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Science Fiction or Reality
Quiz by Kerry Palumbo
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Science fact or science fiction?Science fact or fictionMake a multiple choice quiz for my year 8 science students based on the science in this transcript from a video: 3°C 0:04 It can be the difference between snow and sleet 0:08 Wearing a jacket or not 0:11 In your day-to-day life, it may not seem significant 0:15 But 3°C of global warming would be catastrophic 0:20 Heatwaves, droughts, extreme precipitation, even fire 0:25 3°C of warming is really disastrous 0:28 The scary thing is, the world is well on its way there 0:32 Since the industrial revolution, the Earth has warmed between 1.1°C and 1.3°C 0:40 This is a problem that babies you pass in the street will have to live with 0:46 Children born today... 0:47 ...are up to seven times more likely to face extreme weather than their grandparents 0:52 If global temperatures do rise by 3°C... 0:55 ...what would their world look like? Climate change is already having devastating effects 1:03 Rising sea levels 1:05 Desertification 1:07 Hollywood has always enjoyed imagining the end of the world 1:11 While blockbusters like this are clearly fiction... 1:14 ...this film will show the scenario we all face... 1:17 ...unless more drastic measures are taken to stop burning fossil fuels 1:30 In some parts of the world the effects of inaction are already clear 1:35 The slums of Bangladesh’s capital are filling up with climate migrants 1:41 Minara comes from Bhola District, an area in southern Bangladesh 1:46 There, like many other parts of the country... 1:49 ...rivers swollen by heavier rain and melting Himalayan glaciers... 1:53 ...are washing away people’s homes 1:56 Many, like her, have lost everything 2:00 Our home in Bhola had endless amounts of land 2:03 There was lots of space for farming, we had a spacious house 2:08 There were different types of fruits, vegetation and trees growing at home 2:12 We used to eat the fruit from our own trees 2:18 I can’t eat them now because they don't exist anymore 2:21 Since the river flooded for the third time, I had to flee to Dhaka 2:26 Life was much better back home 2:29 It was unbearable to live through, truly intolerable 2:33 We didn’t have the time to save anything at all 2:38 1.1°C to 1.3°C of global warming has already transformed Minara’s life 2:45 It’s one of the reasons why so many migrants like her... 2:47 ...are moving to the city each year... 2:50 ...nearly 400,000 according to the last estimate 2:53 And climate models show there could be much worse to come How climate modelling works 3:02 Climate scientist Joeri Rogelj... 3:04 ...has spent the last ten years modelling future climate scenarios... 3:08 ...for the United Nations 3:10 The models we use to carry out this exercise... 3:13 ...really represent the state of the art... 3:15 ...of our current knowledge of climate change and where we are heading 3:19 Joeri’s projections use data collected by hundreds of scientists around the world 3:26 Here this is the 3°C level... 3:28 ...and so there is at least a one-in-four chance that under current policies... 3:32 ...we would hit 3°C by the end of the century 3:36 This is just one of the scenarios Joeri looks at 3:40 Another one imagines that all policy promises are kept 3:44 The most optimistic assumes that all promises have been kept... 3:47 ...and net-zero targets are met 3:50 Where our best estimate ends up around 2°C at the end of the century... 3:54 ...there is still a one-in-20 chance that we end up with 3°C instead 3:59 One would not be entering a plane if there is a one-in-20 chance... 4:03 ...that the plane will crash Nowhere is safe from global warming 4:07 A rise of 3°C would affect everyone 4:10 Even wealthy cities in rich countries wouldn’t be immune to the consequences 4:15 European capitals like Paris and Berlin... 4:18 ...would bake under more extreme heatwaves 4:22 Frequent storm-surges in New York could turn parts of the city desolate 4:27 In many ways, cities magnify, intensify climate events 4:33 Cities are hotter than the places around them... 4:36 ...they tend to be more vulnerable to flooding 4:39 And you can get a really bad event in a city in a way that you can’t in the countryside 4:46 And because of their denser populations... 