Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. slash
    • ex. The company is slashing prices to sell more products this month.
  2. inventory
    • ex. The store's inventory includes many different kinds of clothes for kids.
  3. a production line
    • ex. The factory's production line makes shoes all day long.
  4. gradual
    • ex. The change in temperature was gradual, so we didn't feel too hot or too cold.
  5. workforce
    • ex. The tech company has a large workforce of 500 workers.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Nissan is slashing production at its U.S. factories and offering money to some workers who leave. This is part of the Japanese car company’s plan to increase its income. In November 2024, Nissan said it would cut 9,000 jobs around the world. The company lost money because sales went down, and there were too many cars in inventory.

In Smyrna, Tennessee, the work hours for some production lines will be reduced. This factory makes different car models, like Murano and Rogue. Meanwhile, at the Canton factory in Mississippi, Nissan is reducing the speed of one production line. This factory makes Altima and Frontier vehicles. The company will make gradual changes in its Decherd factory in Tennessee, which makes engines. Some work hours will stay the same, while others will be reduced.

The 9,000 jobs that Nissan will cut are 6% of its 133,000 workforce worldwide. The company will also cut its global production by 20%. Nissan, based in Yokohama, said these changes will help the company work better and faster. The company wants to make its business stronger and able to change quickly when needed.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Strong Business

  • Why do you think some businesses succeed while others fail? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, what are the signs of a strong business? Discuss.
  • As a consumer, are you loyal to certain brands? Why or why not? Discuss.

Slashing Jobs

  • Do you think job cuts always lead to a stronger business, or can they sometimes make things worse? Why do you think so? Discuss.
  • What do you think companies can do to help employees when they cut jobs? Discuss.
  • How do you think losing a job affects people? Discuss.