Lesson 15 Secrecy in industry

第十五课工业中的秘密

by J.D. BERNAL

from The Social Function of Science

15-1. Two factors weigh heavily against the effectiveness of scientific research in industry.

【译文】两种因素严重妨碍工业方面的科研效率。

【单词和短语】

weigh：有分量，具有重要性，有影响(to influence someone’s opinion and the decision that they make)，

例如：

Such recommendations will weigh in his favour.

这种推荐对他大有裨益。

The lady’s evidence weighed heavily against him.

女房东的证词对他极为不利。

Selfish interests don’t weigh with him at all.

他根本不把私利置于心上。

15-2. One is the general atmosphere of secrecy in which it is carried out, the other the lack of freedom of the individual research worker.

【译文】一是普遍的保密气氛，科研就是在这种气氛中进行的;二是个体的研究人员缺乏自由。

【讲解】it指scientific research。the other the lack of…中other后省略了is。

【单词和短语】

secrecy：秘密，秘密状态，保密(the process of keeping something secret, or when something is kept a secret)，

例如：

do sth. with great secrecy 极秘密地做某事新概念英语网上学习

practise secrecy 保密

The mayor stressed the necessity of absolute secrecy.

市长强调必须绝对保密。

There was no effort at secrecy.

没有一点保密措施。

secrecy的形容词形式为secret。

15-3. 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.

【译文】任何一项研究都秘密进行，这自然会限制所有从事研究的人员与国外的、其他大学的、甚至常常在本公司其他部门的同行科学家进行有效的接触。

【讲解】第一个it指secrecy，第二个it指inquiry。engaged in carrying it out是过去分词短语，作定语，修饰those。either in other countries…the same firm作定语，修饰their fellow scientists。

【单词和短语】

inquiry：探究，研究(the act or process of asking questions in order to get information)，

例如：

The True is the goal of all scientific and all philosophical inquiry.

真理是一切科学研究和一切哲学探索的终极目的。

15-4. The degree of secrecy naturally varies considerably.

【译文】保密程度自然差别很大。

【单词和短语】

vary: 变化，有不同，呈差异(if something varies, it changes depending on the situation)，

例如：

Her mood varies with the weather.

她的情绪随天气的变化而变化。

The demand varies with the season.

需求随季节变化。

a varying society 变化着的社会

Opinions vary on this point. 对这一点看法各异。