But with the availability of streaming films at home and cheap DVDs, cinemas are struggling to keep their customers. Some places now offer comfortable seats with complimentary snacks and drinks so maybe trying to attract a younger audience by allowing the use of mobile phones is the way forward? A survey in 2017 found that a majority of 18-to-34-year-olds believed using social media while watching a movie would add to their experience.

Sociologist, Julie Albright, says "Millennials have become very good at multi-tasking so they think nothing of looking at their phone while doing other sorts of things including consuming films and television and other media."

However, not every young person wants to multi-task at the movies. Many of us still get annoyed by the theatre staff who appear not to do anything about it. Of course, we could ask the offenders to turn their phones off but as Adam Aron, head of AMC Entertainment, said in Variety magazine, "when you tell a 22-year-old to turn off the phone, don't ruin the movie, they hear 'please cut off your left arm above the elbow'." Clearly this is not what I would like to see but if you are tempted to use your mobile phone in the cinema that I'm at, please don't sit next to me! What do you think is the right thing to do?

词汇表 relaxation  放松

escapism  （通过幻想、阅读等方式）逃避现实

kick back  休息，放松

irritated  恼火的，被惹怒的

【Mobiles at the movies 在电影院里玩手机】相关文章：

★ Armed to the teeth 全副武装

★ In one ear and out the other 左耳进，右耳出

★ Cinema for the homeless and poetry in a box 流浪者的电影院，匣子里的诗

★ Take the field 运动员登场，上场

★ At sixes and sevens 乱七八糟

★ Fan the flames 煽风点火

★ To pop the question 求婚

★ Test the water 试探，摸底

★ To be on the same wavelength 意气相投

★ Reinvent the wheel 浪费时间做无用功