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
