Business English Bits Issue 241
The 10-min homework newsletter that supports your advanced business and English language learning through Youtube video reports and highlighting vocabulary ...
Warm welcome to today’s Business English Bits! Thanks for taking the time to read your copy … hope you find the subject interesting.
For the highlighted video report in today’s issue - 241 - we are with the CNBC channel, and one of the big business stories to hit the press this week.
The Amazon’s Zoox robotaxi has finally hit the US streets, as the company rolled out its operations on the Las Vegas strip. The snappy* design of Zoox’s driverless taxi is attracting tourists and locals alike as it offers free rides for a select range of destinations.
*Snappy (adj) - Concise, catchy, and attention-grabbing
The vehicle, manufactured in California, has been designed from the ground up* and is not based on the typical car model. There is no steering wheel or pedals and passengers face each other whilst being able to take in** the sites through increased visibility.
*From the ground up (ph) - Develop smth from the very beginning
To Take in (pv) - To View and experience
Amazon hopes to both expand the number of routes around Las Vegas as well as launching similar services in other US cities and around the globe. The service will provide some competition to Alphabet’s Waymo driverless taxi service which we saw in a previous issue of Business English Bits.
Zoox has stated that it is awaiting regulatory approval regarding the possibility to charge passengers for the ride. It’s believed that it will take around 10 years for any robotaxi service to make a profit as scaling up the business is exceptionally expensive, even without the cost of the driver. The sensors, design, hardware and software are all huge investments, but companies such as Amazon with Zoox are clearly investing in the future….
So sit back and enjoy a glimpse into transportation solutions coming to your city soon (ish*).
*-ish (suffix / informal) – Indicates approximation, uncertainty, or a “kind of” quality
Focus on some key new verbs from the video …
VIDEO: CNBC (10mins) - Amazon Just Launched Its Zoox Robotaxis In Las Vegas And We Took A Ride
Key Words - (Smth = Something; Sb=Someone; Col=Colloquial)
Bunch (n) – Informal group or collection of people, things, or ideas
Tricky (adj) – Difficult to manage, complex, or requiring skill
Manoeuvre (n) – Planned action or strategy, often to gain an advantage
To Start from the ground up (ph) – To Develop smth from the very beginning
Redundancy (n) – Duplication of systems/resources for backup
To Shoehorn (v) – To force smth into a situation where it doesn’t naturally fit
To Swerve (v) – To change direction suddenly, literally or figuratively
Weird (adj) – Unusual or unexpected, often in a way that feels out of place
To Err on the side of caution (ph) – To act conservatively to avoid risk
Windshield (n) – Front glass of a vehicle
To Pull over (pv) – To stop at the side of the road
To Acquire (v) – To buy or take control of another business, company, or asset
To Hit the road (ph) – To leave or begin a journey, start operating
To Overhype (v) – To exaggerate the importance or value of smth
To Jerk (v) – To move suddenly and roughly
Standpoint (n) – Perspective or position on an issue
Folks (n) – Informal term for people, often employees, colleagues, or customers
To Pull up (pv) – To bring to a stop or to make information accessible
To Idle (car) (v) – When a vehicle’s engine runs without moving
To Retrofit (v) – To add new technology or features to older systems or processes
Tooling (n) – Equipment, machinery, and software used in manufacturing
Magic (Silver) Bullet (ph) – Simple, seemingly perfect solution to complex problem
Ride hailing (cn) – App-based transport services where passengers book and pay for rides
To Envisage (v) – To imagine or plan for smth in the future
To Geofence (v) – To create a virtual geographic boundary using GPS or RFID
Word of the Day … Guess the missing key word - Answer given below with examples!
Some new idioms to review …
Word of the Day Answer:
Handful (n) - Small number or amount
Examples:
“Only a handful of investors showed interest in the new fintech startup.”
“The CEO relies on a handful of trusted advisors to make strategic decisions.”
I hope you’ve been able to glean something from this new issue of Business English Bits!
Have a nice weekend, and see you next Saturday!
Kevin