4:49 ...disasters in a city affect far more people 4:52 Some cities might be badly prepared for the changes coming 4:56 But they have the means to adapt 4:59 Cities tend to be wealthier than surrounding places 5:03 They have a lot of amenities 5:05 A city that has taken seriously the risks of a 3°C world... 5:08 …wouldn’t necessarily be a worse place to be in a 3°C world 5:12 But a city that hasn’t prepared for these sort of eventualities... 5:16 ...that might be a really nasty place The impact of prolonged droughts 5:20 So far, many developed cities have got off lightly... 5:24 ...but some rural parts of the world are suffering disproportionately 5:29 Smallholders—small-scale farmers—are particularly vulnerable to climate change 5:35 And there are over 600 million around the world 5:38 Smallholders with farms under two hectares... 5:40 ...produce around a third of the global food supply 5:46 Central America’s “Dry Corridor”... 5:48 ...supports a mix of smallholdings and medium-sized farms 5:53 Sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea... 5:56 ...the area is prone to droughts 6:08 Israel RamĂrez Rivera is a smallholder in Guatemala 6:12 Here, climate change is making the dry seasons longer, and more severe 6:18 This is the biggest ear of maize that this plot could deliver 6:23 He depends on his crops of corn and beans 6:26 But they’re getting harder to grow 6:30 The surrounding mountains... 6:32 ...used to provide us with native food... 6:38 ...and now that isn’t an option anymore... 6:41 ...due to climate change and its effects 6:46 Nearly two-thirds of the smallholders in the Dry Corridor now live in poverty 6:52 The impact of all of this for us... 6:59 ...malnutrition among children 7:03 We’ve lost a few 7:07 For my crops especially, the midsummer heat is harder than before 7:16 The plant dries up and can’t provide us... 7:19 ...with the necessary food provision 7:24 Severe droughts in Central America... 7:26 ...are now four times more likely than they were last century 7:30 Many families from here have gone to the States 7:37 The economic despair and debts... 7:44 ...have pushed many people from this community to do this journey 7:53 Migration from Guatemala to the United States has quadrupled since 1990 7:59 Not all of this has been due to climate change 8:02 But longer droughts would force even more to move 8:05 In a 3°C world, annual rainfall in this region... 8:09 ...could drop by up to 14% 8:12 At 3°C, over a quarter of the world’s population... 8:16 ...could endure extreme droughts for at least a month of the year 8:19 Northern Africa could see droughts that last for years at a time Rising sea levels, storm surges and flooding 8:24 But for some, too much water will be the problem 8:29 10% of the world’s population lives on a coastline... 8:32 ...that’s less than 10 metres above sea level 8:35 For these coastal inhabitants, a 3°C world would spell disaster 8:40 By 2100, global sea levels could have climbed by half a metre from 2005 levels 8:46 Low-lying cities like Lagos would be especially vulnerable... 8:49 ...with up to up to a third of the population displaced 8:54 And in Fiji, rising waters are already upending lives 9:04 You can see the graveyard there, it’s all under water now... 9:08 ...due to this rising sea level and climate change 9:15 The village of Togoru in Fiji is being swallowed by the sea 9:19 Barney Dunn, the village headman, has seen over half the village disappear 9:24 Relatives’ houses have been abandoned, and family graves are now under water 9:29 We have been asked by the government to relocate... 9:32 ...but no one wants to relocate... 9:34 ...because we have our great-great-grandparents down there in the sea 9:39 This is the place we’ve been brought up in 9:41 ...it’s not easy to leave 9:44 Past attempts to build a seawall haven’t worked 9:48 But Barney sees building a new one as the village’s only hope 9:52 If they do that, maybe we can save whatever is left 9:56 But if we don’t have the seawall, then it will be keep eroding and time will come... 10:01 ...maybe in ten,15 years, Togoru will be all eroded 10:05 Rising seas also mean storms cause more floods 10:11 And many more countries could suffer 10:14 The Philippines and Myanmar are just two countries... 10:17 ...that will also see an increase in storm surges in a 3°C world 10:21 To escape, many will move… 10:24 …often, to urban areas Extreme heat and wet-bulb temperatures 10:27 Half the world’s population already lives in cities... 