The 7 Steps March
1. CONTEXT
Mindmap
anything you
know about thetopic, including
vocabulary. Do
some research
online to help.

Smarthomes & Drones
Listening Questions 1

2. QUESTIONS

1. Name 3 smart devices mentioned in the audio.
.
2. When did Apple come out with its smart speaker and what is it called?

Read the listening
questions tocheck yourunderstanding.
Look up any new
vocabulary.

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3. What’s another name for a “digital assistant”?
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4. How much of the U.S. smart speaker market does Amazon have?
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5. What is Amazon’s digital assistant called?
.
Listening Questions 2

3. LISTEN

1. Name 2 situations drones are being used for.
.

Listen and answer
the questions
using fullsentences. Circle
the number oftimes and % you
understood.

2. What did Amazon do towards the end of 2015?
.
3. Where would these facilities be located?
.
4. How high would the blimps fly and what would they be used for?
.

1

Listening 1
2 3 4

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Listening 2
2 3 45%%%%%%

5. What is Wal-Mart planning, and what would they have in common withAmazon?
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Discussion Questions
1. How can smart devices improve the quality of our lives?
2. How do you feel about the increasing use of drones in society?

TRANSCRIPT 1

4. CHECK ANSWERS

Read through thetranscript andunderline theanswers. Checkthem against yourown answers.

When it comes to the smart home market, Amazon, Google and Apple have come out with what
are called “smart speakers.” Amazon’s lineup includes the Echo and Echo Dot, Google has theHome and Home Mini, and in February 2018 Apple launched the HomePod. These devices
work in conjunction with each company’s “digital assistant” (also known as “voice assistant”),
and are activated by saying specific words. Homeowners can control their smart devices withthem or even ask them questions like, “What is the weather going to be like today?”

5. CHECK VOCABULARY

MATCH THE SYNONYMS BY DRAWING LINES BELOW:

6. READ ALOUD

Read thetranscript aloudat least 5 times,
focusing on
intonation andpronunciation.

223344553344

Used toRapidly

At some point in the future

Eventually

Together withAccustomed toOrdinary

Average

Quickly

Another word that we’ve become accustomed to hearing is “drone.” Drones come in many
shapes, sizes and prices, and are used for all kinds of purposes, the best-known probably being
personal entertainment and movies. Drones have also been deployed in search and rescue
operations, and according to a CNN article, by insurance companies to assess damage, forexample after a natural disaster.
As online purchases continue to grow in popularity, the area that drones will probably have thebiggest impact on the average person is deliveries.
In June 2017, CNN reported that Amazon had applied for a patent in late 2015 for what could
eventually be their distribution center of the future. It looks like they would be located in cities
and designed for drones that would make deliveries. Interestingly, Amazon could also potentiallymake traditional truck deliveries from the same facility.

Say the transcript
aloud at the sametime as the audio
without reading
it. Circle how
many times
below.

22

In conjunction withTRANSCRIPT 27. SHADOWING

11

According to a CNET article published in August 2017, Amazon’s share of the smart speakermarket in the United States is about 70% and more than 1,000 different products work with their
voice assistant Alexa.
Smart home technology is developing rapidly and the opportunities appear to be limitless. Whatperhaps seemed very futuristic only a few years ago, now looks very realistic. It’s notinconceivable that our homes will one day be completely connected.

Read thetranscript andcircle any new
vocabulary you
find. Look themup and add themto your list.

11Smart devices are becoming an increasingly important part of our lives, and more and more ofthem are being designed for, and appearing in our homes. A few examples are electrical outlets,cameras, locks, lights, thermostats, and fans.

In December 2016 CNN reported that Amazon may also be planning another kind of facility.
Imagine a blimp that could function as a starting point for drone deliveries. The article explainedthat the blimps would fly over cities at more than 10,000 meters high.

5
5It looks like Amazon isn’t the only one with ambitious plans. In August 2017, Fortune reported
that Wal-Mart is looking to develop what Fortune called “floating warehouses,” and like Amazon
their drones would take off from there.