Matthew’s Vocabulary Club: Lesson 066 - Hard: Technology
Amazon.com testing drone delivery service (4th December, 2013)
The online store Amazon is [1].________a new method of remitting parcels. It wants to commence using
[2].________ to get packages to patrons, in just 30 minutes. The drones are [3].________, 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 [4].________ fiction. It's not." He added: "We
can do half-hour [5].________...and we can tote 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 [6].________, or table saws this way."
kayaks
science
drones
testing
small
delivery
The new delivery system is going to be called 'Prime Air'. It could be in [7].________ before the year 2018.
Mr..Bezos believes it will be good for the environment. "It's very green and it's better than driving [8].________
around," he said. The [9].________ 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 merits. Bezos only has one concern with his
'octocopters'. He said: "This thing can't [10].________ on somebody's head while they're sauntering around
their neighborhood." He said Amazon needed to keep finding new ways to stay [11].________. He knows that
companies can have a [12].________ life span and that other businesses can outstrip them, especially those
using technology.
trucks
project
short
ahead
operation
land
True or False
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Amazon wants customers to get their orders in 30 minutes.
The drones Amazon is testing look like things children might play with.
Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos said using drones is 100% science fiction.
Mr. Bezos said the drones would be able to deliver things like kayaks.
The new service will be called "Air Amazon".
The drones will be better for the environment than delivery by trucks.
Bezos hopes the drones do not fall on people's heads.
The CEO said no other company can overtake Amazon.
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
Synonym Match
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Remitting
Packages
Commence
Patrons
Good
Green light
Merits
Span
Sauntering
Outstrip
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
Time
Go-ahead
Customers
Parcels
Overtake
Sending
Start
Beneficial
Standards
Walking
Drones and Society
What are the good and bad points about these drones?
Drone for:
Online shopping
Taxis for humans
Pizza
Police surveillance
Ambulance
Personal drones
How useful [1-10]
Why?
Cons and Pros of this?
Idioms connected with Time
■ Against the clock
They are working against the clock to have the presentation
ready for Monday.
■ At the eleventh hour
Our team won after they scored a goal at the eleventh hour.
■ Once in a blue moon
They see each other once in a blue moon.
■ Time is ripe
He sold his business when the time was ripe.
Matthew’s Vocabulary Club: Lesson 066 - Hard: Technology
Science and Technology
1.
What are some of the greatest technological achievements?
2.
What are the advantages of technology? What are the disadvantages of technology?
3.
In your opinion, what is the greatest technological invention? Why?
4.
What do you think are the three most important or interesting inventions since 1850?
5.
How about since 1950?
6.
Do you think people should be allowed to clone people or organs of people? Why?
7.
What do you think about GMO (genetically modified organisms) vegetables?
8.
Are you willing to pay more for food that is really organic?
9.
What do you think robots should be used for?
10. Do you think robots will cause unemployment (loss of jobs) in the future or make more work? Why?
11. If you could copy your brain for future generations, would you?
12. How do you think face to face communication differs from communication using computers?
13. What social changes have cell phones made?
14. What are good and bad points of using computers?
15. In your life time what changes have you seen in your environment for better or worse?
16. Do you think modern technology reduces or increases stress? Why?
17. Do you think money should be spent to explore space or is it better spent helping people on earth? Why?
18. What is your opinion about children playing violent video games or computer programs?
19. What do you think should be done to people who spread viruses, start hoaxes or create spam on the Internet?
20. How often do you buy things on the Internet?
21. Do you worry about identity theft or credit card number theft when buying things on the Internet or do you avoid buying
things online because of this concern?
22. Have you used the Internet to learn English or read or talk in English?
23. Have you heard of the Large Hadron Collider? If so, what do you know about it?
Matthew’s Vocabulary Club: Lesson 066 - Hard: Technology
------ANSWER SHEET-----Fill In the Blanks
The online store Amazon is [1] testing a new method of remitting parcels. It wants to commence using [2].drones to get
packages to patrons, in just 30 minutes. The drones are [3] 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 [4] science fiction. It's not." He added: "We can do half-hour [5] delivery...and we can tote 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 [6] kayaks, or table saws this way."
The new delivery system is going to be called 'Prime Air'. It could be in [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 driving [8] trucks around," he said. The [9]
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 merits. Bezos only has one concern with his 'octocopters'. He said: "This thing can't [10] land on
somebody's head while they're sauntering around their neighborhood." He said Amazon needed to keep finding new ways
to stay [11] ahead. He knows that companies can have a [12] short life span and that other businesses can outstrip them,
especially those using technology.
True or False
1.
2.
3.
4.
T
T
F
F
5.
6.
7.
8.
F
T
T
F
Synonym Match
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Remitting
Packages
Commence
Patrons
Good
Green light
Merits
Span
Sauntering
Outstrip
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
Sending
Parcels
Start
Customers
Beneficial
Go-ahead
Standards
Time
Walking
Overtake
Idioms
against the
clock
at the eleventh
hour
Once in a blue
moon
Time is ripe
If you do something against the clock, you are rushed and have very little time to do it.
They are working against the clock to have the presentation ready for Monday.
If something happens at the eleventh hour, it happens when it is almost too late, or at the last possible
moment.
Our team won after they scored a goal at the eleventh hour.
If something occurs once in a blue moon, it happens very rarely. Bill has very little contact with his
brother.
They see each other once in a blue moon.
If the time is ripe for something, it is the right moment to do it.
He sold his business when the time was ripe.
Vocabulary
Remit
Commence
Patron
Tote
Green light
Merits
Sauntering
Outstrip
Send (money) in payment or as a gift.
Synonyms: send
Begin; start
Synonyms: start
A customer
Synonyms: customer, client, consumer, user
Carry, wield, or convey
Synonyms: carry, move, take, bring, bear, lug
Permission to go ahead
Synonyms: Authorization, permission, approval, assent
The quality of being particularly good or worthy, esp. so as to deserve praise or reward.
Synonyms: Standards
Walk in a slow, relaxed manner, without hurry or effort.
Synonyms: stroll, able, wander, walk
Move faster than and overtake (someone else).
Synonyms: overtake