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ENGLISH FOR TEENAGERS · GENERAL ISSUES · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

NETFLIX OR
THE MOVIE
THEATER?
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1 Warm up
Look at the two images and answer the questions below.

picture 1 picture 2

1. What was the last movie that you watched at home and the last movie you watched at the movie
theater?
2. Is going to the movies popular where you live? Is it getting more or less popular? Why/why not?
3. Talk to a classmate and write down three advantages and disadvantages of watching a movie in
these ways.

advantages disadvantages

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2 Focus on vocabulary
Part A: Match each word or phrase to its correct definition.

1. hang out (phr. verb) a. spend time with friends, relaxing

2. popcorn (n) b. by a great amount

3. crisis (n) c. a very dangerous or very difficult situation

4. pandemic (n) d. a snack made from yellow seeds that is very popular at the movie
theater
5. by far (phr.) e. the quality of being liked or supported by many people

6. popularity (n) f. the need for something to be provided or supplied by others

7. demand (n) g. an illness that exists in most people or across most of an area

8. turn down (phr. verb) h. say no to something

Pronunciation tip

Hang out and turn down are phrasal verbs. When you say a phrasal verb, the stress is always
on the second syllable.

Part B: Write the correct word or phrase from Part A in each sentence.

1. COVID-19 was a major for the movie theater industry with many having to close.

2. There was a huge for the new PlayStation when it first became available.

3. I think Manchester United is the best soccer team in the world .

4. I always choose to have salt with my instead of sugar when I go to the movie
theater.

5. I’d never a free vacation to Australia.

6. The President’s is at an all-time low following his decision to increase taxes.

7. How cool would it be to with a celebrity for the weekend?

8. COVID-19 isn’t the first the world has seen and, unfortunately, won’t be the last.

Part C: Discuss these questions with a classmate and use the word in bold in your answer.

1. Do you eat popcorn when you go to the movie theater? What other snacks do you like to eat?
2. Who do you hang out with on the weekend? Where do you usually hang out?
3. Why might you turn down an invitation to the movies?
4. Is there a big demand for tickets when a popular movie is on at the theater or there is a big concert
or an important sports game?

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3 Scanning

You are going to read an article called ‘Netflix or the movie theater?’. Check which ways of watching
movies you think will be mentioned in the article. Scan the article on page 4 and check your predictions.

movie theater television

watches smartphones

YouTube tablets

computers laptops

Where are you going to watch the latest Hollywood movie?

4 Reading comprehension

Decide if the following statements are true (T), false (F), or not given (NG). Talk to a classmate and
give reasons for your answers.

1. Many people enjoy the movie theater.

2. Fewer young people were going to the movies before the pandemic.

3. The popularity of streaming services began to grow during the health crisis.

4. Families are watching together more at home.

5. More people are going to the movie theater now that they are open again.

6. There are many reasons why the movie theater’s popularity will continue.

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NETFLIX OR THE MOVIE THEATER?

Netflix or the movie theater?

Do you enjoy going to the movie theater? Yes, I hear you say. I love it!
A. Times to enjoy

Going to the movies is special for many people in many cultures. Often, the experience of hanging out with friends,
choosing what to watch, getting a huge box of popcorn, and watching a movie with lots of other people makes
this a really fun event. Sharing moments of excitement as you watch action movies, getting frightened together
watching a horror movie, or laughing with friends at a comedy really connects people and makes great memories.

B. Hard times

But the last few years have been difficult for movie theaters. They were hit harder than many businesses when
hundreds of thousands across the world had to close because of the health crisis. This was on top of the challenges
that theaters were already facing, with young people preferring to watch at home on streaming services such as
Netflix or watch YouTube videos on their smartphones.

