Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

1:1 Online English classes. Find out more

English Newsroom

Learn English through news articles - complete lesson plans, including articles, listening, classroom activities, quiz questions and more!

Netflix Grows with New Viewers and Ads

Netflix's crackdown on password-sharing led to a surge in sign-ups, with the streaming giant adding over 13.1 million subscriptions in the last quarter of 2022, the highest number since 2020.

Try this article at a different level?

 

Netflix got many new people to sign up at the end of last year. This happened because Netflix didn’t want people to share their passwords anymore. Lots of people chose the cheapest way to watch Netflix, even though it shows ads. Netflix didn’t want to have ads before, but they needed to find new ways to make money. They are also trying new things like showing live shows and they made a big deal to show wrestling.

Netflix is doing really well and is the best at streaming shows and movies. They have a new plan with ads, but they don’t think it will make them a lot of money this year. Netflix had some very popular shows and movies that many people liked. They also got a lot of awards. Last year, Netflix made a lot of money and their business grew. When they told people how well they did, their stock price went up.

Original news source: Netflix password crackdown fuels sign-up surge (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

Fast

📖 Vocabulary:

1sign upTo join or start using a service
2passwordsSecret words or numbers you use to open something on a computer or phone
3adsPictures and words on TV or a computer that try to sell you something
4streamingSending movies or TV to your computer or TV without needing to download them
5showsThings on TV like stories or games you can watch
6dealAn agreement or promise between people or companies
7wrestlingA sport where people pretend to fight in a ring
8popularLiked by many people
9awardsPrizes given for doing something really well
10stockPieces of a company that people can buy and sell

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Write down key words from the article on separate cards. One student from each team will come up and choose a card. They must act out the word on the card without speaking, and their team must guess what word they are acting out. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a copy of the article. One student will summarize the article for their partner, using their own words. The other student will then summarize it back to the first student. Encourage students to ask questions and clarify any confusing parts.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Write the following question on the board: “Do you think Netflix’s new plan with ads is a good idea? Why or why not?” Have students pair up and discuss their opinions on the matter. Then, have each pair share their opinions with the class by raising their hands and stating their stance.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article on separate pieces of paper. Divide the class into teams. One student from each team will come up and choose a word. They must then draw a picture representing that word, and their team must guess what word it is. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a blank piece of paper and ask them to create a catchy headline for an article about Netflix. Encourage them to be creative and use their knowledge of the article to come up with an interesting and attention-grabbing headline. Each group will then share their headline with the class.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Why did lots of new people sign up for Netflix at the end of last year?
2. Why did Netflix start showing ads?
3. What are some new things that Netflix is trying?
4. Why is Netflix considered the best at streaming shows and movies?
5. What happened to Netflix’s stock price when they told people how well they did?
6. Did Netflix make a lot of money last year?
7. What are some popular shows and movies on Netflix?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Netflix got (1)______ new people to sign up at the end of last year. This happened because Netflix didn’t want people to share their (2)______ anymore. Lots of people chose the cheapest way to watch Netflix, even though it shows ads. Netflix didn’t want to have ads before, but they (3)______ to find new (4)______ to make money. They are also trying new things like showing live shows and they made a big deal to show wrestling.

Netflix is doing really well and is the best at streaming shows and movies. They (5)______ a new plan with ads, but they don’t think it will make them a lot of (6)______ this year. Netflix had some very popular shows and movies that many people liked. They also got a lot of awards. Last year, Netflix (7)______ a lot of money and their business grew. When they told people how well they did, their stock price (8)______ up.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is Netflix?
2. Do you like watching shows and movies on Netflix? Why or why not?
3. How would you feel if you had to watch ads on Netflix?
4. Have you ever watched a live show on Netflix? What was it like?
5. What is your favorite show or movie on Netflix? Why do you like it?
6. Do you think Netflix is a good company? Why or why not?
7. Have you ever won an award for something you did? How did it make you feel?
8. How do you think Netflix makes money?
9. Do you think it’s fair for Netflix to ask people to stop sharing passwords? Why or why not?
10. Have you ever seen a wrestling match? What was it like?
11. How do you feel when you hear good news? Does it make you happy?
12. What do you think will happen to Netflix in the future? Why?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. sign up
2. passwords
3. ads
4. streaming
5. shows
6. deal
7. wrestling
8. popular
9. awards
10. stock

Meanings:
(A) To join or start using a service
(B) Pieces of a company that people can buy and sell
(C) Pictures and words on TV or a computer that try to sell you something
(D) Things on TV like stories or games you can watch
(E) Prizes given for doing something really well
(F) An agreement or promise between people or companies
(G) Liked by many people
(H) Sending movies or TV to your computer or TV without needing to download them
(I) A sport where people pretend to fight in a ring
(J) Secret words or numbers you use to open something on a computer or phone
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why did many new people sign up for Netflix at the end of last year?
(a) Netflix started showing ads
(b) Netflix had a big sale on their subscriptions
(c) Netflix didn’t want people to share their passwords anymore
(d) Netflix started showing live shows

2. What did Netflix do to make more money?
(a) They increased the price of their subscriptions
(b) They started selling merchandise
(c) They started a new streaming service
(d) They started showing ads

