Life Stories

This lesson is designed to build your critical-thinking skills in English as you read, listen, and answer different types of comprehension and discussion questions.

Although these questions are related to classroom instruction, independent learners can reflect on the ideas and topic to prepare for the listening portion of the lesson.

1. Brainstorming: Before listening to the story, ask the students to brainstorm and discuss their favorite sports or recreational activities and what kind of shoes are needed for each situation. They can also share their experiences of buying sports shoes and what features they look for.

1. Vocabulary Building: Pre-teach some vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to the students such as “penetrate,” “cater,” “environment,” “rugged terrain,” and “athletes.” You can also provide the definition and ask students to guess how the word will be used in the story.

2. Predictions: Ask the students to make predictions about the story based on the title and the picture that might accompany it. They can guess what the story is about and what kind of shoes will be discussed.

3. True or False: Create a true or false activity with some statements about sports shoes that will be discussed in the story. For example, “The story will talk about the need for customized shoes for specific activities and environments.” Students can indicate whether they think the statement is true or false before listening to the story.

4. Group Discussion: Divide the class into small groups and ask them to discuss the following questions before listening to the story: “What is the most important factor you consider when buying sports shoes? Do you prefer to have customized shoes for specific sports or activities? Why or why not?” After listening to the story, students can compare their answers and share what they learned.

Listen and read the story and answer the questions. Key vocabulary words are marked in bold.

It was a typical Monday morning at the headquarters of a world-renowned sports shoe company. The conference room was filled with the company’s top executives, all eager to expand their line of shoes into the international market.

The meeting was going smoothly, with everyone sharing their ideas and strategies on how to penetrate the global market. Suddenly, one of the executives, Jim, stood up and proposed a brilliant idea.

“Listen, I think we should make shoes specifically designed for penguins,” he exclaimed.

Everyone looked at Jim, totally confused.

“Penguins! What are you talking about, Jim?” asked the C-E-O.

Jim continued, with a big grin on his face: “I mean, think about it. Penguins are always sliding around on their bellies, so we could make shoes with a really good grip. Plus, we could market them as the perfect shoes for Antarctica!”

The room fell silent for a moment before erupting into laughter.

“Jim, you’re a genius!” shouted one of the other executives.

The C-E-O, however, was not amused.

“Okay, okay, let’s get back on track,” he said, trying to steer the meeting back to its original purpose.

But Jim wasn’t done yet.

“Wait, wait! Hear me out!! We could even make shoes for polar bears!” he continued.

The executives couldn’t contain their laughter any longer, and the meeting quickly turned into a lighthearted discussion about the ridiculous possibilities of making shoes for animals.

After several minutes of laughter and jokes, the meeting finally resumed despite this humorous interruption, and the executives got back to discussing their strategies for creating shoes for people in the international market.

As it turned out, the meeting was a success, and the company went on to successfully launch their shoes in various countries around the world with unique environmental conditions that require customized shoes.

For example, they recognized the need for shoes that cater to specific activities and environments, such as running shoes with extra insulation for frigid winter conditions, or hiking shoes with durable soles for rugged or muddy terrain.

They also discussed the possibility of creating shoes with special features for athletes, such as basketball shoes with better traction in the outdoors, or soccer shoes with more flexibility and endurance in changing conditions. In the end, the executives agreed that to penetrate the global market successfully, they needed to offer a wide range of specialized shoes that cater to the needs of their customers.

With this in mind, the company created a diverse collection of sports shoes that would appeal to athletes of all levels and abilities.

And who knows, maybe one day they’ll even create a line of shoes for penguins and polar bears.

1. What was the purpose of the meeting at Solemates headquarters?
a) To launch a new line of shoes
b) To discuss strategies for penetrating the global market
c) To plan a company retreat
d) To celebrate the company’s success

2. Who proposed the idea of making shoes specifically designed for penguins?
a) The CEO
b) One of the executives
c) A low-level manager
d) The marketing team

3. How did the executives react to Jim’s idea at first?
a) They were excited
b) They thought it was brilliant.
c) They laughed.
d) They asked him several questions.

4. Why did the CEO try to steer the meeting back to its original purpose?
a) He didn’t like Jim’s idea.
b) He was worried they were wasting time.
c) He wanted to discuss something else.
d) He wanted to end the meeting early.

5. What did the executives discuss after the humorous interruption?
a) Strategies for the international market
b) The importance of customized shoes for people
c) Creating shoes for animals
d) Ways of increasing profits and reducing costs

6. What was the conclusion of the meeting?
a) They decided to create a line of shoes for penguins and polar bears.
b) They agreed to focus on designing specialized shoes for people.
c) They laughed at Jim’s idea and ended the meeting.
d) They decided to hire additional consultants.

Answer Key and Explanation of Answers:

1. b) To discuss strategies for penetrating the global market
Explanation: The purpose of the meeting was to discuss strategies for expanding their line of shoes into the international market. This is evident from the second sentence of the story that mentions “all eager to expand their line of shoes into the international market.”

2. b) One of the executives
Explanation: Jim, one of the top executives, proposed the idea of making shoes specifically designed for penguins. This is clear from the sentence, “Suddenly, one of the executives, Jim, stood up and proposed a brilliant idea.”

