Why read this: This A2 version gives lower-level students access to a real news story that older students are also reading. The topic is one most Chinese-L1 students already know: BYD is a famous Chinese brand. So the topic is familiar, and only the English is new. That is exactly what A2 readers need: a real story, in simple language, with no hard ideas to work out at the same time. Students can also talk about the article in simple English afterwards.
What to notice: Each paragraph makes one clear point. Paragraph 1 tells you who BYD is and what it makes. Paragraph 2 tells you why BYD does not sell in the US. Paragraph 3 tells you where BYD does sell. Paragraph 4 explains why people want electric cars now. Paragraph 5 explains BYD's new fast charging. Paragraph 6 explains the hard fight at home in China. If a student can say one short sentence about each paragraph, they have understood the article. Notice that all the sentences are short and use simple present or simple past tense. There are no long sentences with many parts.
Skills practised: Reading: finding the main idea of a short paragraph; following a simple list of facts. Vocabulary: a few key business words like 'market leaders' and 'flash charging' are glossed in the margin, so students learn them in context. Writing: using simple present tense to describe a company ('BYD makes electric cars'); using simple past tense to describe a result ('Sales went up this year'). Speaking: telling a partner in two or three short sentences what BYD is and where it sells cars.
BYD: A Big Chinese Electric Car Company
BYD sells lots of electric cars around the world, but not in the United States.
Tap any green word in the article to see its meaning.
BYD is a big company in China, and it makes electric cars. An electric car uses a battery, not petrol. Last year, BYD sold more electric cars than any other company in the world. It even sold more cars than Tesla, the famous American company.
But you cannot buy a BYD car in the United States. The US government does not let Chinese electric cars come in. The US worries about , and it also has special rules about money and trade. So BYD does not sell its cars there.
However, many other places do want BYD cars. People in Europe and other parts of the world like them very much. its sales at home in China, BYD's sales in Europe went up by a lot this year. The boss of BYD says that the company is doing very well without the US market.
One big reason is the price of petrol. Right now, petrol is very expensive because of a war, so more people want electric cars instead. Electric cars help them save money every day. BYD says it cannot make new cars fast enough for all the new buyers around the world.
BYD also has a new kind of technology, and it is called . With flash charging, you can charge a car in only a few minutes. This is much faster than before. BYD hopes this new idea will help more people choose an electric car.
At home in China, things are not easy. Many Chinese companies make electric cars. They all fight for customers. They cut their prices again and again. Even like BYD feel this pressure. The boss of BYD says some companies will not survive.
BYD is a big company in China, and it makes electric cars. An electric car uses a battery, not petrol. Last year, BYD sold more electric cars than any other company in the world. It even sold more cars than Tesla, the famous American company.
But you cannot buy a BYD car in the United States. The US government does not let Chinese electric cars come in. The US worries about , and it also has special rules about money and trade. So BYD does not sell its cars there.
However, many other places do want BYD cars. People in Europe and other parts of the world like them very much. its sales at home in China, BYD's sales in Europe went up by a lot this year. The boss of BYD says that the company is doing very well without the US market.
One big reason is the price of petrol. Right now, petrol is very expensive because of a war, so more people want electric cars instead. Electric cars help them save money every day. BYD says it cannot make new cars fast enough for all the new buyers around the world.
BYD also has a new kind of technology, and it is called . With flash charging, you can charge a car in only a few minutes. This is much faster than before. BYD hopes this new idea will help more people choose an electric car.
At home in China, things are not easy. Many Chinese companies make electric cars. They all fight for customers. They cut their prices again and again. Even like BYD feel this pressure. The boss of BYD says some companies will not survive.
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
What does BYD make?
- 02
Why can you not buy a BYD car in the United States?
- 03
What is flash charging?
- 04
Name three places where people want to buy BYD cars. For each place, write one short sentence.
Suggested length: ~50 words
- 05
Describe two reasons why more people want electric cars now. Use one or two sentences for each reason.
Suggested length: ~50 words
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
What does BYD make?
- 02
Why can you not buy a BYD car in the United States?
- 03
What is flash charging?
- 04
Name three places where people want to buy BYD cars. For each place, write one short sentence.
Suggested length: ~50 words
- 05
Describe two reasons why more people want electric cars now. Use one or two sentences for each reason.
Suggested length: ~50 words