If you want to further improve your oral pronunciation or learn the language as used by real Americans, not the stiff, textbook-like content such as “Fine, thank you and you,” you need to watch more original movies and TV shows. Here are some.

The Walking Dead

Synopsis: “The Walking Dead” is about people surviving after the world becomes full of zombies(僵尸). Rick Grimes, the leader, and his group face dangers from both zombies and other people. The show looks at how they keep going and make tough choices to stay alive.

Desperate Housewives

Synopsis: “Desperate Housewives” revolves around the lives of four women living on Wisteria Lane. The show delves into their seemingly perfect suburban existence, unraveling (揭露) secrets, scandals, and unexpected twists. As friendships form and break, each character grapples with personal challenges. The series combines drama, humor, and mystery to explore the hidden struggles within a picturesque neighborhood.

This Is Us

Synopsis: Inspired by true figures, “This Is Us” tells the story of the Pearson family. The show explores their lives, joys, and challenges across different timelines. With relatable characters and heartfelt moments, it delves into love, loss, and the connections that bind us. Viewers witness the family’s journey through ordinary yet deeply emotional experiences, creating a touching portrayal of the ups and downs of life.

Prison Break

Synopsis: “Prison Break” tells the story of Michael Scofield, an engineer who intentionally gets himself imprisoned to aid his wrongly blamed brother, Lincoln Burrows, in avoiding execution (极刑). The plot focus on Michael’s detailed plans, tattoos (纹身) containing vital hints, and partnerships formed inside the prison, keeping viewers on the edge as they witness daring escapes and unexpected alliances (联盟) in the pursuit of freedom.

Leslie Jones is a well-known comedian and actress, best known for her time on “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) and her work in stand-up comedy. Her journey into comedy started unexpectedly.

When she was a college freshman, and a friend signed her up for a campus comedy contest. Despite having no previous experience in stand-up, she immediately felt comfortable on stage and won the contest. This experience lit her passion for comedy. However, Leslie Jones faced challenges in pursuing (追求) a professional comedy career.

At the age of 19, she received advice from Jamie Foxx, who suggested that she needed more life experiences to draw material from for her comedy. Foxx advised her to go out, live life, work various jobs, and gain a broader range of experiences to enrich her comedy. Jones took Foxx’s advice to heart and took on a series of jobs, including working as a justice of the peace at weddings and even working for a construction company owned by Scientologists. Throughout these experiences, she kept her ultimate goal of becoming a comedian in mind.

In her memoir, Leslie Jones, she reflects on her upbringing as a military brat, her journey through the male-dominated (男人主宰的) world of comedy clubs, and her eventual breakthrough when she joined the cast of SNL in 2014 at the age of 47.

One unique aspect of Leslie Jones’ comedy style is her commitment to physical comedy, even if it sometimes results in injury. She’s willing to take risks and use her physicality to get laughs from her audience. She’s known for her energetic and bold performances, which often involve physical performance or exaggerated movements.

In summary, Leslie Jones’ comedy career began unexpectedly in college, and despite facing initial challenges, she pursued a variety of life experiences to enrich her comedy. Her devotion to physical comedy and her unique approach have contributed to her success in the entertainment industry.

After spending years competing as a marathon mountain runner and cross-country skier, Gudrun Pflueger devoted herself to tracking wolves as a field biologist in Canada’s backcountry.

And her research and encounters with the Canadian coastal wolves led to the 2010 Smithsonian Channel documentary (纪录片) A Woman Among Wolves.

Less than a month after filming along British Columbia's islands, Pflueger, then 33, was diagnosed with a brain tumor (瘤) and told she might have only 18 months to live.

Surgeons removed a golf ball-size tumor, and Pflueger, now promoting her Smithsonian Channel follow-up, Running With Wolves, credits wolves with helping inspire her recovery.

“I really believe the encounter with the wolves in the wilderness was a powerful medicine. They gave me strength,” says Pflueger, now 37, whose life-threatening encounter with a coastal wolf pack was highlighted in the earlier film.

“Most people see them as bad, as killing machines. But they are part of nature. They have some of the same characteristics as we do—determination, courage, a strong will to live.

Running With Wolves was filmed over parts of 2011-2012, while Pflueger was regaining her physical strength. It tracks her inspirational but hard return to Canada's coast.

“It’s rare for filmmakers to go back, but people can relate to this story on all sorts of levels,” says Smithsonian Channel’s chief programmer, David Royle. “Gudrun was a world-class athlete who is fun and energetic. She’s enthusiastic about a species that's been misrepresented. And you come away feeling inspired by her courage and bravery recovering from cancer.”

“We want to draw attention to women scientists. They’re underrepresented at the top level,” he says. “We also wanted to challenge stereotypes (成见) that women scientists are unimportant.”