6 Minute English - Can science fiction save the world?

Tell me. Do you have a favorite science fiction movie?

Ah... science fiction so it is a story about imagine future. Oh yes. My favorite was always will be ET, Extra Territorial.

Yes, that's right. Are you Finn?

My would probably be Blade Runner. And that is a movie with Harrison Ford set in a dark scary Los Angle. He hunts his robot called XXX. See another one?

I do. I do. And come to think of  it. Lots of movies and stories about the future are quite dark, quite negative.

That's right. But perhaps this might change. A new project once use the power of science fiction to do something very different. Inspire people to create a better future.

Sounds very great. But we're discussing this project and learning some language, talk about the future in this programme.

But before we get too far in this future, I am sure you have a question for me, Finn.

I do, indeed. And it's about film Blade Runner it sets in the future. But in which year? Is it
a) 2000
b) 2019
c) 2056

I think I am going to go for the far future c) 2056.

OK. Well, I will tell if you are right or wrong later in the mob to distant future, Rob.

I get it, Finn. As we are saying, lots of science fiction is negative.

It's a word to describe the come of the future will often appears in science fiction.  XXXX, that the amount of disthorpia, means an imagine place with things are unpleasant or bad. The opposite is XXXX.

OK. But why so much science fiction XXXX. Dr.XXXX from Arizona state university.

The down-side of all science fiction in  movies is they tempt to be XXXX. They tend to be very negative. They tend to be very XXXX. XXXX is easy to do. It's easy to write XXXX story then it's
story.

He says XXX stories are easy to write.

I can see that. There are more conflicts in the world which has problems. And good stories often have a lot of conflicts and problem results.

That's right. Yes. But the bad thing is being negative is a  down-side of science fiction. Down-side is a disadvantage, a bad point. He will prefer to see some more optimistic  science fiction.

Right. Optimistic, more positive about the future which is why XXXX is taking part of some thing called Project High XXXX. It brings together writers, scientist, engineer and artist, to create optimistic stories about things which really could happen in next 15 years.

Yes. Let's talk about the kind of things happening in the story.

Well, there is one about the huge tower. 20 km tall. Getting whole the way in the space. Apparently, building a  tower is good for US steel industry and then invent a new kind of energy in the story too.

Well, that sounds very interesting. But is it plausible? Could it really happen? Could they really build a tower that big?

Well, there is another about environmentalist who fight to stop people building the first hotel in Antarctic.

Environmentalist, that is people who care about the environment. Well there is definitely conflict there. Aren't these plausible? That could be a good story. But I can't help thinking will these stories change anything?

 XXXX, who editor of the book of this story think so. He says a good science fiction story could be very powerful. It could inspire hundreds, thousands, millions of people to rally around something they want to do.

To rally around something means to come together in support of calls. XXX says you can already see the implement of science fiction in modern research. Which items is being worked on right now.

Why are people working around for example, Invisibility caulk, Harry Porter, right. That why this sucks.

Invisibility caulk, that is a long coat which make you invisible. In other words, unable to being seen which people first saw in one of the Harry Porter movies.

Yes, very interesting. So will the story Project XXXX inspires people to do and invent new things they can help others. Can they help create a bright future? That's a good positive future. Oh will they just be a good story.

Well, timer tower. That means we will find out as time goes by. But one thing we're going to find out right now is the answer to when the movie Blade Runner is set.

---

tell me – do you have a favourite science-fiction movie?

Ahh, science fiction 
so it is a – stories about 
imagine an imagined future … 
Oh yes. well my favourite was 
and always will be ET: Extra 
Terrestrial. Terrestrial, and you Finn?

My Mine would probably be Blade Runner – 
And that is a the movie with Harrison Ford set in a dark, scary Los 
Angle. He Angeles where he hunts 
his robots called 
XXX. See another replicants. You know the one?

I do – and come to think of it, lots of movies and stories about the future are quite 
dark, quite dark and negative …

But perhaps this might change. A new project 
once wants to use the power of science fiction to do something very different: 
to inspire people to create a better future. 
It sounds very 
great. But we're grand. We'll be discussing 
this theproject and learning some language 
to talk about the future in this programme.

But before we get too far 
in this into the future, I'm sure you have a question for me, Finn?


I do, Yes indeed. 
And It's about 
the film Blade Runner. 
It sets It's set in the future – but in which year? 
Is it a) 2000 b) 2019 c) 2056

I think I'm 
going to gonna go for the far future, c) 2056.

Well I'll tell 
you if you're right or wrong later in the 
mob to distant future, Rob. not-too-distant future.

I get it, Finn, Very good. So, as we 
are were saying: lots of science fiction is negative.


It's Yes, there's a word to describe the 
come of the kind of future 
will world which often appears in science fiction: 
XXXX. That the amount of disthorpia dystopian. The noun 'dystopia' means an imagined place 
with where things are unpleasant or bad. The opposite is 
XXXX. utopia and utopian.

But why 
is so much science fiction 
XXXX? Dr.XXXX dystopian? Dr Braden Allenby from Arizona State University

The downside of 
all both of science fiction 
in and movies is 
they tempt to be XXXX, that they tend to be dystopian, they tend to be very negative, they tend to be very 
XXXX. XXXX is easy noir. Dystopian is easier to do. It's easier to write 
XXXX a dystopian story 
then than it is 
to write an optimistic story.

He says 
XXX dystopian stories are easier to write. I can see that – there's more 
conflicts conflict in 
the a world which has problems – and good stories often have a lot of conflict and problems 
results. to resolve.

Yes, but 
Braden thinks being negative is 
a the 
bad thing is downside of science fiction. 
A downside is a disadvantage, a bad point. He 
will would prefer to see 
some more optimistic science fiction.

Optimistic, more positive about the future, which is why 
XXXX Braden is taking part 
of in something called Project 
High XXXX. Hieroglyph. It brings together writers, scientists, engineers and artists to create optimistic stories about things which really could happen in 
the next 
15 50 years.


Yes. So let's talk about the 
kind kinds of things 
are happening in 
the story. these stories?

Well, there's one about 
the a huge tower 20 km tall – 
Getting whole going all the way 
in the into space. Apparently, building 
a the tower is good for 
the US steel industry … and 
then they invent a new kind of energy in the story too.

Sounds very interesting – but is it plausible – could it really happen? Could they really build a tower that big?

Well, there's another about environmentalists who fight to stop people building the first hotel in Antarctica.

Environmentalists – that is people who care about the environment. Well there's conflict there. Aren't these plausible? That there is definitely … and it's plausible, so it could be a good story. But I can't help thinking – will these storiesactually change anything?

XXXX, Ed Finn, who editor of the edited a book of this story, think these stories, thinks so. He says: "A good science-fiction story could can be very powerful". "It could can inspire hundreds, thousands, millions of people to rally around something that they want to do."

To rally around something means to come together in support of calls. XXX a cause. And Braden Allenby says you can already see the implement influence of science fiction in modern research. Which items item is being worked on right now?

"Why are people working around on, for example, Invisibility caulk? invisibility cloaks? Well, it's Harry Porter, Potter, right? That's why this sucks. where they saw it."

Invisibility caulk – that is An invisibility cloak – a long coat which makes you invisible, in other words unable to being be seen – which people first saw in one of the Harry Potter movies.

Yes, very interesting Interesting … so will the stories from Project XXXX Hieroglyph inspire people to do and invent new things they that can help others? Can they help create a bright future – that's a good, positive future? Or will they just be a good story. Well, timer tower stories? Time will tell – that means we'll find out as time goes by. But One thing that we're going to find out right now is the answer to when the movie Blade Runner is was set?