The public helps save famous French glassmaker Duralex
Listen to the story (British accent)
Duralex glass is very strong. If you drop the glass, it often bounces. It does not break. This French company has had some problems, but it always gets better.
The company needed money quickly. It asked people for €5 million. This money was to save the glass factory. People gave the money very fast. It took less than six hours.
The company director was surprised. He thought it would take many weeks. People gave almost 20 million euros. The company had to say "stop". Duralex could only take €5 million.
Many French people remember Duralex from their childhood. They saw it in school. The brand makes them feel proud. It is a symbol of France. The director thinks people are sad to see factories close, so they helped. The factory workers were very happy.
Workers make the special glass from sand and other materials. They heat it in a big oven. The oven is very hot. This process is old. It started in 1945.
Duralex glass breaks into small pieces. Small pieces are safer than big pieces. Workers test the glass. They drop it and change the temperature.
The money will improve the factory. It will help make new products. Duralex wants to sell more glass in the UK and the US.
Vocabulary25 words
- Strong
- not easy to break; tough; durable
- Drop
- To let something fall down
- Bounce
- To “spring”/”jump” back up after hitting something hard (basketballs bounce)
- Break
- To split into two or more pieces; to damage; to “hurt’
- French
- From the country of France or related to France; 🇫🇷
- Million
- 1,000,000 = one-million
- Save
- To protect someone/something from harm or danger; to stop someone/something from being killed, injured, or destroyed
- Less
- Not as much; the opposite of “more”; littler; smaller
- Director
- boss, leader, head, manager
- Surprised
- Feeling shocked or amazed; the feeling when you suddenly learn something big, important and/or unexpected
- Childhood
- The time when you are a kid
- Brand
- the name of a company and its image; one product with a specific name made by one company, e.g., Sprite is one of Coca-Cola’s brands
- Proud
- feeling pleased and satisfied with one's achievements or possessions; to feel good about yourself
- Symbol
- a thing that represents or stands for something else; metaphor; representation; something that stands for, represents, or suggests another thing
- Factory
- plant; a building where things are made or built
- Sand
- The tiny grains/pieces of rock/stone found on beaches or in the desert
- Material
- a physical thing that you use to build or make other things (cotton is a common material used to make t-shirts)
- Oven
- A hot machine used for baking, heating, or melting things
- Process
- a procedure; a series of actions that you do to achieve a result/finish something; operation;
- Piece
- A small part of something bigger
- Test
- to do something to learn if it is safe, works correctly, etc.; try out; to try
- Temperature
- A measure of how hot or cold something is; we usually measure temperature in degrees Celcius or Farenheit
- Improve
- to make something better; to get better
- The UK
- The United Kingdom; 🇬🇧
- The US
- USA; The United States of America; 🇺🇲
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Duralex _____ is very strong. If you drop the glass, it often bounces. It does not _____. This French company has had some _____, but it always gets better.
The company needed _____ quickly. It asked people for €5 million. This money was to _____ the glass factory. People gave the money _____ fast. It took less than six hours.
The _____ director was surprised. He thought it would take many _____. People gave almost 20 million euros. The company _____ to say "stop". Duralex could only take €_____ million.
Many French people remember Duralex _____ their childhood. They saw it in school. The brand _____ them feel proud. It is a symbol of France. The _____ thinks people are sad to see factories close, so they _____. The factory workers were very _____.
Workers make the special _____ from sand and other materials. They heat it _____ a big oven. The oven is very _____. This process is old. It started in _____.
Duralex glass breaks into small _____. Small pieces are safer than big pieces. _____ test the glass. They drop it and change the _____.
The money will improve the factory. _____ will help make new products. Duralex wants to sell _____ glass in the UK and the US.
Discussion questions
- Do you think it is important to save old factories like Duralex? Why or why not?
- Duralex glass is very strong. What is one thing you own that is also very strong and why do you like it?
- The company asked for money. If you had money to give, would you help a company you remembered from your childhood?
- The director was surprised by how fast people gave money. Have you ever been surprised by people helping someone? What happened?
- Duralex wants to sell more glass in the UK and the US. Is it good for companies to sell things in many different countries?
- People feel proud of Duralex because it is a symbol of France. What is something from your country that makes you feel proud?
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