10:31 ...almost a third in slums 10:36 For them, a 3°C world could be deadly 10:40 Minara has moved to Dhaka to escape the impact of climate change 10:44 But life could get even worse for her 10:47 I’m struggling a lot nowadays 10:49 The heat during the day is unbearable 10:52 Even late at night it doesn’t cool down 10:57 The heat is getting more intense every day 10:59 I mean, it’s going to get much worse 11:03 I can barely survive it now, how will I live through it in the future? 11:08 Dhaka is getting hotter 11:11 In the last 20 years the average daytime temperature... 11:13 ...has crept up by nearly half a degree 11:17 Days that approach 40°C are now being reported 11:20 And high so-called wet-bulb temperatures are on the rise 11:26 A wet-bulb temperature is a measure of heat and humidity 11:30 Humans cool themselves by sweating… 11:32 But in these conditions, when relative humidity is near 100%... 11:36 ...sweat doesn’t evaporate well 11:38 So people can’t cool down… 11:41 ...even if given unlimited shade and water 11:45 At a high wet-bulb temperature, the body can’t lose heat... 11:49 ...and so it gets hotter and hotter... 11:51 ...and the body is designed to work at a given temperature 11:53 And if it gets too hot inside, you will die 11:58 The human limit for wet-bulb temperatures is 35°C... 12:02 ...around skin temperature 12:04 Dhaka will have a much higher chance... 12:05 ...of reaching dangerous wet-bulb temperatures... 12:07 ...if global warming reaches 3°C 12:12 You can’t really adapt to that 12:14 You have to get out. If the temperature is so high that you can’t work... 12:20 ...can’t do hard manual labour outside for significant parts of the year... 12:25 ...then many places will become functionally no longer part of the economy 12:33 Jacobabad in Pakistan, and Ras al Khaimah, in the United Arab Emirates... 12:37 ...have already recorded deadly wet-bulb temperatures 12:40 More of the tropics and the Persian Gulf... 12:43 ...as well as parts of Mexico and the south-eastern United States... 12:47 ...could all get to this threshold by the end of the century 12:50 Climate modelling might show us the weather Increased migration and conflict 12:52 But it doesn’t show us its other effects on society 12:56 Established migration patterns could change 12:59 Climate disasters may exacerbate reasons people cross borders 13:03 Within countries, more people will move to cities 13:07 In a 3°C world, tens of millions of people a year... 13:10 ...could be displaced by disasters made worse by climate change 13:15 When people are displaced by climate... 13:18 …they may well go to cities... 13:19 ...because cities are the places that attract people from the countryside already 13:25 A lot of people who can get to the developed world... 13:28 ...not least because the developed world tends to be less hot, will give that a go 13:35 As migration around the world increases... 13:38 ...there could be more competition for fewer resources 13:42 Water—already a highly contested resource—will be a focal point 13:47 Turkey’s new Ilisu dam has reduced the flow of water into Iraq 13:53 China lays claim to rivers vital to India and Pakistan 13:57 The prospect of a water-conflict makes people very uneasy 14:03 How national tensions would exacerbate those sorts of reactions... 14:08 ...in a 3°C world... 14:09 ...is the sort of thing that no one should really want to find out 14:14 I think you’d have to be incredibly sanguine... 14:16 ...not to think that the sort of climate extremes that we talk about... 14:19 ...in a 3°C world wouldn’t lead some places... 14:22 ...to the brink of societal collapse 14:25 Those lucky enough to escape unrest... Adaptation and mitigation are crucial 14:28 ...would still have to adapt to a radically different world 14:32 People can adapt to climate change in all sorts of ways, one of the most obvious ones... 14:37 ...is air conditioning 14:39 But other ways to adapt at a local or regional level... 14:42 ...I mean, one of the most obvious is diversifying agriculture 14:47 There are physical things you can do, like seawalls 14:52 The fact that people can adapt and that adaptation will reduce suffering... 14:57 ...doesn’t mean that it will eliminate suffering 15:00 Suffering is built into this whole process of heating up the planet 15:06 Adaptation will only get the world so far 15:09 The best way to deal with a 3°C world... 