The Reading / Listening - Cashier-less Technology - Level 2

The online store Amazon will sell its cashier-less technology to other stores and retail outlets. The technology is called "Just Walk Out". This software means stores do not need cashiers. Shoppers scan an app when they go into a store, then put their shopping in their bag and then... just walk out of the store. The software calculates the cost of the customer's shopping and charges the customer's Amazon account. The new software deducts the customer's credit card or other payment card instead. Amazon has been using the software for the past two years in its own Go Grocery stores.

The Just Walk Out software will cut the number of employees stores need. Stores will put many small cameras on the ceiling. These link to software that detects what customers have in their bag. The software then bills the customer and issues a receipt online. Amazon could make a lot of money from the software. Many stores want it to remove one of the biggest customer complaints - slow checkouts. Amazon said the software would let store staff, "focus on more valuable activities". However, a retail expert worries that, "there will be fewer jobs as automation comes in".

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Cashier-less Technology - Level 0 Cashier-less Technology - Level 1   or  Cashier-less Technology - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-51801674
  • https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/amazon-offers-its-cashier-free-technology-to-other-retailers/
  • https://www.cnet.com/news/amazon-is-selling-its-cashierless-checkout-tech-to-other-retailers/


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. retail
  2. This software means stores do not
  3. Shoppers scan an
  4. just walk out
  5. calculates the cost of the
  6. software deducts the customer's
  7. Amazon has been using
  8. for the past
  1. credit card
  2. app
  3. two years
  4. need cashiers
  5. outlets
  6. the software
  7. customer's shopping
  8. of the store

Paragraph 2

  1. cut the number of employees
  2. The software then bills
  3. Amazon could make a lot
  4. the biggest customer
  5. slow
  6. focus on more valuable
  7. a retail
  8. fewer jobs as automation
  1. activities
  2. of money
  3. expert
  4. the customer
  5. comes in
  6. complaints
  7. checkouts
  8. stores need

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The online store Amazon (1) ___________________ cashier-less technology to other stores (2) ___________________. The technology is called "Just Walk Out". This software means stores do not need cashiers. Shoppers (3) ___________________ when they go into a store, then put their shopping in their bag and then... just walk out of the store. The software (4) ___________________ of the customer's shopping and charges the customer's Amazon account. The (5) ___________________ the customer's credit card or other payment card instead. Amazon has been using the software for the past two years (6) ___________________ Go Grocery stores.

The Just Walk Out software will (7) ___________________ of employees stores need. Stores will put many small cameras on the ceiling. These link to software (8) ___________________ customers have in their bag. The software then (9) ___________________ and issues a receipt online. Amazon could make a lot of money from the software. Many stores want it (10) ___________________ of the biggest customer complaints - slow checkouts. Amazon said the software would (11) ___________________, "focus on more valuable activities". However, a retail expert worries that, "there will be (12) ___________________ automation comes in".

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TheonlinestoreAmazonwillsellitscashier-lesstechnologytoothersto
resandretailoutlets.Thetechnologyiscalled"JustWalkOut".Thissoftw
aremeansstoresdonotneedcashiers.Shoppersscananappwhentheyg
ointoastore,thenputtheirshoppingintheirbagandthen...justwalkout
ofthestore.Thesoftwarecalculatesthecostofthecustomer'sshopping
andchargesthecustomer'sAmazonaccount.Thenewsoftwarededucts
thecustomer'screditcardorotherpaymentcardinstead.Amazonhasbe
enusingthesoftwareforthepasttwoyearsinitsownGoGrocerystores.T
heJustWalkOutsoftwarewillcutthenumberofemployeesstoresneed.S
toreswillputmanysmallcamerasontheceiling.Theselinktosoftwareth
atdetectswhatcustomershaveintheirbag.Thesoftwarethenbillsthecu
stomerandissuesareceiptonline.Amazoncouldmakealotofmoneyfro
mthesoftware.Manystoreswantittoremoveoneofthebiggestcustome
rcomplaints-slowcheckouts.Amazonsaidthesoftwarewouldletstores
taff,"focusonmorevaluableactivities".However,aretailexpertworries
that,"therewillbefewerjobsasautomationcomesin".

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic 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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