ESL WORKSHEET - Streaming

LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

THE FUTURE OF STREAMING

LinguaHouse

Apr. 7, 2025

Level: Intermediate (B1-B2)
Type of language: Business English
Tags: Innovation and Product Development; Information Technology (IT); Entertainment; Television and Radio; The Media; Describing a Product/Service; Article Based; 16-18 Years Old; 18+ Years Old
Publication date: 04/07/2025

This reading lesson looks at a longer article about the history of Netflix and the future of streaming. Exercises focus on reading skills, related vocabulary and offer students the opportunity to discuss questions on the subject. (by Joe Wilson)

• CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English.
• CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English.
• CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio in British English.

AUDIO TRANSCRIPT

The rise of Netflix
Back in 1997, Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph started Netflix with a library of 900 movies that could be rented for 50 cents each for a maximum of a week.By 1999, they’d changed the business to a subscription model where customers could select which movies they wanted on the Internet.
They would then be sent up to four movies in the mail, when they sent them back, they would receive the same number of new movies. The beauty of this for customers was they didn’t have to leave their homes, they didn’t get fined if they were late, and they could watch as many movies as they liked for $15.95 per month. By 2003, Netflix had over one million regular customers.In 2007, Internet speeds allowed streaming to be introduced meaning people could bypass the need for DVDs altogether.
However, it took a while before this happened and Netflix only had 1000 titles on its website. However, it wasn’t long before that collection had grown and Netflix was able to commission its own original programming. In 2013, they introduced the series Lilyhammer, followed by Orange is the New Black and House of Cards. It seemed as though they had changed the way we watched entertainment and traditional TV and movies started to notice falling revenues.
They even changed the language with the term ‘binge-watching’ being word of the year in 2015, reflecting a modern way of consuming shows. In 2017, 100 million people had Netflix, a membership which had doubled by 2021. By now, Netflix were making their own movies and big name directors, such as Martin Scorcese, were choosing to show their new work exclusively on the service. It seemed like they could do no wrong. But it wasn’t to last.

Adapted from: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/business-english/the-future-of-streaming. Accessed on April 9, 2025. LinguaHouse.com © 2008–2025. All rights reserved.