For centuries, people have wondered about the strange things that they dream about. Some psychologists say that this nighttime activity of the mind has no special meaning. Others，however，think that dreams are an important part of our lives. In fact, many experts believe that dreams can tell us about a person’s mind and emotions.
Before modern times, many people thought that dreams contained messages from God. It was only in the twentieth century that people started to study dreams in a scientific way.
The Austrian psychologist, Sigmund Freud1，was probably the first person to study dreams scientifically. In his famous book, The interpretation of Dreams (1900), Freud wrote that dreams are an expression of a person’s wishes. He believed that dreams allow people to express the feelings, thoughts, and fears that they are afraid to express in real life.
The Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung2 was once a student of Freud’s. Jung，however，had a different idea about dreams. Jung believed that the purpose of a dream was to communicate a message to the dreamer. He thought people could learn more about themselves by thinking about their dreams. For example, people who dream about falling may learn that they have too high an opinion of themselves. On the other hand, people who dream about being heroes may learn that they think too little of themselves.
Modern-day psychologists continue to develop theories about dreams. For example, psychologist William Domhoff from the University of California, Santa Cruz，believes that dreams are tightly linked to a person’s daily life, thoughts, and behavior. A criminal, for example, might dream about crime.
Domhoff believes that there is a connection between dreams and age. His research shows that children do not dream as much as adults. According to Domhoff, dreaming is a mental skill that needs time to develop.
He has also found a link between dreams and gender. His studies show that the dreams of men and women are different. For example, the people in men’s dreams are often other men, and the dreams often involve fighting. This is not true of women’s dreams.3 Domhoff found this gender difference in the dreams of people from 11 cultures around the world, including both modern and traditional ones.
Can dreams help us understand ourselves? Psychologists continue to try to answer this question in different ways. However, one thing they agree on this: If you dream that something terrible is going to occur, you shouldn’t panic. The dream may have meaning, but it does not mean that some terrible event will actually take place. It’s important to remember that the world of dreams is not the real world.
词汇：
psychologist / sa欂吀氂夀搂鈀樂猂琀 / n.心理学家
psychiatrist /sai' kai琂爀樀猂琀/ n.精神病学家(医生)
Austrian / 吂猂琀爀樀夂渂 / adj.奥地利的
gender / 搂鈀攂渀搀夀 / n.性别
注释：
1.Sigmund Freud西格蒙德弗洛伊德(1856—1939)，*人，奥地利精神病医生及精神分析学家。精神分析学派的创始人。他认为被压抑的欲望绝大部分是属于性的，性的扰乱是精神病的根本原因。著有《性学三论》《梦的释义》《图腾与禁忌》《日常生活的心理病理学》《精神分析引论》《精神分析引论新编》等。
2.Carl Jung：卡尔挠格，瑞士精神分析专家，分析心理学的创始人。
3.For example, the people in men’s dreams are often other men, and the dreams often involve fighting. This is not true of women’s dreams.例如，在男性梦境中出现的通常是其他男性，而且常与打斗有关，而女性的梦境则不是这样。
练习：
1.Not everyone agrees that dreams are meaningful.
A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned
2.According to Freud, people dream about things that they cannot talk about.
A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned
3.Jung believed that dreams did not help one to understand oneself.
A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned
4.In the past, people believed that dreams involved emotions.
A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned
5.According to Domhoff, babies do not have the same ability to dream as adults do.
A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned
6.Men and women dream about different things.
A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned
7.Scientists agree that dreams predict the future.
A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned
答案与题解
1.A 这句话恰好表达了本文第一段的意思。即有些心理学家认为，人脑睡眠中的活动没有特别意义;而有些人则认为，梦可以揭示人的思维和情感活动。
2.A 第三段的最后一句讲的是弗洛伊德认为梦反映了人们在现实情况下害怕表达的情感、思维和恐惧。此句与本叙述一致。
3.B 第四段的第二句和第三句：Jung believed that the purpose of a dream was to communicate a message to the dreamer.(荣格认为，梦的用途是向做梦者传递一个信息)He thought people could learn more about themselves by thinking about their dreams.(他认为人们通过思考所做的梦能够更好地了解自己)。他给出了两个例子来说明他的论点。
4.C 文中没有提及。
5.A 依据第六段，Domhoff研究得出：孩子不像成人做那么多的梦，他认为做梦也是一项心智机能，需要随着年龄增长而发展。
6.A 本文第七段讲述了做梦与性别的关系。第二句更指出男人和女人做的梦是不同的。
7.B 最后一段的倒数第二句讲的是：梦可能会有意义，但并不表示一些恐怖事情就一定会发生。因而不能预测未来。
