The research should prove invaluable in the study of linguistics.

本题考查段落主旨。第一段共七句。第一句给“物质文化”下定义；第二、三句指出研究音乐文化就要研究音乐物质文化。第四、五句指出乐器是音乐文化研究中的重要物质文化。第六句指出乐器作为物质文化的两种形式。第七句举例说明乐器的研究在音乐文化研究中所起的作用。由此可见，第一段涉及的主题应是作为音乐物质文化的“乐器”，因此［D］正确。［A］和［B］泛泛谈文化，应排除。［C］虽然提到了音乐物质文化的研究，但未具体到乐器。

“currently”是“当前”的意思，根据句子意思，选D。

本句意思：该研究应证明其在语言学方面很有价值。useless的意思为“无用的，无价值 的”;practical的意思为“实际的，可行的”;little的意思为“小的，少的”;useful的意思为“有用 的”。invaluable的意思为“非常宝贵的，极为贵重的”，它不是valuable的反义词，而是和valua- ble的意思相近。这里invaluable的意思和useful的意思接近。

People have different views about what subject university students should study, whether the one they like or only the one that will be useful in the future. People who believe students should only study subjects that will be useful in the future list several reasons. First, university courses like medicine, engineering and information technology can provide more job opportunities, career progression, better salaries, and therefore an improved quality of life for students who take them. Second, those subjects play the major role in new inventions, economic growth, and the society' s greater future prosperity. As far as I am concerned, university students should be free to choose their preferred subjects. In my opinion, students can study well if the learning content caters to their interest. Besides, the creative thinking patterns behind some theoretical subjects have potential value. In this sense, more students of art, history and philosophy are needed. In conclusion, although it might seem sensible for students to focus only on the most useful subjects, I personally assert that they have the right to study whatever they like.