Amazon to market Panorama boxes to companies

admin 2020年12月14日

Intermediate

science & technology, science & technology - intermediate

Pre-reading questions:

I will read each question. Then, please answer them.

What are your thoughts about security cameras in the workplace?
What do you think can companies do to secure their employees’ safety?

Vocabulary:

I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.

adhere /ad-HEER/

[verb] – if you adhere to a rule or agreement, you act in the way that it says you should
The staff are advised to adhere to the new safety measures in the office.

quality control /KWOL-i-tee kuhn-TROHL/

[noun] – the process of looking at goods when they are being produced to make certain that all the goods are of the intended standard
Did these products pass quality control?

pre-emptive /pree-EMP-tiv/

[adjective] – done before someone else can act, especially to prevent them doing what they had planned
Our teacher planned a pre-emptive measure to make sure we won’t fail the test.

revolution /rev-uh-LOO-shuhn/

[noun] – a very important change in the way that people do things
Drone cars are a technological revolution.

right /rahyt/

[noun] – the fact that a person or animal can expect to be treated in a fair, morally acceptable, or legal way, or to have the things that are necessary for life
Customers have the right to complain and send feedback.

Article reading:

Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.

Amazon plans to sell Panorama boxes to companies as a way to check if staff are adhering to safety measures in the workplace during the pandemic, reports state last December 3, Thursday. The Amazon Web Services (AWS) Panorama is originally designed to automate inspection tasks such as quality control and tracking barcode movement. However, Amazon states that it can be used to track people as well if workers are wearing face masks and socially distancing in the workplace. A workplace with the AWS Panorama can “get notified immediately about any potential issues or unsafe situations so you can take pre-emptive action.”

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) policy officer Mary Towers refers to this technology as “another example of how this revolution at work is picking up pace.” However, she warns about its possible negative effects on employees, such as harming their well-being, data privacy, and anti-discrimination rights. An Amazon spokeswoman explains that the company’s intention is to improve both workplace operations and employee safety while working during a pandemic. She added that the AWS Panorama has no facial recognition capabilities.

Comprehension Questions:

I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.

What is Amazon planning to sell to companies?
What did Towers say about the AWS Panorama technology?
What is the AWS Panorama originally designed for?
What did an Amazon spokeswoman say about the company’s intention?
What can a company get from the AWS Panorama if there are any potential issues in the workplace?

Discussion Questions:

I will read each question. Then, please answer them.

What is your opinion about Amazon’s plan of selling Panorama boxes?
Do you think these cameras are safe for the employees’ privacy?
In your opinion, should companies have cameras to track their employees’ safety? Please explain your answer.
What are the disadvantages of having surveillance cameras in the workplace?
How can you keep yourself safe while working outside/studying at schools during the pandemic?