There Will Come Soft Rains
What happened to the family that lived in the house?
They were killed in a sudden nuclear explosion, leaving only their shadows burned into the outside wall.
What are some typical themes explored in Sci-Fi?
Space
Time Travel
Technology
(Any others that were listed in the presentation)
What is another word for the "theme" of an informational text?
Main Idea
What core question do science fiction writers use to extrapolate current technologies, trends, and issues into the future?
"What if?"
What happens to the family dog?
It dies of radiation poisoning
What is Speculative Fiction?
A "super genre" that encompasses science fiction, fantasy, and horror.
What is the text structure that organizes information by highlighting similarities and differences between two or more subjects?
Compare and Contrast
Who wrote Frankenstein?
Mary Shelley
What type of figurative language is used to make the house feel alive?
Personification
What is considered the "first modern science fiction novel?”
Frankenstein
What is the figurative language that compares two things using like or as?
Simile
Which of the following is listed as one of the primary purposes of writing science fiction?
To raise issues plaguing present society (such as racism or environmental degradation) in a way that is easier to digest and address.
During the final conflict between the house and the fire, why is the house ultimately unable to save itself?
The house runs out of water because it spent the whole day drawing baths and washing dishes for a family that wasn't there
According to the presentation, what is the main difference between "Hard Sci-Fi" and "Soft Sci-Fi"?
Hard Sci-Fi is based on natural sciences like Physics and Astronomy, while Soft Sci-Fi is inspired by social sciences like Psychology and Sociology.
What does an article being "Chronologically Structured" mean?
It is put in order of how things happened in time
According to the quote by Isaac Asimov, what is a key difference between science fiction and fantasy?
Science fiction is possible due to its grounding in science, while fantasy is not because it has no grounding in reality.
The house reads a poem by Sara Teasdale called "There Will Come Soft Rains." Why is it highly ironic that the house chooses to read this specific poem today?
The poem describes how nature would not care if mankind wiped itself out in a war, which is exactly what has just happened to the world in the story.
Which creator is quoted as saying, "Science fiction seldom tries to predict the future. More often than not, it tries to prevent the future"?
Arthur C. Clarke
Read the following sentence:
"The unscrupulous contractor took the family's money for the roof repairs, but then he disappeared in the middle of the night without ever starting the work or returning their calls."
Based on the context clues in the sentence, what does the word unscrupulous most likely mean?
Having or showing no moral principles; dishonest
According to Ted Chiang's quote, science fiction is NOT just about special effects or giant battles; rather, it is about using speculative scenarios as a lens to examine what?
The Human Condition
Humans