Ejercicio 1 - Option B - 2 · Inglés PAU Aragón Extraordinaria 2021

Is it bad to binge-watch?*

At a time when 74% of U.S. households use at least one streaming service, TV has become an integral part of our lives. While most of us think of Netflix when we think of binge-watching, teens are actually choosing YouTube videos over traditional streaming platforms (with YouTube coming in at 37% teen viewers and Netflix at 35%).

"Binge-watch" means to watch “many or all episodes of (a TV series) in rapid succession.” While not detrimental, binge-watching is probably not the best for our mental and physical well-being. According to Dr. Randall Wright, "When we binge-watch, we create an unhealthy environment for the brain because we're sitting for long periods of time, isolating ourselves from social activities and eating large amounts of unhealthy food." Additionally, a new study at the University of Michigan found that bingeing can also lead to poor quality of sleep, fatigue, and insomnia.

The worry now is that bingeing interferes with important priorities, time for unstructured fun, strong relationships with others, and space for important life lessons.

Why do teens binge? Ask a teen why they binge-watch Netflix, and they might say:

When Netflix releases a new show, all episodes become available at once. There's no need to wait a week between episodes. This lets viewers watch every episode as quickly as they desire.

Auto-play. No commercials, unlimited content, cheap subscriptions, the ability to download.

There are personal connections. Take YouTubers, for example. A big factor in YouTubers becoming so popular so fast is their ability to make their viewers feel seen and valued.

* binge-watch: to watch several episodes of a TV series at one time

2. Answer the following questions according to the information given in the text. Use your own words.

[2 points]

a)

Why is binge-watching not good for our physical well-being?

b)

How has Netflix changed the way TV shows are seen?