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- Texto 1 – | ‘On Not Calling a Spade a Spade’: Climate Fiction as Science Fiction | www.jstor.org |
- Texto 2 – | Cartoon | www.theparisreview.org |
- 10 Multiple Choice Questions | Four-Option Question |
❑ TEXTO 1: Responder às questões de 1 a 7
com base no texto.
‘On Not Calling a Spade a Spade’:
Climate
Fiction as Science Fiction
“Sobre não chamar as coisas pelo seu nome”:
A ficção Climática como Ficção Científica
Pawel Frelik, 2017
>> 1º PARÁGRAFO:
My brief argument here may at first look like
splitting taxonomy hairs, but it really is not. I don’t
want to appear oversensitive either, but I do think
what I note has far-reaching consequences for how we
actually talk about climate crisis as well as its cultural
representations. Naming is both a categorization,
always dearly needed for a number of reasons, and an
act of cultural appropriation, whose underlying cultural,
political, economic, and affective assumptions are
often obscured from the view of those engaged in the
very act. This is very much the case with climate fiction.
O meu breve argumento aqui pode, à primeira vista, parecer uma minúcia taxonómica, mas na verdade não é. Também não quero parecer excessivamente sensível, mas acredito que o que observo tem consequências de longo alcance para a forma como falamos sobre a crise climática, bem como para as suas representações culturais. A nomeação é tanto uma categorização, sempre extremamente necessária por uma série de razões, como um acto de apropriação cultural, cujos pressupostos culturais, políticos, económicos e afectivos subjacentes são frequentemente obscurecidos pela visão daqueles que o praticam. É o caso da ficção climática.
>> 2º PARÁGRAFO:
Whether labeled climate fiction or fiction of the
Anthropocene, the prominent majority of texts dealing
with climate change and catastrophic weather are
really science fiction. Certainly, not all texts quite fit
this qualification, but by and large, climate fiction is
science fiction. There are, of course, reasons behind
most critics’ unwillingness to admit just that. The most
immediate of these is the overly narrow understanding
of what science fiction is, which limits it to stories about
aliens, apocalypses, and time machines.
Quer sejam rotulados como ficção climática ou ficção do Antropoceno, a grande maioria dos textos que tratam das alterações climáticas e das catástrofes climáticas são, na verdade, ficção científica. Certamente, nem todos os textos se enquadram nesta qualificação, mas, de um modo geral, a ficção climática é ficção científica. Há, naturalmente, razões por detrás da relutância da maioria dos críticos em admitir exactamente isso. A mais imediata delas é a compreensão demasiado limitada do que é a ficção científica, que a limita a histórias sobre alienígenas, apocalipses e máquinas do tempo.
>> 3º PARÁGRAFO:
In reality, science fiction is nothing like this and has
not been for a long time. Of all cultural manifestations,
science fiction has been particularly privileged to play
the role of a mediator in the transactions between
natural sciences and humanities, two cultures which,
albeit much changed, still seem to be pitted against
each other as adversaries. Neglecting these bridges
leads, at best, to reinventing a wheel when there is
a spaceship parked round the corner and, at worst,
to reducing climate fictions to their human or social
dimensions.
Na realidade, a ficção científica não é nada disto e já não o é há muito tempo. De todas as manifestações culturais, a ficção científica tem tido o privilégio especial de desempenhar o papel de mediadora nas transações entre as ciências naturais e as humanidades, duas culturas que, embora muito alteradas, parecem ainda estar em conflito como adversárias. Negligenciar estas pontes leva, na melhor das hipóteses, a reinventar a roda quando há uma nave espacial estacionada na esquina e, na pior, a reduzir as ficções climáticas às suas dimensões humanas ou sociais.
>> 4º PARÁGRAFO:
It would be perhaps somewhat rash to say that
science fiction does not need climate fiction, but
climate fiction does need science fiction, which can
enrich and enhance the former’s conversations about
the world undergoing tidal change. In its turn, the
field of American Studies needs both climate fiction
and science fiction. The multilateral discussions of
American global agency and domestic woes cannot
be limited to their political, social, and economic
dimensions.
Talvez seja um pouco precipitado dizer que a ficção científica não precisa de ficção climática, mas a ficção climática precisa de ficção científica, o que pode enriquecer e melhorar as discussões da primeira sobre o mundo em transformação. Por sua vez, o campo dos Estudos Americanos necessita tanto da ficção climática como da ficção científica. As discussões multilaterais sobre a agência global americana e os seus problemas internos não se podem limitar às suas dimensões política, social e económica.
>> 5º PARÁGRAFO:
If one goal of American Studies is to raise
awareness _____ the mistakes of the past and the
hopes for the future that the United States has always
been part of, then our field cannot afford ignoring
science fiction: one realm of the cultural production that has, for the last century, consistently dramatized
and problematized the interactions between human
progress and nature. Climate fiction is, of course,
merely one subset of this expansive body of texts, but
its relevance _____ our lives and the future _____ the
planet has been growing explosively _____ the last
several decades. And when you finally start paying
attention to the messages that climate fiction brings,
you can call it whatever you want. The message is
far more important than the name, but do not pretend
climate fiction suddenly appeared a few years ago.
