Speaking Boost · B1 · Lesson 41 of 50
Speaking Boost B1 · Block 9: Culture and Entertainment

Is binge-watching ruining our favourite series?

"Next episode in 5 seconds..." A study found binge-watchers forget series faster and enjoy them a little less. Talk about films and series, recommend your favourite without spoilers, and pitch a new series to a streaming service.

1

Warm-up

5 min
1.1

Films and series

Answer and give a real example for each one.

  1. What was the last film or series you watched?
  2. Do you prefer films or series? Why?
  3. What is the best film you have ever seen?
  4. Do you watch in English? With or without subtitles?
  5. Do you go to the cinema, or do you watch at home?
  6. What kind of films do you never watch?
2

Words and phrases

10 min
2.1

New words

For each word or phrase, say one true sentence about films or series you know.

2.2

Which word?

Choose the word or phrase that fits.

  1. I eight episodes last night and slept for four hours.
  2. Did you see the last ? It was incredible!
  3. I didn't understand the — there were too many characters.
  4. The at the end changed everything.
  5. The season ended with a huge .
  6. Don't tell me what happens! No !
  7. The film is Paris in the 1920s.
  8. I watch English films with .
2.3

Meanings

Choose the right answer, then press Check answers.

  1. a film that continues the story =
  2. all the actors =
  3. so exciting you can't stop =
  4. better than people think =
  5. a film that makes lots of money = a box-office
  6. to play a main role = to
2.4

Useful phrases

Use each phrase to recommend (or not!) a real film or series.

  • It's about...Він про...It's about a teacher who becomes a criminal.
  • It's set in...Дія відбувається в...It's set in a small town in the 1990s.
  • It stars...У головній ролі...It stars a famous Ukrainian actor.
  • What I loved about it was...Що мені сподобалося, так це...What I loved about it was the music.
  • I found it a bit...Мені він здався трохи...I found it a bit slow at the beginning.
  • You should definitely watch it if...Обов'язково подивись, якщо...You should definitely watch it if you like thrillers.
  • I couldn't stop watching.Я не міг (могла) відірватися.It was so gripping I couldn't stop watching.
  • It's totally overrated.Він дуже переоцінений.Everyone loves it, but it's totally overrated.
3

Read and react

8 min
3.1

Just one more episode

Read the article. Hover over the dotted words for help.

Is binge-watching ruining our favourite series?

Before streaming, people waited a whole week for the next episode of their favourite series. Then streaming services began releasing whole seasons at once, and "binge-watching" became normal. In a survey for Netflix in 2013, most of its viewers said they regularly watched two or more episodes in one sitting.

Why is it so hard to stop? Series are designed for it: episodes end with cliffhangers, and the next one starts automatically after a few seconds. Psychologists also point out that stories give us a pleasant feeling of escape, and the brain wants more.

But does binge-watching make us enjoy series more? A study at the University of Melbourne suggests the opposite. Researchers asked students to watch a series in different ways: all in one go, one episode a day, or one a week. The binge-watchers remembered the show well just after watching, but they forgot it faster. They also enjoyed it a little less than people who watched more slowly.

One explanation is that waiting gives us time to think, talk about the story with friends and look forward to the next episode. Some streaming services have gone back to releasing one episode a week for big shows.

So next time the "Next episode in 5 seconds" message appears, you might want to press stop. Your series might be better tomorrow.

3.2

True or false?

  1. Before streaming, people often waited a week for the next episode.
  2. Episodes are designed to make you stop watching.
  3. Binge-watchers in the study forgot the series faster.
  4. Binge-watchers enjoyed the series much more.
  5. Some streaming services now release big shows one episode a week again.
3.3

What do you think?

  1. Do you binge-watch? Which series did you watch fastest?
  2. Do you agree that waiting makes a series better?
  3. What was the best cliffhanger you've ever seen?
  4. How do you choose what to watch?
4

Grammar for speaking

10 min
4.1

Grammar for speaking

-ed adjectives

How a person feels.

I was bored. She was surprised. We were terrified.

-ing adjectives

What causes the feeling (the film, the plot, the person).

The film was boring. The ending was surprising. It was terrifying.

Strong adjectives

Use with absolutely, not very.

absolutely hilarious / terrifying / brilliant / awful · ✗ very hilarious

Common pairs: bored / boring, interested / interesting, excited / exciting, confused / confusing, disappointed / disappointing, amazed / amazing, frightened / frightening, moved / moving. Careful: ✗ I was boring at the cinema (= you made other people bored!).

4.2

Choose the right form

  1. The film was so
    that I fell asleep.
  2. I was really
    by the ending.
  3. It's an
    series — you have to watch it.
  4. We were
    with the sequel.
  5. The ending was
    hilarious!
  6. I'm not
    in horror films.
  7. The last scene was really
    . I cried.
  8. She was
    during the horror film.
4.3

Fix the mistake

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

  1. I was very boring during the film. →
  2. The plot was confused. →
  3. It was very hilarious. →
  4. I'm very interesting in documentaries. →
  5. The ending was disappointed. →
  6. We were exciting about the new season. →
4.4

Talk about it

Answer in detail. Use -ed / -ing adjectives.

