Netflix got more people to join at the end of last year because they stopped letting people share their accounts. They got more than 13 million new people to sign up, which is the most they’ve had since 2020. Lots of these new people chose the cheapest way to watch Netflix, which has ads. Netflix didn’t want to have ads before, but they needed new ways to make money when they started losing customers.

Netflix is trying new things like live shows and they made a big deal to show wrestling. Other companies like Amazon are also trying to do better things to make more money. People who know a lot about this stuff think Netflix is doing the best out of all the streaming services. But Netflix doesn’t think ads will help them grow a lot this year.

Netflix had some really popular shows and movies that helped them get more people to join. They even got 18 Oscar nominations because they did so well. In 2023, Netflix made over $33 billion, which is more than last year, and they made $5.4 billion in profit. After they shared this news, the price of Netflix’s shares went up by more than 6%.

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

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a copy of the article. Instruct them to read the article and then write a summary of the main points in their own words. After a few minutes, have pairs share their summaries with the rest of the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Write the following statement on the board: “Do you think Netflix should continue to have ads in their cheapest plan?” Divide the class into small groups and instruct them to discuss the statement and come to a consensus. Then, have each group share their opinions with the rest of the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of vocabulary words from the article on the board. Divide the class into pairs or small groups. One person from each group will choose a word from the list and draw it on the board, while the others try to guess the word. The first person to guess correctly gets a point. Continue until all the words have been drawn and guessed. The group with the most points wins.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Instruct the students to work individually or in pairs to create catchy headlines for the article. Encourage them to use their creativity and language skills to come up with attention-grabbing headlines. Then, have students share their headlines with the rest of the class and discuss which ones they find most interesting or effective.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Instruct each pair to discuss and make predictions about the future of Netflix and the streaming industry based on the information in the article. They should consider factors such as the impact of ads, competition from other companies, and the popularity of Netflix’s shows and movies. After a few minutes, have pairs share their predictions with the rest of the class and facilitate a discussion on the topic.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Why did more people join Netflix at the end of last year?
2. How many new people signed up for Netflix?
3. What is the cheapest way to watch Netflix?
4. Why did Netflix start showing ads?
5. What are some new things Netflix is trying to do to make more money?
6. How did Netflix do at the Oscars?
7. What happened to the price of Netflix’s shares after they shared their news?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

(1)______ got more people to join at the end of last year because they stopped letting people share their accounts. They got more than 13 million new people to (2)______ up, which is the most they’ve had since 2020. Lots of these new people (3)______ the cheapest way to watch Netflix, which has ads. Netflix didn’t (4)______ to have ads before, but they needed new ways to make money when they started losing customers.

Netflix is trying new things like live (5)______ and they made a big deal to show wrestling. Other companies like (6)______ are also trying to do better things to make (7)______ money. People who know a lot about this (8)______ think Netflix is doing the best out of all the streaming services. But Netflix doesn’t think ads will help them grow a lot this year.

Netflix had some really (9)______ shows and movies that helped them get more people to join. They even got 18 (10)______ nominations because they did so well. In 2023, Netflix (11)______ over $33 billion, which is more than last year, and they made $5.4 billion in (12)______. After they shared this news, the price of Netflix’s shares went up by more than 6%.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is Netflix?
2. How would you feel if you couldn’t share your Netflix account with your friends anymore?
3. Do you like watching shows with ads? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about Netflix trying new things like live shows and wrestling?
5. Do you think Netflix is the best streaming service? Why or why not?
6. How would you feel if one of the shows or movies you liked helped Netflix get more people to join?
7. What do you think about Netflix making a lot of money last year?
8. Do you know what Oscar nominations are? Why do you think it’s a big deal for Netflix to get 18 nominations?
9. How would you feel if you owned shares of Netflix and the price went up by more than 6%?
10. Do you think Netflix will make a lot of money this year? Why or why not?
11. How do you think Netflix can continue to grow and get more people to join?
12. What is one thing you would like to see on Netflix in the future?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. accounts
2. sign up
3. ads
4. customers
5. wrestling
6. streaming
7. services
8. nominations
9. profit
10. shares
11. revenue
12. competitors

Meanings:
(A) The total amount of money a company gets from selling things or services
(B) To join a group or service by giving your information
(C) A sport where two people fight by holding and throwing each other
(D) Companies that help you with something or do something for you
(E) Times when someone is said to be good enough to win a prize
(F) Places on a website where you have your own private space with a username and password
(G) Watching movies or shows on the internet without having to download them
(H) People who buy things from a store or company
(I) Other companies that try to sell the same things or be better than another company
(J) Short videos or pictures that try to get you to buy something
(K) The money a company keeps after paying for everything it needs to run
(L) Pieces of a company that people can buy and sell
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why did more people join Netflix at the end of last year?
(a) They started showing live shows
(b) They won 18 Oscars
(c) They lowered their prices
(d) They stopped letting people share their accounts

2. How many new people signed up for Netflix at the end of last year?
(a) More than 20 million
(b) More than 5 million
(c) More than 10 million
(d) More than 13 million

3. Which is the cheapest way to watch Netflix?
(a) The one with ads
(b) The one without ads
(c) The one with live shows
(d) The one with wrestling

