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Amazon.com testing drone delivery service (4th December, 2014)

The Reading / Listening - Level 3

The online store Amazon is testing a new method of delivering parcels. It wants to start using drones to get packages to customers, in just 30 minutes. The drones are small, remote-controlled helicopters called 'octocopters'. They look like toys. Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos talked about them on the American TV show '60 Minutes'. He said: "I know this looks like science fiction. It's not." He added: "We can do half-hour delivery...and we can carry objects, we think, up to 2.3kg, which covers 86 per cent of the items that we deliver." He joked that Amazon would not be able to deliver some things. He said: "It won't work for everything. We're not going to deliver kayaks, or table saws this way."

The new delivery system is going to be called 'Prime Air'. It could be in operation before the year 2018. Mr Bezos believes it will be good for the environment. "It's very green and it's better than driving trucks around," he said. The project still needs the green light from the U.S. government. The company is making sure the 'octocopter' meets all of the country's flying safety standards. Bezos only has one concern with his 'octocopters'. He said: "This thing can't land on somebody's head while they're walking around their neighborhood." He said Amazon needed to keep finding new ways to stay ahead. He knows that companies can have a short life span and that other businesses can overtake them, especially those using technology.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 0, Level 1 or Level 2

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 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. ONLINE SHOPPING: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about online shopping. Change partners often and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

online store / Amazon / packages / customers / delivery / science fiction / delivery / good for the environment / green / safety standards / neighbourhood / technology

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. DRONE DELIVERY: What are the good and bad points about these drones? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

Drone:	Good	Bad
Amazon.com
Taxis for humans
Pizza
Ambulance drones
Olympic drone event
Personal drones

4. DRONES: Students A strongly believe delivery drones are a great idea; Students B strongly believe they aren't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. SHOPPING: Rank these and share your rankings with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• online shopping

• catalogue shopping

• window shopping

• shopping at sales

• shopping at markets

• food shopping

• shopping at the mall

• department stores

6. AMAZON: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "Amazon". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	Amazon wants customers to get their orders in 30 minutes.	T / F
b.	The drones Amazon is testing look like things children might play with.	T / F
c.	Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos said using drones is 100% science fiction.	T / F
d.	Mr Bezos said the drones would be able to deliver things like kayaks.	T / F
e.	The new service will be called "Air Amazon".	T / F
f.	The drones will be better for the environment than delivery by trucks.	T / F
g.	Bezos hopes the drones do not fall on people's heads.	T / F
h.	The CEO said no other company can overtake Amazon.	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.	method	a.	things
2.	packages	b.	guidelines
3.	toys	c.	send
4.	objects	d.	beneficial
5.	deliver	e.	parcels
6.	in operation	f.	go-ahead
7.	good	g.	way
8.	green light	h.	working
9.	standards	i.	time
10.	span	j.	playthings

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1.	testing a new method	a.	for the environment
2.	start using drones to get	b.	controlled helicopters
3.	The drones are small, remote-	c.	on somebody's head
4.	this looks like science	d.	that we deliver
5.	86 per cent of the items	e.	light
6.	It could be in operation	f.	of delivering parcels
7.	it will be good	g.	before the year 2018
8.	The project still needs the green	h.	fiction
9.	This thing can't land	i.	life span
10.	companies can have a short	j.	packages to customers

GAP FILL

The online store Amazon is testing a new (1) ____________ of delivering parcels. It wants to start using drones to get packages to customers, in just 30 minutes. The drones are small, (2) ____________ controlled helicopters called 'octocopters'. They look like toys. Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos talked about them on the American TV (3) ____________ '60 Minutes'. He said: "I know this looks like science (4) ____________. It's not." He added: "We can do half-hour delivery...and we can carry (5) ____________, we think, up to 2.3kg, which (6) ____________ 86 per cent of the items that we deliver." He (7) ____________ that Amazon would not be able to deliver some things. He said: "It won't work for everything. We're not going to deliver (8) ____________, or table saws this way."

