On this program we talk about common expressions in American English . And on today's show we will talk about a very common household object . People used it thousands of years ago and most likely you used it today . I am talking about soap . History experts say instructions for making soap were reportedly found on a clay Babylonian tablet . Ancient Egyptian , Chinese and Roman cultures also used some kind of soap . Today there are many different types of soap – from bars to liquid , from scented to plain . There are soaps to clean our bodies , our pets , our cars and our homes . Advertising for these products is big business . In fact , it is this connection to advertising that has given us the name of a very popular form of entertainment – soap operas . Just as many cultures have their own kinds of soaps , they also have their own kinds of soap operas – complicated stories about human relationships . Companies that made soaps , detergents and other cleaning products originally broadcast their commercials during these shows . And who was mainly watching these daytime shows ? So , these commercials were aimed at women who may have been cleaning their homes while watching the television program . So , that is where the “soap ” part of the name "soap opera " comes from . But what about “opera ”? Why not call them “soap shows ”? Well , in soap operas , the human stories that play out are extreme . The characters and situations of the shows are over-the-top ! They probably would not happen in real life . In fact , that is why many people criticize or make fun of soaps . They are too unrealistic . But who cares ?! Not the people who love soap operas , that's for sure . People do not watch soap operas to see real life or to learn valuable lessons . Soap operas are escapist entertainment . You get to escape your own life and live dangerously in someone else's … for about an hour at a time . As you may have noticed during this program , we often call soap operas just “soaps ,” as in , “Don't bother Felicia right now . She is catching up on all her soaps .” Now , some people may not want to admit that they enjoy watching such a show . For this reason , some people call soap operas their “guilty pleasure .” Guilty pleasures appeal to our secret desires , the ones we do not like to publicly share . You watch something , enjoy it … and then feel a little guilty afterward . People who watch soap operas – either daytime or nighttime soaps – are usually very loyal followers . In fact , it is this audience loyalty that appealed to advertisers in the first place . Soaps can be very addictive . Each episode leads to the next , to the next , to the next . And they usually end on some sort of cliffhanger , or an especially exciting ending . You really want to know what will happen next . “Tune in next week !” And you do tune in next week . You can't wait to find out what happens ! That is how a soap opera gets you hooked . But that's not all ! I have so much more to tell you …