Date: March 4, 2005
Level: Intermediate +
Downloads: This Lesson (Word Doc) | Class Handout (Word Doc) | Class Handout (PDF)

THE ARTICLE

Every year has a ‘must have’ gadget. Last year it was the Apple iPod. This year, according to Stuff Magazine from the UK, it is Sony’s PSP (PlayStation Portable) – a pocket-sized version of the PlayStation2 (PS2) entertainment console. Stuff Magazine has just put the PSP at number one in its top ten essentials list for this year. It’s easy to see why. As well as playing games, the PSP also allows users to download music, view photographs and watch movies. In the USA it is being launched with the movie Spiderman 2 as a free gift. It is likely that every teenager and young-at-heart fortysomething will be packing the device in his or her school bag or briefcase when PSP fever takes hold of the world. Trains will become silent, with passengers engrossed, head down, in their latest games, movies and songs. It could revolutionize our lives as there will be no more need to go to the cinema, CD stores or photo developing stores. The device has already sold in record numbers in Japan, and is set to do likewise around the rest of the world. Sony has already increased production to sell one million PSPs in United States, where it will be released on March 23^rd. That may not be enough.

POSSIBLE WARM UPS / COOL DOWNS

1. CHAT:  Talk in pairs or groups about Playstation / PSP / games / gadgets / Nintendo / X-Box / digital lifestyle …

To make things more dynamic, try telling your students they only have one minute (or 2) on each chat topic before changing topics / partners. Change topic / partner frequently to energize the class.

2. PLAYSTATION BRAINSTORM: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with Playstation. Share your words with your partner / group and talk about them.

3. MUST HAVE GADGETS: Which of the following gadgets must you have and which ones can you live without:

1. Electronic dictionary
2. iPod (or other MP3 player)
3. Digital camera
4. Mobile phone
5. Watch
6. Computer
7. Radio
8. Television
9. Games console
10. Calculator

4. 2-MINUTE DEBATES: Students face each other in pairs and engage in the following (for-fun) 2-minute debates. Students A are assigned the first argument, students B the second. Rotate pairs to ensure a lively pace and noise level is kept:

1. Games consoles are bad for kids. vs. More interactive than watching TV all day.
2. The new PSP will make us antisocial. vs. It will give us more to talk about.
3. Gaming is just for kids. vs. Gaming tests our intelligence and skill.
4. Games design is a new art form. vs. Games? Art? Don’t be ridiculous.
5. PlayStation 2 is the best console around. vs. No way man.
6. Games will become more popular than movies. vs. Movies will always be more popular.
7. Soon everyone will have a PSP – just like we all have a watch. vs. I don’t think so.
8. iPod is still the best gadget. vs. PSP has it all – music, movies, photos, and games.

PRE-READING IDEAS

1. WORD SEARCH: Students look in their dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … of the words ‘top’ and ‘ten’.

2. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the headline and guess whether these sentences are true or false:

1. Every year has a ‘must have’ gadget.  T / F
2. Last year the ‘must have’ gadget was a digital camera.  T / F
3. PSP means ‘Pocket-sized PlayStation.  T / F
4. A PSP can play games, movies and songs, and show photographs.  T / F
5. In the USA it is being launched with the movie Spiderman 2 as a free gift.  T / F
6. People in their forties will have PSP fever.  T / F
7. PSP will make trains noisier with people playing games.  T / F
8. PSP could revolutionize our lives.  T / F

3. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

(a)	‘must have’	grips
(b)	gadget	similarly
(c)	pocket-sized	youthful
(d)	as well as	compact
(e)	launched	device
(f)	young-at-heart	released
(g)	packing	change
(h)	takes hold of	essential
(i)	revolutionize	carrying
(j)	likewise	in addition to

4. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases based on the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

(a)	‘must have’	hold of a country
(b)	pocket-sized	our lives
(c)	entertainment	playing games
(d)	It’s easy to see	in record numbers in Japan
(e)	As well as	version
(f)	young-at-heart	increased production
(g)	PSP fever takes	why
(h)	It could revolutionize	gadget
(i)	The device has already sold	console
(j)	Sony has already	fortysomething

 

WHILE READING ACTIVITIES

GAP-FILL:  Put the missing words under each paragraph into the gaps.

