Learn English with the News | Advanced Reading Lesson

Would you like to improve your English reading  skills? In this lesson we're going to read a  

newspaper article together. So you can learn  a lot of advanced vocabulary, complex grammar,  

complex sentence structure and natural  pronunciation in a very fun and engaging  

way. And at the end of this lesson, I'll share  a link to a free PDF that summarizes everything  

that you learned in this lesson. I'll also read  the article in full right at the end, so make  

sure you watch right till the end. Welcome back to  JForrest English training. Of course, I'm Jennifer  

and this is your place to become a fluent and  confident English speaker. Now let's get started.  

Welcome to our article today so first  I'm going to read the article in full  

and you can practice along with my  pronunciation. So while do that now,  

Netflix backlash leads to another password sharing  rule change Netflix has retracted password sharing  

restrictions that were apparently posted in error  on his platform. Earlier this week, the streamer  

had updated its rules for sharing passwords on  its Help Center page. It noted that once Netflix  

account is for people who live together in a  single household. Netflix further specify that  

people who do not live in your household will  need to use their own account to watch Netflix.  

The update was met with serious backlash with a  number of subscribers threatening to cancel their  

subscriptions. On Thursday, Netflix responded  to the situation and said the information was  

shared accidentally. For a brief time yesterday. I  Help Center article containing information that is  

only applicable to Chile, Costa Rica and Peru went  live in other countries and Netflix spokesperson  

told The Guardian we have since updated it. The  Independent has contacted Netflix for comment  

since last year. Netflix has been testing out  paid sharing in the three countries where an  

account holder is required to pay for an extra  person identified as someone who lives outside  

of the account holders home to access service  in Costa Rica. The added fee costs $2.99 a month  

for people to have uninterrupted access to  Netflix. The help document explained that  

people would have to keep watching  something from their home every 31  

days. If they don't they will be asked to  enter a temporary code in order to log in.  

Now let's review the article in more detail  and you'll learn some advanced vocabulary and  

sentence structure. So let's start with our  headline. Netflix backlash leads to another  

password sharing rule change. So to understand  the article and the meaning you need to know  

what backlash means backlash. backlash is a noun  and it's a strong negative reaction to a change.  

A change or a decision. So the headlines suggests  that there was some sort of change or decision by  

Netflix and the general public said no, no, no, we  don't like that. That backlash. This is commonly  

used with the government, but it can be used  with companies as well. So you might say the  

government's I'll just say decision, whatever  their decision is the government's decision,  

their policy that change the new law the  government's decision resulted in backlash,  

which means people were upset what No, I don't  want that. I don't like that. They complain.  

That is backlash. We commonly modify this, you  might say resulted in a lot of backlash to just  

emphasize the severity of it. So you can use  this if your company introduce something new  

and the employees are really upset about it. That  that feeling from the employees that is backlash.  

Alright, so let's find out what this back lash is  all about. Netflix has retracted password sharing  

restrictions that were apparently posted in  error on its platform. Okay, retracted is  

when you take something back. So they had these  restrictions live. And then there was backlash,  

strong neighbor negative reaction. So then  they took it back. They said no no, no,  

we'll get rid of it. We'll cancel that  restriction. So to take something back  

to take back. A decision is also used with  statements. So a politician could say,  

my opinion is and then later on, he could retract  that statement, which means he takes his opinion  

back, because maybe he got a lot of backlash for  his opinion or his statement. So to take back.  

Another way of saying is to reverse to reverse  a decision. First you say yes, we're going to  

do this and then you reverse it and you say, No,  we're not going to do that. So that's retracted.  

And what did they retract the restrictions? The  password sharing restrictions that were apparently  

posted in error on its platform, apparently  is a great adverb to add to your vocabulary,  

because it's used this is an adverb is used when  you're not 100% certain if something is true.  

