It is pretty much
a one-way street. While it may be common for university researchers to try their
luck in the commercial world, there is very little traffic in the opposite
direction. Pay has always been the biggest deterrent, as people with families
often feel they cannot afford the drop in salary when moving to a university
job. For some industrial scientists, however, the attractions of academia (学术界)
outweigh any financial considerations. Helen Lee took a 70% cut
in salary when she moved from a senior post in Abbott Laboratories to a medical
department at the University of Cambridge. Her main reason for returning to
academia mid-career was to take advantage of the greater freedom to choose
research questions. Some areas of inquiry have few prospects of a commercial
return, and Lee's is one of them. The impact of a salary cut is
probably less severe for a scientist in the early stages of a career. Guy Grant,
now a research associate at the Unilever Centre for Molecular Informatics at the
University of Cambridge, spent two years working for a pharmaceutical (制药的)
company before returning to university as a post-doctoral researcher. He took a
30% salary cut but felt it worthwhile for the greater intellectual
opportunities. Higher up the ladder, where a pay cut is usually
more significant, the demand for scientists with a wealth of experience in
industry is forcing universities to make the transition (转换) to academia more
attractive, according to Lee. Industrial scientists tend to receive training
that academics do not, such as how to build a multidisciplinary team, manage
budgets and negotiate contracts. They are also well placed to bring something
extra to the teaching side of an academic role that will help students get a job
when they graduate, says Lee, perhaps experience in manufacturing practice or
product development. "Only a small number of undergraduates will continue in an
academic career. So someone leaving university who already has the skills needed
to work in an industrial lab has far more potential in the job market than
someone who has spent all their time on a narrow research project."
单选题
By "a one-way street" (Line 1, Para. 1), the author means ______.
A.university researchers know little about the commercial world
B.there is little exchange between industry and academia
C.few industrial scientists would quit to work in a university
D.few university professors are willing to do industrial research
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】
单选题
The word "deterrent" (Line 2, Para. 1) most probably refers to
something that ______.
A.keeps someone from taking action
B.helps to move the traffic
C.attracts people's attention
D.brings someone a financial burden
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】
单选题
What was Helen Lee's major consideration when she changed her job in
the middle of her career?
A.Flexible work hours.
B.Her research interests.
C.Her preference for the lifestyle on campus.
D.Prospects of academic accomplishments.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】
单选题
Guy Grant chose to work as a researcher at Cambridge in order to
______.
A.do financially more rewarding work
B.raise his status in the academic world
C.enrich his experience in medical research
D.exploit better intellectual opportunities
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】
单选题
What contribution can industrial scientists make when they come to
teach in a university?
A.Increase its graduates' competitiveness in the job market.
B.Develop its students' potential in research.
C.Help it to obtain financial support from industry.
D.Gear its research towards practical applications.