covers
show
objects
kayaks
method
remote-
joked
fiction

The new delivery (9) ____________ is going to be called 'Prime Air'. It could be in (10) ____________ before the year 2018. Mr Bezos believes it will be good for the environment. "It's very (11) ____________ and it's better than driving trucks around," he said. The project still needs the green light from the U.S. government. The company is (12) ____________ sure the 'octocopter' meets all of the country's flying safety standards. Bezos only has one (13) ____________ with his 'octocopters'. He said: "This thing can't (14) ____________ on somebody's head while they're walking around their neighborhood." He said Amazon needed to keep finding new ways to stay (15) ____________. He knows that companies can have a short life span and that other businesses can overtake them, (16) ____________ those using technology.

making
ahead
operation
land
system
especially
green
concern

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	The online store Amazon is testing a new method of ______
	a. delivery in parcels b. delivering pass sells c. delivering parcels d. delivery in pass sells
2)	small, remote-controlled helicopters called 'octocopters'. They ______
	a. looked like toys b. look like toys c. looks like toys d. lookalike toys
3)	He said: "I know this looks like ______. It's not.
	a. sciences fictional b. scientific fiction c. science fiction d. science fictional
4)	He added: "We can do half-hour delivery...and we ______
	a. can curry objects b. can carry object c. can curry object d. can carry objects
5)	We're not going to deliver kayaks, or table ______
	a. saws this weigh b. soars this way c. sores this weigh d. saws this way
6)	It's very green and it's better than driving ______
	a. trucks a round b. trucks around c. trucks are round d. tracks around
7)	The company is making sure the 'octocopter' meets all of the country's ______
	a. flying safety standard b. flying safety standardise c. flying safety standards d. flying safety standardises
8)	This thing can't land on somebody's head while they're walking around ______
	a. their neighboring hood b. their neighbor's hood c. their neighborhood d. their neighborhoods
9)	He knows that companies can have a ______
	a. short life span b. short live span c. short life's pan d. short life's span
10)	other businesses can overtake them, especially ______
	a. these using technology b. those using technology c. dose using technology d. days using technology

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

The online store Amazon is testing (1) ___________________ delivering parcels. It wants to start using drones to get packages to customers, in just 30 minutes. The drones are small, (2) ___________________ helicopters called 'octocopters'. They look like toys. Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos talked about them on the American TV show '60 Minutes'. He said: "I know this looks (3) ___________________. It's not." He added: "We can do half-hour delivery...and (4) ___________________, we think, up to 2.3kg, which covers 86 per cent (5) ___________________ we deliver." He joked that Amazon would not be able to deliver some things. He said: "It won't work for everything. (6) ___________________ deliver kayaks, or table saws this way."

