Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- What are some popular Sony products in your country right now?
- How often do you receive car sales brochures/flyers?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- joint /joint/
- establish /ih-STAB-lish/
- agreement /uh-GREE-muhnt/
- commercial /kuh-MUR-shuhl/
- launch /lawnch/
[adjective] – belonging to or shared between two or more people
This is a joint project between the university and the town hall.
[verb] – to start a company or organization that will continue for a long time
They will establish a new organization next year.
[noun] – a decision or arrangement, often formal and written, between two or more groups or people
The two companies reached an agreement last week.
[adjective] – related to buying and selling things
We’re planning to check out some commercial places in the city.
[noun] – an event to celebrate or introduce something new
More than a hundred people attended the launch of the perfume.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
Japan’s Sony (SNE) and Honda (HMC) announced on March 4, 2022, that they plan to start a joint company to develop and sell electric vehicles. They will establish a new company this year before releasing the electric cars in 2025. In a joint statement, the two firms said that details of the agreement are still under discussion.
Honda will be in charge of production, and Sony will create a platform that provides mobility services. “The new company is expected to plan, design, develop, and sell the EVs, but not own and operate manufacturing facilities,” the two firms added. Sony recently announced plans to establish a new company called Sony Mobility to test a commercial launch of its Vision-S concept electric cars. The Japanese company is best known for its consumer electronics. Although Sony and Honda are companies that share many historical and cultural similarities, our areas of technological expertise are very different,” said Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe in a statement.
Honda will be in charge of production, and Sony will create a platform that provides mobility services. “The new company is expected to plan, design, develop, and sell the EVs, but not own and operate manufacturing facilities,” the two firms added. Sony recently announced plans to establish a new company called Sony Mobility to test a commercial launch of its Vision-S concept electric cars. The Japanese company is best known for its consumer electronics. Although Sony and Honda are companies that share many historical and cultural similarities, our areas of technological expertise are very different,” said Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe in a statement.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- What is Sony and Honda’s partnership about?
- What kind of platform will Sony create?
- Aside from the partnership, what else did Sony recently announce?
- According to Honda CEO Toshiro Mabe, what do Sony and Honda share?
- What did he say about their technological expertise?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Describe your country’s automotive industry.
- What factors do you consider when choosing a car?
- If you were to team up with Sony and Honda, what kind of product would you create?
- Do you think Sony and Honda’s partnership would be successful?
- What will cars look like 20 years from now? Please explain your answer.