Lesson 3 Should the Brain Drain Be Stopped by Restrictions¹？
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　　Brain Drain It is said that Shanghai's musicians abroad could form a worldclass symphony orchestra. But the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra once failed to find a qualified² conductor for a whole year！
　　A similar situation exists in science, medicine and sports circles. Stopping the outflow of talent depends on creating a sound domestic environment rather than simply setting up barriers for those who wish to go abroad. A handful of people go abroad to seek a comfortable life. But most Chinese intellectuals emigrate because they cannot bring their talent into full play in their motherland. Many conductors trairied by the Shanghai Conservatory³ of Music have gone abroad either because they cannot find jobs in symphony orchestras due to the competition for places, or because they cannot develop themselves in orchestras where promotion⁴ comes only by way of seniority.
　　We face a keen shortage of talent, but one batch⁵ of gifted people after another have gone abroad“。 The situation is grim. It is impossible to improve the conditions for all intellectuals by a wide margin⁶. But it is possible for governments. at all levels to create a better environment for their development. The outflow of talent is a loss to our nation as well as a pressuse forcing us to optimize⁷ the environment for the taleated.
　　II. Read Read the following passages. Underline the important viewpoints while reading. l. Give Students More I.eeway Ten years ago, the Shanghai Public Security Bureau issued four passports each day. Now the staff must work long hours to process more than 1, 000 a day. People's Daily reports that more than 70,000 Chinese students and scholars are now studying abroad with still more ready to go.
　　While many people are worried about the brain drain problem, the article said that whatever the motives⁸ of students who leave, there is no doubt that they cherish a deep feeling towards the motherland. It has been suggested that people who fail to returnon time should be granted “temporary leave from their posts” to encourage them to return at any time.
　　Among those who joined the recent rush abroad, more than half went to further their studies and keep up with the latest academic achievements. According to a survey conducted among some 7, 000 scientific researchers in Shanghai, 82 per cent believed that their experiences abroad were “fruitful”。 Half said they had made headwayin their work.
　　Meanwhile, they said they continued to follow with great concern the development of their country's economic reforms. Ascholar with a doctorate⁹ from 1 Iew York University had written over 100, 000 words of suggestions to the Chinese central government, the article reported. Loneliness was found to be the worst enemy of thestudents living away from their families and homeland.
　　The brain drain from developing to developed countries is an international phenomenon. In China, backward management and unreasonable¹⁰ distribution systems, together with poor living and working conditions, have led to the departure of many intellectuals.
　　“After my graduation from university, I have spent four years in my office reading a newspaper with a cup of tea every day I want to go abroad to start a new life, ” said a 25-year-old technical worker who was waiting for a visa from the Japanese Consulate¹¹. Some students and scholars had stayed in foreign countries beyond their time limit for one reason or another. For this thoy had been labelled unpatriotic. But People's Daily called for more trust and understanding of those students.
　　A scholar studying and working at an American university said he would return to China as soon as his daughter finished secondary school in the US. A young scholar at a Shanghai research institute said he could not manage to conduct research with a meagre State allocation of 2, 000 yuan a year. In America, he can get $ 24, 000 a yeat' for use in research, so he decided¹² to stay on after getting his degree.
　　In such cases, most work units back in China dismiss those who fail to return on time. This hurts the feelings of many who are willing to return later, the article said. At the same time, those who do return face a job problem. China,s irrational¹³ employment and personnel system prevents some from fully¹⁴ using the skills and knowledge they have acquired abroad.
　　Ai Xiaobai, with a PhD in Physics, wrote to il institutions of higher learning in China. Two of them refused him and the others did not even answer him. Just before deciding to go back to America, he was hired by a Chinese research institute which knew of him.

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