Among the most popular books being written today are those which are usually classified as science fiction. Hundreds of titles are published every year and are read by all kinds of people.
Furthermore, some of the most successful films in recent years have been based on science fiction stories.
It is often thought that science fiction is a fairly new development in literature, but it can be found in books written hundreds of years ago. These books were often concerned with the presentation of some form of ideal society, a theme which is still often found in modern stories.
Most of the classics of science fiction, however, have been written within the last hundred years. Books by writers such as Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, to mention just two well-known
authors, have been translated into many languages. Modern science fiction writers don't write about men from Mars or space adventure stories. They are more interested in predicting the results of technical developments on society and the human mind; or in imagining future world which are a reflection of the world which we live in now. Because of this their writing has obviously political undertones.
In an age where science fact frequently overtakes science fiction, the writers may find it difficult to keep ahead of scientific advances. Those who are sufficiently clear-sighted to see the way we are going, however, may provide a valuable lesson on how to deal with the problems which society will inevitably face as it tries to master its new technology.
The underlined word “overtakes”in the last paragraph means查看材料
A.takes the place of
B.is more meaningful than
C.develops more quickly than
D.develops more slowly than