  1. Describe a film that was so boring you stopped watching.
  2. What was the most surprising twist you've ever seen?
  3. Which film made you feel really moved? Why?
  4. Which series did you find confusing?
  5. Which film was absolutely terrifying for you as a child?
  6. What kind of films are you most interested in?
5

Film club

8 min
5.1

Pitch a film

Which of these would you watch tonight? Then recommend a REAL film or series you love in 1–2 minutes: what it's about, where it's set, who stars in it, and why your teacher should watch it. No spoilers!

Film 1

The thriller

  • Set in a snowy mountain hotel
  • Six strangers, one secret
  • A twist in every episode
  • "I couldn't stop watching"
Film 2

The comedy

  • A Ukrainian family wedding
  • Everything goes wrong
  • Absolutely hilarious
  • Great cast
Film 3

The documentary

  • About a woman who rescued 200 animals
  • Moving and inspiring
  • Beautiful nature
  • Slow at the beginning
5.2

Cinema or home?

Give your opinion and examples.

  1. When did you last go to the cinema? What did you see?
  2. What is better about watching at home? What is better at the cinema?
  3. Do film festivals still matter in the age of streaming?
  4. Which Ukrainian film would you recommend to foreigners?
6

Personal questions

10 min
6.1

Part I: Me

  1. What is your all-time favourite film?
  2. Which film have you seen more than three times?
  3. Do you cry during films?
  4. Who is your favourite actor or actress?
  5. Do you read reviews before watching?
  6. Have you ever walked out of a cinema?
  7. Do you prefer the original or the dubbed version?
  8. Which series are you watching now?
6.2

Part II: Other people

  1. Are series better than films nowadays?
  2. Should cinemas be cheaper?
  3. Why are there so many sequels and remakes?
  4. Is it rude to give spoilers?
  5. Do films influence how people behave?
  6. Which country makes the best films?
6.3

Part III: Thinking deeper

  1. Will cinemas disappear?
  2. Should streaming services show fewer, better films?
  3. Can films change society?
  4. Is watching films in English the best way to learn?
  5. Should violent films be restricted?
  6. Will AI make films in the future?
7

Roleplay

10 min
7.1

The film critic

You

Film critic

You are a film critic on a radio show. Review a film or series you have seen recently:
  • what it's about and where it's set (no spoilers!)
  • who stars in it and how good the cast is
  • what was amazing and what was disappointing
  • your rating out of 10
Speak for at least 3 minutes in total. Use -ed / -ing adjectives and strong adjectives.
Your teacher

Radio host

Asks short questions, for example:
  1. Is it suitable for families?
  2. Was it better than the book?
  3. Was it worth the hype?
  4. Who should NOT watch it?
7.2

Pitching a series

You

Screenwriter

You are a screenwriter pitching an idea for a new series to a streaming service:
  • the title and the genre
  • where and when it's set
  • the main characters and who should star
  • why viewers will binge-watch it (the cliffhangers!)
You do most of the talking. Use: It's set in... · It's about... · Viewers will be amazed when... · The first episode ends with...
Your teacher

Streaming executive

Asks tough questions, for example:
  1. Hasn't this been done before?
  2. Who is the audience?
  3. How many seasons?
  4. Why would it work outside Ukraine?
8

Debate

7 min
8.1

Agree or disagree?

"Series are better than films."

Ideas for

Series have more time to develop characters and stories. You can watch at home whenever you want. The best actors and writers now work on series.

Ideas against

Films are a complete artistic experience in two hours. Cinema is a social event. Many series are too long and repetitive. Some stories are better told in a short form.

Round 1: give your real opinion for 1–2 minutes. Round 2: defend the opposite side for 1 minute. Use: What I find amazing is... · I was disappointed by... · It's absolutely... · On balance...

9

Homework

at home

Your homework score

Do all four exercises, then press Check all homework. Correct answers will appear next to your mistakes.

– / 30
H1

Complete with a word

binge-watchedepisodeplottwistcliffhangerspoilersequelsubtitles
  1. I the whole season in two days.
  2. Did you see last night's ?
  3. The was too complicated for me.
  4. Nobody expected that at the end!
  5. The season ended with a .
  6. Don't give me a — I haven't seen it yet!
  7. The was worse than the first film.
  8. I always watch films with English .
H2

-ed or -ing?

  1. The film was .
  2. I was by the plot.
  3. It's an documentary.
  4. We were with the ending.
  5. The ending was brilliant.
  6. She was by the horror film.
  7. The final scene was .
  8. The kids were so about the new film.
H3

Correct or incorrect?

Decide if each sentence is grammatically correct.

  1. I was bored during the film.
  2. The film was very bored.
  3. The ending was surprising.
  4. I'm interesting in history films.
  5. It was absolutely hilarious.
  6. It was very terrifying.
  7. We were amazed by the special effects.
H4

Match the two halves

  1. It's about
  2. It's set in
  3. It stars
  4. What I loved about it was
  5. I found it
  6. You should definitely watch it
  7. Everyone loves it,

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© Yevheniia Kolesnykova, Academy of Languages. All rights reserved. No copying or reuse without written permission.