ABSTRACT: American TV series is a type of TV program which is prevalent in China, and can be classified into three categories: soap opera, comedy and Drama. After the three significant steps of development it has gone through, with the popularization of the Internet and the promotion of the subtitle translation groups online, American TV series has become increasingly popular in china, and has already become the essential part forming Chinese audience’ everyday life. As a vital part of American popular culture, American TV series have won tremendous interests and support from Chinese audience through its innovative materials choosing, novel and varied ways of expressing and exquisite production. And among the old, the middle-aged and the young, three different age groups in China, a great number of them regard watching American TV series as one of the important approaches for learning English. The paper intends to explore the positive effects watching American TV series has on English learning, to draw a conclusion of clear and effective opinions to provide valuable references for English learners by referring to the scientific data and analyzing theories with objective facts. 

Key words: watching American TV series  English studying  positive effects

Content

摘要：

Abstract:

1.Introduction-6

1.1 The Origin of American TV Series-6

1.2 The Development of American TV Series in China-7

1.3 The Influence of American TV Series in China-7

2. The Role of Watching American TV Series in English Study-9

2.1 To Know the American Culture-9

2.1.1 Individualism Values-9

2.1.2 Diverse and Open Social Culture-10

2.1.3 The Importance of Religious Belief-11

2.1.4 Materialism Values-11

2.2 To Have the Pure Language Environment-12

2.2.1 The Speaking Rate-12

2.2.2 Pronunciation and Intonation-13

2.2.3 Vocabulary and Useful Expressions-13

2.3 To Help Improve English Ability-15

2.3.1 To Improve English Listening Ability -15

2.3.2 To Improve the Ability of Reading Comprehension -16

2.4 To Arouse Learners’ Interests-17

3 How to Use American TV Series to Learn English Effectively  -17

Conclusion-19

Bibliography-20

Acknowledgment-21