The Reading / Listening - Being a Trillionaire - Level 6

Elon Musk, already the world's wealthiest person, is set to become even wealthier. He is on course to become the planet's first dollar trillionaire. This is because of a new remuneration package approved by Tesla shareholders at the company's annual general meeting (AGM) on Thursday. Seventy-five per cent of shareholder votes endorsed a stratospheric pay deal of around $1 trillion. A trillion is a thousand billion. The compensation consists of up to 423.7 million shares of Tesla stock over the next 10 years. This would mean that Mr Musk's stake in Tesla increases from about 13 per cent to almost 29 per cent. This depends on Musk boosting Tesla's market value to $8.5 trillion.

Tesla shareholders were encouraged to back the deal to stop Mr Musk from potentially walking away from Tesla. The Tesla board warned of a "possibility that he may pursue other interests should [the deal] be denied". It added that Musk was needed "to achieve goals that others will perceive as impossible, but that we know are possible for Tesla". Industry analyst Dan Ives concurred. He wrote: "Tesla needs Musk to take it into the autonomous driving, robotic future." Mr Musk hopes to propel the company forward by shifting focus from electric vehicles. He plans to shift to selling self-driving cars, a fleet of "Cybercab" robotaxis, and a legion of "Optimus" humanoid bi-pedal autonomous robots.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Being a Trillionaire - Level 4  or  Being a Trillionaire - Level 5

Sources
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/05/business/elon-musk-trillionaire-or-leave-tesla
  • https://fortune.com/2025/11/06/elon-musk-trillionaire-path-tesla-approves-massive-pay-package/
  • https://gizmodo.com/telsa-shareholders-decide-elon-musk-should-be-the-worlds-first-trillionaire-2000682469


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. BEING A TRILLIONAIRE: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about being a trillionaire. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       wealthiest person / dollar / trillionaire / remuneration / deal / compensation / value /
       shareholders / goals / impossible / industry / analyst / driving / robotaxis / robots
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. SHARING WEALTH: Students A strongly believe all wealth should be equally shared with everyone; Students B strongly believe otherwise. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. ELON MUSK COMPANIES: What do you know about these companies Elon Musk has played a major part in (as founder and/or CEO of)? How will they change the world? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What I Know

Changing the World

Tesla

 

 

SpaceX

 

 

X

 

 

OpenAI

 

 

Starlink

 

 

PayPal

 

 
MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. DOLLAR: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "dollar". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. TRILLIONAIRE PERKS: Rank these with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Financial security
  • Eternal happiness
  • Limitless free time
  • Private jets
  • Ability to help others
  • Influential friends
  • Fame
  • VIP seats at events

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. set a. Money and other things you get for work.
      2. remuneration b. Very, very, very, very, very, very high.
      3. endorsed c. Ready to do or be something (soon).
      4. stratospheric d. A part of a business someone owns.
      5. deal (noun) e. An agreement between people.
      6. stake (noun) f. Making something go much, much higher or better.
      7. boosting g. Said something is good or right.

    Paragraph 2

      8. board h. A very large number of people as a group.
      9. pursue i. Able to work alone without help.
      10. perceive j. Push something (or an idea) forward.
      11. autonomous k. A group of people who control a company.
      12. propel l. Try to get or do something.
      13. fleet m. Many vehicles, ships, or planes in a group.
      14. legion n. See or understand something.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. Elon Musk is currently the second-richest person in the world.     T / F
  2. Tesla shareholders voted to give Mr Musk a huge remuneration package. T / F
  3. A trillion is a billion billion.     T / F
  4. The pay deal will see Mr Musk take control of over a third of Tesla.     T / F
  5. Tesla shareholders were encouraged to reject the pay deal.     T / F
  6. The Tesla board believes that Musk can make the impossible possible.     T / F
  7. An industry analyst said Tesla needs Mr Musk.     T / F
  8. Tesla's new robotaxis will be called "Optimus".     T / F

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

  1. on course
  2. remuneration
  3. endorsed
  4. stratospheric
  5. consist of
  6. pursue
  7. perceive
  8. concurred
  9. propel
  10. autonomous
  1. sky-high
  2. see
  3. independent
  4. salary
  5. take part in
  6. move forward
  7. include
  8. on track
  9. agreed
  10. backed