C. New watching trends

Streaming services benefited from people being at home, and they got millions more viewers during the pandemic,
but this was already happening. In the last five years, the amount of traditional television that teens watch has
halved, and the percentage of 12–18-year-olds that watch videos online daily has more than doubled. The big TV
in the living room is being used less and less and the idea of a shared experience around a show or movie is slowly
becoming a thing of the past – in the home at least.

D. The technology

Ask a teenager today how they watch movies or their favorite shows and not many will say television, and if they
do, they don’t mean television in the traditional sense. Young people watch YouTube videos and stream movies
and TV series at a time that is convenient for them, on screens that are getting smaller, and it doesn’t matter
where. They might use a laptop in a bedroom, a tablet on the sofa, or a mobile phone on the bus or at school.

E. The research

All of this is good news for streaming services, but is it bad news for theaters? Are teenagers today so in love with
their devices that they won’t go to their local multiplex? The answer may surprise you because it’s a big loud "no!"
In a recent survey, teenagers in the UK were asked to name the leisure activity they had missed the most while at
home during the health emergency. The movie theater (62%) was by far the most popular answer, with going to
cafes and restaurants (18%), concerts (14%), and theme parks (4%) far behind.

F. The future

There are many reasons for the popularity of movie theaters with teenagers despite the demand for streaming
services. Some of the reasons given in the survey included watching a movie with friends, getting something to
eat and drink before or after the movie, and talking about new movies together. Teenagers are watching more
videos on smaller screens, and this is great, but if they get an invitation to the movies, it’s not one they are usually
going to turn down!

Sources: bbfc.co.uk; bbc.com; geckotheatre.co.nz; edweek.org; nytimes.com

Glossary
stream: play video or sound directly from the Internet
streaming service: an online entertainment business that provides video and/or audio content
Netflix: an example of a streaming service that provides movies and TV series
multiplex: a movie theater with lots of different rooms

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5 Listening
You are about to hear four teenagers talking about streaming and movie theaters.

Part 1: Listen and write down the type of movie each likes best.

Viktor Jamal Gemma Ella

Part 2: Listen again and complete the table with what each teenager likes about the movie theater
and what they like about streaming.

Name What kind of movie Why do they like Why do they like
do you like best? the movie theater? streaming?

Viktor (1) (2) (3)

Jamal (1) (2) (3)

Gemma (1) (2) (3)

Ella (1) (2) (3)

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6 Vocabulary
Look at these sentences. What do you think each word/phrase means?

1. I’m nearly always up for it. I’d never turn it down.

a. I hardly ever refuse an invitation to the movies because I like it so much.

b. I’m always positive about the movies I see, and I never say bad things about them.

2. I probably watch three or four hours a day – usually at home in my room. I’m a bit addicted to it,
to be honest.
a. I watch a lot, and I probably would find it difficult to stop even if I wanted to.

b. I watch a lot, but I get a bit bored of watching so much and would prefer to do something
else.

3. If my dad is watching football, I don’t have to – which is a relief!

a. I wish I could watch football more often with my dad.

b. I’m happy that I can watch something else when my dad is watching football.

4. We have like a family subscription or something and I can watch one thing – I love watching
musicals – my brother can watch cartoons, and my mum can watch a romance or something.
a. We paid Netflix $100 so we can watch whatever we want, whenever we want, forever.

b. We pay about $10 a month, which means we can watch lots of things at the same time.

5. Can you imagine meeting up with your friends and then going into different rooms at the
multiplex? That’d be so weird!
a. It would be really strange to meet up with friends at the movie theater and then watch
different movies.
b. It would be really cool to meet up with friends at the movie theater and then watch different
movies.

7 Speaking
Do a survey in your class about the movies your classmates like and what they like about the movie
theater and streaming. Make notes in the table below or in your notebook.

Name What kind of movie Why do you like Why do you like
do you like best? the move theater? streaming?

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8 Optional writing/homework

Write up the results of your survey (up to 150 words).

