Lesson 15 Secrecy in industryFirst listen and then answer the following question.Why is secrecy particularly important in the chemical industries?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 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.J.D. BERNAL The Social Function of ScienceNew words and expressions生词和短语
effectiveness [ɪˈfektɪvnəs] n. 成效,效力The project looks at how we could be more effective in encouraging students to enter teacher training...该项目着眼于我们如何能够更加有效地鼓励学生参与教师培训。inquiry [ˈɪnkwəri] n. 调查研究in 进入 + qui(=que) 寻找 + ry 名词后缀 → 进去寻找 → 调查研究This is the most difficult and shocking murder inquiry I have had to open in the last 25 years...这是 25 年来我所展开的最困难、最令人震惊的谋杀调查。positive [ˈpɑːzətɪv] adj. 确实的posit 放,放置 + ive 形容词后缀 → 放在那 → 肯定的I can't be positive about what time it happened.process [ˈprɑːses ] n. 过程pro 向前 + cess 行走,前进 → 向前走的〔历程〕→ 过程to begin the difficult process of reforming the education systempatent[ˈpætnt ] n. 专利;v. 得到专利权英语单词patent一般被翻译为“专利”,其实在历史上,patent跟“专利”毫无关系,而是一个形容词,表示“打开的、公开的”,用于术语Letters patent。该术语源自拉丁语Litteræ Patentes,字面意思就是open letter,意思就是公开的文件。与其相对的术语是Litteræ Clausæ,或closed letter,意思就是保密的文件。在中世纪时,政府或王室颁发的正式文件,按照其保密性分为Litteræ Patentes(公开文件)和Litteræ Clausæ(保密文件)两种。两种文件的装订方式不一样。公开文件是开放式的,印章盖在最后一页的底部,所有人都可以翻阅;保密文件是对折的,在外头加以封印,只有特殊人物才能查看,每次看完后还要重新封印。在14世纪的欧洲,为了鼓励发明创造,英国和意大利的王室采用特许的方式,允许一些工匠或商人在一定期限内以垄断方式独家经营自己所发明的产品。这种特许书就做成了Litteræ Patentes(公开文件)的形式,里面有对产品的详细描述,这就是现代专利制度中的“专利说明书”的雏形。随着专利制度的普及,原本表示“公开文件”的术语Litteræ Patentes也逐渐用来专指“专利特许书”。 英语单词patent就源自拉丁术语Litteræ Patentes,是patentes的变形。所以patent做形容词时,除了表示“专利的”,还含有“显然的,明摆着的”等含义。The device was protected by patent .ag 做;代理;引导 + ent 名词后缀,表人 → 做的人 → 代理人 Our agent in New York deals with all US sales.参考译文
有两个因素严重地妨碍工业中科学研究的效率:一是科研工作中普遍存在的保密气氛;二是研究人员缺乏个人自由。任何一项研究都涉及到保密,那些从事科研的人员自然受到了限制。他们不能和其他国家、其他大学、甚至往往不能与本公司的其他部门的同行们进行有效的接触。保密程度自然差别很大。某些大公司进行的研究属于一般和基础的研究,因此不保密对他们才有利。然而,依赖这种研究的很多工艺程序是在完全保密的情况下进行的,直到可以取得专利权的阶段为止。更多的工艺过程根本就不会取得专利权,而是作为秘方保存着。在这化学工业方面尤为突出。同物理和机械工业相比,化学工业中偶然发现的机会要多得多。有时,保密竟达到了这样的程度,即连研究工作的整个性质都不准提及。比如,很多公司向图书馆借阅科技书籍时感到困难,因为它们不愿让人家记下它们公司的名字和借阅的某一本书。他们生怕别的公司的情报人员据此摸到他们可能要从事的某项科研项目。
斯坦福大学教授英语音标发音课程全54集
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Lesson 7 Bats
Lesson 8 Trading standards
Lesson 9 Royal espionage
Lesson 10 Silicon valley
Lesson 11 How to grow old
Lesson 12 Banks and their customers
Lesson 13 The search for oil