3. d) They laughed.
Explanation: The executives were confused initially but later found Jim’s idea humorous and burst into laughter. This is evident from the sentence, “The room fell silent for a moment before erupting into laughter.”

4. b) He was worried they were wasting time.
Explanation: The CEO tried to steer the meeting back to its original purpose because he was worried they were wasting time. This is evident from the sentence, “Okay, okay, let’s get back on track,” he said, trying to steer the meeting back to its original purpose.”

5. b) The importance of customized shoes for people
Explanation: After the humorous interruption, the executives discussed the importance of designing customized shoes for people. This is evident from the sentence, “In addition to creating shoes for animals, the executives discussed the importance of designing customized shoes for people.”

6. b) They agreed to focus on designing specialized shoes for people.
Explanation: The conclusion of the meeting was that the executives agreed to focus on designing specialized shoes for people. This is evident from the sentence, “The executives agreed that in order to successfully penetrate the global market, they needed to offer a wide range of specialized shoes that cater to the needs of their customers.”

Easy (Recall and Comprehend):

1. What was the purpose of the meeting at the company’s headquarters?
2. How did the executives react to Jim’s idea of making shoes for penguins?
3. What conclusion did the executives reach at the end of the meeting?

Intermediate (Analyze and Interpret):

1. How did Jim’s humorous idea about making shoes for penguins and polar bears contribute to the overall atmosphere of the meeting?
2. Why do you think it’s important for a company to discuss and consider specialized shoe designs for different activities and environments?
3. In what ways do you think the company’s focus on customized shoes for people can help them succeed in the international market?

Advanced (Anaylze and Interpet):

1. 1. Discuss the role of creativity and humor in the workplace, using Jim’s idea as an example. How can moments of humor and unconventional thinking contribute to the overall success of a company?
   2. Analyze the importance of market research and a customer-centric approach in the company’s decision-making process. How can a diverse range of specialized shoes cater to different customer needs and preferences?
   3. Reflect on the challenges and opportunities faced by companies when expanding into the international market. How can a company adapt its strategies to successfully penetrate and thrive in new markets?

These post-listening activities add visual (seeing), auditory (listening), kinesthetic (moving), and tactile (touching) elements to engage students in meaningful ways based on their learning styles.

Visual (Learning Modality):

1. Create a storyboard: Students can create a visual representation of the story by creating a storyboard with illustrations and captions that highlight key events and ideas.
2. Design a shoe advertisement: Students can design a visual advertisement for one of the specialized shoes discussed in the story, using images, slogans, and branding to appeal to their target audience.

Auditory (Learning Modality):

1. Group discussion: Divide students into small groups and facilitate a discussion where they can share their thoughts on the story, exchange ideas, and express their opinions on the importance of specialized shoes for athletes and different environments.
2. Role play: Assign students different roles from the story, such as the CEO, Jim, or other executives, and have them participate in a role-play activity where they act out a meeting scenario, discussing strategies for expanding into the international market.

Kinesthetic (Learning Modality):

1. Shoe design and presentation: Have students work in pairs or small groups to physically create a prototype of a specialized shoe using craft materials or by repurposing existing shoe models. Afterward, they can present their designs to the class, explaining the features and benefits of their shoe for a specific activity or environment.
2. Shoe fitting activity: Set up a kinesthetic station where students can try on different types of shoes, such as running shoes, hiking boots, or soccer cleats. They can walk or run around the classroom, experiencing the physical sensations and discussing the comfort and functionality of each shoe.

Tactile (Learning Modality):

1. Texture exploration: Provide students with various shoe materials such as leather, rubber, and fabric. They can touch and examine the textures, discussing how different materials can contribute to the design and performance of a shoe.
2. Shoe customization: Students can bring in an old pair of shoes and use tactile materials like fabric paint, sequins, or ribbons to customize and personalize them. They can discuss how customization adds value to a shoe and reflects individual preferences.

Here’s a possible classroom language game based on the story and topic:

Title: Shoe Challenge

Objective: Players must design customized shoes for different animals and environments.

Gameplay:

1. Divide players into teams of 3-4.
2. Each team must choose an animal and an environment to design shoes for, based on the descriptions provided on cards or drawn from a hat. Examples include penguins in Antarctica, kangaroos in the outback, monkeys in the rainforest, etc.
3. Teams have 10 minutes to sketch their shoe designs and write a brief description of the features and benefits of their shoes.
4. Each team presents their shoe design to the group and answers questions from the judges (e.g. other players or the teacher) about the materials, traction, comfort, and other factors that went into their design.
5. The judges rate each design on a scale of 1-10 based on creativity, feasibility, and relevance to the animal and environment chosen.
6. The team with the highest score at the end of the game wins.

Variations:

• Allow players to choose a human activity or sport to design shoes for, such as basketball or hiking.
• Provide materials such as cardboard, scissors, glue, and markers to allow players to create 3D models of their shoe designs.
• Allow players to trade their animal/environment cards with other teams for a challenge.
• Include a time limit for the presentation, or require players to give their presentation in character as a spokesperson for their animal or environment.