The new delivery system is going to be called 'Prime Air'. It could be in (7) ___________________ year 2018. Mr Bezos believes it will be good for the environment. "It's (8) ___________________ better than driving trucks around," he said. The project still needs (9) ___________________ the U.S. government. The company is making sure the 'octocopter' meets all of the country's flying (10) ___________________. Bezos only has one concern with his 'octocopters'. He said: "This thing can't land on somebody's head while they're walking around (11) ___________________." He said Amazon needed to keep finding new ways to stay ahead. He knows that companies can have (12) ___________________ that other businesses can overtake them, especially those using technology.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	How long might it take for customers to receive their orders?
2.	What has Amazon called its drones?
3.	What did Jeff Bezos say his project looks like?
4.	What is the weight limit for Amazon's drone delivery?
5.	Bezos joked that the drones couldn't deliver table saws and ________.
6.	What will Amazon call the new delivery service?
7.	What did Mr Bezos say the delivery service would be good for?
8.	What is Amazon waiting for from the U.S. government?
9.	Where is Mr Bezos worried about a drone landing?
10.	What does Amazon need to keep finding?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	How long might it take for customers to receive their orders?	6.	What will Amazon call the new delivery service?
	a) 30 minutes b) one hour c) 90 minutes d) 2 hours		a) Air Prime b) Amazon Air c) Air Amazon d) Prime Air
2.	What has Amazon called its drones?	7.	What did Mr Poulter say was "totally unacceptable"?
	a) Bill and Selina b) quadrocopters c) octocopters d) Amazopters		a) helicopters b) the environment c) trucks d) packages
3.	What did Jeff Bezos say his project looks like?	8.	What is Amazon waiting for from the U.S. government?
	a) a crazy idea b) science fiction c) fun d) a helicopter		a) a delivery b) an order c) payment d) the green light
4.	What is the weight limit for Amazon's drone delivery?	9.	Where is Mr Bezos worried about a drone landing?
	a) 3.2kg b) 32kg c) 23kg d) 2.3kg		a) in a neighbourhood b) companies c) on someone's head d) on a helicopter
5.	Bezos joked that the drones couldn't deliver table saws and ____.	10.	What does Amazon need to keep finding?
	a) kayaks b) creeks c) crackers d) koalas		a) new helicopters b) new ways to stay ahead c) new products d) new ways to protect heads

ROLE PLAY

Role A – Online shopping

You think online shopping is the best kind of shopping. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their kinds of shopping. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): window shopping, food shopping or shopping for presents.

Role B – Window shopping

You think window shopping is the best kind of shopping. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their kinds of shopping. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): online shopping, food shopping or shopping for presents.

Role C – Food shopping

You think food shopping is the best kind of shopping. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their kinds of shopping. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): online shopping, window shopping or shopping for presents.

Role D – Shopping for presents

You think shopping for presents is the best kind of shopping. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their kinds of shopping. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): online shopping, food shopping or window shopping.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words 'online' and 'store'.

online

store

Share your findings with your partners.

Make questions using the words you found.
Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

method
start
toys
carry
86
work

2018
good
trucks
safety
head
life

ONLINE SHOPPING SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about online shopping 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.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

(ONLINE) SHOPPING DISCUSSION

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

a)	What did you think when you read the headline?
b)	What springs to mind when you hear the word 'shopping'?
c)	How important is shopping to you?
d)	What was your best time shopping?
e)	Do you like online shopping?
f)	What do you think of Amazon's 30-minute drone delivery service?
g)	Do you think delivery by drone is science fiction?
h)	Would you use the drone delivery service or go to a store?
i)	Why do people like shopping?
j)	Who do you like going shopping with and why?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

a)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
b)	Is online shopping better than going to a real store?
c)	Should everyone use drone delivery if it's good for the environment?
d)	Do you think all shopping will be online one day?
e)	What do some people dislike about shopping?
f)	What would it be like if all real stores disappeared?
g)	Do you think the drones might be dangerous?
h)	What will happen if the skies are filled with drones?
i)	What do you think of Amazon.com?
j)	What questions would you like to ask Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

The online store Amazon is testing a new (1) ____ of delivering parcels. It wants to start using drones to (2) ____ packages to customers, in just 30 minutes. The drones are small, remote-(3) ____ helicopters called 'octocopters'. They look like toys. Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos talked about them on the American TV show '60 Minutes'. He said: "I know this looks like (4) ____ fiction. It's not." He added: "We can do half-hour delivery...and we can carry objects, we think, up to 2.3kg, which (5) ____ 86 per cent of the items that we deliver." He joked that Amazon would not be able to deliver some things. He said: "It won't work for everything. We're not going to deliver kayaks, or table saws this (6) ____."