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. He is on course
  2. a new remuneration
  3. stratospheric
  4. Mr Musk's stake
  5. This depends on Musk boosting
  6. shareholders were encouraged to
  7. he may pursue other interests
  8. achieve goals that others will
  9. propel the company
  10. a fleet
  1. perceive as impossible
  2. Tesla's market value
  3. of "Cybercab" robotaxis
  4. back the deal
  5. forward
  6. to become the planet's first
  7. pay deal of around $1 trillion
  8. package
  9. should the deal be denied
  10. in Tesla increases

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
package
billion
value
course
votes
stake
annual
consists

Elon Musk, already the world's wealthiest person, is set to become even wealthier. He is on (1) _________________________________ to become the planet's first dollar trillionaire. This is because of a new remuneration (2) _________________________________ approved by Tesla shareholders at the company's (3) _________________________________ general meeting (AGM) on Thursday. Seventy-five per cent of shareholder (4) _________________________________ endorsed a stratospheric pay deal of around $1 trillion. A trillion is a thousand (5) _________________________________. The compensation (6) _________________________________ of up to 423.7 million shares of Tesla stock over the next 10 years. This would mean that Mr Musk's (7) _________________________________ in Tesla increases from about 13 per cent to almost 29 per cent. This depends on Musk boosting Tesla's market (8) _________________________________ to $8.5 trillion.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
analyst
pursue
humanoid
back
propel
perceive
board
shift

Tesla shareholders were encouraged to (9) _________________________________ the deal to stop Mr Musk from potentially walking away from Tesla. The Tesla (10) _________________________________ warned of a "possibility that he may (11) _________________________________ other interests should [the deal] be denied". It added that Musk was needed "to achieve goals that others will (12) _________________________________ as impossible, but that we know are possible for Tesla". Industry (13) _________________________________ Dan Ives concurred. He wrote: "Tesla needs Musk to take it into the autonomous driving, robotic future." Mr Musk hopes to (14) _________________________________ the company forward by shifting focus from electric vehicles. He plans to (15) _________________________________ to selling self-driving cars, a fleet of "Cybercab" robotaxis, and a legion of "Optimus" (16) _________________________________ bi-pedal autonomous robots.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Elon Musk, already the world's wealthiest person, is set to ______
     a.  become event wealthier
     b.  become even wealth tier
     c.  become even wealthier
     d.  became even wealthier
2)  He is on course to become the planet's ______
     a.  first collar trillionaire
     b.  fast dollar trillionaire
     c.  fast dollars trillionaire
     d.  first dollar trillionaire
3)  approved by Tesla shareholders at the company's ______
     a.  annual generals meeting
     b.  annul general meeting
     c.  annual general meeting
     d.  annual general meet in
4)  Seventy-five per cent of shareholder votes endorsed a ______
     a.  stratospheric pay deal
     b.  stratospheric paid eel
     c.  stratospheric paid deal
     d.  stratospheric pay dill
5)  This depends on Musk boosting ______
     a.  Tesla's markets value
     b.  Tesla's market value
     c.  Tesla's marketing value
     d.  Tesla's market valve

6)  encouraged to back the deal to stop Mr Musk from ______
     a.  potentially walk in away
     b.  potentially walk king away
     c.  potentially walking away
     d.  potentially wall king away
7)  a possibility that he may pursue other interests should the ______
     a.  deal be decried
     b.  Dolby denied
     c.  deal bead in eyed
     d.  deal be denied
8)  needed to achieve goals that others will ______
     a.  perceive was impossible
     b.  perceive as impossible
     c.  perceive has impossible
     d.  perceive as impossibly
9)  Tesla needs Musk to take it into the autonomous ______
     a.  drive-in, robotic future
     b.  diving, robotic future
     c.  driving, robotic future
     d.  driving, robo-tick future
10)  He plans to shift to selling self-driving cars, a ______
     a.  fleet of "Cybercab"
     b.  bleat of "Cybercab"
     c.  cleat of "Cybercab"
     d.  beet of "Cybercab"

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Elon Musk, already the world's wealthiest person, is set to become even wealthier. He (1) _______________________________________________ to become the planet's first dollar trillionaire. This is because of (2) _______________________________________________ package approved by Tesla shareholders at the company's (3) _______________________________________________ (AGM) on Thursday. Seventy-five per cent of shareholder votes endorsed a (4) _______________________________________________ of around $1 trillion. A trillion is a thousand billion. The compensation consists of up to 423.7 million shares of Tesla (5) _______________________________________________ next 10 years. This would mean that Mr Musk's (6) _______________________________________________ increases from about 13 per cent to almost 29 per cent. This depends on Musk boosting Tesla's market value to $8.5 trillion.