Pocket Playstation the ‘must have’ of 2005

Every year has a ‘must have’ __________. Last year it was the Apple iPod. This year, according to Stuff Magazine from the UK, it is Sony’s PSP (PlayStation Portable) – a pocket-sized __________ of the PlayStation2 (PS2) entertainment console. Stuff Magazine has just put the PSP at number one in its top ten __________ list for this year. It’s easy to see why. As well as playing games, the PSP also allows users to download music, __________ photographs and watch movies. In the USA it is being launched with the movie Spiderman 2 as a free gift. It is likely that every teenager and young-at-heart fortysomething will be __________ the device in his or her school bag or briefcase when PSP fever takes hold of the world. Trains will become silent, with passengers __________, head down, in their latest games, movies and songs. It could revolutionize our lives as there will be no more need to go to the cinema, CD stores or photo developing stores. The device has already sold in __________ numbers in Japan, and is set to do likewise around the rest of the world. Sony has already increased production to sell one million PSPs in United States, where it will be __________ on March 23^rd. That may not be enough.

engrossed      version      view      released      gadget      record      essentials     packing

2. TRUE/FALSE:  Students check their answers to the T/F exercise.

3. SYNONYMS:  Students check their answers to the synonyms exercise.

4. PHRASE MATCH:  Students check their answers to the phrase match exercise.

5. QUESTIONS: Students make notes for questions they would like to ask the class about the article.

6. VOCABULARY:  Students circle any words they do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find the meanings.

POST READING IDEAS

1. GAP-FILL: Check the answers to the gap-fill exercise.

2. QUESTIONS:  Students ask the discussion questions they thought of above to their partner / group / class. Pool the questions for all students to share.

3. VOCABULARY: As a class, go over the vocabulary students circled above.

4. STUDENT-GENERATED SURVEY: Pairs/Groups write down 3 questions based on the article. Conduct their surveys alone. Report back to partners to compare answers. Report to other groups / the whole class.

5. ‘TOP’/ ‘TEN’: Students make questions based on their findings from pre-reading activity #1.

6. DISCUSSION:  Students ask each other the following questions:

1. What was interesting in this article?
2. Do you want a PSP?
3. Do you like gadgets?
4. What was the last gadget you bought?
5. Do you play video games?
6. What are your favorite games?
7. Are games worse than TV for kids?
8. Would you rather have an iPod or PSP?
9. Do you think all of these digital gadgets are too expensive
10. What one gadget in your life could you not live without?
11. Do men like gadgets more than women? (If yes, ask why?)
12. What are the essential things you would take on a 2-week vacation?
13. Will hand held video screens really replace movie theatres?
14. Will downloaded music replace CD stores?
15. Will digital photos replace photo-developing stores?
16. Will trains become quieter because of passengers using PSP?
17. Do you think games are the next great art form, after movies?
18. Teacher / Student additional questions.

HOMEWORK

1. VOCAB EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information on the PSP. Share your findings with your class next lesson.

3. PS3: You are the designer of the next generation portable entertainment device. Your new product – PS3 – will be released on the first of next month. Make a small information sheet advertising its merits.

4. PROS / CONS: Make a list of the pros and cons of gaming. Be prepared to use your list in a discussion in the next class.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

1. Every year has a ‘must have’ gadget.  T
2. Last year the ‘must have’ gadget was a digital camera.  F
3. PSP means ‘Pocket-sized PlayStation.  F
4. A PSP can play games, movies and songs, and show photographs.  T
5. In the USA it is being launched with the movie Spiderman 2 as a free gift.  T
6. People in their forties will have PSP fever.  T
7. PSP will make trains noisier with people playing games.  F
8. PSP could revolutionize our lives.  T

SYNONYM MATCH:

(a)	‘must have’	essential
(b)	gadget	device
(c)	pocket-sized	compact
(d)	as well as	in addition to
(e)	launched	released
(f)	young-at-heart	youthful
(g)	packing	carrying
(h)	takes hold of	grips
(i)	revolutionize	change
(j)	likewise	similarly

PHRASE MATCH:

(a)	‘must have’	gadget
(b)	pocket-sized	version
(c)	entertainment	console
(d)	It’s easy to see	why
(e)	As well as	playing games
(f)	young-at-heart	fortysomething
(g)	PSP fever takes	hold of a country
(h)	It could revolutionize	our lives
(i)	The device has already sold	in record numbers in Japan
(j)	Sony has already	increased production

 

GAP FILL:

Pocket Playstation the ‘must have’ of 2005

Every year has a ‘must have’ gadget. Last year it was the Apple iPod. This year, according to Stuff Magazine from the UK, it is Sony’s PSP (PlayStation Portable) – a pocket-sized version of the PlayStation2 (PS2) entertainment console. Stuff Magazine has just put the PSP at number one in its top ten essentials list for this year. It’s easy to see why. As well as playing games, the PSP also allows users to download music, view photographs and watch movies. In the USA it is being launched with the movie Spiderman 2 as a free gift. It is likely that every teenager and young-at-heart fortysomething will be packing the device in his or her school bag or briefcase when PSP fever takes hold of the world. Trains will become silent, with passengers engrossed, head down, in their latest games, movies and songs. It could revolutionize our lives as there will be no more need to go to the cinema, CD stores or photo developing stores. The device has already sold in record numbers in Japan, and is set to do likewise around the rest of the world. Sony has already increased production to sell one million PSPs in United States, where it will be released on March 23^rd. That may not be enough.