The new delivery system is going to be called 'Prime Air'. It could be (7) ____ operation before the year 2018. Mr Bezos believes it will be good for the environment. "It's very green and it's better than (8) ____ trucks around," he said. The project still needs the green light from the U.S. government. The company is making (9) ____ the 'octocopter' meets all of the country's flying safety standards. Bezos only has one concern (10) ____ his 'octocopters'. He said: "This thing can't land on somebody's head while they're walking around their neighborhood." He said Amazon needed to (11) ____ finding new ways to stay ahead. He knows that companies can have a short life span and that other businesses can overtake them, especially those (12) ____ technology.

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.	(a)	methodical	(b)	methods	(c)	methodology	(d)	method
2.	(a)	met	(b)	set	(c)	let	(d)	get
3.	(a)	controlling	(b)	controlled	(c)	controls	(d)	controllers
4.	(a)	scientific	(b)	sciences	(c)	science	(d)	scientifically
5.	(a)	moves	(b)	delivers	(c)	covers	(d)	packages
6.	(a)	way	(b)	weight	(c)	whey	(d)	wait
7.	(a)	of	(b)	in	(c)	up	(d)	to
8.	(a)	driving	(b)	driven	(c)	drove	(d)	drives
9.	(a)	ensure	(b)	sure	(c)	surely	(d)	ensures
10.	(a)	at	(b)	as	(c)	with	(d)	of
11.	(a)	take	(b)	deliver	(c)	keep	(d)	move
12.	(a)	use	(b)	used	(c)	uses	(d)	using

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	testing a new tmodhe
2.	rvegeinldi parcels
3.	emoetr-controlled helicopters
4.	get packages to ocuestsmr
5.	eiescnc fiction
6.	we can carry tjsoecb
Paragraph 2
7.	It could be in neiaoptro before the year 2018
8.	it will be good for the iotnmevenrn
9.	meets all of the country's flying efytas standards
10.	Bezos only has one ccrnnoe
11.	keep finding new ways to stay aadeh
12.	especially those using holygconte

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	2.3kg, which covers 86 per cent of the items that we deliver." He joked that Amazon would not be able to deliver some
( )	controlled helicopters called 'octocopters'. They look like toys. Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos talked about them
( )	trucks around," he said. The project still needs the green light from the U.S. government. The company is
( )	fiction. It's not." He added: "We can do half-hour delivery...and we can carry objects, we think, up to
( )	on the American TV show '60 Minutes'. He said: "I know this looks like science
( )	using drones to get packages to customers, in just 30 minutes. The drones are small, remote-
( )	things. He said: "It won't work for everything. We're not going to deliver kayaks, or table saws this way."
( 1 )	The online store Amazon is testing a new method of delivering parcels. It wants to start
( )	making sure the 'octocopter' meets all of the country's flying safety standards. Bezos only has one
( )	concern with his 'octocopters'. He said: "This thing can't land on somebody's head while they're walking around
( )	companies can have a short life span and that other businesses can overtake them, especially those using technology.
( )	their neighborhood." He said Amazon needed to keep finding new ways to stay ahead. He knows that
( )	The new delivery system is going to be called 'Prime Air'. It could be in operation before the
( )	year 2018. Mr Bezos believes it will be good for the environment. "It's very green and it's better than driving

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	parcels testing a delivering is method of Amazon new.
2.	drones customers to get Start packages using to.
3.	controlled The small - are remote helicopters drones , .
4.	know I fiction science like looks this.
5.	able some Amazon be deliver not to things would.
6.	year It in the be before 2018 could operation.
7.	still project The light green the needs.
8.	while Land they're on walking somebody's around head.
9.	needed to keep finding new ways to stay ahead Amazon.
10.	He knows that companies can have a short life span.

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

The online store Amazon is [testing / tested] a new method of delivering parcels. It wants to start using drones to [get / let] packages to customers, in just 30 minutes. The drones are small, remote-controlled helicopters called 'octocopters'. They look like [toy / toys]. Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos talked about them [on / at] the American TV show '60 Minutes'. He said: "I know this looks like science [fictional / fiction]. It's not." He added: "We can do half-hour delivery...and we can carry [subjects / objects], we think, up to 2.3kg, which covers 86 per cent of the [itemise / items] that we deliver." He joked that Amazon would not be [able / ability] to deliver some things. He said: "It won't work [for / from] everything. We're not going to deliver kayaks, or table saws this [weigh / way]."

