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______ （1）Nature that “Universities must be allowed to study useless subjects-______ （2）they don’t，who will？ He went 0n to use the ______ （3）of Maxwell‘s electrodynamics_（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______ （4）in many universities.Indeed one suspects that it is one of those arguments that must be______ （5）anew（重新）by each generation.But now there is an added twist ~）——subjects must not only be useful，they must also be______ （6）enough that students will flock（蜂拥）to d0 them，and even flock to pay to do them.
As universities become commercial operations，the pressure to______ （7）subjects or departments that are less popular will become stronger and stronger， Perhaps this is most strongly______ （8）at the moment by physics.There has been much______ （9）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______ （10）science，which must be kept alive if only to______ （11）a base for other sciences and engineering.It is of their great personal concern that physics teaching and research is under______ （12）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______ （13）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 ______ （14）teaching in our schools and universities.We can also______ （15） cooperative arrangements to ensure that physicists keep their research and teaching up to date
1 A about B of C to D on
2 A if B as C because D since
3 A question B example C design D device
4 A powerful B terrible C difficult D active
5 A fought B weighted C respected D selected
6 A clear B popular C indefinite D available
7 A choose B strengthen C eliminate D identify
8 A recommended B opposed C suspected D felt
9 A discussion B fancy C evidence D influence
10 A precise B noble C new D fundamental
11 A install B provide C reach D cover
12 A agreement B construction C threat D consideration
13 A wait B move C progress D increase
14 A running B improving C learning D dropping
15 A fix B modify C review D develop