Taken from things that really happened, not made up. It goes in front of a noun — a true-life story, a true-life drama, a true-life adventure — and it is mostly the language of advertising: book covers, film posters, magazine headlines, TV listings. It carries a promise and a bit of excitement: 'this really happened to somebody'.

Taken from取材自 things that really happened真實發生過的事，not made up不是編出來的。It goes它放 in front of a noun在名詞前面——a true-life story真人真事的故事、a true-life drama真實事件的戲、a true-life adventure真實的冒險——and it而且它 mostly大多 is the language of advertising是廣告的語言：book covers書封、film posters電影海報、magazine headlines雜誌標題、TV listings節目表。It carries它帶著 a promise一個承諾 and a bit of excitement和一點興奮：'this really happened to somebody'這真的發生在某個人身上。

Because of that, it usually attaches to dramatic material — crime, survival, romance, illness — not to plain factual writing. Nobody calls a science textbook true-life, even though it is true.

Because of that因為這樣，it usually attaches to它通常黏著 dramatic material戲劇性的題材——crime犯罪、survival求生、romance愛情、illness疾病——not to plain factual writing而不是平鋪直敘的知識性文字。Nobody calls a science textbook true-life沒有人會說科學課本是 true-life，even though it is true即使它是真的。

Note also that 'true-life' does not mean every detail is exact; films sold this way are often 'based on' real events and change plenty. You will see 'true-to-life' too, but that is a different thing: it means 'realistic, like real life', and it can describe something invented.

Note also that也要注意 'true-life' does not mean不代表 every detail is exact每個細節都正確；films sold this way用這種方式賣的電影 often常常 are 'based on' real events是「根據」真實事件，and change plenty而且改了很多。You will see 'true-to-life' too你也會看到 'true-to-life'，but that is a different thing但那是另一回事：it means它的意思是 'realistic, like real life'「寫實、像真實人生」，and it can describe它可以形容 something invented虛構的東西。