The new delivery system is going to be called 'Prime Air'. It could be [on / in] operation before the [yearly / year] 2018. Mr Bezos believes it will be good for the [environment / environmental]. "It's very green and it's better than [driven / driving] trucks around," he said. The project still needs the green [lighting / light] from the U.S. government. The company is making [sure / ensure] the 'octocopter' [meets / meetings] all of the country's flying safety standards. Bezos only has [once / one] concern with his 'octocopters'. He said: "This thing can't land on somebody's head while they're walking around their [neighbours / neighborhood]." He said Amazon needed to keep finding new ways to stay ahead. He knows that companies can have a short [life / live] span and that other businesses can overtake them, especially those using technology.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)

Th_ _nl_n_ st_r_ _m_z_n _s t_st_ng _ n_w m_th_d _f d_l_v_r_ng p_rc_ls. _t w_nts t_ st_rt _s_ng dr_n_s t_ g_t p_ck_g_s t_ c_st_m_rs, _n j_st 30 m_n_t_s. Th_ dr_n_s _r_ sm_ll, r_m_t_-c_ntr_ll_d h_l_c_pt_rs c_ll_d '_ct_c_pt_rs'. Th_y l__k l_k_ t_ys. _m_z_n's C__ J_ff B_z_s t_lk_d _b__t th_m _n th_ _m_r_c_n TV sh_w '60 M_n_t_s'. H_ s__d: "_ kn_w th_s l__ks l_k_ sc__nc_ f_ct__n. _t's n_t." H_ _dd_d: "W_ c_n d_ h_lf-h__r d_l_v_ry..._nd w_ c_n c_rry _bj_cts, w_ th_nk, _p t_ 2.3kg, wh_ch c_v_rs 86 p_r c_nt _f th_ _t_ms th_t w_ d_l_v_r." H_ j_k_d th_t _m_z_n w__ld n_t b_ _bl_ t_ d_l_v_r s_m_ th_ngs. H_ s__d: "_t w_n't w_rk f_r _v_ryth_ng. W_'r_ n_t g__ng t_ d_l_v_r k_y_ks, _r t_bl_ s_ws th_s w_y."

Th_ n_w d_l_v_ry syst_m _s g__ng t_ b_ c_ll_d 'Pr_m_ __r'. _t c__ld b_ _n _p_r_t__n b_f_r_ th_ y__r 2018. Mr B_z_s b_l__v_s _t w_ll b_ g__d f_r th_ _nv_r_nm_nt. "_t's v_ry gr__n _nd _t's b_tt_r th_n dr_v_ng tr_cks _r__nd," h_ s__d. Th_ pr_j_ct st_ll n__ds th_ gr__n l_ght fr_m th_ _.S. g_v_rnm_nt. Th_ c_mp_ny _s m_k_ng s_r_ th_ '_ct_c_pt_r' m__ts _ll _f th_ c__ntry's fly_ng s_f_ty st_nd_rds. B_z_s _nly h_s _n_ c_nc_rn w_th h_s '_ct_c_pt_rs'. H_ s__d: "Th_s th_ng c_n't l_nd _n s_m_b_dy's h__d wh_l_ th_y'r_ w_lk_ng _r__nd th__r n__ghb_rh__d." H_ s__d _m_z_n n__d_d t_ k__p f_nd_ng n_w w_ys t_ st_y _h__d. H_ kn_ws th_t c_mp_n__s c_n h_v_ _ sh_rt l_f_ sp_n _nd th_t _th_r b_s_n_ss_s c_n _v_rt_k_ th_m, _sp_c__lly th_s_ _s_ng t_chn_l_gy.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

