Netflix told everyone how much their shows and movies are watched. People watched a show called “The Night Agent” a lot, more than any other show in the first part of the year. Some people who make shows and movies want to get more money when their work is watched a lot. So, Netflix shared this information to help everyone understand what is popular.

They made a big list of what people watched. It shows what was watched the most from January to June. Some old shows like “Friends” and “The Office” are still very popular. The most-watched movie was “The Mother” with Jennifer Lopez. Also, shows and movies not in English are watched a lot.

Netflix is the biggest place to watch shows and movies online. They have a lot of people who subscribe to watch. Since last year, they have been telling us every week what the top ten shows and movies are. More than half of the new things on Netflix this year were on those lists. Netflix makes some of their own shows and movies, and they also have ones made by other people. People watch both kinds a lot.

Original news source: Netflix: Users spent 812 million hours watching The Night Agent (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Sketch It
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. Choose a popular show or movie from the article, such as “The Night Agent” or “The Mother”. One student from each pair will describe a scene or character from the show or movie to their partner, who will then sketch it. After a few minutes, have the pairs switch roles. Finally, have each pair show their sketches to the class and guess which show or movie they represent.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of vocabulary words from the article on the board, such as “subscribe”, “popular”, “watched”, “shows”, “movies”, etc. Divide the class into two teams. One student from each team will come to the front of the class and choose a word from the list. They must then draw a picture on the board to represent the word, without using any letters or numbers. Their team must guess the word within a certain time limit (e.g. 1 minute). If they guess correctly, the team earns a point. Continue with different students and words until all the words have been guessed. The team with the most points at the end wins.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Ask each group to discuss and come up with their own opinions on the following questions:
1. Do you think it’s important for Netflix to share information about what shows and movies are popular?
2. Why do you think some old shows like “Friends” and “The Office” are still very popular?
3. Have you ever watched a show or movie not in English? If so, what was it and did you enjoy it?
After the groups have had enough time to discuss, have each group present their opinions to the class. Encourage them to use phrases like “I think”, “In my opinion”, and “I agree/disagree because…”.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Give each student a copy of the article. Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Set a time limit (e.g. 3 minutes) and ask the students to read the article quickly and silently. After the time is up, one student from each pair or group must summarize the main points of the article to their partner/group members. Encourage them to use their own words and try to be as concise as possible. After each student has had a chance to summarize, have a class discussion to compare and clarify the main points.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Tell the students that they are going to make predictions about the future of Netflix and streaming services. Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group a large piece of paper and some markers. Ask them to brainstorm and write down as many predictions as they can think of within a certain time limit (e.g. 5 minutes). After the time is up, have each group present their predictions to the class. Encourage them to use phrases like “I think”, “In the future”, and “It’s possible that…”. Have a class discussion to compare the predictions and discuss which ones they think are most likely to happen.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Netflix tell everyone about their shows and movies?
2. Which show was watched the most in the first part of the year?
3. Why did Netflix share this information?
4. What did Netflix make a big list of?
5. Which old shows are still very popular?
6. What was the most-watched movie?
7. Do people watch shows and movies that are not in English a lot on Netflix?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Netflix told everyone how much their shows and (1)______ are watched. People watched a show called “The (2)______ Agent” a lot, more than any (3)______ show in the first part of the year. Some people who make shows and movies want to get more money when their work is watched a lot. So, Netflix shared this information to help everyone understand what is (4)______.

They (5)______ a big list of what people watched. It (6)______ what was watched the most from January to June. Some old shows like “Friends” and “The Office” are still very popular. The most-(7)______ed movie was “The Mother” with (8)______ Lopez. Also, shows and movies not in English are watched a lot.

Netflix is the biggest place to watch shows and movies online. They (9)______ a lot of people who subscribe to watch. Since last year, they have been telling us every (10)______ what the top ten shows and movies are. More than half of the new things on Netflix this year were on those (11)______. Netflix makes some of their own shows and movies, and they also have ones made by other people. (12)______ watch both kinds a lot.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What do you like to watch on Netflix?
2. Have you ever watched a show or movie that was not in English? Did you like it?
3. How would you feel if you made a show or movie and a lot of people watched it?
4. Do you think it’s important for Netflix to share what shows and movies are popular? Why or why not?
5. What is your favorite show or movie on Netflix? Why do you like it?
6. How do you think Netflix decides what shows and movies to make?
7. Do you like watching old shows like “Friends” and “The Office”? Why or why not?
8. Have you ever watched a show or movie that was made by Netflix? Did you like it?
9. What is the most-watched movie on Netflix this year? Have you seen it?
10. How do you feel when you see a show or movie on the top ten list on Netflix?
11. Do you think it’s fair for people to want more money when their work is watched a lot? Why or why not?
12. Why do you think Netflix is the biggest place to watch shows and movies online?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. Netflix
2. popular
3. subscribe
4. information
5. list
6. watched
7. shows
8. movies
9. online
10. subscribe
11. weekly
12. original

