Unpopular Subjects？ Is there a place in today's society for the study of useless subj

Unpopular Subjects？

Is there a place in today's society for the study of useless subjects in our universities？Just over 100 years ago Fitzgerald argued in a well-written letter ____________(51)Nature that "Universities must be allowed to study useless subjects--____________ (52)they don't, who will？" He went on to use the____________ (53) of Maxwell'selectrodynamics (电动力学) as one case where a "useless subject" has been transformed to a useful subject.

Nowadays this argument is again very much____________ (54) in many universities.Indeed one suspects that it is one of those arguments that must be____________ (55)anew (重新 by each generation. But now there is an added twist (歪曲 )-subjects must not only be useful, they must also be____________ (56) enough that students will flock (蜂拥 ) to do them, and even flock to pay to do them.

As universities become commercial operations, the pressure to____________ (57)subjects or departments that are less popular will become stronger and stronger.

Perhaps this is most strongly____________ (58) at the moment by physics. There has been much____________ (59) in the press of universities that are closing down physics

departments and incorporate them with mathematics or engineering departments.

Many scientists think otherwise. They see physics as a____________ (60) science,which must be kept alive if only to____________ (61) a base for other sciences and engineering. It is of their great personal concern that physics teaching and research is under____________(62) in many universities. How can it be preserved in the rush towards commercial competition？ A major turnaround (转变)in student popularity may have to____________(63) until the industrial world discovers that it needs physicists and starts paying them well.

Physics is now not only unpopular; it is also "hard". We can do more about the latter by____________(64) teaching in our schools and universities. We can also(65) cooperative arrangements to ensure that physicists keep their research and teaching up to date.

第 51 题

A．about

B．of

C．to

D．on