A、They give girls a chance to level the playing field. B、They reveal that Title Nine is effective as thought. C、Far more boys th

Most schools in the United States receive money from federal programs. That means most schools must obey a federal law known as Title Nine.(16)It bars discrimination on the basis of sex at any educational institution that receives federal money. An exception is made for admissions at private undergraduate schools. For others, Title Nine covers "any education program or activity" receiving federal financial assistance. The full name is Title Nine of the Education Amendments of 1972.(17)A lot of Americans may be surprised to know that it was written without saying anything directly about sports. Yet that is where its effects are best known, especially at the high school level. After Title Nine became the law, the number of girls who joined high school sports teams sharply increased.(18)Research has linked participation in sports to positive effects like better self-image and higher grades. But are these a direct result? Two recent studies suggest that the answer is " yes." They offer long-term evidence that it can lead to improvements in education, work and health. One researcher, Betsey Stevenson, compared states, looking at differences in high school sports participation and in women’s education. For each ten percentage point increase in sports participation, she found a one point increase in female college attendance. The other researcher, Robert, looked at physical health. He found that those who came after Title Nine had a seven percent lower risk of obesity 20 to 25 years later. Nicole is associate director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls and Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota.(19)She says the new studies are important because they show trends over time. Still, far more boys than girls join sports teams nearly 40 years after Title Nine gave girls a chance to level the playing field.
16. What can we learn about Title Nine?
17. Why are people surprised at Title Nine?
18. What do the two researches find according to the passage?
19. Why are the new studies important according to Nicole?