Amazon is a big company that started as a bookstore 30 years ago. Now, it sells almost everything you can think of. It has many big buildings called fulfillment centers where they pack and send lots of packages every day. Amazon also has movies and shows on Amazon Prime Video and smart gadgets like Alexa. People use Amazon a lot, and it feels like it’s everywhere in our lives.

Amazon was started by a man named Jeff Bezos in 1994. It grew very fast, but some people say it doesn’t treat workers well or pay enough taxes. Now, people wonder what Amazon will do next to keep growing. It might use its shopping data to make more money from ads. But it also has to be careful about rules and competition from other companies like Temu and Shein.

Original news source: Amazon at 30: What next for ‘The Everything Company’? (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– CHARADES
Instructions: Students take turns acting out words or phrases related to Amazon, such as “shopping,” “delivery,” “package,” “Alexa,” or “movies.” The rest of the class guesses what they are acting out.

– HEADLINE CREATION
Instructions: Students work in pairs to create a catchy headline for the article about Amazon. They can use words like “Amazon’s Growth,” “The Future of Shopping,” or “From Books to Everything.” Each pair shares their headline with the class.

– PAS THE STORY
Instructions: Students sit in a circle. One student starts a story about Amazon, using one sentence. The next student adds a sentence, and so on, creating a collaborative story about Amazon’s journey and future.

– VOCABULARY PICTIONARY
Instructions: Students draw words related to Amazon (like “fulfillment center,” “packages,” “Prime Video,” etc.) on the board while the rest of the class guesses what the word is.

– OPINION POLL
Instructions: The teacher asks the class a question related to Amazon, such as “Do you think Amazon is a good company?” Students walk to one side of the room for “Yes” and the other for “No.” After, discuss why they chose their side.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Amazon start as a long time ago?
2. What does Amazon sell now?
3. Who started Amazon?
4. What is one thing people can watch on Amazon?
5. What is a fulfillment center?
6. What is one smart gadget that Amazon has?
7. Why do some people worry about Amazon?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Amazon is a big company that started as a bookstore 30 years ago. Now, it sells almost everything you can think of. It has many big (1)______ called (2)______ centers where they pack and send lots of packages every day. (3)______ also has movies and shows on Amazon Prime Video and smart gadgets like Alexa. People use Amazon a lot, and it (4)______ like it’s everywhere in our lives.

Amazon was started by a man named Jeff (5)______ in 1994. It grew very fast, but some people say it doesn’t (6)______ workers well or pay enough taxes. Now, people wonder what Amazon will do next to keep growing. It might use its shopping (7)______ to make more money from ads. But it also has to be careful about rules and competition from other (8)______ like Temu and Shein.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is your favorite thing to buy online?
2. Do you like shopping in a store or online? Why?
3. How would you feel if you could not use Amazon anymore?
4. Do you think shopping online is fun? Why or why not?
5. What is a package?
6. Do you like watching movies at home? Why?
7. How do you feel when you get a package in the mail?
8. What is your favorite movie or show to watch?
9. Do you think it is important to treat workers well? Why?
10. How would you feel if you had to wait a long time for a package?
11. Do you think Amazon will keep growing? Why or why not?
12. What is a smart gadget? Do you have one?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. company
2. bookstore
3. fulfillment
4. packages
5. gadgets
6. everywhere
7. taxes
8. data
9. ads
10. competition

Meanings:
(A) Pictures or words that try to sell you something
(B) Boxes or bags with things inside
(C) A place where you buy books
(D) Trying to be better than others at the same thing
(E) Information collected about things
(F) Making sure things are ready to go
(G) Money you give to the government
(H) Cool tools or machines that help you
(I) In all places you can think of
(J) A group that makes or sells things
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who started Amazon?
(a) Jeff Bezos
(b) Bill Gates
(c) Elon Musk
(d) Mark Zuckerberg

2. What did Amazon begin as?
(a) A toy store
(b) A clothing store
(c) A food store
(d) A bookstore

3. What does Amazon sell now?
(a) Only books
(b) Almost everything
(c) Only toys
(d) Only clothes

4. What is Amazon Prime Video?
(a) A type of food
(b) A video game
(c) A place for movies and shows
(d) A music app

5. What smart gadget does Amazon have?
(a) Siri
(b) Google
(c) Alexa
(d) Cortana

6. What do some people say about Amazon’s workers?
(a) They are not treated well
(b) They are very happy
(c) They work only at night
(d) They get free toys

7. What might Amazon use to make more money?
(a) Food
(b) Shopping data
(c) Books
(d) Clothes

8. Who are some companies that compete with Amazon?
(a) Walmart and Target
(b) Apple and Google
(c) Netflix and Hulu
(d) Temu and Shein

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Now, Amazon sells only a few things.
2. Fulfillment centers pack and send many packages every day.
3. Amazon makes smart gadgets like Alexa.
4. Jeff Bezos started Amazon in 2004.
5. Amazon has books and music on Amazon Prime Music.
6. Amazon has big buildings called fulfillment centers.
7. Amazon started as a bookstore 30 years ago.
8. Most people think Amazon treats workers well.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What did Amazon start as a long time ago?
2. Who started Amazon?
3. What does Amazon sell now?
4. What is Amazon Prime Video?
5. What do some people say about how Amazon treats its workers?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What did Amazon start as a long time ago?
Amazon started as a bookstore.

2. What does Amazon sell now?
Amazon sells almost everything.

3. Who started Amazon?
A man named Jeff Bezos started Amazon.

4. What is one thing people can watch on Amazon?
People can watch movies on Amazon.

5. What is a fulfillment center?
A fulfillment center is a big building where they pack and send packages.

6. What is one smart gadget that Amazon has?
One smart gadget that Amazon has is Alexa.

7. Why do some people worry about Amazon?
Some people worry that Amazon does not treat workers well or pay enough taxes.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) buildings
(2) fulfillment
(3) Amazon
(4) feels
(5) Bezos
(6) treat
(7) data
(8) companies
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. company
Answer: (J) A group that makes or sells things

2. bookstore
Answer: (C) A place where you buy books

3. fulfillment
Answer: (F) Making sure things are ready to go

4. packages
Answer: (B) Boxes or bags with things inside

5. gadgets
Answer: (H) Cool tools or machines that help you

6. everywhere
Answer: (I) In all places you can think of

7. taxes
Answer: (G) Money you give to the government

8. data
Answer: (E) Information collected about things

9. ads
Answer: (A) Pictures or words that try to sell you something

10. competition
Answer: (D) Trying to be better than others at the same thing
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who started Amazon?
Answer: (a) Jeff Bezos

2. What did Amazon begin as?
Answer: (d) A bookstore

3. What does Amazon sell now?
Answer: (b) Almost everything

4. What is Amazon Prime Video?
Answer: (c) A place for movies and shows

5. What smart gadget does Amazon have?
Answer: (c) Alexa

6. What do some people say about Amazon’s workers?
Answer: (a) They are not treated well

7. What might Amazon use to make more money?
Answer: (b) Shopping data

8. Who are some companies that compete with Amazon?
Answer: (d) Temu and Shein
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Now, Amazon sells only a few things. (Answer: False)
2. Fulfillment centers pack and send many packages every day. (Answer: True)
3. Amazon makes smart gadgets like Alexa. (Answer: True)
4. Jeff Bezos started Amazon in 2004. (Answer: False)
5. Amazon has books and music on Amazon Prime Music. (Answer: False)
6. Amazon has big buildings called fulfillment centers. (Answer: True)
7. Amazon started as a bookstore 30 years ago. (Answer: True)
8. Most people think Amazon treats workers well. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