How does science fiction influence the real world?

How does science fiction influence the real world?

I Study the active vocabulary and focus on Ukrainian equivalents of English words.

broadcast транслювати

device пристрій

crew екіпаж

launch випускати

heightened посилений

misuse зловживання

encapsulate виражати

dystopian антиутопічний

screening екранізація

checkpoint контрольно-пропускний пункт

multi-layered багатошаровий

set знімальний майданчик

literally буквально

character персонаж

implication зміст, підтекст

convention з’їзд

artificial intelligence штучний інтелект

 emerging передовий (про технологію)

overpopulation перенаселення

sprawl розвалитися

 slum трущоб

desolation спустошення

gap розрив

capability можливість

 hooked on який підсів на

concern занепокоєння

compelling захоплюючий

convincing переконливий

seminal видатний

motion picture кінофільм

pod кокон

decommissioned знятий з експлуатації

surefire вірний

pitfall пастка

 II Vocabulary focus. Study the words and  word combinations, check your understanding using flashcards, practise their translation, spelling. Check your knowledge in the test. Play matching vocabulary game (match words to their translations to make cards disappear)  and save the planet from asteroids by typing in correct translation of the words.

III Watch the video and fill in the gaps with the words from the list. There are some words you don’t need to use.

 phone; clone; subliminal; computer; version ; hi-fi;  provides ; abuses; heightened ; broadcast; carry; science; crew; broadband; device; inspiration; rockets; pose; misuses; voice-activated; sci-fi; advanced ; anticipating ; present; explore ; appeared ; implore; touchscreens ;apprehend; launched; touch wood; world ; dilemmas ; submarines; merry; invented; writer ;

If you’re watching this on your 1)_____, it’s partly thanks to Captain Kirk. In Star Trek, first 2)_____in 1966, he used a pocket-sized 3)_____to communicate with his 4)_____. Martin Cooper, the man who 5)_____the mobile phone, says the show was the 6)_____for his idea, which 7)_____seven years later. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos based Alexa, the 8)_____speaker, on Star Trek’s talking 9)_____.

“Transporters engaged. Welcome aboard.”

10)_____fan Elon Musk is building rockets that he hopes will one day 11)_____people to Mars. 12)_____, helicopters, 13)_____, and 14)_____all 15)_____in science fiction before becoming 16)_____fact. Sci-fi inspires real 17)_____technology. It also 18)_____a way to 19)_____the moral 20)_____that 21)_____technologies could 22)_____.

Paul McAuley is a scientist-turned science fiction 23)_____.

“All science fiction is basically about 24)_____. So it’s about a 25)_____ 26)_____of the present, it is about 27)_____where technology is going to go. And it’s about our fears of where technology is going to go or what uses or 28)_____we might make of that technology.”

IV Watch the video and fill in the gaps in the text.

 Few films better 1)_______ this than Ridley Scott’s 1982 2)_______ classic Blade Runner. The film is 3)_______ in a 4)_______ future where 5)_______ human workers are bioengineered by a 6)_______ power. In London 7)_______ are arriving for a Blade Runner 8)_______ with a 9)_______.

“We are in World War Terminus, checkpoint 4.C. We’re in Los Angeles in 2019. 10)_______ cinema is a 11)_______ physical 12)_______. We built these 13)_______ sets creating a world 14)_______ by a film. So 15)_______ of just watching a film, you literally buy a ticket, you become a character, and you become part of an 16)_______ theatrical 17)_______. I think the science 18)_______ genre allows us to 19)_______ about another world. We’ve taken inspiration from Blade Runner and built an entire world 20)_______ it.”

The film 21)_______ the ethical 22)_______ of creating highly intelligent 23)_______ that have thoughts, 24)_______, and emotions.

“I was just back from a 25)_______ about AI, 26)___  ____, in Cambridge. And a lot of the AI people think about what would happen if really AI came on very 27)_______. What they 28)_______ do to us? And that’s one of the things that science fiction has been 29)_______ for quite a long time now.”

There Steven Spielberg’s latest movie Ready Player One explores another 30)_______ technology, virtual reality. The film imagines a future where 31)_______, pollution, and climate 32)____  ___ have forced most people to live in 33)_______ slum-like cities. Young people 34)_______ the 35)_______ by living much of their lives in 36)_______ reality.

“Are you ready?”

Although there is a wide 37)_______ between the virtual worlds shown in the film and the 38)_______ of 39)_______ VR technology, the idea that young people can get 40)__  _____ virtual fantasies is a long-standing 41)_______. To be compelling science fiction has to be convincing. So writers and film directors 42)_______ the help of designers and 43)_______. Syd Mead designed the look of some of Hollywood’s most 44)_______ sci-fi films including Blade Runner, Star Trek the 45)___   ____  , and Aliens. In the real world he’s designed 46)_______ for Ford and 47)_______ for Phillips.

“Because I’m a 48)_______ designer I can imagine how things 49)______  ______ _______. People always say that my 50)_______ looks real, even though it’s 51)_______. The pods for 52)_______ that I designed were real mechanical articulations. So when they opened, it looked absolutely real for people to be in for 53)_______ space travel. I was hired to design the 54)_______ for Blade Runner. Deckard’s vehicle was in my mind a 55)_______ luxury aerial limousine. It’s 56)_______ the familiar with the weird and that’s a 67)_______ formula for 58)_______ things to look at.”

 Science fiction 59)_______ people to 50)_______ science and technology. Some fans develop a 51)_______ passion. The tech industry is led by sci-fi 52)_______ who are creating the things they read about or saw on screen. We all stand to 53)_______ from their creations 54)_______, that is, they can avoid the ethical 55)_______ depicted in science fiction.

  

V Watch all the parts of the video and answer the questions.

1.   

1.     What inspired the creator of mobile phones?

2.     What modern technologies first appeared in sci-fi movies and books?

3.     What is the relation between the world of sci-fi fiction and the real world? What problems and issues can sci-fi explore?

4.     How can a relation between science fiction and present or reality be described?

5.     What new entertainment form are offered to sci-fi fans today?

6.     What seminal sci-fi works (books and movies) are mentioned in the video?

7.     What emerging technologies are mentioned in the video? What benefits do these technologies offer? What dangers do they pose?

8.     How is science fiction design made look realistic? Who helps to create these designs and devices?

9.     Who develops technology today and what is their attitude to science fiction?

10.                        What dangers does VR and AI present? How can these dangers be avoided? What sci-fi works address these issues?

VI OVER TO YOU. Think of your favourite sci-fi book or movie (at least one). What device or technology (at least one)  described in this book or movie is likely to be seen in real life? Make predictions focusing on the types of futuristic inventions, devices or technologies and the time (for example, in 5 years’ time) when they would become part of everyday life.