Text Analysis

Text

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME

(1) Until the close of World War II active speculation about the technological features of the future was restricted in the main to the literature of science fiction. (2) This literature was regarded until then as an exhilarating avenue of escape from the humdrum of the all-too-solid present. (3) Undeterred by premonitions, the reader's imagination could soar freely through time and space. (4) He might even smile at the naive reassurance provided by some of the tales of such pioneers of the genre as Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, in which contemporary society continued to move soporifi-cally along its customary grooves undetected by the cataclysmic discoveries of some scientific maniac. (5) And what could be cosier than a Wellsian time machine that, following a fearsome trip into the far future, could be depended upon to return the author to the present in good time for tea around the parlour fire? (6) It is this once-powerful sense of the here-and-now that has begun to recede since the War. (7) Much that was only yesterday relegated airily to the realm of science fiction is now recognized as sober scientific fact. (8) And there is virtually nothing in today's science fiction that is thought of as "impossible" tomorrow. (9) The increasing pace of technological and social change in the post-war world is actively dissolving the familiar signposts of our civilization before our media-soaked eyes. (10) Willingly or reluctantly we are impelled to give more and more of our attention to the shape of things to come.

Text Analysis

(1) What is a speculation? Does it differ from profiteering? How can a speculation be active? Is there any difference between "technology" and "technique"? Or between "technological" and "technical"?

(2) How can "an avenue of escape" be paraphrased? Does "humdrum" here mean "monotony, "boredom" or something else? In what sense can the present be said to be "solid"? Does one need the rest of the text to understand the meaning of this word in the sentence?

(3) What derivatives of "to deter" can you recall? Is a premonition a pleasant feeling? How are the words "imagination" and "imaginative" used in modern English? In what way do they differ from 'fancy" and "fanciful"?

(4) Why is "reassurance" referred to as "naive"? What does "soporifically" mean? Has the word "cataclysmic" a positive or a negative connotation?

(5) In what sense is the time machine "cosy"? How can the phrase "can be depended upon to do smth." be paraphrased? What is the parlour fire? What idea is implied in mentioning "tea around the parlour fire"? Why is "the author" referred to as the traveller in the time machine?

(6) What does "the here-and-now" mean?

(7) What is the connotation of the word "airily"? Does it imply easiness or light-mindedness? Why is a scientific fact called "sober"?

(8) Why is the word "impossible" used here in inverted commas?

(9) What is "a signpost of civilization"? How can anything be dissolved "actively? When do we say that something is done Before our eyes"? What are mass media? What is the figurative meaning of "to soak"? What do mass media soak people with? Is it good or bad that our eyes are "media-soaked"?

(10) Does "to be impelled" mean "to be forced" or "to be inclined"? Is there any difference between "future" and "things to come"? Does "the shape of things to come" mean "what will future be like" or something else?

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