Netflix Update Changes How Users Rate, Watch Shows

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Materials Daily News

Intermediate

Exercise 1

Vocabulary

streaming

Noun

ˈstriːmɪŋ

listening to audio or watching videos on the Internet

Streaming is a popular form of entertainment nowadays.

rate

Verb

reɪt

to give a value to something based on a standard

I didn't enjoy the movie so I rated it very low.

predict

Verb

priːˈdɪkt

to say or guess what will happen in the future

The weather is difficult to predict.

Predicting the future is impossible in business.

Scientists cannot predict when another earthquake will happen.

No one in her department could predict that she would quit the company only two weeks after she had entered it.

Experts predict the world's population will peak at 9 billion.

Nobody can predict the future.

percentage

Noun

pərˈsɛntɪdʒ

a number that is an amount out of a total of 100

A large percentage of our sales is online.

A large percentage of our users are happy with our service.

match

Verb

mætʃ

to correspond or cause to correspond in some way

This photo matches the topic of the story.

Those socks don't match.

Her gloves match her dress perfectly.

The chair matches my desk perfectly.

Those two colors don't really match.

preference

Noun

ˈprɛfərəns

a greater liking for one option over others; a thing liked better

I don't really have a preference for any particular type of wine.

When you sign up, the app asks you to select your musical preferences so it can find artists you'll like.

fast-forward

Verb

fæst ˈfɔː(r)wə(r)d

to speed up music or video in order to skip parts, or to reach a certain point more quickly

This part is so scary! Can you fast-forward it?

opening credits

Noun

ˈəʊp(ə)nɪŋ ˈkred·ɪts

a list presented at the beginning of a movie or T.V. show which gives the names of the important people involved in making it

I always watch the opening credits of my favorite show.

optional

Adjective

ˈɑpʃənəl

available to be chosen, but not required

Those fields on the form are optional, so you can skip them.

This training class is optional, but I recommend that you attend it.

Many people pay to enter the museum, but in fact the fee is optional.

Exercise 2

Article

AI Generated Audio––:–– / ––:––

Netflix Update Changes How Users Rate, Watch Shows

The media streaming business Netflix is changing how users can rate and find shows. Users will no longer be able to use stars to rate what they watch on Netflix.

The update changes user ratings to a Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down system.

The company has been testing the new up or down system with hundreds of thousands of users around the world.

Results showed that viewers were 200% more likely to rate a show with a thumbs up or thumbs down system.

Netflix also hopes that the up and down ratings will better predict which shows viewers enjoy.

The update also changes how Netflix suggests shows for users, based on their past likes and ratings. Netflix will use a percentage measure to indicate how closely a show matches a user’s preferences.

Netflix is also currently testing a “Skip Intro” button that lets users fast-forward through opening credits of a show.

Of course, you are still free to watch the intro if you would like. The “Skip Intro” button is optional.

Exercise 3

Questions

How will users rate shows on Netflix in the future?

What did the testing of the new system show?

What else does the update change?

Will users have to use the "Skip Intro" button?

Exercise 4

Discussion

How familiar are you with Netflix?

What is your favorite T.V. show/movie. Why?

Why do you think Netflix decided to change the rating system?

Which rating system do you think is better?

Do you usually skip the opening credits when you watch T.V. shows? Why? Why not?

Exercise 5

Further Discussion

Is Netflix popular in your country?

What is your favorite form of entertainment? Why?

Do you usually check the rating of a movie or T.V. show before watching it? Why? Why not?

Do you think online services like Netflix will replace T.V. in the future?

Would you say that entertainment can be educational, or is it mostly a waste of time? Why?

Exercises for Further Self-Study

These self-study exercises are optional and should be carried out after the lesson has finished.

Exercise 6

Sentence Building

Write at least one sentence for each of the words in Exercise 1: Vocabulary. Begin by making sure you understand the definition of each word. Use the example sentences as a guide if you are unable to think of a sentence. Practice reading your sentences out loud.

Exercise 7

Summary

Make a brief summary of the article. Focus on the main topic and consider which pieces of information are most important. Make sure you include details such as what the article is about, who is mentioned in it, where and when the events took place, and also how and why they happened.

Parts of this lesson are based on:

An article by Voice of America.