3. What did Netflix do to attract new viewers?
(a) They started showing commercials
(b) They started showing wrestling
(c) They started showing movies in theaters
(d) They started showing live shows

4. Why did Netflix’s stock price go up?
(a) They made a lot of money and their business grew
(b) They won a lot of awards
(c) They started showing live shows
(d) They started showing ads

5. What is Netflix known for?
(a) Selling merchandise
(b) Streaming shows and movies
(c) Showing live shows
(d) Showing commercials

6. Did Netflix have a lot of popular shows and movies?
(a) Yes
(b) No
(c) Maybe
(d) I don’t know

7. Will Netflix make a lot of money from their new plan with ads this year?
(a) Yes, they are very confident
(b) No, they don’t think so
(c) Maybe, it’s hard to say
(d) I don’t know

8. What is the cheapest way to watch Netflix?
(a) The plan without ads
(b) The plan with live shows
(c) The plan with ads
(d) The plan with commercials

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Netflix has a new plan without ads, and they think it will make them a lot of money this year.
2. When Netflix told people how well they did, their stock price went up.
3. Netflix had unpopular shows and movies that many people disliked.
4. Netflix is not trying new things like showing live shows and wrestling.
5. Netflix is the worst at streaming shows and movies.
6. Some people chose the cheapest way to watch Netflix, even though it has ads.
7. Netflix made many new people sign up because they didn’t want people to share their passwords.
8. Netflix won a lot of awards.
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. Why did many new people sign up for Netflix at the end of last year?
2. What did Netflix do to try and make more money?
3. What are some new things that Netflix is trying?
4. Why did Netflix’s stock price go up?
5. What happened when Netflix told people how well they did?

Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Why did lots of new people sign up for Netflix at the end of last year?
Because Netflix didn’t want people to share their passwords anymore.

2. Why did Netflix start showing ads?
They needed to find new ways to make money.

3. What are some new things that Netflix is trying?
They are showing live shows and wrestling.

4. Why is Netflix considered the best at streaming shows and movies?
Because they have a lot of popular shows and movies that many people like.

5. What happened to Netflix’s stock price when they told people how well they did?
It went up.

6. Did Netflix make a lot of money last year?
Yes.

7. What are some popular shows and movies on Netflix?
They have many popular shows and movies, but the article didn’t say which ones specifically.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) many
(2) passwords
(3) needed
(4) ways
(5) have
(6) money
(7) made
(8) went
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. sign up
Answer: (A) To join or start using a service

2. passwords
Answer: (J) Secret words or numbers you use to open something on a computer or phone

3. ads
Answer: (C) Pictures and words on TV or a computer that try to sell you something

4. streaming
Answer: (H) Sending movies or TV to your computer or TV without needing to download them

5. shows
Answer: (D) Things on TV like stories or games you can watch

6. deal
Answer: (F) An agreement or promise between people or companies

7. wrestling
Answer: (I) A sport where people pretend to fight in a ring

8. popular
Answer: (G) Liked by many people

9. awards
Answer: (E) Prizes given for doing something really well

10. stock
Answer: (B) Pieces of a company that people can buy and sell
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why did many new people sign up for Netflix at the end of last year?
Answer: (c) Netflix didn’t want people to share their passwords anymore

2. What did Netflix do to make more money?
Answer: (d) They started showing ads

3. What did Netflix do to attract new viewers?
Answer: (d) They started showing live shows

4. Why did Netflix’s stock price go up?
Answer: (a) They made a lot of money and their business grew

5. What is Netflix known for?
Answer: (b) Streaming shows and movies

6. Did Netflix have a lot of popular shows and movies?
Answer: (a) Yes

7. Will Netflix make a lot of money from their new plan with ads this year?
Answer: (b) No, they don’t think so

8. What is the cheapest way to watch Netflix?
Answer: (c) The plan with ads
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Netflix has a new plan without ads, and they think it will make them a lot of money this year. (Answer: False)
2. When Netflix told people how well they did, their stock price went up. (Answer: True)
3. Netflix had unpopular shows and movies that many people disliked. (Answer: False)
4. Netflix is not trying new things like showing live shows and wrestling. (Answer: False)
5. Netflix is the worst at streaming shows and movies. (Answer: False)
6. Some people chose the cheapest way to watch Netflix, even though it has ads. (Answer: True)
7. Netflix made many new people sign up because they didn’t want people to share their passwords. (Answer: True)
8. Netflix won a lot of awards. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

How about these other Level 1 articles?

🎉 Coming Soon ⏳

🧑‍💻 1 to 1 Online English Classes 👩🏻‍💻

Practice English through Zoom with me, Paul, or one of the teachers I have chosen for you. Suitable for all ages and levels.

Choose the teacher and time you want. 🧑🏻‍🏫👩‍🏫⌚️

You can learn:
– English writing skills (essays, emails, etc.) 
– English conversation practice 
– English pronunciation practice
– Textbook classes
Anything you want

Introductory prices:
60 minute class with native speaker (e.g. Paul): US$34.99 US$24.99
60 minute class with non-native speaker (e.g. Philippines, Indonesia): US$9.99 US$7.99

Interested? Please fill in the form and I will contact you soon!

Feedback