Tesla (7) _______________________________________________ to back the deal to stop Mr Musk from potentially walking away from Tesla. The Tesla board warned of a "possibility that he may (8) _______________________________________________ should [the deal] be denied". It added that Musk was needed "(9) _______________________________________________ that others will (10) _______________________________________________, but that we know are possible for Tesla". Industry analyst Dan Ives concurred. He wrote: "Tesla needs Musk to take it (11) _______________________________________________ driving, robotic future." Mr Musk hopes to propel the company forward by shifting focus from electric vehicles. He plans to shift to selling self-driving cars, a fleet of "Cybercab" robotaxis, (12) _______________________________________________ of "Optimus" humanoid bi-pedal autonomous robots.

Comprehension questions

  1. Who endorsed Elon Musk's remuneration package?
  2. How many shares could Mr Musk be given?
  3. Over what time frame must Musk achieve the Tesla's objectives?
  4. How much control of Tesla does Musk currently have of Tesla?
  5. How much must Musk get Tesla to a market value of?
  6. What might Mr Musk have potentially walked away from?
  7. What might Musk have pursued?
  8. Who is Dan Ives?
  9. What does Tesla hope to build a fleet of?
  10. What is the name of Tesla's humanoid bi-pedal autonomous robots?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Who endorsed Elon Musk's remuneration package?
a) Tesla car owners
b) the auto industry press
c) Tesla shareholders
d) visitors to Tesla's website
2) How many shares could Mr Musk be given?
a) 423.7 million
b) 432.7 million
c) 427.2 million
d) 427.3 million
3) Over what time frame must Musk achieve the Tesla's objectives?
a) 5 years
b) 10 years
c) 15 years
d) 20 years
4) How much control of Tesla does Musk currently have of Tesla?
a) just less than 13%
b) more than 13%
c) exactly 13%
d) about 13%
5) How much must Musk get Tesla to a market value of?
a) 5.8 trillion
b) $85 trillion
c) $8.5 trillion
d) $58 trillion

6) What might Mr Musk have potentially walked away from?
a) a huge business deal
b) other interests
c) designing cars
d) the USA
7) What might Musk have pursued?
a) more companies
b) the guitar
c) a simpler life
d) other interests
8) Who is Dan Ives?
a) a Tesla designer
b) an industry analyst
c) a Tesla shareholder
d) a coder for AI
9) What does Tesla hope to build a fleet of?
a) navy ships
b) robotaxis
c) racing yachts
d) planes
10) What is the name of Tesla's humanoid bi-pedal autonomous robots?
a) Optimus
b) Bob
c) Cyber
d) Wheelie

Role play

Role  A – Financial Security
You think financial security is the best thing about being a trillionaire. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least satisfying of these (and why): the ability to help others, having private jets or having influential friends.

Role  B – The Ability to Help Others
You think the ability to help others is the best thing about being a trillionaire. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least satisfying of these (and why): financial security, having private jets or having influential friends.

Role  C – Private Jets
You think having private jets is the best thing about being a trillionaire. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least satisfying of these (and why): the ability to help others, financial security or having influential friends.

Role  D – Having Influential Friends
You think having influential friends is the best thing about being a trillionaire. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least satisfying of these (and why): the ability to help others, having private jets or financial security.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'robot'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'dollar'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

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

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • course
    • approved
    • endorsed
    • stock
    • 13
    • value
    • back
    • board
    • goals
    • needs
    • focus
    • shift

    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 - Being a Trillionaire

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'trillionaire'?
    3. How important is wealth to you?
    4. How would your life change is you had one trillion dollars?
    5. Is it possible to spend $1 trillion?
    6. What do you know about Elon Musk?
    7. What do you think of Elon Musk?
    8. What do you think of paying someone $1 trillion?
    9. What do you think of Tesla?
    10. What advice do you have for Elon Musk?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'robot'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. How good an entrepreneur is Elon Musk?
    5. What do you think of self-driving cars?
    6. What do you think of robotaxis?
    7. What do you think of humanoid robots?
    8. What can we learn from Elon Musk?
    9. Should all billionaires give 90 per cent of their wealth to the poor?
    10. What questions would you like to ask Elon Musk?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

