第一篇
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 on 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 (峰拥) to do 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 about 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