The Rise of Netflix 網飛的崛起 How did this streaming service change the way people watch TV and become a cultural force? 這個線上影音串流服務是如何改變人們看電視的方式以及如何成為一股文化勢力的呢？
Netflix has come a long way from its days as a DVD rental▼ company. It now produces original movies and TV shows that have become big hits across the globe. Even the latest remake of Hana Yori Dango, also known as Meteor Garden, in 2018 was produced by Netflix. The streaming service has almost 150 million subscribers▼worldwide as of 2019. With rising subscription▼fees, more money has been made available for Netflix originals like Stranger Things, Aggretsuko, Chef’s Table, and much more. Netflix was founded in 1997 by software▼ engineers, Reed Hastings and Marc Rudolph. At the time, it was a competitor▼ of the once popular and now out-of-business▼ movie and video game rental chain, Blockbuster. A famous story claims that Hastings created the company after being charged a $40 late fee by Blockbuster. When Netflix began their streaming service in 2007, things really started picking up. The Netflix original House of Cards, which was first released in 2013, got them eight Emmy nominations and put them on everyone’s radar▼. Netflix has had a huge cultural influence. It has become a part of pop culture and has completely changed how people watch television. With more and more people choosing streaming over cable TV, how will traditional cable services respond?
1. cultural a. 文化的 We should encourage young people to take part in more cultural activities. 我們應該鼓勵年輕人多參與文化活動。 2. worldwide adv. 遍及全世界地 Research shows that more than 100 children worldwide have the disease. 研究顯示世界各地有超過一百個孩童患有此疾病。 3. as of + 時間 自某時起 = as from + 時間 As of next month, the price of gas will be higher. 自下個月起，汽油價格會更高。 4. chain n. 連鎖店／集團 Family Mart, 7-ELEVEN, and OK Mart are just a few of Taiwan’s many convenience store chains. 全家便利商店、7-ELEVEN 和 OK 便利商店只是臺灣許多便利商店連鎖集團的其中幾家而已。 5. pick up （生意、經濟等）改進，好轉 The economy is starting to pick up again this year. 今年經濟再度開始好轉。 6. influence n. 影響 Parents have a huge influence on their children’s personalities and behavior. 父母親對小孩的個性及行為舉止有很大的影響。 7. choose A over B 選擇 A 而不選 B I know how to do the job, so why would you choose Jill over me as your secretary? 我知道如何做這份工作，那麼為何你選吉兒而不選我來擔任你的祕書？ 8. respond vi. 因應，反應 Jason asked Amy what the time was, but she didn’t respond. 傑森問艾咪幾點了，但是她沒反應。
▼rental a. 出租的 ▼subscriber n. 訂戶，訂閱者 ▼subscription n. 訂閱 ▼software n. 軟體 ▼ competitor n. 競爭者 ▼out-of-business a. 歇業的 ▼on sb’s radar 受某人關注的
Netflix has come a long way from its days as a DVD rental company. 本句中的片語 have come a long way 字面意思為「已經走了很長一段路」，引申為「（某事物）有極大進步，有長足進展」。 例 Information technology has come a long way since the 1980s. 自 1980 年代以來，資訊科技已經有了長足的進步。
fee 與 fare 的比較 1. fee 是指一般的服務費、手續費、報名費、入場費，或用來付給醫生、律師等專業人員辦事的費用。例如： admission fee 入場費 a membership fee 會員費 tuition (fees) / school fees 學費 a doctor’s fee 醫師診療費 a lawyer’s fee 律師費 例 You have to pay a monthly membership fee to use this fitness center. 要使用這家健身中心得先付會員月費。 2. fare 用來指搭乘交通工具（如：公車、計程車、火車、船隻、飛機等）的費用，如：bus fare（公車費）、train fare（火車費）、taxi fare（計程車費）等。 例 How much is the bus fare from here to the city hall? 從這裡搭公車到市政府要多少錢？
