Date: April 19, 2005
Level: Harder (Try the easier lesson.)
Downloads: This Lesson (Word Doc) | Class Handout (Word Doc) | Class Handout (PDF)

Listening (2:15 - 265.6 KB - 16kbps)

THE ARTICLE

Microsoft is about to embark on one of the biggest, longest and most expensive advertising campaigns ever – for a product that is at least four years old. The massive fifteen-month, $200 million extravaganza will focus solely on the Windows operating system, the last release of which was Windows XP in 2001. Many industry analysts see the move as filling the gap until the next version of Windows, codenamed Longhorn, arrives, slated for sometime late next year. Other marketing experts believe the campaign is in partial response to Apple’s yearly releases of its significantly improving and impressive OS. This seems unlikely considering Microsoft enjoys a near 95 percent slice of the OS market. Microsoft’s take is simply that it wants to revitalize consumer interest in Windows.

The campaign is called “Start Something” and will be encouraging all computer users literally to start something new, follow their dreams and pursue what they are passionate about, of course by buying and using Windows. The ads show a window over the hearts of people, revealing a multitude of “passions”. Strangely, the new www.windows.com/Passion website is somewhat limited to just five passions – cooking, education, music, sports and travel. Visitors to this site are invited to “Start something fun. Start something productive.” Further clicking will lead to starting things appetizing, educational, sonic, athletic or worldly. Unfortunately, these new “somethings” seem as unoriginal as the outdated Windows OS itself. Regardless, Microsoft wants us to believe its aged software can rekindle and fire our passions.

WARM UPS

1. CHAT: Talk in pairs or groups about: advertisements / Windows (95, 98, 2000 or XP) / Apple products / computers / dreams / passions / cooking / education / music / sports / travel… For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

2. PASSION BRAINSTORM: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word “passion”. Share your words with your partner / group and talk about them.

3. MY PASSIONS: In pairs / groups, talk about your own passions.

• What kinds of things arouse, excite, inflame or stir up your passions?
• How do you control, curb or restrain your passion?
• Do you have any all-consuming, burning, deep, smoldering, animal, frenzied or wild passions?
• What kinds of things do you have a passion for or are passionate about?

Change partners / groups and inform your new partner(s) of what your previous partner told you about their passions. Ask the same questions to your new partner(s).

4. GOOGLE PASSIONS: We did a Google search for “I have a passion for” and came up with the following:

I have a passion for ~

• writing
• plants and flowers of all kinds
• sports
• politics
• wine
• people
• music
• life and learning
• the color purple
• food

Talk to your partner / groups about to what extent you share these passions.

5. MICROSOFT WINDOWS: Read and comment on the following thoughts about Microsoft Windows:

1. I love Bill Gates.
2. I don’t understand why Microsoft doesn’t bring out new products.
3. Windows has revolutionized my life. Don’t know where I’d be without it.
4. My Windows OS keeps crashing and freezing. I’m fed up.
5. I like Microsoft’s new “start something” message. I’m going to start something new right away
6. I want to know what the difference is between Windows and Apple.
7. I know for a fact I don’t have a passion for Windows or computers.
8. I don’t think I need a computer operating system to pursue my passions.

PRE-READING IDEAS

1. WORD SEARCH: Use your dictionary / computer to find word partners (collocates), other meanings, synonyms or more information on the words ‘advertising’ and ‘campaign’.

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

1. Microsoft has a new and expensive advertising campaign.  T / F
2. The latest Microsoft operating system came out last year.  T / F
3. The next Microsoft OS is slated for sometime late next year.  T / F
4. Microsoft has more than 95 per cent of the sales for operating systems.  T / F
5. Microsoft wants its products to enable us to pursue our passions.  T / F
6. The new Windows “Passion” website lists a multitude of passions.  T / F
7. The new website invites us to start something new.  T / F
8. Microsoft wants us to believe its aged software can fire our passions.  T / F

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

(a)	embark on	share
(b)	extravaganza	strive for
(c)	slated	plethora
(d)	slice	spectacular
(e)	revitalize	yummy
(f)	pursue	launch
(g)	multitude	narrowed
(h)	limited	reinvigorate
(i)	appetizing	revive
(j)	rekindle	scheduled

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

(a)	about to	slice of the OS market
(b)	$200 million	limited
(c)	industry	extravaganza
(d)	in partial	our passions
(e)	a near 95 percent	analysts
(f)	pursue what they are	of passions
(g)	revealing a multitude	embark on
(h)	somewhat	productive
(i)	Start something	passionate about
(j)	rekindle and fire	response to

 

WHILE READING ACTIVITIES

1. SYNONYM FILL: There are six gaps in the article. There are six groups of synonyms below the article. Place the number of the synonym group in the correct gap (It is not important to guess a correct word - any of the synonyms from each group could be put into the relevant gap).