Use paragraph E from the article to help you:

All of this is good news for streaming services, but is it bad news for theaters? Are
teenagers today so in love with their devices that they won’t go to their local multiplex?
The answer may surprise you because it’s a big loud "no!" In a recent survey, teenagers
in the UK were asked to name the leisure activity they had missed the most while
at home during the health emergency. The movie theater(62%) was by far the most
popular answer, with going to cafes and restaurants (18%), concerts (14%), and theme
parks (4%) far behind.

9 Project

Work in pairs or groups. Read the instructions and create a presentation.

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NETFLIX OR THE MOVIE THEATER?

Transcripts

5. Listening

Viktor : Yeah, a Saturday afternoon at the movie theater is really good with friends. If there’s a
new movie out, especially an action film or maybe a comedy, I’m nearly always up for
it. I’d never turn it down. The best thing about watching a movie at the theater is the
sound quality. It’s amazing, especially a big action movie; it’s like you’re really there, you
know. You can’t get that kind of experience on YouTube even though I do like that I can
watch stuff wherever I want on my smartphone, you know. Just imagine if you could
get theater-quality sound from your cell phone.

Jamal (UK) : I’m a big Netflix fan. I probably watch three or four hours a day – usually at home in
my room. I’m a bit addicted to it, to be honest. I can watch whenever I want, which is
a big bonus. I couldn’t imagine having to wait for a whole week for the next episode
of my favorite TV shows like my parents had to do with normal TV. I’m happy that’s a
thing of the past! I love the movie theater, too, but the best thing is probably that it’s
somewhere I can hang out with my friends. We can chat before the movie – we always
argue about which movie to see, I usually want a horror but nobody else ever does.
Afterward, we are always happy and talk about the best parts.

Priti : By far the best thing about streaming at home is that we don’t all have to watch the same
thing. If my dad is watching the football, I don’t have to – which is a relief! We have like
a family subscription or something, and I can watch one thing – I love watching musicals
– my brother can watch cartoons, and my mom can watch a romance or something. You
can’t really do that at the movie theater! Can you imagine meeting up with your friends
and then going into different rooms at the multiplex? That’d be so weird!

Ella: I love the movie theater – I’m a really big fan. When you watch a sci-fi movie and there
is some kind of battle, the special effects are fantastic. I usually end up moving around
in my seat like I’m really there – in space! Or if there’s a scary bit, I end up throwing
my popcorn all over the place! You never get that at home – that feeling like you are
in the movie, especially if you’re watching on a small screen like a tablet or laptop or
something. What I do like about watching at home, though, is the choice. If you’re
at the theater, there might be like five movies at most you want to see, but there are
hundreds to choose from at home, so you’re never bored!

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Key
1. Warm up

10 mins.
Ask students to look at the images on the worksheet and discuss the questions in pairs. Accept all answers, but
students may talk about price, convenience, and choice. Advantages and disadvantages will be very important for
later in the lesson.
Note: Make sure that the students understand that the expression "go to the movies" refers only to seeing movies
at a movie theater.

2. Focus on vocabulary

Part A
10 mins.
Students work in pairs and match the vocabulary to their definitions. As you monitor, focus on pronunciation as
well as meaning. Check answers with the whole class.
Ask students to notice where the stress is on each word. One idea is to get them to tap the syllables out on the
table as they say each word e.g., pandemic = tap – TAP – tap. Alternatively, you could tap out some of the words,
and they can guess what it is. Point out the tip about phrasal verbs and ask them to say more examples with other
phrasal verbs they know e.g., turn on, stand up, etc.
1. → a. 2. → d. 3. → c. 4. → g. 5. → b. 6. → e. 7. → f. 8. → h.

Part B
5 mins.
Ask students to read all of the sentences before they decide which word to choose form Part A. Ask students to
check answers in pairs. Ask students to discuss each statement and say whether they agree with them.
1. crisis 2. demand 3. by far 4. popcorn
5. turn down 6. popularity 7. hang out 8. pandemic

Part C
5 mins.
Tell students to focus on saying the words in bold in their answers. Students could talk to a different classmate.
Question four may be more challenging. Try to give students an example such as: "Do you remember when (name
of famous singer/band) visited our city?" Or, "For which sports events is there a huge demand for tickets?" (elicit
the Super Bowl or the Olympics).

