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 of Fitzgerald Contraction Fame argued in a well-written letter to Nature that “universities must be allowed to study useless subjects – if(1)don't, who will？” he went on to use the example of Maxwell’s electrodynamics (电动力学) as one case where a“useless subject” has been transformed (转换) to a (2) subject.
Nowadays this argument is again very active in many (3)Indeed one suspects that it is one of those arguments that must be fought anew (重新) by each generation．But now there is an(4) twist (歪曲,扭曲)- subjects must not only be useful, they (5)also be popular enough that students will flock (蜂拥) to do them, and even flock to (6)to do them.
As universities become commercial operations, the pressure to eliminate (去除) subjects or departments that are less popular will become (7)Perhaps this is more acutely(尖锐地) felt at the moment by physics．There has been much discussion in the press of universities that are (8) physics departments and incorporate (使合并) them with mathematics or engineering departments.
Many scientists think otherwise．They see physics as a (9) science, which must be kept alive if only to provide a (10)for other sciences and engineering．It is of their great personal concern that physics teaching and research is (11) in many universities．How can it be preserved (保留,保存) in the rush towards commercial (12)？ A major turnaround (转变) in student popularity (讨人喜欢,流行) may have to wait (13)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 lattery (14)teaching in our schools and universities．We can also develop cooperative arrangements to ensure that physicists(15)their research and teaching up to date.
第 51 题

A. we
B. they
C. people
D. it