A soap opera1 is a special genre2 of TV or radio entertainment. This kind of drama is usually characterized by dramatic3 displays4 of emotion. Different from other TV drama programs, a soap opera has an open-ended5 nature. This characteristic6 makes a soap opera's storyline7 can go on forever.
肥皂劇是一種電視或廣播娛樂的特殊類型。這種戲劇的特色多半在於戲劇化的情感呈現，和其它電影戲劇節目不同的是：肥皂劇沒有止境的特性，這使得它的故事可以不斷地發展下去。
Why this genre was named "soap opera" In the past, this kind of drama was usually sponsored8 by a company advertising soap products. The target audiences of soap operas are housewives.9
為何這種戲劇類型被命名為「肥皂劇」？在過去，這種戲劇多數被肥皂廣告商所贊助，其目標觀眾群是家庭主婦。
In America's soap operas, the characters are always more handsome, beautiful and wealthy than the ordinary people. The most popular plots of soap operas have often involved romances or secret relationships.
美國的肥皂劇中，角色總是比一般人更英俊、更美麗，而且更為富有。最流行的情節通常牽涉到羅曼史或者秘密的關係。
Most soap operas air in daytime. However, some famous soap operas, Dallas and Dynasty, aired10 in the prime time.11 Dallas and Dynasty have been studies by many mass communication12 scholars all over the world. Scholars have tried to understand the U.S. society through the analysis of these dramas.
大多數的肥皂劇在白天播放。不過，有些著名的肥皂劇，像「朱門恩怨」和「朝代」則在晚間的黃金時段播出。全世界的許多大傳學者曾研究「朱門恩怨」和 「朝代」； 他們想藉由對肥皂劇的分析來了解美國社會。
Even you are not a fan of soap operas, they continue to exist and influence the society and the audience.
就算你並不是肥皂劇的影迷，他們仍舊存在並且影響著社會和觀眾。
單字精解
1.soap opera 肥皂劇
2.genre 類型
3.dramatic 戲劇性的
4.display 展現
5.open-ended 無限制的
6.characteristic 特質
7.storyline 情節
8.sponsor 廣告提供者、贊助
9.housewife 家庭主婦
10.air 播出
11.prime time 黃金時段
12.mass communication 大眾傳播