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

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

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

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    Elon Musk, already the world's wealthiest person, is set to become even wealthier. He is on (1) ____ to become the planet's first dollar trillionaire. This is because of a new remuneration package approved (2) ____ Tesla shareholders at the company's annual general meeting (AGM) on Thursday. Seventy-five per cent of shareholder votes (3) ____ a stratospheric pay deal of around $1 trillion. A trillion is a thousand (4) ____. The compensation consists of up to 423.7 million shares of Tesla stock over the next 10 years. This would mean that Mr Musk's (5) ____ in Tesla increases from about 13 per cent to almost 29 per cent. This depends on Musk (6) ____ Tesla's market value to $8.5 trillion.

    Tesla shareholders were encouraged to back the deal to stop Mr Musk from (7) ____ walking away from Tesla. The Tesla board warned of a "possibility that he may pursue other interests should [the deal] be (8) ____". It added that Musk was needed "to achieve goals that others will perceive (9) ____ impossible, but that we know are possible for Tesla". Industry analyst Dan Ives (10) ____. He wrote: "Tesla needs Musk to take it into the autonomous driving, robotic future." Mr Musk hopes to propel the company forward (11) ____ shifting focus from electric vehicles. He plans to shift to selling self-driving cars, a fleet of "Cybercab" robotaxis, and a legion of "Optimus" humanoid bi-(12) ____ autonomous robots.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     cause     (b)     course     (c)     curse     (d)     concurs    
    2. (a)     of     (b)     by     (c)     at     (d)     in    
    3. (a)     ostracized     (b)     distilled     (c)     induced     (d)     endorsed    
    4. (a)     gazillion     (b)     billion     (c)     bazillion     (d)     million    
    5. (a)     stoke     (b)     steak     (c)     streak     (d)     stake    
    6. (a)     basting     (b)     boasting     (c)     boosting     (d)     besting    
    7. (a)     potentially     (b)     potently     (c)     portending     (d)     potent    
    8. (a)     decried     (b)     deride     (c)     denied     (d)     defiled    
    9. (a)     which     (b)     that     (c)     such     (d)     as    
    10. (a)     concurred     (b)     conquered     (c)     concurring     (d)     concurrent    
    11. (a)     by     (b)     of     (c)     as     (d)     at    
    12. (a)     pedal     (b)     lingual     (c)     manual     (d)     nasal

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. a new ruinnoaeetrm package
    2. vppoedra by Tesla shareholders
    3. the company's nanaul general meeting
    4. shareholder votes ddeoesrn a stratospheric pay
    5. The ooestminnpac
    6. noiogtsb Tesla's market value to $8.5 trillion

    Paragraph 2

    1. shareholders were duercognae to back the deal
    2. stop Mr Musk from tanloeplyit walking away
    3. pureus other interests
    4. goals that others will cvirpeee as impossible
    5. Industry analyst Dan Ives ccdourenr
    6. "Optimus" humanoid bi-pedal muouoaonts robots

    Put the text back together

    (    )   (AGM) on Thursday. Seventy-five per cent of shareholder votes endorsed a stratospheric pay deal
    (    )   are possible for Tesla". Industry analyst Dan Ives concurred. He wrote: "Tesla needs Musk to take it into
    (    )   course to become the planet's first dollar trillionaire. This is because of a new remuneration
    (    )   denied". It added that Musk was needed "to achieve goals that others will perceive as impossible, but that we know
    (  1  )   Elon Musk, already the world's wealthiest person, is set to become even wealthier. He is on
    (    )   from electric vehicles. He plans to shift to selling self-driving cars, a fleet
    (    )   of "Cybercab" robotaxis, and a legion of "Optimus" humanoid bi-pedal autonomous robots.
    (    )   of around $1 trillion. A trillion is a thousand billion. The compensation consists of up to 423.7 million shares
    (    )   of Tesla stock over the next 10 years. This would mean that Mr Musk's stake in Tesla increases from about 13 per cent
    (    )   package approved by Tesla shareholders at the company's annual general meeting
    (    )   Tesla shareholders were encouraged to back the deal to stop Mr Musk from potentially
    (    )   the autonomous driving, robotic future." Mr Musk hopes to propel the company forward by shifting focus
    (    )   to almost 29 per cent. This depends on Musk boosting Tesla's market value to $8.5 trillion.
    (    )   walking away from Tesla. The Tesla board warned of a "possibility that he may pursue other interests should [the deal] be

