单选题：根据下列文章,请回答题。Unpopular Subjects?Is there a place in today's s

根据下列文章,请回答题。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) 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 (歪曲)--subjects must not only be useful, they must also be _____________ (6) 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 _____________ (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. A．about
B．of
C．to
D．on