单选题 The ESRC would prefer ______.

A、 that the students were carrying out purely knowledge-based studies rather than being trained as researchers
B、 to see higher standards of PhD students' theses and more ambitious doctoral topics
C、 more systematic teaching of research skills to fewer unrealistic expectations placed on inexperienced young PhD students
D、 that PhD students were less modest in their aims

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】文章第四段指出：“if PhD students were more modest in their aims”the ESRC认为不是一件坏事情，故排除选项B和D；又谈到the ESRC更希望年轻人多学一些“systematic teaching of research skills”，而不是“unrealistic expectations”，故选项C正确。同时指出将只拨款给那些将学生作为研究者而不是单纯的学知识来培养的学校，故选项A错误。