    Put the words in the right order

    1. course   On   become   to   planet's   the   trillionaire   first   .
    2. A   remuneration   new   approved   package  Tesla  by   shareholders  .
    3. a   Endorsed   pay   stratospheric   of   deal   around   1$ trillion   .
    4. means   This   that   stake   Mr Musk's   Tesla   in   increases   .
    5. depends   This   Musk   on   Tesla's   boosting   value   market   .
    6. Tesla   were   shareholders   to   encouraged   the   back   deal   .
    7. other   Pursue   should   interests   deal   the   denied   be   .
    8. Achieve   that   goals   will   others   as   perceive   impossible   .
    9. the   Propel   forward   company   shifting   by   focus   .
    10. plans   He   shift   to   selling   to   cars   self-driving   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Elon Musk, already the world's wealthiest person, is set to become even wealthier. He is on coarse / course to become the planet's first dollar trillionaire. This is because of a new renumbered / remuneration package approved to / by Tesla shareholders at the company's annually / annual general meeting (AGM) on Thursday. Seventy-five per cent of shareholder votes concurred / endorsed a stratospheric pay deal / dealing of around $1 trillion. A trillion is a thousand billion. The compensation consists of up from / to 423.7 million shares of Tesla stock / share over the next 10 years. This would mean that Mr Musk's steak / stake in Tesla increases from about 13 per cent to almost 29 per cent. This depends on Musk boosting / boasting Tesla's market value to $8.5 trillion.

    Tesla shareholders were encouraged to aback / back the deal to stop Mr Musk from potentially walking / strolling away from Tesla. The Tesla plank / board warned of a "possibility that he may pursue / pursuit other interests should the deal be decried / denied". It added that Musk was needed "to achieve goals that others will impervious / perceive as impossible, but that we know are possible for Tesla". Industry analysis / analyst Dan Ives concurred. He wrote: "Tesla needs Musk to take it into the autonomous driving, robotic future." Mr Musk hopes to repel / propel the company forward by shifting focus from electric vehicles. He plans to shift to selling self-driving cars, a fleet of / on "Cybercab" robotaxis, and a legend / legion of "Optimus" humanoid bi-pedal autonomous robots.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    _l_n  M_sk,  _lr__dy  th_  w_rld's  w__lth__st  p_rs_n,  _s  s_t  t_  b_c_m_  _v_n  w__lth__r.  H_  _s  _n  c__rs_  t_  b_c_m_  th_  pl_n_t's  f_rst  d_ll_r  tr_ll__n__r_.  Th_s  _s  b_c__s_  _f  _  n_w  r_m_n_r_t__n  p_ck_g_  _ppr_v_d  by  T_sl_  sh_r_h_ld_rs  _t  th_  c_mp_ny's  _nn__l  g_n_r_l  m__t_ng  (_GM)  _n  Th_rsd_y.  S_v_nty-f_v_  p_r  c_nt  _f  sh_r_h_ld_r  v_t_s  _nd_rs_d  _  str_t_sph_r_c  p_y  d__l  _f  _r__nd  $1  tr_ll__n.  _  tr_ll__n  _s  _  th__s_nd  b_ll__n.  Th_  c_mp_ns_t__n  c_ns_sts  _f  _p  t_  423.7  m_ll__n  sh_r_s  _f  T_sl_  st_ck  _v_r  th_  n_xt  10  y__rs.  Th_s  w__ld  m__n  th_t  Mr  M_sk's  st_k_  _n  T_sl_  _ncr__s_s  fr_m  _b__t  13  p_r  c_nt  t_  _lm_st  29  p_r  c_nt.  Th_s  d_p_nds  _n  M_sk  b__st_ng  T_sl_'s  m_rk_t  v_l__  t_  $8.5  tr_ll__n.