Meanings:
(A) Looked at something like a TV program or film
(B) Happening every seven days
(C) The very first or the one made by the person who had the idea
(D) Facts or details about something
(E) A place on the internet where you can watch lots of TV programs and films
(F) To pay money so you can use a service or get a magazine or newspaper regularly
(G) To pay money so you can use a service or get a magazine or newspaper regularly
(H) TV programs
(I) Films
(J) A piece of paper or a set of pages that shows a number of items or names
(K) Liked by many people
(L) Connected to the internet
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did Netflix share to help everyone understand what is popular?
(a) Information about how much money they make
(b) Information about their competition
(c) Information about their subscribers’ personal lives
(d) Information about what shows and movies people watched the most

2. Which show was watched the most in the first part of the year?
(a) “Friends”
(b) “The Night Agent”
(c) “The Office”
(d) “The Mother”

3. What was the most-watched movie?
(a) “The Night Agent”
(b) “Friends”
(c) “The Mother”
(d) “The Office”

4. What kind of shows and movies are watched a lot on Netflix?
(a) Shows and movies not in English
(b) Shows and movies in English
(c) Shows and movies made by Netflix
(d) Shows and movies made by other people

5. What does Netflix do every week?
(a) Share personal information about their subscribers
(b) Make new shows and movies
(c) Tell us the top ten shows and movies
(d) Compete with other streaming services

6. What percentage of new things on Netflix this year were on the top ten lists?
(a) Less than half
(b) More than half
(c) All of them
(d) None of them

7. What kind of shows and movies are still very popular on Netflix?
(a) Old shows like “Friends” and “The Office”
(b) New shows and movies
(c) Shows and movies not in English
(d) Shows and movies made by Netflix

8. What is Netflix?
(a) A social media platform
(b) A video game streaming service
(c) A news website
(d) The biggest place to watch shows and movies online

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Netflix excluded popular old shows like “Friends” and “The Office” from their list.
2. Non-English shows and movies are rarely watched on Netflix.
3. Netflix releases a weekly list of the top ten shows and movies, and more than half of the new content on Netflix this year was on those lists.
4. Netflix is the largest online platform for watching shows and movies.
5. Netflix did not share a list of the most-watched shows and movies from January to June.
6. 2. “The Night Agent” was not the most-watched show in the first part of the year.
7. The most-watched movie was “The Mother” starring Jennifer Lopez.
8. Some people who create shows and movies want to earn more money when their work is watched a lot.
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. What did Netflix share to help people understand what is popular?
2. Which show was watched the most in the first part of the year?
3. What are some old shows that are still very popular on Netflix?
4. What was the most-watched movie on Netflix?
5. Does Netflix only have shows and movies in English?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Netflix told everyone how much their shows and movies are watched.
2. The show called “The Night Agent” was watched the most in the first part of the year.
3. Netflix shared this information to help everyone understand what is popular and to support the creators who make popular shows and movies.
4. Netflix made a big list of what people watched the most from January to June.
5. The old shows “Friends” and “The Office” are still very popular.
6. The most-watched movie was “The Mother” with Jennifer Lopez.
7. Yes, people watch shows and movies that are not in English a lot on Netflix.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) movies
(2) Night
(3) other
(4) popular
(5) made
(6) shows
(7) watch
(8) Jennifer
(9) have
(10) week
(11) lists
(12) People
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. Netflix
Answer: (E) A place on the internet where you can watch lots of TV programs and films

2. popular
Answer: (K) Liked by many people

3. subscribe
Answer: (F) To pay money so you can use a service or get a magazine or newspaper regularly

4. information
Answer: (D) Facts or details about something

5. list
Answer: (J) A piece of paper or a set of pages that shows a number of items or names

6. watched
Answer: (A) Looked at something like a TV program or film

7. shows
Answer: (H) TV programs

8. movies
Answer: (I) Films

9. online
Answer: (L) Connected to the internet

10. subscribe
Answer: (F) To pay money so you can use a service or get a magazine or newspaper regularly

11. weekly
Answer: (B) Happening every seven days

12. original
Answer: (C) The very first or the one made by the person who had the idea
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did Netflix share to help everyone understand what is popular?
Answer: (d) Information about what shows and movies people watched the most

2. Which show was watched the most in the first part of the year?
Answer: (b) “The Night Agent”

3. What was the most-watched movie?
Answer: (c) “The Mother”

4. What kind of shows and movies are watched a lot on Netflix?
Answer: (a) Shows and movies not in English

5. What does Netflix do every week?
Answer: (c) Tell us the top ten shows and movies

6. What percentage of new things on Netflix this year were on the top ten lists?
Answer: (b) More than half

7. What kind of shows and movies are still very popular on Netflix?
Answer: (a) Old shows like “Friends” and “The Office”

8. What is Netflix?
Answer: (d) The biggest place to watch shows and movies online
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Netflix excluded popular old shows like “Friends” and “The Office” from their list. (Answer: False)
2. Non-English shows and movies are rarely watched on Netflix. (Answer: False)
3. Netflix releases a weekly list of the top ten shows and movies, and more than half of the new content on Netflix this year was on those lists. (Answer: True)
4. Netflix is the largest online platform for watching shows and movies. (Answer: True)
5. Netflix did not share a list of the most-watched shows and movies from January to June. (Answer: False)
6. 2. “The Night Agent” was not the most-watched show in the first part of the year. (Answer: False)
7. The most-watched movie was “The Mother” starring Jennifer Lopez. (Answer: True)
8. Some people who create shows and movies want to earn more money when their work is watched a lot. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