Amazon is trying out robots that look like humans in their US warehouses. These robots, named Digit, can move and pick up things like a person. Amazon says they are using robots to help workers focus on customers. But, a group in the UK says Amazon treats its workers like robots and many have lost their jobs because of machines.
The head of Amazon Robotics, Tye Brady, says people can’t be replaced and he doesn’t think warehouses will be fully run by robots. He believes people are needed because they can solve problems better. Digit, the robot, walks on two legs and is still being tested to make sure it’s safe and can work well with people.
Amazon has been using more robots to save money. They already use robots on wheels to move things in warehouses and drones to deliver packages in some parts of the US. Amazon says their robots have made many new jobs, including some that didn’t exist before. But, some people say robots are taking away jobs and Amazon is hurting its workers by using more robots.
Original news source: Amazon trials humanoid robots to ‘free up’ staff (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a copy of the article. Each pair should read the article together and then work together to write a short summary of the main points. After a few minutes, have pairs share their summaries with the class.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Write the following question on the board: “Do you think robots will eventually replace human workers in warehouses?” Have the class vote by raising their hands for either “yes” or “no.” After the vote, have students pair up and discuss their reasons for their choice. Finally, have a few pairs share their opinions with the class.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of vocabulary words from the article on the board (e.g. robots, warehouses, jobs, machines). Divide the class into teams and give each team a whiteboard or piece of paper. Call out a word from the list and have each team race to draw a picture representing that word. The first team to finish and hold up their drawing gets a point. Continue until all the words have been used, and then tally up the points to declare a winning team.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a piece of paper and have them draw a line down the middle to create two columns. On one side, have them list the pros (advantages) of using robots in warehouses. On the other side, have them list the cons (disadvantages). After a few minutes, have each group share their lists with the class.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask the class to imagine what warehouses will look like in the future. Will they be fully run by robots? Will human workers still be needed? Have students work in pairs or small groups to discuss their predictions and write them down. After a few minutes, have a few pairs or groups share their predictions with the class.
Comprehension Questions:
1. What are the robots in Amazon warehouses called?
2. What can the robots named Digit do?
3. Why does Amazon say they are using robots in their warehouses?
4. What does a group in the UK say about how Amazon treats its workers?
5. Does the head of Amazon Robotics think warehouses will be fully run by robots?
6. Why does the head of Amazon Robotics believe people are needed in warehouses?
7. What other types of robots does Amazon use in their warehouses and for delivering packages?
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Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Amazon is trying out robots that look like humans in their US warehouses. These robots, named (1)______, can move and pick up things like a person. Amazon (2)______ they are using robots to help workers focus on customers. But, a (3)______ in the UK says Amazon treats its (4)______ like robots and (5)______ have lost their jobs because of machines.
The head of Amazon Robotics, Tye Brady, says (6)______ can’t be replaced and he doesn’t think warehouses will be fully run by robots. He believes people are needed because they can solve problems better. Digit, the robot, walks on two legs and is still being tested to (7)______ sure it’s safe and can work well with people.
Amazon has been (8)______ more robots to (9)______ money. They already use robots on wheels to move things in warehouses and drones to deliver packages in some parts of the US. Amazon says their robots have (10)______ many new (11)______, including some that didn’t (12)______ before. But, some people say robots are taking away jobs and Amazon is hurting its workers by using more robots.
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Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What are robots?
2. How would you feel if robots were doing your job?
3. Do you think robots can solve problems as well as people? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about the idea of robots working alongside people?
5. Do you like the idea of robots delivering packages? Why or why not?
6. How do you think robots can help workers focus on customers?
7. What are some advantages of using robots in warehouses?
8. Do you think robots are taking away jobs? Why or why not?
9. How do you think workers feel about working with robots?
10. Would you like to work with robots? Why or why not?
11. How do you think robots can make new jobs?
12. What do you think Amazon should do to make sure workers are not hurt by robots?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. robots
2. Digit
3. warehouses
4. Amazon
5. workers
6. jobs
7. machines
8. drones
Meanings:
(a) Buildings where things are stored
(b) People who work for a company
(c) Tasks that people do to earn money
(d) Devices that do work automatically
(e) The name of a specific robot
(f) Machines that look like humans and move
(g) A company that uses robots in its warehouses
(h) Flying machines that deliver packages
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Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What are the robots in Amazon’s US warehouses called?