    T_sl_  sh_r_h_ld_rs  w_r_  _nc__r_g_d  t_  b_ck  th_  d__l  t_  st_p  Mr  M_sk  fr_m  p_t_nt__lly  w_lk_ng  _w_y  fr_m  T_sl_.  Th_  T_sl_  b__rd  w_rn_d  _f  _  "p_ss_b_l_ty  th_t  h_  m_y  p_rs__  _th_r  _nt_r_sts  sh__ld  [th_  d__l]  b_  d_n__d".  _t  _dd_d  th_t  M_sk  w_s  n__d_d  "t_  _ch__v_  g__ls  th_t  _th_rs  w_ll  p_rc__v_  _s  _mp_ss_bl_,  b_t  th_t  w_  kn_w  _r_  p_ss_bl_  f_r  T_sl_".  _nd_stry  _n_lyst  D_n  _v_s  c_nc_rr_d.  H_  wr_t_:  "T_sl_  n__ds  M_sk  t_  t_k_  _t  _nt_  th_  __t_n_m__s  dr_v_ng,  r_b_t_c  f_t_r_."  Mr  M_sk  h_p_s  t_  pr_p_l  th_  c_mp_ny  f_rw_rd  by  sh_ft_ng  f_c_s  fr_m  _l_ctr_c  v_h_cl_s.  H_  pl_ns  t_  sh_ft  t_  s_ll_ng  s_lf-dr_v_ng  c_rs,  _  fl__t  _f  "Cyb_rc_b"  r_b_t_x_s,  _nd  _  l_g__n  _f  "_pt_m_s"  h_m_n__d  b_-p_d_l  __t_n_m__s  r_b_ts.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    elon musk already the worlds wealthiest person is set to become even wealthier he is on course to become the planets first dollar trillionaire this is because of a new remuneration package approved by tesla shareholders at the companys annual general meeting agm on thursday seventy five per cent of shareholder votes endorsed a stratospheric pay deal of around 1 trillion a trillion is a thousand billion the compensation consists of up to 4237 million shares of tesla stock over the next 10 years this would mean that mr musks stake in tesla increases from about 13 per cent to almost 29 per cent this depends on musk boosting teslas market value to 85 trillion

    tesla shareholders were encouraged to back the deal to stop mr musk from potentially walking away from tesla the tesla board warned of a possibility that he may pursue other interests should the deal be denied it added that musk was needed to achieve goals that others will perceive as impossible but that we know are possible for tesla industry analyst dan ives concurred he wrote tesla needs musk to take it into the autonomous driving robotic future mr musk hopes to propel the company forward by shifting focus from electric vehicles he plans to shift to selling self driving cars a fleet of cybercab robotaxis and a legion of optima's humanoid bipedal autonomous robots

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    ElonMusk,alreadytheworld'swealthiestperson,issettobecomeevenw
    ealthier.Heisoncoursetobecometheplanet'sfirstdollartrillionaire.Thi
    sisbecauseofanewremunerationpackageapprovedbyTeslasharehold
    ersatthecompany'sannualgeneralmeeting(AGM)onThursday.Seven
    ty-fivepercentofshareholdervotesendorsedastratosphericpaydealo
    faround$1trillion.Atrillionisathousandbillion.Thecompensationconsi
    stsofupto423.7millionsharesofTeslastockoverthenext10years.This
    wouldmeanthatMrMusk'sstakeinTeslaincreasesfromabout13percen
    ttoalmost29per cent.ThisdependsonMuskboostingTesla'smarketval
    ueto$8.5trillion.Teslashareholderswereencouragedtobackthedealt
    ostopMrMuskfrompotentiallywalkingawayfromTesla.TheTeslaboard
    warnedofa"possibilitythathemaypursueotherinterestsshould[thede
    al]bedenied".ItaddedthatMuskwasneeded"toachievegoalsthatother
    swillperceiveasimpossible,butthatweknowarepossibleforTesla".Ind
    ustryanalystDanIvesconcurred.Hewrote:"TeslaneedsMusktotakeiti
    ntotheautonomousdriving,roboticfuture."MrMuskhopestopropelthe
    companyforwardbyshiftingfocusfromelectricvehicles.Heplanstoshif
    ttosellingself-drivingcars,afleetof"Cybercab"robotaxis,andalegio
    nof"Optimus"humanoidbi-pedalautonomousrobots.

    Free writing

    Write about trillionaire Elon Musk for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    Billionaires should give 90 per cent of their money to the poor. Discuss.

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    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 out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. BEING A TRILLIONAIRE: Make a poster about being a trillionaire. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. SHARD WEALTH: Write a magazine article about sharing all of the world's wealth equally. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on being a trillionaire. Ask him/her three questions about being a trillionaire. Give him/her three of your ideas. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

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    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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