Question

A “talk show” is a show organized mainly around talk. Television talk shows have been around since the dawn of radio. Thus the start of talk shows’ golden age can be considered as 1948, even though television wasn’t common in American homes until the 1950s. From 1949 to 1973, nearly half of all daytime programming was talk.

Why are there so many talk shows? A talk show costs less than ＄100,000 per episode(一集) to produce whereas many of today’s TV series cost more than ＄1 million an episode. Thus , if successful, it can produce handsome profits . Still, it takes a lot of work . Since 1948, hundreds of talk shows have come and gone, with only a few having true staying power.

There are several types of talk shows , but while the styles might vary, the format(形式) is limited.

What we are most used to is the informal guest-host format, in which shows’hosts welcome famous people or other talk –worthy persons for an informal discussion.

The second most common format is the public issues show, in which hosts interview people in the news or experts in a given field. Shows that follow this format include both morning news programs and “issue” talk shows:

The Museum of Broadcast Communications’ Bernard M. Timberg notes two governing principles of all successful talk shows:

The host is everything :The host has a high degree of control over their show, from subject matter to comedic atmosphere . They are also the show’s brand and are responsible for it. The host can attract and refuse guests, organize their program and , in many cases, name a successor(继任者) when they retire.

Right here, right now: The second rule is that a talk show must be experienced in the present tense, whether it is broadcast live or taped in front of an audience earlier in the day. They should feel fresh, as if they are happening in the moment, even if the show is a 10-year –old rerun.

1.What is paragraph 1 mainly about?

A. How talk shows appeared? B. Why talk shows appeared?

C. When talk shows appeared? D. Where talk shows appeared?

2.What is an advantage of talk shows?

A. They are easy to make.

B. They are cheap to produce.

C. They come in varied formats.

D. They remain successful for a long time.

3.The two formats of talk shows differ in_____________.

A. the atmosphere they create

B. the time they are broadcast

C. whether they are sent out live

D. whether they invite famous guests

4.What is the key to talk shows’ success according to the second principle?

A. Dealing with the most popular issues.

B. Giving the audience an up-to-date feeling.

C. Inviting the audience to the place where the shows are made.

D. Running the shows several times to refresh the audience’s memory.

Answer 1