Se um dos objetivos dos Estudos Americanos é consciencializar para os erros do passado e para as esperanças para o futuro de que os Estados Unidos sempre fizeram parte, então a nossa área não se pode dar ao luxo de ignorar a ficção científica: um domínio da produção cultural que, no último século, tem consistentemente dramatizado e problematizado as interacções entre o progresso humano e a natureza. A ficção climática é, obviamente, apenas um subconjunto deste vasto corpo de textos, mas a sua relevância para as nossas vidas e para o futuro do planeta tem crescido de forma explosiva nas últimas décadas. E quando finalmente começar a prestar atenção às mensagens que a ficção climática traz, poderá chamar-lhe o que quiser. A mensagem é muito mais importante do que o nome, mas não finja que a ficção climática apareceu de repente há alguns anos.
1 – The four missing prepositions in paragraph 5 are, respectively,
A) for – for – on – for
B) on – in – for – to
C) in – on – to – on
D) of – to – of – in
• Gabarito D
The four missing prepositions in paragraph 5 are, respectively,
A) for – for – on – for
B) on – in – for – to
C) in – on – to – on
D) of – to – of – in
2 – The question that does NOT find an answer in text 1 is:
A) Why is it important for American Studies to include both climate fiction and science fiction in their discussions?
B) What role has science fiction played in cultural discussions between natural sciences and humanities?
C) In what ways can science fiction add to the conversations about climate change within climate fiction?
D) How did the understanding of science fiction lead critics to resist categorizing it as climate fiction?
• Gabarito C
The question that does NOT find an answer in text 1 is:
A) Why is it important for American Studies to include both climate fiction and science fiction in their discussions?
B) What role has science fiction played in cultural discussions between natural sciences and humanities?
C) In what ways can science fiction add to the conversations about climate change within climate fiction?
D) How did the understanding of science fiction lead critics to resist categorizing it as climate fiction?
3 – Mark the statements below T (true) or F (false), according to the text.
( ) Although climate fiction is considered a subset of science fiction, not naming it as such contributes to the invisibility of problems in the interactions between human progress and nature present in the cultural production of the last century.
( ) Science fiction and fiction of the Anthropocene have played a major role in hindering the division between natural sciences and humanities, promoting a separation between reality, fiction, and nature.
( ) Critics have recognized the wide range of science fiction, but their lack in recognizing its richness in thinking about other possible futures, including ones for preserving nature and the planet, has led to a discussion about its value.
The alternative that presents the correct top-down answers to the statements above is
A) T – F – F
B) T – F – T
C) F – T – F
D) F – T – T
• Gabarito B
CMark the statements below T (true) or F (false), according to the text.
( ) Although climate fiction is considered a subset of science fiction, not naming it as such contributes to the invisibility of problems in the interactions between human progress and nature present in the cultural production of the last century.
( ) Science fiction and fiction of the Anthropocene have played a major role in hindering the division between natural sciences and humanities, promoting a separation between reality, fiction, and nature.
( ) Critics have recognized the wide range of science fiction, but their lack in recognizing its richness in thinking about other possible futures, including ones for preserving nature and the planet, has led to a discussion about its value.
The alternative that presents the correct top-down answers to the statements above is
A) T – F – F
B) T – F – T
C) F – T – F
D) F – T – T
4 – Consider the statements about the words “whose”, “which”, and “that”:
I. “…whose underlying cultural, political, economic, and affective assumptions are often obscured” (lines 11 to 13) refers to “a categorization” (line 09).
II. “…which limits it to stories about…” (line 23) refers to “the overly narrow understanding of what science fiction is” (lines 22 and 23).
III. “…that has, for the last century, consistently dramatized” (line 51) refers to “one realm of the cultural production” (line 50).
The correct statements are
A) I and II, only.
B) I and III, only.
C) II and III, only.
D) I, II and III.
• Gabarito C
Consider the statements about the words “whose”, “which”, and “that”:
I. “…whose underlying cultural, political, economic, and affective assumptions are often obscured” (lines 11 to 13) refers to “a categorization” (line 09).
II. “…which limits it to stories about…” (line 23) refers to “the overly narrow understanding of what science fiction is” (lines 22 and 23).
III. “…that has, for the last century, consistently dramatized” (line 51) refers to “one realm of the cultural production” (line 50).
The correct statements are
A) I and II, only.
B) I and III, only.
C) II and III, only.
D) I, II and III.
5 – Consider the following words and expressions from the text. If replaced by the options given, which alternative proposes a substitution without any changes in form and meaning?
A) “by and large” (line 19) – on the whole
B) “albeit” (line 30) – hence
C) “at best […] at worst” (lines 32 and 33) – on the contrary
D) “In its turn” (line 40) – in spite of
• Gabarito A
If replaced by the options given, which alternative proposes a substitution without any changes in form and meaning?
