---
url: https://gaojian.site/new-concept/book-4/15-secrecy-in-industry.md
description: 新概念英语第四册：Secrecy in Industry。精读、词块回忆、双向译练、句法、逻辑与FSRS复习。
---

# 15 · 工业中的秘密

### 第1段

Two factors weigh heavily against the effectiveness of scientific research in industry. One is the general atmosphere of secrecy in which it is carried out, the other the lack of freedom of the individual research worker. In so far as any inquiry is a secret one, it naturally limits all those engaged in carrying it out from effective contact with their fellow scientists either in other countries or in universities, or even, often enough, in other departments of the same firm. The degree of secrecy naturally varies considerably. Some of the bigger firms are engaged in researches which are of such general and fundamental nature that it is a positive advantage to them not to keep them secret. Yet a great many processes depending on such research are sought for with complete secrecy until the stage at which patents can be taken out. Even more processes are never patented at all but kept as secret processes. This applies particularly to chemical industries, where chance discoveries play a much larger part than they do in physical and mechanical industries. Sometimes the secrecy goes to such an extent that the whole nature of the research cannot be mentioned. Many firms, for instance, have great difficulty in obtaining technical or scientific books from libraries because they are unwilling to have their names entered as having taken out such and such a book for fear the agents of other firms should be able to trace the kind of research they are likely to be undertaking.
Such secret methods would be really effective, however unethical, only if those turning out the secret research had a personal interest in its secrecy. But here the system defeats itself. The general suppression of the results of industrial scientific research by the firms concerned has a depressing effect on the research worker.

中文理解：工业科研的成效受到两个因素的严重制约：一是科研工作普遍处在保密的氛围中，二是研究人员个人缺乏自由。一项研究只要需要保密，参与者就难以与同行有效交流，不管同行是在其他国家、大学，还是常常就在同一家公司的其他部门。当然，保密程度各不相同。一些大公司从事的是一般性、基础性很强的研究，公开成果反而对它们很有利。不过，许多以这些研究为基础的工艺，在能够申请专利之前，仍是在严格保密的条件下开发的。还有更多工艺根本不申请专利，而是一直作为商业秘密保存。化学工业尤其如此，因为偶然发现的作用，在这个领域比在物理和机械工业中大得多。有时，保密甚至到了连研究大致属于什么性质都不能提的地步。比如，许多公司从图书馆借阅科技书籍时很为难：它们不愿留下自己借过某本书的记录，生怕其他公司的探子据此推断出它们可能正在研究什么。
然而，这类保密办法，不管多么不合道德，也只有在研究人员本人能从保密中获益时，才会真正有效。可恰恰在这一点上，这套制度适得其反。有关公司普遍压着工业科研成果不予公开，反而使研究人员感到沮丧。

* **weigh heavily against**：严重不利于；weigh在此指成为不利因素，不是实际重量。

* **atmosphere of secrecy**：保密的氛围；undefined

* **carried out**：被进行；被实施；强调执行研究或任务，不是随身携带。

* **lack of freedom**：缺乏自由；名词lack接of，动词lack直接接宾语。

* **In so far as**：在……范围内；就……而言；连接成立的范围，不能只记成“目前为止”。

* **effective contact**：有效交流；文中关注知识沟通，不是物理接触。

* **a positive advantage**：明确的好处；positive加强肯定，后面解释对谁有利。

* **complete secrecy**：完全保密；undefined

* **patents can be taken out**：可以取得专利；固定说法是申请取得专利，不是把专利拿到外面。

* **chance discoveries**：偶然发现；chance作名词修饰语，表示偶然性。

* **to such an extent**：达到这样的程度；undefined

* **for fear**：生怕；以免；解释出于担忧而避免某事，不是恐惧的结果。

* **a personal interest in**：在……上有个人利害关系；此处interest是自身利益，不仅是兴趣爱好。

* **defeats itself**：反而破坏自身目标；描述自相抵消的机制，不是被外人打败。

* **suppression of the results**：压制成果公开；undefined

* **a depressing effect**：令人沮丧的影响；undefined

#### Two factors weigh heavily against the effectiveness of scientific research in industry.

简单句，主谓结构.

#### One is the general atmosphere of secrecy in which it is carried out, the other the lack of freedom of the individual research worker.

复合句，one 和 the other 两句，第一句为主系表结构，带一个 in which 引导的定语从句，也是主谓结构，it 指 scientific research.

