Who Made the Squeeze Bottle? Effective Listening

50-minute English Lesson

In this effective listening lesson, ESL students learn how the squeeze bottle was invented. It’s a story of hard work and great success.

Read the story

effective listening about A New Bottle

If you buy ketchup, you probably know the bottle is upside down. The lid, that’s the part you open to get ketchup on your food, is on the bottom. It may look simple, but that lid led to some highly successful innovations in consumer products.

The story of the lid begins with a man who saw a problem and found an answer.

In the 1990s, ketchup companies were experiencing a problem. People were buying less ketchup. Why? Because of the bottle.

Ketchup used to be sold in long, thin, glass bottles. Getting ketchup out of the bottle was hard. It moved slowly. Sometimes people hit the bottom of the bottle to get the ketchup out.

Ketchup companies asked one question: how can we get people to eat more? The answer was simple: get ketchup out of the bottle faster.

But, nobody knew how to do that. Well, there was one guy.

In 1991, Paul Brown owned a small business in a small town in America. He made things from plastic. For years, he tried to make a special lid for a new upside-down shampoo bottle. Paul tried 111 different designs. None of them worked.

One night, he called a friend for help. The next day, they found the answer. They made a lid that opened a hole when you squeezed the bottle and closed the hole when there was no squeezing.

It worked well. He sold it to companies that made shampoo and baby food. He also sold it to Heinz, the world’s biggest ketchup company. Paul made $13 million dollars.

The ketchup company made a lot of money, too. Its customers loved the squeeze bottle. Ketchup came out fast. People ate more ketchup. In 2002, ketchup sales increased by 25%.

Paul Brown’s story teaches us a lesson. Great ideas do not need to be big. Sometimes, small things can help people in big ways, like a lid for an upside-down bottle.

Listen to the story

effective listening about the squeeze Bottle

English listening lesson: Gap Fill

play THE Listening STORY AGAIN AND FILL IN THE BLANKS.

If you buy ketchup, you __________ know the bottle is upside down. The __________ , that’s the part you open to get ketchup on your food, is on the bottom. It may look __________ , but that lid led to some highly successful innovations in __________ products.

The story of the lid begins with a man who saw a problem and __________ an answer.

In the __________ , ketchup companies were experiencing a problem. People were __________ less ketchup. Why? Because of the bottle.

Ketchup used to be sold in long, __________ , glass bottles. Getting ketchup out of the bottle was hard. It moved __________ . Sometimes people __________ the bottom of the bottle to get the ketchup out.

Ketchup __________ asked one question: how can we get people to eat more? The answer was simple: get ketchup out of the bottle __________ .

But, nobody knew how to do that. Well, there was one __________ .

In __________ , Paul Brown owned a small business in a small __________ in America. He made things from __________ . For years, he tried to make a special lid for a new upside-down __________ bottle. Paul tried __________ different designs. __________ of them worked.

One night, he called a friend for help. The next day, they found the answer. They made a lid that __________ a hole when you squeezed the bottle and closed the hole when there was no __________ .

It worked well. He sold it to companies that made shampoo and __________ __________ . He also sold it to Heinz, the world’s biggest ketchup company. Paul made $ __________ __________ dollars.

The ketchup company made a lot of money, __________ . Its customers loved the squeeze bottle. Ketchup came out fast. People ate more ketchup. In 2002, ketchup sales __________ by __________ %.

Paul Brown’s story __________ us a lesson. Great ideas do not need to be big. Sometimes, small things can help people in big ways, like a lid for an __________ bottle.

ESL discussion questions

Talk about the Listening article.

1. What is a squeeze bottle?
2. Do you have any products that come in a squeeze bottle?
3. Summarize the evolution of the special lid.
4. What problem did the squeeze bottle solve?
5. The inventor received millions of dollars. Is that a fair price?

Synonym match

MATCH THE WORD OR PHRASE ON THE LEFT WITH THE CORRECT SYNONYM.

English listening lesson: anagrams

MOVE LETTERS. MAKE A WORD FROM the listening story.

1. AESID
2. ERKDOW
3. ICLSTAP
4. RCGXNIEIENEP
5. UMOSCREN
6. VNONOSANITI

Writing practice

Write the sentences. Put the words in the correct order.

1. the / the / of / out / Sometimes / hit / to / the / people / bottle / ketchup / get / bottom
2. of / who / problem / story / The / answer / and / man / an / found / a / with / lid / a / begins / the / saw
3. Great / big / do / to / need / be / ideas / not
4. it / food / that / baby / and / shampoo / companies / He / to / sold / made
5. different / Paul / 111 / tried / designs

More listening and reading

critical listening

Learn more English online about food? Try this English listening comprehension lesson about popcorn.

Watch a video and take notes

extend Listening skills

Learn more? Watch a short video about how to get ketchup out of a glass bottle. It’s about three minutes.

1. Watch the video.
2. Take notes.
3. Make a list with at least eight facts.

Get the worksheet

Effective listening exercises

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