The Feathers That Built an Empire
Grammar: discourse markers and connectors for business narrative
A Business English English lesson exploring business.
What's in this lesson
A Business English ESL lesson on business, practising discourse markers and connectors for business narrative. The worksheet has a reading, target vocabulary and discussion questions.
From the reading: The Feathers That Built an Empire
In 1912, a South African civil servant named Russell Thornton sailed to West Africa with two colleagues, a limited budget, and a plan that sounds implausible even today. His mission was to travel deep into northern Nigeria, locate wild ostriches, capture them alive, and ship them back to Cape Colony for breeding. The commercial logic was, on paper, compelling: ostrich feathers had become one of the most valuable commodities on earth. By 1913, they ranked as the fourth-largest export of the Union of South Africa, behind only gold, diamonds, and wool. Farmers in South Africa's Karoo region had grown wealthy enough to build elaborate stone homes still called "feather palaces" by locals today.
Vocabulary
- commercial opportunity
- division of responsibility
- limited budget
- meticulous records
- at
- behind
- in
- on
- with
Discussion questions
- Have you ever seen a business plan that looked logical but failed completely?
- How much does fashion drive real economic decisions?
- Can local knowledge and expert knowledge ever genuinely conflict at work?
The Feathers That Built an Empire
Grammar: discourse markers and connectors for business narrative
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
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