Writing a science fiction story

How much do you know about science fiction story? Do you know these two stories: Journey to the Centre of the Earth and The Time Machine?

Jules Verne （儒勒 · 凡尔纳）

As a popular French writer, Jules Verne is regarded as the father of science fiction. His famous science fiction stories, such as A Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Around the World in Eighty Days, Five Weeks in a Balloon and From the Earth to the Moon, are liked by not only children but also adults all over the world.

1. With whom did Professor Lindenbrock make the journey? Professor Lindenbrock made the journey with his nephew Axel and Hans, the guide he hired in Iceland. Listen to the tape and answer the questions.

2. What was the destination of the journey? How did they go there? They went to the centre of the Earth. They went there in the boat they built.

3. What did they see during their journey? They saw many strange things – a large ocean in a vast room, huge mushrooms, two dinosaurs fighting each other, huge insects and many strange creatures, including a man, who was at least four meters tall.

4. Which do you think was the most thrilling experience during their journey? Why? The two dinosaurs rose to the surface of the ocean suddenly and fought each other. Because they didn’t expect that they would see dinosaurs there, since dinosaurs died out millions of years ago.

Do you like watching time-travel TV series? Why or why not?

The Twilight Zone 《阴阳魔界》 the first time travel tale on TV in 1959

Time-travel TV series, as its name suggests, is about a certain person who, due to some special reasons (hit by a car, etc.) travels to another space time, either to the past or to the future.

What do you think a time machine can be used to do? Many people are interested in such a machine. Can you think of the reason or reasons?

If you could time travel, when and where would you like to travel? Why?

H. G. Wells (H.G. 威尔斯 )

As an English novelist, H.G. Wells is well known for his science fiction stories, among which are The Time Machine, The Invisible Man, The island of Doctor Moreau and The War of the Worlds.

1. What did the writer decide to see using the time machine the writer had made? He decided to use it to see the future. Listen to the tape and answer the questions.

2. What did he find when he travels to year AD 802,701? He found two kinds of mankind—the Eloi and the Morlocks. The Eloi were small and like children. They lived above the ground and spent all of their time at play. The Morlocks looked like white beasts. They lived underground, where they kept machines running so that the Eloi would be happy and well fed.

3. What is the world thirty million years into the future like? The sun grew larger, redder and darker, and the Earth became cold and covered in frost. There was no life or movement at all.

Language points High above, the sky was filled with gas that gave off light like the sun. be filled with 充满 I hope that your life will be filled with happiness and love. give off 散发 ( 光、热等 ) The sun gives off heat and light.

give 的其他短语 give birth to 产生 give in 屈服 give out 分发，散发 give up 放弃 give off 散发 ( 光、热等 )

--- What’s the matter with you? --- After the long walk, my legs ______ and I couldn’t go any further. A. gave out B. gave off C. gave in D. gave up 此处 give out 译为 “ 筋疲力尽，用尽力气 ” ， 全句译为：长途后，我的双腿已筋疲力 尽，不能再走了，而 give off 为 “ 出发， 放出 ” ； give in 为 “ 屈服 ” ； give up 为 “ 放 弃 ” 。 A

They came across huge insects and many strange creatures. come across 偶遇 We’ve just come across an old friend we haven't seen for ages. 注意：该词组不可用于被动语态 同义短语： run across, run into

come 构成的短语 come up with 找到，提出 ( 答案、解决办法 ) come along 进展，进步，一道来 come down 下来，降低，下降，着陆 come true 实现 come over 过来，顺便来访 come in 进来 come to oneself 苏醒，恢复知觉 come out 出来，出版，发 ( 芽 ) ，开花 come about 发生 come to 共计，达到，恢复知觉 come through 经历 ( 困难等 )

--- How did you find him out? --- I ____ his name by chance on the list. A. came down B. came about C. came up D. came across D

They set sail again, and saw what looked like an exit, but it was blocked by rocks which had fallen down from the ceiling. set sail 起航 We set sail at dawn and headed for New York. set sail for 动身 We will set sail for France next Sunday.

block v. 阻挡，阻碍 The road was blocked by a crowd of people. n. 街区 We live on the same block.

They could only hold on to the boat in terror. hold on 坚持下去，等一等，别挂电话 They managed to hold on until help arrived. He will come soon. Hold on a minute please.

…, and mankind had evolved into two races, the Eloi and the Morlocks. evolve into 发展成，进化成 This small town has evolved into a big city. evolution n. 进化，发展，演变 Our social institutions are in continuous evolution.

1. Have you read any of the stories mentioned in the reading? 2. Which story sounds the most / least interesting to you? Why?

3. What do you imagine the future will be like? 4. What do you think would make an interesting science fiction story?