“Start Something” with old Microsoft

Microsoft is about to ________ on one of the biggest, longest and most expensive advertising campaigns ever – for a product that is at least four years old. The massive fifteen-month, $200 million extravaganza will focus solely on the Windows operating system, the last release of which was Windows XP in 2001. Many industry analysts see the move as filling the gap until the next version of Windows, codenamed Longhorn, arrives, ________ for sometime late next year. Other marketing experts believe the campaign is in partial response to Apple’s yearly releases of its significantly improving and impressive OS. This seems unlikely considering Microsoft enjoys a near 95 percent slice of the OS market. Microsoft’s take is simply that it wants to ________ consumer interest in Windows.

The campaign is called “Start Something” and will be encouraging all computer users literally to start something new, follow their dreams and ________ what they are passionate about, of course by buying and using Windows. The ads show a window over the hearts of people, revealing a ________ of “passions”. Strangely, the new www.windows.com/Passion website is somewhat limited to just five passions – cooking, education, music, sports and travel. Visitors to this site are invited to “Start something fun. Start something productive.” Further clicking will lead to starting things ________, educational, sonic, athletic or worldly. Unfortunately, these new “somethings” seem as unoriginal as the outdated Windows OS itself. Regardless, Microsoft wants us to believe its aged software can rekindle and fire our passions.

1 pursue seek go after strive for	2 multitude plethora abundance horde	3 slated scheduled penciled in for due
4 appetizing scrumptious delectable yummy	5 embark launch commence inaugurate	6 revitalize rejuvenate rekindle reinvigorate

 

2. TRUE/FALSE: Check your answers to the T/F exercise.

3. SYNONYMS: Check your answers to the synonyms exercise.

4. PHRASE MATCH: Check your answers to the phrase match exercise.

5. QUESTIONS: Make notes for questions you would like to ask the class about the article.

6. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

POST READING IDEAS

1. SYNONYM FILL: Check your answers to this exercise. Can you add to the list of synonyms?

2. QUESTIONS: Ask the discussion questions you thought of above to your partner / group / class. Pool the questions for everyone to share.

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

4. STUDENT-GENERATED SURVEY: In pairs/groups write down 3 questions based on the article. Each student surveys class members independently and reports back to their original partner/ group to compare their findings.

5. ‘ADVERTISING’ / ‘CAMPAIGN’: Make questions based on your findings from pre-reading activity #1. Ask your partner / group your questions.

6. DISCUSSION:

1. Did you like this article?
2. Was there anything in this article that surprised you?
3. Are you into computers and operating systems?
4. What do you think of Microsoft?
5. What do you think of Microsoft’s new “Start Something” message?
6. Is there anything you want to start?
7. What do you use a computer for?
8. Do you have any complaints about the operating system you use?
9. What’s the most useful function on your computer?
10. What’s the most useful function of your computer?
11. Would you consider switching from a PC to an Apple computer?
12. Are you following any dreams at the moment?
13. What are you currently passionate about?
14. Is your life in a rut? Do you need your passions rekindled?
15. Could you live without a computer?
16. What would your life be like without a computer?
17. Do you need a computer to follow your dreams and pursue your passions?
18. Did you like this discussion?
19. Teacher / Student additional questions.

7. ADVERTISING ROLE PLAY: You are (an) advertising executive(s). You have designed a new advertising campaign and slogan for Microsoft’s operating system. Microsoft wants people to use its products for their new hobbies. Microsoft will pay $10,000,000 to the team with the best slogan. Use the slogans listed below, or one of your own if you prefer. Team up with partners to discuss your roles and “strategy” before the role play begins.

Student(s) A
You came up with the slogan "Start Something".

Student(s) B
You came up with the slogan "OS PASSION".