So I might say, apparently, we have to work late  this weekend. Now if I just say we have to work  

late this weekend. It sounds like a statement. So  it sounds like a fact this is happening. But if I  

add apparently, then there's some doubt this might  not happen. Now, notice my placement here I put  

it at the beginning, which is very common. You can  also say you can put it at the end and you can say  

we have to work late this weekend, apparently,  or you can put it in front of your verb. And  

in this case, it would be let me copy this here.  We apparently have to work late this weekend. So  

in front of your verb, and that's where they  have it here in front of the verb. Alright,  

so that's the different sentence structures and  this is a great advert to have in your vocabulary.  

Let's continue on. Earlier this week. The streamer  had updated its rules for sharing passwords on  

its Help Center page. Okay the streamer This is  Netflix because Netflix streams content online. So  

they're just referring to Netflix as the streamer.  The streamer had updated its rules. And this is  

for this sharing passwords, but then remember,  they retracted it. They took it back because of  

the backlash the strong negative reaction from  the public from the users. Let's continue on.  

It noted that one's Netflix account is  for people who live together in a single  

household. Netflix further specified that people  who do not live in your household will need to  

use their own account to watch Netflix. To  be honest, I'm not really sure what this  

means. Does this mean that if I have a Netflix  account and I want to go to my friend's house,  

and I want to use my Netflix account at  my friend's house, it won't work because  

I don't live in my friend's household. I don't  really understand what this means to be honest.  

And maybe that's why there was a lot of backlash  because it was quite confusing. The public didn't  

understand it. Maybe you understand what this  means and you can let me know in the comments.  

Now let's take a look at this here. It noted. This  is a great verb. It's used commonly in business  

writing in formal writing and spoken English  as well. But in more of a business context,  

this isn't really a social verb. A casual verb is  more of a professional verb. So it simply means to  

notice something but let me show you how you've  probably seen this but maybe you don't feel quite  

confident using it and now you will. We commonly  use this with please note, please note, and then  

you tell the person what you want them to know,  what information do you want them to notice? Okay,  

please note that I'm out of the office until three  o'clock PM. So you might send this to your team in  

chat. Please note that I'm out of the office until  three so if they message you and you don't reply,  

they know why please know that. Now we use  this a lot in presentations. You might say.  

Note that the sales have doubled in the last  two quarters, for example. So you're giving a  

presentation and there's a lot of information  in the presentation, but you want them to pay  

attention to something specific, you can see  verbally know that the sales have doubled in  

the last two quarters. It's another way of saying  notice, notice is just another way of saying that  

and you can add please to be more polite or you  can use the imperative know that which is used for  

directions. So that's a great verb to have in your  professional vocabulary. Let's continue on. The  

update was met with serious backlash. So before I  use the modifier a lot of and here they're using  

serious and of course serious it sounds stronger  than saying a lot of backlash, serious backlash  

that instantly sounds a lot stronger. So you can  imagine the negative reaction was quite strong.  

If you say there was serious backlash when our  company canceled the conference, for example. So  

a very strong negative reaction from the public  the update was met with serious backlash with a  

number of subscribers threatening to cancel their  subscriptions. All right, let's continue on. On  

Thursday, Netflix responded to the situation and  said the information was shared accidentally.  

So they didn't intend to share the  information that would be the opposite.  

If you intend to do something then  it isn't accidental. So you could  

say that we didn't intend to share the  information. So this is the same as saying  

the information was shared accidentally. Now  I could also say we share the information  

accidentally, when you put it in the passive. This  is commonly done when you want to avoid taking  

responsibility because notice the difference. The  information was shared accidentally compared to  

we share the information accidentally or I share  the information accidentally. It sounds like I'm  

more responsible or were more responsible when I  use the active form. And it sounds like we're less  

responsible when the passive form is used, which  is why companies commonly talk like that. And it  

means the same as we didn't intend to share the  information. Now let's say the opposite is true.  

And you want it to share the information you  could say we intended to share the information  

and just that we intended to share  the information so this is the same  

as saying we plan to share the information  it was our intent to share the information.  

