take its toll (on sth.)中等

The growth in public money for academic research has speeded the process: federal research grants rose fourfold between 1960 and 1990, but faculty teaching hours fell by half as research took its toll.

用于学术研究的公共资金的增长加速了这一进程：1960年至1990年间，联邦研究经费增长了三倍，而由于研究占用了大量精力，教师的授课时间却减少了一半。