A) “by and large” (line 19) – on the whole
B) “albeit” (line 30) – hence
C) “at best […] at worst” (lines 32 and 33) – on the contrary
D) “In its turn” (line 40) – in spite of
6 – Match expressions 1, 2, and 3 to the sentences, keeping the same meaning they have in text 1.
1. Calling a Spade a Spade (line 01)
2. splitting […] hairs (line 05)
3. reinventing a wheel (line 32)
- ( ) In sci-fi and climate fiction, the constant act of [_________] with dystopian futures seems like a waste of time, when the real challenge lies in translating these speculative visions into actionable strategies for our present environmental crises.
- ( ) In the midst of a climate crisis, with cities sinking and forests ablaze, debating minor technicalities in policy feels like [_________] when we should be taking bold actions to save our planet.
- ( ) It’s time we start [_________] and acknowledge that our current environmental policies are inadequate in addressing the urgent threat of climate change.
The alternative that presents the correct top-down
answers to the sentences above is
A) 1 – 2 – 3
B) 2 – 3 – 1
C) 3 – 2 – 1
D) 1 – 3 – 2
• Gabarito C
Match expressions 1, 2, and 3 to the sentences, keeping the same meaning they have in text 1.
1. Calling a Spade a Spade (line 01)
2. splitting […] hairs (line 05)
3. reinventing a wheel (line 32)
- ( ) In sci-fi and climate fiction, the constant act of [_________] with dystopian futures seems like a waste of time, when the real challenge lies in translating these speculative visions into actionable strategies for our present environmental crises.
- ( ) In the midst of a climate crisis, with cities sinking and forests ablaze, debating minor technicalities in policy feels like [_________] when we should be taking bold actions to save our planet.
- ( ) It’s time we start [_________] and acknowledge that our current environmental policies are inadequate in addressing the urgent threat of climate change.
The alternative that presents the correct top-down
answers to the sentences above is
A) 1 – 2 – 3
B) 2 – 3 – 1
C) 3 – 2 – 1
D) 1 – 3 – 2
7 – Select the alternative in which the two propositions would suitably replace the word “Whether” (line 15), with no change in meaning.
A) Even if – Somewhat
B) Despite being – If it is
C) Regardless if – Be it
D) However – When
• Gabarito C
Select the alternative in which the two propositions would suitably replace the word “Whether” (line 15), with no change in meaning.
A) Even if – Somewhat
B) Despite being – If it is
C) Regardless if – Be it
D) However – When
❑ TEXTO 2: Responder à questão 8 com base no texto 2.
8 – Choose the alternative which presents an idea that is NOT related to the message of the cartoon.
A) Fiction is not fact.
B) Fiction is based on fact.
C) Fiction is an interpretation of fact.
D) Fiction is difficult to be understood.
• Gabarito D
Choose the alternative which presents an idea that is NOT related to the message of the cartoon.
A) Fiction is not fact.
B) Fiction is based on fact.
C) Fiction is an interpretation of fact.
D) Fiction is difficult to be understood.
❑ INSTRUÇÃO: Responder às questões 9 e 10 com base nos textos 1 e 2.
9 – Consider the statements about the uses of the words somewhat (line 36, Text 1) and somewhere (Text 2).
- I. If the word somewhat (line 36, Text 1) were replaced by “rather”, the meaning of the sentence would be different.
- II. If the word somewhere (Text 2) were replaced by “In an unknown corner”, the meaning of the cartoon would be different.
- III. Somewhat (line 36, Text 1) and somewhere (Text 2) can be used interchangeably in both sentences without altering the meaning.
The correct statements are
A) I and II, only.
B) I and III, only.
C) II and III, only.
D) I, II, and III.
• Gabarito A
Consider the statements about the uses of the words somewhat (line 36, Text 1) and somewhere (Text 2).
- I. If the word somewhat (line 36, Text 1) were replaced by “rather”, the meaning of the sentence would be different.
- II. If the word somewhere (Text 2) were replaced by “In an unknown corner”, the meaning of the cartoon would be different.
- III. Somewhat (line 36, Text 1) and somewhere (Text 2) can be used interchangeably in both sentences without altering the meaning.
The correct statements are
A) I and II, only.
B) I and III, only.
C) II and III, only.
D) I, II, and III.
10 – Text 2 relates metaphorically to the ideas in Text 1. Which idea in Text 2 best expresses this metaphor?
A) Climate fiction as opposed to art, focused more on data than human or social aspects.
B) Climate fiction as an easy way to understand factual, real-world environmental issues.
C) Climate fiction as detached from facts, focused on calling for changes to avoid weather catastrophes.
D) Climate fiction as an effort within art to make sense of real-world issues and the complex realities of the world.
• Gabarito D
Which idea in Text 2 best expresses this metaphor?
A) Climate fiction as opposed to art, focused more on data than human or social aspects.
B) Climate fiction as an easy way to understand factual, real-world environmental issues.
C) Climate fiction as detached from facts, focused on calling for changes to avoid weather catastrophes.
D) Climate fiction as an effort within art to make sense of real-world issues and the complex realities of the world.