more people to use electric vehicles.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What do you think about Uber using more electric vehicles for their rides?
2. How would you feel if you had to wait a little longer for an Uber ride but knew it was an electric vehicle?
3. Do you think it's important for companies like Uber to focus on using environmentally friendly vehicles? Why or why not?
4. What is your opinion on the idea of governments supporting the sales of electric vehicles?
5. Do you like the idea of being able to choose an electric ride when booking an Uber? Why or why not?
6. How do you think using electric vehicles can help the environment in the long run?
7. What are your thoughts on Uber adding more delivery services to their business?
8. Why do you think the CEO of Uber believes that using electric vehicles will benefit both the environment and the company's business?
9. How do you feel about the idea of giving subsidies to businesses and corporate fleets to encourage the use of electric vehicles?
10. Do you think it's a good idea for Uber to compete with other delivery companies by offering fast and easy delivery services? Why or why not?
11. What do you think are some challenges Uber might face when trying to switch to using more electric vehicles?
12. How important do you think it is for companies to have goals like Uber's of having all car journeys in zero-emission vehicles by 2040?
13. Why do you think the CEO mentioned affordable electric vehicles made in China as a good option for Uber?
14. How would you react if Uber started charging extra for electric rides to cover the cost of switching to electric vehicles?
15. Do you think other companies should follow Uber's example and focus on using electric vehicles for their services? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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