Lesson15-2  Secrecy in industry 

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.

positive /ˈpɑːzətɪv/ 确实的，完全的;良好的;建设性的;自信的;积极乐观的;

advantage   /ədˈvæntɪdʒ/  有利条件;有利因素;

seek  过去式 sought

patent  /ˈpætnt /  专利;专利权;

mechanical /məˈkænɪkl/  机动的，机械的，

such and such a book  某一本书

agent  /ˈeɪdʒənt/  代理人