Student(s) C
You came up with the slogan "Be an Operating System".

Student(s) D
You came up with the slogan "Mega-Enjoy. Giga-Fun".

Student(s) E
You are Bill(s) Gates, chairman of Microsoft.

After the role plays, talk about what you said. Which team / slogan deserved to win the $10,000,000 from Microsoft? Now that you have some experience of this role play, repeat it. Change roles to see if the role play moves in a different direction.

8. “OS PASSION”: (1) In pairs / groups, design the new features for the new operating system “OS PASSION”. Think about what new functions and features the new product will have that no other operating system has. This is the OS for the 22^nd Century! (2) Present your product to the rest of the class. Be prepared to answer questions from those watching your presentation. The students watching the presentation should take notes on the features and appraise them. (3) Change partner(s) and discuss the merits of each product’s design. (4) Vote for the best team.

The following assessment sheet may be useful (please resize):

PROJECT “OS PASSION” ASSESSMENT SHEET
Team #	Feature	My opinion	My questions

9. OS SURVEY: In pairs/groups write down questions based on user-satisfaction with computer operating systems. Each student surveys class members independently and reports back to their original partner/ group to compare their findings.

10. PASSIONS SURVEY: In pairs/groups write down questions based on passion(s). Each student surveys class members independently and reports back to their original partner/ group to compare their findings.

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY 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 information on Microsoft. Share your findings with your class next lesson.

3. REVIEW: Imagine you are a reviewer for a computer magazine. Write a review of the operating system you use. Read your review in your next class and see how many people agree with you.

4. LETTER: Write a letter to Microsoft or Apple outlining what you really want to see included in the next releases of their operating systems. Read your letter in your next class and see how many people want the same things.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

1. Microsoft has a new and expensive advertising campaign.  T
2. The latest Microsoft operating system came out last year.  F
3. The next Microsoft OS is slated for sometime late next year.  T
4. Microsoft has more than 95 per cent of the sales for operating systems.  F
5. Microsoft wants its products to enable us to pursue our passions.  T
6. The new Windows “Passion” website lists a multitude of passions.  F
7. The new website invites us to start something new.  T
8. Microsoft wants us to believe its aged software can fire our passions.  T

SYNONYM MATCH:

(a)	embark on	launch
(b)	extravaganza	spectacular
(c)	slated	scheduled
(d)	slice	share
(e)	revitalize	reinvigorate / revive
(f)	pursue	strive for
(g)	multitude	plethora
(h)	limited	narrowed
(i)	appetizing	yummy
(j)	rekindle	revive / reinvigorate

PHRASE MATCH:

(a)	about to	embark on
(b)	$200 million	extravaganza
(c)	industry	analysts
(d)	in partial	response to
(e)	a near 95 percent	slice of the OS market
(f)	pursue what they are	passionate about
(g)	revealing a multitude	of passions
(h)	somewhat	limited
(i)	Start something	productive
(j)	rekindle and fire	our passions

SYNONYM FILL:

“Start Something” with old Microsoft

Microsoft is about to -----5----- on one of the biggest, longest and most expensive advertising campaigns ever – for a product that is at least four years old. The massive fifteen-month, $200 million extravaganza will focus solely on the Windows operating system, the last release of which was Windows XP in 2001. Many industry analysts see the move as filling the gap until the next version of Windows, codenamed Longhorn, arrives, -----3----- for sometime late next year. Other marketing experts believe the campaign is in partial response to Apple’s yearly releases of its significantly improving and impressive OS. This seems unlikely considering Microsoft enjoys a near 95 percent slice of the OS market. Microsoft’s take is simply that it wants to -----6----- consumer interest in Windows.

The campaign is called “Start Something” and will be encouraging all computer users literally to start something new, follow their dreams and -----1----- what they are passionate about, of course by buying and using Windows. The ads show a window over the hearts of people, revealing a -----2----- of “passions”. Strangely, the new www.windows.com/Passion website is somewhat limited to just five passions – cooking, education, music, sports and travel. Visitors to this site are invited to “Start something fun. Start something productive.” Further clicking will lead to starting things -----4-----, educational, sonic, athletic or worldly. Unfortunately, these new “somethings” seem as unoriginal as the outdated Windows OS itself. Regardless, Microsoft wants us to believe its aged software can rekindle and fire our passions.