15:12 ...is not to go to a 3°C world 15:14 And that’s why increasing efforts on mitigation are important 15:17 It’s why working towards negative emissions... 15:20 ...that could bring down the temperature after it peaks are important 15:25 Once you get to a 3°C world, you are in real bad global trouble 15:33 The scale of change needed... 15:35 ...and the slow progress of governments so far... 15:38 ...means 3°C of warming is uncomfortably likely unless more is done 15:44 Despite existing pledges, greenhouse-gas emissions... 15:48 ...are still set to rise by 16% from 2010 levels by 2030 15:54 The need to act has never been clearer 15:57 There’s still time to reduce emissions, so that a 3°C world remains fiction... 16:02 ...rather than becoming factScience FictionScience Fiction Practice 1SCIENCE & SCIENCE-FICTION Fantasy and Science Fiction Exam ReviewA. Arundhati Roy B. Jhumpa Lahiri C. Salman Rushdie D. Anita Desai ________________________________________ 2. The Lowland was published in: A. 2001 B. 2013 C. 2010 D. 2005 ________________________________________ 3. Which earlier work earned Lahiri the Pulitzer Prize? A. The Namesake B. Unaccustomed Earth C. Interpreter of Maladies D. The Lowland ________________________________________ 4. The novel is primarily about: A. Technology and modernity B. Immigration, family, and political violence C. Business rivalry D. Mythology and folklore ________________________________________ 5. The two central brothers in the novel are: A. Rahul and Anil B. Subhash and Udayan C. Gogol and Ashoke D. Amit and Nikhil ________________________________________ 6. Where did the brothers grow up? A. Mumbai B. Dhaka C. Calcutta D. Delhi ________________________________________ 7. Udayan becomes involved in: A. Peace activism B. Cinema C. Naxalite movement D. Business ________________________________________ 8. Subhash moves to: A. London B. Rhode Island C. Toronto D. Chicago ________________________________________ 9. Udayan is killed in: A. Jail B. A riot C. The lowland near his house D. A car accident ________________________________________ 10. Why does Subhash marry Gauri? A. Love B. To protect her and her unborn child C. Financial benefit D. Family pressure ________________________________________ 11. Gauri eventually: A. Becomes a politician B. Starts a business C. Leaves her family D. Returns to India ________________________________________ 12. Subhash raises Bela: A. With Gauri B. Alone C. With help from his parents D. In India ________________________________________ 13. Bela grows up believing: A. Udayan is her father B. Subhash is her father C. She has no father D. Her father died in war ________________________________________ 14. The setting of political unrest is linked to: A. Partition B. Naxalbari uprising C. Independence movement D. Civil War ________________________________________ 15. The narrative style uses: A. Magical realism B. Non-linear structure C. Poetry D. Second-person narration ________________________________________ 16. Gauri’s character represents: A. Traditional motherhood B. Obedient wife C. Intellectual autonomy and emotional detachment D. Political activism ________________________________________ 17. Bela’s character signifies: A. Rebellion against education B. Second-generation identity struggle C. Complete assimilation D. Materialistic living ________________________________________ 18. Memory in the novel functions as: A. A simple recollection B. A haunting presence affecting identity C. A forgotten history D. A symbolic decoration ________________________________________ 19. The lowland itself symbolizes: A. Wealth B. Stability C. Transitional, unstable space D. Escape ________________________________________ 20. Lahiri’s prose style can be described as: A. Flowery and ornate B. Minimalistic and restrained C. Dramatic and verbose D. Highly poetic ________________________________________ 21. Water imagery reflects: A. Joy and happiness B. Power and victory C. Memory and emotional fluidity D. Evil ________________________________________ 22. Which theory applies strongly to this novel? A. Structuralism B. Postcolonial hybridity C. Absurdism D. Modernism ________________________________________ 23. Postcolonial hybridity is linked to: A. Complete assimilation B. Identity in-between cultures C. Traditional values D. Language fluency alone ________________________________________ 24. Which character best reflects second-generation identity conflict? A. Gauri B. Bela C. Subhash D. Udayan ________________________________________ 25. What does Subhash struggle with most? A. Career failure B. Language C. Guilt and secrecy D. Wealth ________________________________________ 26. Udayan’s ideology centers on: A. Business growth B. Armed communist revolution C. Religious reform D. Education ________________________________________ 27. The novel shows how political violence leads to: A. Personal healing B. Economic prosperity C. Emotional trauma across generations D. Cultural unity ________________________________________ 28. Betrayal appears as: A. Only political B. Only emotional C. Both political and familial D. A background idea ________________________________________ 29. The genre of the text best fits: A. Fantasy B. Realistic political family saga C. Science fiction D. Thriller ________________________________________ 30. The narrative constantly shifts between: A. Dream and reality B. India and America C. Past and future India D. Fiction and nonfiction ________________________________________ 31. Homi Bhabha’s "third space" represents: A. Physical land B. A zone of cultural in-betweenness C. A literal building D. A heavenlike vision ________________________________________ 32. Gauri symbolizes: A. Traditional widowhood B. Female agency vs social expectation C. Blind loyalty D. Economic dependence ________________________________________ 33. Bela unknowingly inherits: A. Udayan’s ideology B. Gauri’s academic passion only C. Subhash’s calmness D. Grandparents’ wealth ________________________________________ 34. Lahiri uses silence to: A. Avoid details B. Deepen psychological complexity C. Reduce story relevance D. Simplify events ________________________________________ 35. A major structural device is: A. Letters B. Non-linear flashbacks C. Mythic storytelling D. Metafiction ________________________________________ 36. Which text offers a migrant theme comparison? A. The God of Small Things B. The White Tiger C. The Namesake D. Train to Pakistan ________________________________________ 38. The Naxalite movement first emerged in: A. Mumbai B. Naxalbari village C. Delhi D. Kerala ________________________________________ 39. Which theme repeats strongly? A. Celebration of success B. Silence and secrets C. Fantasy D. Heroism ________________________________________ 40. What does Bela do as an adult? A. Becomes a doctor B. Engages in environmental activism C. Joins corporate life D. Moves into politics ________________________________________ 41. The immigrant experience in the novel is portrayed as: A. Full belonging B. Alienation and partial belonging C. Achievement D. Liberation ________________________________________ 42. Which idea does Lahiri question through Gauri? A. Heroism B. Maternal expectation C. Religious devotion D. Wealth ________________________________________ 43. Subhash represents: A. Pure rebellion B. Survival and adaptation C. Anti-immigrant sentiment D. Total withdrawal ________________________________________ 44. Lahiri’s writing expects readers to: A. Passively accept the plot B. Read emotional subtext in silences C. Ignore symbols D. Only enjoy the story ________________________________________ 45. The lowland as a metaphor mainly signifies: A. Joy B. Unstable cultural ground C. Triumph D. Isolation from family ________________________________________ 46. Why is The Lowland considered significant? A. Its fantasy themes B. Its deep engagement with politics & identity C. Its humor D. Its romantic style ________________________________________ 47. Which comparative author also writes about diaspora identity? A. Chetan Bhagat B. Amitav Ghosh C. Premchand D. Ruskin Bond ________________________________________ 48. Udayan’s death drives the plot because: A. Family hides it B. It forces new relationships & trauma C. People forget him D. It has no consequence ________________________________________ 49. The narrative ends emphasizing: A. Closure and peace B. Lasting consequences of secrets C. National identity D. Religious conflict ________________________________________ 50. Scholars study this work because it explores: A. Only Indian history B. Trauma, diaspora, gender & politics C. Folk storytelling D. Comedy