EnglishClub

Pre-listening vocabulary

• dystopia: an imaginary world where there is a lot of injustice, oppression, and social control
• cloning: the process of copying a person’s genes to create another identical person
• class: a social group that a person belongs to, especially one that determines how much money or power they have
• utopia: an imaginary world where people are happy and the causes of pain and suffering have been solved
• parody: a work that imitates another work, especially in a humorous way
• pessimistic: believing that the future is likely to be bad or upsetting
• classic: a book that has stayed popular and relevant over a long period of time

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:10 — 3.0MB)

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Gapfill exercise

Brave New World is a 1932 novel by English writer Aldous Huxley. The novel is set in a version of London, England in a future dystopian called the World State. In the World State, the businessman Henry Ford has become a figure. The World State tries to keep its citizens happy with technology and drugs. It uses cloning technology to produce children. These children are genetically selected for a specific class and role within society. Huxley’s work was influenced by the of utopian fiction, which was very popular at the time. Many utopian novels described futures where technology had solved all human . Huxley thought this was an impossible and even dangerous idea. Brave New World began specifically as a parody of the utopian novels of H. G. Wells. Early reviews of Brave New World were often . Readers at the time thought it was disturbing and pessimistic. Over time, it became a classic of dystopian fiction, especially as technology grew and changed.

Comprehension questions

See answers below

1. Brave New World is set in a future version of
   a. London
   b. New York
   c. Paris
   
2. The real historical person who is a religious figure in Brave New World‘s World State is
   a. Winston Churchill
   b. Henry Ford
   c. H. G. Wells
   
3. Brave New World began as a parody of
   a. science fiction
   b. pulp fiction
   c. utopian fiction

Discussion/essay questions

1. It is often said that dystopian books “predict the future.” People have claimed this about Brave New World, as well as other dystopian novels like Nineteen Eighty–Four and The Handmaid’s Tale. Why do you think this is? Have you read any older dystopian books that feel very important now? Have you read any newer dystopian books that you think will become important in the future?

Transcript

Brave New World is a 1932 novel by English writer Aldous Huxley. The novel is set in a version of London, England in a future dystopian society called the World State. In the World State, the businessman Henry Ford has become a religious figure. The World State tries to keep its citizens happy with technology and drugs. It uses cloning technology to produce children. These children are genetically selected for a specific class and role within society. Huxley’s work was influenced by the genre of utopian fiction, which was very popular at the time. Many utopian novels described futures where technology had solved all human problems. Huxley thought this was an impossible and even dangerous idea. Brave New World began specifically as a parody of the utopian novels of H. G. Wells. Early reviews of Brave New World were often negative. Readers at the time thought it was disturbing and pessimistic. Over time, it became a classic of dystopian fiction, especially as technology grew and changed.

Answers to comprehension questions

1a 2b 3c

See also and compare

• 1984 by George Orwell

Pre-listening vocabulary

• genetic: relating to genes
• identical: exactly the same
• organism: any individual living thing
• embryo: an unborn, developing organism
• advanced: modern and complex
• ethical: relating to the moral concepts of “right” or “wrong”

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:11 — 1.1MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | More

Gapfill exercise

Cloning is the process of a genetically identical copy of an organism. Researchers have been experimenting with cloning since the 1900s, when they attempted to create genetic copies of animal embryos. As became more advanced, it became possible to make clones of fully-grown creatures. The first successful cloning of an adult organism was in 1996, when a British group managed to produce a cloned sheep. The sheep’s name was Dolly, and she lived for six years. Scientists have since managed to clone many other types of animals. In fact, there are now that offer expensive pet cloning services. The idea of human cloning has come up in scientific , but many people have ethical concerns about the consequences. Because of this, human cloning is illegal in several countries.

Comprehension questions

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Discussion/essay questions

1. The article says that many people have ethical concerns about the consequences of human cloning. What do you think some of those concerns might be?
2. Do you think human cloning should be legal? Why or why not?

Transcript

Cloning is the process of creating a genetically identical copy of an organism. Researchers have been experimenting with cloning since the 1900s, when they attempted to create genetic copies of animal embryos. As technology became more advanced, it became possible to make clones of fully-grown creatures. The first successful cloning of an adult organism was in 1996, when a British research group managed to produce a cloned sheep. The sheep’s name was Dolly, and she lived for six years. Scientists have since managed to clone many other types of animals. In fact, there are now companies that offer expensive pet cloning services. The idea of human cloning has come up in scientific discussions, but many people have ethical concerns about the consequences. Because of this, human cloning is illegal in several countries.