3. Scanning

2-5 mins.
Do this with the whole class and ask students to check the information they think will be mentioned. Set a strict
time limit (1 min) for them to scan the article. Check predictions with the whole class.
Sources
www.bbfc.co.uk/about-us/news/teens-missed-the-cinema-the-most-in-lockdown-new-bbfc-research-reveals
www.bbc.com/culture/article/20200403-why-cinemas-will-bounce-back-from-the-coronavirus-crisis
www.geckotheatre.co.nz/cinema-vs-streaming/pros-and-cons-of-streaming-vs-going-to-cinemas/

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www.nytimes.com/2020/10/16/movies/movie-theater-problems.html
www.edweek.org/leadership/teens-online-video-viewing-soared-over-the-past-four-years-report-finds/2019/10
✓ movie theater
✓ television
✓ smartphones
✓ YouTube
✓ tablets
✓ laptops

4. Reading comprehension

5 mins.
These questions check more detailed understanding of the text. Encourage students to underline pieces of the
text that give them the answer and to explain their answers in pairs before conducting whole class feedback.
1. T 2. T 3. F 4. F 5. NG 6. T

5. Listening

5-10 mins.
Before you listen, draw three circles on the board and write movies, the movie theater, and streaming in each.
Give students two minutes to brainstorm possible answers that they will hear in the listening. Play the listening
once and ask students to complete the first column. Check answers. Play the listening a second time and students
complete the rest of the table. Students check in pairs and then check with the whole class.
Part 1 and 2
Viktor: (1) action; (2) the sound; (3) the convenience
Jamal: (1) horror; (2) a chance to meet friends; (3) the time
Gemma: (1) musical; (2) not given; (3) everyone can watch different things
Ella: (1) sci-fi; (2) the special effects; (3) the variety on offer

6. Vocabulary

5 mins.
This exercise gives students a chance to analyze some of the language they heard and learn some new vocabulary.
In pairs, students look at the sentence from the listening and decide which sentence explains the meaning better.
Encourage students to look at the words in bold and match them to words or phrases in one of the options that
have a similar meaning. Tell students that these words might be direct synonyms or phrases.
1. a. 2. a. 3. b. 4. b. 5. a.

7. Speaking

10-15 mins.
This is a flexible stage and could be done either in groups, as a whole class mingle, or even at home talking to
friends and family depending on time and your classroom setup. Try for students to talk to a minimum of eight
other students if you intend students to write up the results of the survey (see section 8). This activity gives
students a chance to use much of the language that has been presented in the class in a freer context. As students
talk, you could take notes of nice examples of collocation and language as well as errors in pronunciation and use
to work into a feedback stage.

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Note:
This exercise also helps students prepare for the writing stage.

8. Optional writing/homework

30 mins.
Students can work at home or in the class. Ask students to look back at paragraph E in the article. Elicit the title
of the paragraph (The Research) and ask what the paragraph is mainly about (a survey on activities teenagers miss
the most). Tell students that they are going to write up the results of their survey in a similar way. They should use
paragraph E as a model and include information they gathered in their survey on favorite types of movies, reasons
for liking both the movie theater and streaming, and any conclusion they can draw from their survey.

9. Project

20-40 mins.
Students need to be split into small groups for this mini project. Give each group the name of a city in the US e.g.,
Chicago, Washington DC, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas, New York, Phoenix, etc. Tell students that their mission
is to plan an evening at the movie theater. This research can be done online during class time or as homework.
Students can collaborate together online at home, or they can delegate different tasks to different team members.
Tell students to be ready to present their movie plans at the beginning of the next class.

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