(a) Amazon
(b) Tye Brady
(c) UK
(d) Digit
2. Why is Amazon using robots in their warehouses?
(a) To replace workers
(b) To help workers focus on customers
(c) To save money on salaries
(d) To make the warehouses fully run by robots
3. What does the group in the UK say about Amazon’s treatment of workers?
(a) Amazon values its workers
(b) Amazon has created new jobs for workers
(c) Amazon treats its workers like robots
(d) Amazon is hurting its workers by using more robots
4. According to Tye Brady, will warehouses be fully run by robots?
(a) Yes, robots can do everything better than people
(b) No, people are needed because they can solve problems better
(c) Tye Brady doesn’t know
(d) Warehouses are already fully run by robots
5. What does Digit, the robot, look like?
(a) It has wheels
(b) It looks like a person
(c) It walks on two legs
(d) It is a drone
6. What are some of the ways Amazon is already using robots?
(a) Robots on wheels to move things in warehouses and drones to deliver packages
(b) Robots to help workers focus on customers
(c) Robots to replace workers
(d) Robots to make sure warehouses are fully run by robots
7. What does Amazon say about the impact of robots on jobs?
(a) Their robots have taken away jobs
(b) Their robots have made no difference to jobs
(c) Amazon doesn’t say anything about the impact of robots on jobs
(d) Their robots have created many new jobs
8. Who does Amazon say their robots have made new jobs for?
(a) Many different people
(b) Only people who already worked for Amazon
(c) No one, robots have taken away jobs
(d) Only people in the US
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True or False Questions:
1. Amazon is testing out robots that look like aliens in their US warehouses.
2. These robots, named Digit, can move and pick up things like a person.
3. Amazon is using robots to help workers focus on customers.
4. Digit, the robot, walks on three legs and is still being tested for safety and compatibility with animals.
5. Amazon has been using fewer robots to save money.
6. Some people believe that robots are taking away jobs and that Amazon is hurting its workers by using more robots.
7. A group in the UK believes Amazon treats its workers like robots and many have lost their jobs because of machines.
8. The head of Amazon Robotics believes that people can be replaced and warehouses will be fully run by robots.
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 are the robots in Amazon’s warehouses called?
2. Why does Amazon say they are using robots?
3. What does a group in the UK say about how Amazon treats its workers?
4. What does the head of Amazon Robotics think about replacing people with robots?
5. How does Amazon use robots to save money?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. What are the robots in Amazon warehouses called?
The robots in Amazon warehouses are called Digit.
2. What can the robots named Digit do?
The robots named Digit can move and pick up things like a person.
3. Why does Amazon say they are using robots in their warehouses?
Amazon says they are using robots in their warehouses to help workers focus on customers.
4. What does a group in the UK say about how Amazon treats its workers?
A group in the UK says that Amazon treats its workers like robots and many have lost their jobs because of machines.
5. Does the head of Amazon Robotics think warehouses will be fully run by robots?
No, the head of Amazon Robotics doesn’t think warehouses will be fully run by robots.
6. Why does the head of Amazon Robotics believe people are needed in warehouses?
The head of Amazon Robotics believes people are needed in warehouses because they can solve problems better.
7. What other types of robots does Amazon use in their warehouses and for delivering packages?
Amazon also uses robots on wheels to move things in warehouses and drones to deliver packages in some parts of the US.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) Digit
(2) says
(3) group
(4) workers
(5) many
(6) people
(7) make
(8) using
(9) save
(10) made
(11) jobs
(12) exist
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. robots
Answer: (f) Machines that look like humans and move
2. Digit
Answer: (e) The name of a specific robot
3. warehouses
Answer: (a) Buildings where things are stored
4. Amazon
Answer: (g) A company that uses robots in its warehouses
5. workers
Answer: (b) People who work for a company
6. jobs
Answer: (c) Tasks that people do to earn money
7. machines
Answer: (d) Devices that do work automatically
8. drones
Answer: (h) Flying machines that deliver packages
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What are the robots in Amazon’s US warehouses called?
Answer: (d) Digit
2. Why is Amazon using robots in their warehouses?
Answer: (b) To help workers focus on customers
3. What does the group in the UK say about Amazon’s treatment of workers?
Answer: (c) Amazon treats its workers like robots
4. According to Tye Brady, will warehouses be fully run by robots?
Answer: (b) No, people are needed because they can solve problems better
5. What does Digit, the robot, look like?
Answer: (c) It walks on two legs
6. What are some of the ways Amazon is already using robots?
Answer: (a) Robots on wheels to move things in warehouses and drones to deliver packages
7. What does Amazon say about the impact of robots on jobs?
Answer: (d) Their robots have created many new jobs
8. Who does Amazon say their robots have made new jobs for?
Answer: (a) Many different people
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Amazon is testing out robots that look like aliens in their US warehouses. (Answer: False)
2. These robots, named Digit, can move and pick up things like a person. (Answer: True)
3. Amazon is using robots to help workers focus on customers. (Answer: True)
4. Digit, the robot, walks on three legs and is still being tested for safety and compatibility with animals. (Answer: False)
5. Amazon has been using fewer robots to save money. (Answer: False)
6. Some people believe that robots are taking away jobs and that Amazon is hurting its workers by using more robots. (Answer: True)
7. A group in the UK believes Amazon treats its workers like robots and many have lost their jobs because of machines. (Answer: True)
8. The head of Amazon Robotics believes that people can be replaced and warehouses will be fully run by robots. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧
