The Reading / Listening - Level 1

A famous beer company is changing the name of its beer. Anheuser-Busch (AB) is the USA's largest beer maker. It will change the name of its Budweiser beer to 'America' for six months. The change is to try and increase sales. Budweiser was the USA's most popular beer but sales are down. The word 'America' will replace the word 'Budweiser' on its cans. It will also use the same font that AB uses for Budweiser. In addition, the initials "US" will replace "AB".

The new name is part of Budweiser's "America is in Your Hands" campaign. This starts with Memorial Day on May 30 and ends with the U.S. elections in November. In between are the summer Olympics. AB wants Americans to feel proud of America – the company and its beer. It said Budweiser always tries hard to represent America in a bottle. It said it is honoured to be part of the USA, where Budweiser has been made for the past 140 years.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0,  Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.wsj.com/articles/budweiser-to-rebrand-beer-to-america-through-elections-1462924800
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/business-36260352
  • http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/05/10/477499942/budweiser-will-call-itself-america-for-a-limited-time


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. the USA's largest beer
  2. It will change
  3. The change is to try and
  4. Budweiser was the USA's most
  5. sales are
  6. replace the word 'Budweiser'
  7. It will also use the same
  8. the initials "US" will
  1. down
  2. font
  3. maker
  4. replace "AB"
  5. increase sales
  6. the name
  7. on its cans
  8. popular beer

Paragraph 2

  1. part of Budweiser's "America is in Your
  2. This starts with Memorial Day on
  3. ends with the U.S. elections
  4. the summer
  5. AB wants Americans to feel proud
  6. Budweiser always tries
  7. It said it is honoured to be
  8. Budweiser has been made for
  1. of America
  2. hard
  3. Hands" campaign
  4. the past 140 years
  5. May 30
  6. Olympics
  7. in November
  8. part of the USA

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A famous beer company is changing (1) ___________________ beer. Anheuser-Busch (AB) (2) ___________________ beer maker. It will (3) ___________________ its Budweiser beer to 'America' for six months. The change is to try and increase sales. Budweiser was the USA's (4) ___________________ but sales are down. The word 'America' will (5) ___________________ 'Budweiser' on its cans. It will also use the same font that AB uses for Budweiser. In addition, (6) ___________________ will replace "AB".

The new (7) ___________________ Budweiser's "America is in Your Hands" campaign. (8) ___________________ Memorial Day on May 30 (9) ___________________ U.S. elections in November. In between are the summer Olympics. AB wants Americans to (10) ___________________ America – the company and its beer. It said Budweiser always tries (11) ___________________ America in a bottle. It said it is honoured to be part of the USA, where Budweiser has been made (12) ___________________ 140 years.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Afamousbeercompanyischangingthenameofitsbeer.Anheuser-Bus
ch(AB)istheUSA'slargestbeermaker.ItwillchangethenameofitsBudw
eiserbeerto'America'forsixmonths.Thechangeistotryandincreasesal
es.BudweiserwastheUSA'smostpopularbeerbutsalesaredown.Thew
ord'America'willreplacetheword'Budweiser'onitscans.Itwillalsouset
hesamefontthatABusesforBudweiser.Inaddition,theinitials"US"willr
eplace"AB".ThenewnameispartofBudweiser's"AmericaisinYourHan
ds"campaign.ThisstartswithMemorialDayonMay30andendswiththe
U.S.electionsinNovember.InbetweenarethesummerOlympics.ABwa
ntsAmericanstofeelproudofAmerica–thecompanyanditsbeer.Itsai
dBudweiseralwaystrieshardtorepresentAmericainabottle.Itsaiditish
onouredtobepartoftheUSA,whereBudweiserhasbeenmadeforthepas
t140years.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

Back to the top

Help Support This Web Site

  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Thank You