The Reading / Listening - Saying 'Please' - Level 0

Amazon has a new virtual assistant called "FreeTime". It has a "Magic Word" function that says "please" and "thank you". Amazon wants children to copy these two words when they ask the assistant questions. FreeTime will answer and then say: "Thank you for asking so nicely."

Many people think technology teaches children to be rude. Children forget to say "please" or "thank you". Not everyone is happy with this new technology. Some people think technology stops face-to-face conversation. They think parents should spend more time with children and teach them to say "please" and "thank you".

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Saying 'Please' - Level 1,  Saying 'Please' - Level 2   or  Saying 'Please' - Level 3

Sources
  • https://slate.com/technology/2018/04/amazon-announces-a-kid-friendly-alexa-freetime-and-echo-dot-kids-edition.html
  • https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/baig/2018/04/25/amazon-echo-dot-kids-alexa-thanks-them-saying-please/547911002/
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-43897516


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. a new virtual
  2. It has a "Magic Word"
  3. "please"
  4. Amazon wants
  5. they ask the assistant
  6. FreeTime will
  7. Thank you for
  8. technology teaches children
  1. and "thank you"
  2. asking so nicely
  3. assistant
  4. to be rude
  5. function
  6. questions
  7. children to copy these
  8. answer

Paragraph 2

  1. Children forget to
  2. Not everyone
  3. this new
  4. technology stops face-to-face
  5. They think parents
  6. spend more
  7. teach
  8. say "
  1. technology
  2. them
  3. should
  4. is happy
  5. please"
  6. say "please"
  7. time with children
  8. conversation

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Amazon (1) ___________________ virtual assistant called "FreeTime". (2) ___________________ "Magic Word" function that (3) ___________________ "thank you". Amazon wants children to (4) ___________________ words when they ask the assistant questions. FreeTime (5) ___________________ then say: "Thank you for (6) ___________________."

(7) ___________________ technology teaches children to be rude. Children (8) ___________________ "please" or "thank you". Not everyone (9) ___________________ this new technology. Some people think technology stops (10) ___________________ conversation. They think parents should (11) _________________ with children and teach (12) ___________________ "please" and "thank you".

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Amazonhasanewvirtualassistantcalled"FreeTime".Ithasa"MagicWor
d"functionthatsays"please"and"thankyou.".Amazonwantschildrent
ocopythesetwowordswhentheyasktheassistantquestions.FreeTime
willanswerandthensay:"Thankyouforaskingsonicely."Manypeopleth
inktechnologyteacheschildrentoberude.Childrenforgettosay"please
"or"thankyou".Noteveryoneishappywiththisnewtechnology.Somep
eoplethinktechnologystopsface-to-faceconversation.Theythinkp
arentsshouldspendmoretimewithchildrenandteachthemtosay"pleas
e"and"thankyou".

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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