The Reading / Listening - Level 2

Amazon is testing a new way of delivering parcels. It wants to use drones. It will get packages to customers in 30 minutes. Drones are small, remote-controlled helicopters called 'octocopters'. They look like toys. Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos talked about them on the TV show '60 Minutes'. He said his project wasn't science fiction. He said he could do half-hour delivery and carry objects up to 2.3kg. This covers 86 per cent of the things Amazon delivers. Mr Bezos said: "It won't work for everything. We're not going to deliver kayaks, or table saws this way."

The new delivery system is called 'Prime Air'. It could start before the year 2018. Bezos thinks it will be good for the environment. "It's very green and it's better than driving trucks around," he said. The U.S. government still needs to say OK. Amazon is making sure the 'octocopter' meets America's flying safety standards. Bezos joked that the 'octocopters' couldn't "land on somebody's head while they're walking around." He said Amazon had to find new ways to be number one. Companies can disappear quickly. Other businesses can overtake them, especially if they use technology.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://news.sky.com/story/1176325/amazon-testing-drone-delivery-system
  • http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/01/technology/amazon-drone-delivery/
  • http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/12/01/amazon-bezos-drone-delivery/3799021/


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

It will get packages to

a.

things Amazon delivers

2.

remote-

b.

fiction

3.

They look

c.

customers in 30 minutes

4.

science

d.

to deliver kayaks

5.

carry objects

e.

controlled helicopters

6.

This covers 86 per cent of the

f.

up to 2.3kg

7.

It won't work for

g.

like toys

8.

We're not going

h.

everything



MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

It could start before

a.

technology

2.

it will be good for the

b.

the year 2018

3.

The U.S. government still

c.

somebody's head

4.

flying safety

d.

needs to say OK

5.

land on

e.

overtake them

6.

Amazon had to find new ways

f.

standards

7.

Other businesses can

g.

to be number one

8.

especially if they use

h.

environment

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Amazon is (1) ___________________ of delivering parcels. It wants to use drones. It will (2) ___________________ customers in 30 minutes. Drones are small, remote-controlled helicopters called 'octocopters'. They (3) ___________________. Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos talked about them on the TV show '60 Minutes'. He said his project wasn't (4) ___________________. He said he could do half-hour delivery and (5) ___________________ to 2.3kg. This covers 86 per cent of the things Amazon delivers. Mr Bezos said: "It won't work for everything. We're (6) ___________________ deliver kayaks, or table saws this way."

The (7) ___________________ is called 'Prime Air'. It could start before the year 2018. Bezos thinks (8) ___________________ the environment. "It's very green and it's better than driving trucks around," he said. The U.S. government (9) ___________________ OK. Amazon is making sure the 'octocopter' meets America's flying safety standards. Bezos joked that the 'octocopters' couldn't "land (10) ___________________ while they're walking around." He said Amazon had to (11) ___________________ be number one. Companies can disappear quickly. Other businesses can overtake them, (12) ___________________ use technology.

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Amazonistestinganewwayofdeliveringparcels.Itwantstousedron
es.Itwillgetpackagestocustomersin30minutes.Dronesaresmall,r
emote-controlledhelicopterscalled'octocopters'.Theylookliket
oys.Amazon'sCEOJeffBezostalkedaboutthemontheTVshow'60Mi
nutes'.Hesaidhisprojectwasn'tsciencefiction.Hesaidhecoulddoha
lf-hourdeliveryandcarryobjectsupto2.3kg.Thiscovers86perce
ntofthethingsAmazondelivers.MrBezossaid:"Itwon'tworkforever
ything.We'renotgoingtodeliverkayaks,ortablesawsthisway."The
newdeliverysystemiscalled'PrimeAir'.Itcouldstartbeforetheyear
2018.Bezosthinksitwillbegoodfortheenvironment."It'sverygreen
andit'sbetterthandrivingtrucksaround,"hesaid.TheU.S.governm
entstillneedstosayOK.Amazonismakingsurethe'octocopter'meet
sAmerica'sflyingsafetystandards.Bezosjokedthatthe'octocopter
s'couldn't"landonsomebody'sheadwhilethey'rewalkingaround."
HesaidAmazonhadtofindnewwaystobenumberone.Companiesca
ndisappearquickly.Otherbusinessescanovertakethem,especially
iftheyusetechnology.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

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e)

________________________________________________________

f)

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g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

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Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about online shopping for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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