Common Questions about Dreams
Does everyone dream?
Yes. Research shows that we all dream. We have our most vivid dreams during a type of sleep called Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. During REM sleep, the brain is very active. The eyes move quickly back and forth under the lids, and the large muscles of the body are relaxed. REM sleep occurs every 90-100 minutes, three to four times a night, and it lasts longer as the night goes on. ___1___ We dream at other times during the night, too, but those dreams are less vivid. Do people remember their dreams?
A few people remember their dreams. However, most people forget nearly everything that happened during the night — dreams, thoughts, and the short periods of time when they were awake. ___2___ It seems that the memory of the dream is not totally lost, but for some reason it is very hard to bring it back. If you want to remember your dream，the best thing to do is to write it down as soon as you wake up.
Are dreams in color?
Most dreams are in color. However, people may not be aware of it for two reasons ： They don’t usually remember the details of their dreams, or they don’t notice the color because it is such a natural part of our lives. ___3___
Do dreams have meaning?
Scientists continue to debate this issue. ___4___ Some people use dreams to help them learn more about their feelings, thoughts, behavior, motives, and values. Others find that dreams can help them solve problems. It’s also true that artists, writers, and scientists often get creative ideas from dreams.
How can I learn to understand my dreams? The most important thing to remember is that your dreams are personal. The people, actions, and situations in your dreams reflect your experience, your thoughts, and your feelings. Some dream experts believe that there are certain types of dreams that many people have，even if they come from different cultures or time periods. Usually, however, the same dream will have different meanings for different people. For example, an elephant in a dream may mean one thing to a zookeeper and something very different to a child whose favorite toy is a stuffed elephant. ___5___ Then look for links between your dreams and what is happening in your daily life. If you think hard and you are patient, perhaps the meaning of your dreams will become clearer to you.
练习：
A However, people who spend time thinking about their dreams believe that they are meaningful and useful.
B The final REM period may last as long as 45 minutes.
C People who are very aware of color when they are awake probably notice color more often in their dreams.
D Our most powerful dreams don’t happen during deep sleep.
E To learn to understand your dreams, think about what each part of the dream means to you or reminds you of.
F Sometimes, though, people suddenly remember a dream later in the day or on another day.
答案与题解：
1. B 文中第一部分主要介绍快速眼动睡眠期，而且前一句正好提到每晚快速眼动睡眠期的间隔时间、出现频率及其持续时间的情况。
2. F 题目所在的前一句提到大多数人会忘记晚上所发生的几乎所有事情，而后一句中又提到人们对梦的记忆好像没有完全丢失，由此可以推断出中间这一句应该说的是人有时会记起自己的梦。
3. C 文中第三部分提到梦是彩色的，前面主要讲的是人们可能意识不到这个问题以及意识不到的原因，由此可以推断后面应该会提到那些可以意识到这个问题的人。因此，答案为C。
4. A 文中第四部分讲的是梦的意义，纵观六个选项与部分主题相关的只有选项A，而且后面主要提到人们会利用梦做些什么，这也就意味着人们会思考他们的梦而且相信梦是有意义的。
5. E 由第五部分的标题就可以锁定选项E，而且后一句讲的是要寻找梦与现实的联系，正好与选项E的意思相吻合。