exclude categories from WP home page

hmph.php

in functions.php file
<?php

add_filter( 'pre_get_posts', function ( $query ) {
if ( $query->is_home() && $query->is_main_query() ) {
$example_term = get_term_by( 'name', 'featured', 'category' );
$example_term_2 = get_term_by( 'name', 'Featured Post', 'category' );
$example_term_3 = get_term_by( 'name', '1,000 Stories', 'category' );
$example_term_4 = get_term_by( 'name', '1,000 Stories Spotlight', 'category' );
$query->set( 'category__not_in', $example_term->term_id, $example_term_2->term_id, $example_term_3->term_id, $example_term_4->term_id );
}
});

?>

in index.php file

<?php 
    if ( have_posts() ) {
    while ( have_posts() ) {
        the_post();
        x_get_view( 'ethos', 'content', get_post_format() );
    }
}
?>

Thanks! Fixed that, but posts are still not being excluded.