5．
阅读理解
Have you ever had lucid (清醒的) dreams? Recent studies suggest that
the number of people having them is on the rise. Someone having a lucid dream
realizes they are dreaming and may from then on" direct" the action,
or they may simply " watch" the dream unfold. The sense of awareness (知道) makes it different from a dream that is simply very lively and
true to life. And although the description may seem strange, the process is far
from alien to many of us.
Studies suggest that the number of people in the Western
world experiencing lucid dreams, which happen once in a while, has risen by
between 10 and 40 per cent since the 1980s. Today, they are so common that
about one in eight of us will have one in our lives. But still, little is known
about what causes them or what is behind the rise.
Research carried out at the respected Harvard University
in the US shows that the brain is working hard during lucid dreams. In fact,
the level of the mental (精神
的) activity in some parts of the brain is similar to that of a person
who is awake. Lucid dreamers seem to share certain personal characters. For example,
in general they are quite creative. They are also good at digging deep into
problems and going out of their way to solve them. Furthermore, they always
believe in personal responsibility rather than letting society carry the can.
Our nightmares (噩梦) may show our waking worries, with the five most common ones--
falling, being run after, feeling disabled, being late and the death of a loved
one. Men are more likely to have nightmares about fights or being fired while
hair and tooth loss appear more in women's nightmares-perhaps showing worries
about losing their looks. Research has also found that women have more
nightmares than men. Their dreams are also scarier and more unforgettable.