the online store amazon is testing a new method of delivering parcels it wants to start using drones to get packages to customers in just 30 minutes the drones are small remote-controlled helicopters called 'octocopters' they look like toys amazon's ceo jeff bezos talked about them on the american tv show '60 minutes' he said "i know this looks like science fiction it's not" he added "we can do half-hour deliveryand we can carry objects we think up to 23kg which covers 86 per cent of the items that we deliver" he joked that amazon would not be able to deliver some things he said "it won't work for everything we're not going to deliver kayaks or table saws this way"

the new delivery system is going to be called 'prime air' it could be in operation before the year 2018 mr bezos believes it will be good for the environment "it's very green and it's better than driving trucks around" he said the project still needs the green light from the us government the company is making sure the 'octocopter' meets all of the country's flying safety standards bezos only has one concern with his 'octocopters' he said "this thing can't land on somebody's head while they're walking around their neighborhood" he said amazon needed to keep finding new ways to stay ahead he knows that companies can have a short life span and that other businesses can overtake them especially those using technology

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

TheonlinestoreAmazonistestinganewmethodofdeliveringparcels
.Itwantstostartusingdronestogetpackagestocustomers,injust30
minutes.Thedronesaresmall,remote-controlledhelicopterscal
led'octocopters'.Theylookliketoys.Amazon'sCEOJeffBezostalked
aboutthemontheAmericanTVshow'60Minutes'.Hesaid:"Iknowthi
slookslikesciencefiction.It'snot."Headded:"Wecandohalf-hourd
elivery...andwecancarryobjects,wethink,upto2.3kg,whichcover
s86percentoftheitemsthatwedeliver."HejokedthatAmazonwould
notbeabletodeliversomethings.Hesaid:"Itwon'tworkforeverythin
g.We'renotgoingtodeliverkayaks,ortablesawsthisway."Thenewd
eliverysystemisgoingtobecalled'PrimeAir'.Itcouldbeinoperationb
eforetheyear2018.MrBezosbelievesitwillbegoodfortheenvironm
ent."It'sverygreenandit'sbetterthandrivingtrucksaround,"hesaid
.TheprojectstillneedsthegreenlightfromtheU.S.government.The
companyismakingsurethe'octocopter'meetsallofthecountry'sflyi
ngsafetystandards.Bezosonlyhasoneconcernwithhis'octocopters
'.Hesaid:"Thisthingcan'tlandonsomebody'sheadwhilethey'rewal
kingaroundtheirneighborhood."HesaidAmazonneededtokeepfin
dingnewwaystostayahead.Heknowsthatcompaniescanhaveasho
rtlifespanandthatotherbusinessescanovertakethem,especiallyth
oseusingtechnology.

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

Will 'octocopters' be safe or dangerous? Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about Amazon's 'octocopters'. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. ONLINE SHOPPING: Make a poster about online shopping. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. DRONE DELIVERY SERVICE: Write a magazine article about Amazon's drone delivery service. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against it.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to Amazon's boss. Ask him three questions about online shopping. Give him three ideas on how to make it better. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

Buy my book

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ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

T

b

T

c

F

d

F

e

F

f

T

g

T

h

F

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	method	a.	way
2.	packages	b.	parcels
3.	toys	c.	playthings
4.	objects	d.	things
5.	deliver	e.	send
6.	in operation	f.	working
7.	good	g.	beneficial
8.	green light	h.	go-ahead
9.	standards	i.	guidelines
10.	span	j.	time

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	30 minutes
2.	Octopcopters
3.	Science fiction
4.	2.3kg
5.	Kayaks
6.	Prime Air
7.	The environment
8.	The green light
9.	On someone's head
10.	New ways to stay ahead

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

a

2.

c

3.

b

4.

d

5.

a

6.

d

7.

b

8.

d

9.

c

10.

b

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

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Amazon.com testing drone delivery service (4th December, 2014)

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