On Friday, the premium cable channel, HBO, announced that it will temporarily unlock nearly 500 hours of programming.

The content available to stream for free will include some of its most popular shows, such as ¡®The Sopranos¡¯ or ¡®The Wire¡¯. Some movies and documentaries will also be available; however, some of HBO¢¥s more recent hits, including ¡®Game of Thrones¡¯, are absent from the list.

HBO is unlocking this content to encourage people to remain inside as much as possible to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. Another reason could also be the network¢¥s way of supporting interest for its upcoming subscription service.

Since many sporting events, festivals and concerts have been canceled, streaming services like HBO Now and Netflix have seen a significant increase in viewership.

Difficult words: absent (not present), curb (to control or limit something unwanted), subscription (a regular payment made in advance to receive something, usually a magazine or a service).