第二句则是主系表结构，the other 后省略了系动词 is.

#### In so far as any inquiry is a secret one, it naturally limits all those engaged in carrying it out from effective contact with their fellow scientists either in other countries or in universities, or even, often enough, in other departments of the same firm.

复合句，句首是程度状语从句，主谓结构.

主句 it naturally limits…中的 it 回应前面的研究保密这一情形，而 carrying it out 中的 it 指那项研究（inquiry）。整句说的是保密限制了研究人员的有效交流，不是“缺乏自由”去限制一项研究的开展。

这句是对上一句后半句研究人员的个人自由缺失而做的延伸论述，哪怕是简单的问询也涉及保密，科研人员的正常交流无法开展，限制了科研工作的推进. 教材将 inquiry 翻译成研究有误，这里就是指科研人员之间的问询和沟通. 且从后文对不同研究的保密程度有不同的要求也可以得知，这里的 inquiry 不能翻译成研究.

#### The degree of secrecy naturally varies considerably.

简单句，主谓结构.

#### Some of the bigger firms are engaged in researches which are of such general and fundamental nature that it is a positive advantage to them not to keep them secret.

复合句，主句主谓宾结构，which 引导的定语从句修饰 researches，为主系表结构，其中表语为 of general and fundamental nature，而 such 则跟后面的 that 结构一起，引导结果状语从句.

该结果状语从句为主系表结构，it 为形式主语. 第一个 them 指 some of the bigger firms，第二个 them 指 researches.

#### Yet a great many processes depending on such research are sought for with complete secrecy until the stage at which patents can be taken out.

复合句，主谓结构，后面有一个 at which 引导的定语从句修饰 stage，为主谓结构.

#### Even more processes are never patented at all but kept as secret processes.

并列句，主谓结构.

#### This applies particularly to chemical industries, where chance discoveries play a much larger part than they do in physical and mechanical industries.

复合句，主句为主谓宾结构，where 引导的定语从句修饰 chemical industries，该定语从句为主谓宾结构，里面包含 than 引导的比较状语从句，为主谓结构.

chance 作形容词解.

#### Sometimes the secrecy goes to such an extent that the whole nature of the research cannot be mentioned.

复合句，主句主谓结构，中间有一个 such that 结构引导的结果状语从句，该从句为主谓结构.

#### Many firms, for instance, have great difficulty in obtaining technical or scientific books from libraries because they are unwilling to have their names entered as having taken out such and such a book for fear the agents of other firms should be able to trace the kind of research they are likely to be undertaking.

复合句，主句为主谓宾结构，后跟一个 because 引导的原因状语从句到句末，该原因状语从句为主系表结构，to have their names entered 为原因状语，在该状语中，为使役结构，故对宾语和宾补作了进一步划分，以作提示.

as…book 为时间状语，当借书时. a book 和 for fear 之间，教材中有逗号，原著中没有，此处跟从原著，因为 for fear 引导目的状语从句，前面没有逗号更显流畅.

for fear 引导的目的状语从句为主谓宾结构，该从句中有一个定语从句 they…undertaking 修饰 the kind of research，定语从句为主系表结构.

#### Such secret methods would be really effective, however unethical, only if those turning out the secret research had a personal interest in its secrecy.

复合句，主句为主系表结构，句中有一个让步状语，最后是 only if 引导的条件状语，这个状语并非完整的句子，只不过里面含有一个句子作 out 的宾语.

这个宾语从句为主谓宾结构. 因前文讲了工业科研中的保密情况，但实际上只有在保密有利于科研人员自身利益时才有效，否则只会打压科研的积极性，影响士气.

#### Such secret methods would be really effective, however unethical, only if those turning out the secret research had a personal interest in its secrecy. But here the system defeats itself.

简单句，主谓宾结构，这里的 itself 自然是指 system 制度本身，但打败了自己，也就是制度本身造成了相反的实际效果.

#### The general suppression of the results of industrial scientific research by the firms concerned has a depressing effect on the research worker.

简单句，主谓宾结构.

## 学完这一课

用One is… the other…清楚列出两项不同原因。

[Nce · 本册复习台](/new-concept/book-4/review) · [三册选择地图](/new-concept/)

*译文依据整理稿，由本站按中文表达重新校订；解析据吴应时整理资料及首轮审校稿；词伙与练习提示为本站学习设计。原PDF第60—63页，2022年2月第2版。*