Google to invest up to $1 billion in India’s Bharti Airtel

admin 2022年2月8日

Intermediate

Business & Economy, Business & Economy - Intermediate

Google to invest up to $1 billion in India's Bharti Airtel

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Pre-reading questions:

I will read each question. Then, please answer them.

What business skills do you have?
What mobile network operator is used by the majority in your country?

Vocabulary:

I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.

invest /in-VEST/

[verb] – to put money, effort, time, etc. into something to make a profit or get an advantage
The company will invest $5 million in the project.

acquire /uh-KWAHYUHR/

[verb] – to buy or take control of a company or part of a company, often by buying shares in it
Jolly Food Corporation had just acquired shares from Mr. Dough’s Bakeshop.

agreement /uh-GREE-muhnt/

[noun] – a decision or arrangement that has been made and accepted by two or more people, groups, organizations, etc.
After a series of negotiations, the two companies successfully reached an agreement to merge.

cloud /kloud/

[noun] – a computer network where files and programs can be stored, especially the internet
My photos and other important data are backed up on the cloud.

path /pahth/

[nouh] – a set of actions, especially ones that lead to a goal or result
The road to success has several challenges along the way.

Article reading:

Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.

Google has announced its intentions to invest up to $1 billion in India’s second-largest mobile network company, Bharti Airtel, as part of its Google for India Digitization Fund. The internet giant is set to acquire a 1.28% share in the telecommunication company as part of the investment.

Google’s contribution will include a $700 million share investment and up to $300 million commercial agreements. The pair said that the funding will help widen Airtel’s offerings and speed up access and digital inclusion across India’s network. “Airtel is a leading pioneer shaping India’s digital future, and we are proud to partner on a shared vision for expanding connectivity and ensuring equitable access to the Internet for more Indians,” said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet. Both companies also aim to strengthen India’s cloud network. Since 2004, Google has been a part of India’s digitalization path when it previously built offices in Hyderabad and Bangalore. “Google’s efforts in India have deepened our knowledge of how technology can be useful to all different types of people,” Pichai wrote in a blog post about the partnership’s internal impact. He added that initially teaming up with India has helped them to create better products for users worldwide.

Comprehension questions

I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.

In total, how much is Google investing in Bharti Airtel?
What part of Google’s funding is this acquisition?
How much would be allocated for commercial agreements?
As mentioned in the article, in what two Indian cities has Google built its offices?
According to Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai, what has been the contribution of the tech giant’s partnership with India?

Discussion questions