Okay, let's continue on. For a brief time  yesterday. Brief is a short period of time  

so another way of saying that for a short period  of time, is more common if you're using short is  

more common to to say a short period of time. But  for brief you can just say brief for a brief time  

yesterday for a short period of time yesterday.  I Help Center article containing information  

that is only applicable to Chile. Costa Rica and  Peru. So only applicable to is saying that Chile,  

Costa Rica and Peru, the restrictions or the  information was for them and not for others.  

So they have different rules or regulations  or policies in these countries compared to  

other countries. So that's only applicable to and  this is commonly used with rules or policies you  

could say oh, that rule is only applicable to new  employees. So maybe there's a probationary period,  

but it's only applicable to new employees. Another  word we use that's very common is apply that rule  

so I can see the exact same thing. That rule only  notice the changes I'm making. That rule only  

applies to new employees. So something applies  to something, a rule, a policy decision.  

But notice here I need my verb to be that rule  is only applicable to because it's with the verb  

to be. Let's say I wanted to talk about rules,  plural. Well, first of all, I would have to change  

that to those for plural those rules are only  applicable. That rule only applies those rules  

only applied to new employees. So of course you  have to conjugate your verbs accordingly. So this  

Help Center article that was available for a short  period of time. A brief time wasn't for everybody.  

So if you read this from Australia, or France  or Germany, it doesn't apply to you. It only  

applies to these three countries. All right, let's  continue on. The Independent has contacted Netflix  

for comments. All right. Good to know since last  year, Netflix has been testing out paid sharing in  

the three countries Okay, so the three countries  we know that it's Chile, Costa Rica and Peru.  

Now here has been testing out our present perfect  continuous present perfect continuous because it's  

an action that started in the past last year,  and it continues until now. So they're still  

doing it present perfect continuous. Now  in this case, adding out to the verb Test,  

test out test it really there's no difference  here. Netflix has been testing paid sharing.  

Netflix has been testing out page sharing there is  no difference sometimes that happens with phrasal  

verbs we add an out or an up we add a preposition  but it doesn't change the meaning. This is one of  

those cases. So paid sharing, whatever that is in  the three countries. So I guess they'll tell us  

now where an account holder is required to pay for  an extra person identified as someone who lives  

outside of the account holders home. Okay, so I  guess if I want my friend to access my Netflix, I  

have to pay a small fee of 299 a month so I guess  it's cheaper than my friend paying $15 a month for  

Netflix. She can just pay 299 a month and have  access to my account. I guess that's what it is.  

All right, and then they just identify what a  extra person is someone who lives outside of  

the account holders home to access service.  So in Costa Rica, the added fee costs 299 a  

month. I guess that seems pretty reasonable  to give someone access to your account.  

What do you think? Does that sound reasonable?  I don't know. For people to have I interrupted  

access to Netflix. The help document explained  that people would have to keep watching something  

from their home every 31 days. Okay, so  I'm not sure what happens if you don't  

watch Netflix for 31 days. Do they cancel your  account? I'm not sure if they don't oh, this is  

what happens. If they don't. They will be asked  to enter a temporary code in order to log in.  

Okay, I guess people didn't like that and  that's why there was a lot of backlash,  

which is the negative reaction. So maybe if you're  watching this from Costa Rica, Chile or Peru,  

maybe this article makes more sense to you. I  don't quite understand the change that Netflix  

is talking about here. Because I haven't heard  about it. But you didn't learn a lot of useful  

vocabulary from this lesson. So I hope you enjoyed  it. Amazing job with this lesson. I hope you  

enjoyed the article. If you did let me know in the  comment and what was your favorite new word from  

this article? Share that in the comments as well.  And if you look in the description of this video,  

you'll find the link to download the free lesson  PDF that summarizes everything you learned today,  

and if you found this video helpful, please  hit the like button share it with your friends  

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JForrest English.com and download your  free speaking Guide. In this guide I share  

six tips on how to speak English fluently and  confidently and until next time, Happy Studying!