3 . Sports accounts for a growing amount of income made on the sales of commercial time by television companies. Many television companies have used sports to attract views from particular sections of the general public, and then they have sold audiences to advertisers.

An attraction of sports programs for the major U.S. media company is that events are often held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons — the slowest time periods of the week for general television viewing. Sport events are the most popular weekend programs, especially among male viewers who may not watch much television at other times during the week. This means the television networks are able to sell advertising time at relatively high prices during what normally would be dead time for programming. Media corporations also use sports to attract commercial sponsors that might take their advertising dollars elsewhere if television stations did not report certain sports. The people in the advertising departments of major corporations realize that sports attract male viewers. They also realize that most business travelers are men and that many men make family decisions on the purchases of computers, cars and life insurance.

Golf and tennis are special cases for television programming. These sports attract few viewers, and the ratings(收视率) are unusually low. However, the audience for these sports is attractive to certain advertisers. It is made up of people from the highest income groups in the United States, including many lawyers and business managers. This is why television reporting of golf and tennis is sponsored by companies selling high-priced cars, business and personal computers, and holiday trips. This is also why the networks continue to carry these programs regardless of low ratings. Advertisers are willing to pay high fees to reach high-income consumers and those managers who make decisions to buy thousands of “company cars” and computers. With such viewers, these programs don’t need high ratings to stay on the air.

1. Why would weekend afternoons become dead time without sport programs?

A．Because there would be few viewers

B．Because the advertisers would be off work.

C．Because television programs would go slowly.

D．Because viewers would pay less for watching television.

2. In many families, men make decisions on _________.

A．holiday trips	B．sports viewing
C．television shopping	D．expensive purchases

3. Why are the ratings not important for golf and tennis programs?

A．their advertisers are carmakers

B．their viewers are attracted by sports

C．their advertisers target at rich people.

D．their viewers can afford expensive cars

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．Television ratings are determined by male viewers.

B．Rich viewers contribute most to television companies.

C．Sports are gaining importance in advertising on television.

D．Commercial advertisers are the major sponsors of sport events.