4. Why did Netflix start showing ads?
(a) To make more money
(b) To win more Oscars
(c) To get more customers
(d) To compete with Amazon

5. Which streaming service is considered the best by experts?
(a) Amazon
(b) Hulu
(c) Netflix
(d) Disney+

6. How much money did Netflix make in 2023?
(a) Over $5 billion
(b) Over $18 billion
(c) Over $33 billion
(d) Over $10 billion

7. What happened to the price of Netflix’s shares after they shared their financial news?
(a) It went down by more than 6%
(b) It went up by more than 6%
(c) It stayed the same
(d) It went up by more than 10%

8. What is one new thing Netflix is trying to do to make more money?
(a) Lower their prices
(b) Show wrestling
(c) Share their accounts
(d) Stop showing ads

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Netflix made over $33 billion in 2023 and had a profit of $5.4 billion, causing the price of their shares to increase by more than 6%.
2. Some new Netflix subscribers chose the most expensive option, which includes ads.
3. Netflix had unpopular shows and movies that helped repel more subscribers and even received 18 Oscar nominations.
4. Other companies, like Amazon, are also trying to find new ways to make money.
5. Many experts believe that Netflix is doing worse than other streaming services.
6. Despite trying new things, Netflix doesn’t think ads will help them grow a lot this year.
7. Netflix stopped showing live shows and even had wrestling on their platform.
8. Netflix gained over 13 million new subscribers at the end of last year, which is the most they’ve had since 2020.
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 more people join Netflix at the end of last year?
2. How did Netflix try to make more money when they started losing customers?
3. What are some new things that Netflix is trying to do?
4. How did Netflix get more people to join because of their popular shows and movies?
5. What happened to the price of Netflix’s shares after they shared their financial news?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Why did more people join Netflix at the end of last year?
More people joined Netflix because they stopped letting people share their accounts.

2. How many new people signed up for Netflix?
More than 13 million new people signed up for Netflix.

3. What is the cheapest way to watch Netflix?
The cheapest way to watch Netflix is by choosing the option with ads.

4. Why did Netflix start showing ads?
Netflix started showing ads because they needed new ways to make money when they started losing customers.

5. What are some new things Netflix is trying to do to make more money?
Netflix is trying new things like live shows and showing wrestling to make more money.

6. How did Netflix do at the Oscars?
Netflix did really well at the Oscars and got 18 nominations.

7. What happened to the price of Netflix’s shares after they shared their news?
The price of Netflix’s shares went up by more than 6% after they shared their news.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Netflix
(2) sign
(3) chose
(4) want
(5) shows
(6) Amazon
(7) more
(8) stuff
(9) popular
(10) Oscar
(11) made
(12) profit
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. accounts
Answer: (F) Places on a website where you have your own private space with a username and password

2. sign up
Answer: (B) To join a group or service by giving your information

3. ads
Answer: (J) Short videos or pictures that try to get you to buy something

4. customers
Answer: (H) People who buy things from a store or company

5. wrestling
Answer: (C) A sport where two people fight by holding and throwing each other

6. streaming
Answer: (G) Watching movies or shows on the internet without having to download them

7. services
Answer: (D) Companies that help you with something or do something for you

8. nominations
Answer: (E) Times when someone is said to be good enough to win a prize

9. profit
Answer: (K) The money a company keeps after paying for everything it needs to run

10. shares
Answer: (L) Pieces of a company that people can buy and sell

11. revenue
Answer: (A) The total amount of money a company gets from selling things or services

12. competitors
Answer: (I) Other companies that try to sell the same things or be better than another company
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why did more people join Netflix at the end of last year?
Answer: (d) They stopped letting people share their accounts

2. How many new people signed up for Netflix at the end of last year?
Answer: (d) More than 13 million

3. Which is the cheapest way to watch Netflix?
Answer: (a) The one with ads

4. Why did Netflix start showing ads?
Answer: (a) To make more money

5. Which streaming service is considered the best by experts?
Answer: (c) Netflix

6. How much money did Netflix make in 2023?
Answer: (c) Over $33 billion

7. What happened to the price of Netflix’s shares after they shared their financial news?
Answer: (b) It went up by more than 6%

8. What is one new thing Netflix is trying to do to make more money?
Answer: (b) Show wrestling
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Netflix made over $33 billion in 2023 and had a profit of $5.4 billion, causing the price of their shares to increase by more than 6%. (Answer: True)
2. Some new Netflix subscribers chose the most expensive option, which includes ads. (Answer: False)
3. Netflix had unpopular shows and movies that helped repel more subscribers and even received 18 Oscar nominations. (Answer: False)
4. Other companies, like Amazon, are also trying to find new ways to make money. (Answer: True)
5. Many experts believe that Netflix is doing worse than other streaming services. (Answer: False)
6. Despite trying new things, Netflix doesn’t think ads will help them grow a lot this year. (Answer: True)
7. Netflix stopped showing live shows and even had wrestling on their platform. (Answer: False)
8. Netflix gained over 13 million new subscribers at the end of last year, which is the most they’ve had since 2020. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