The Positive Power of Nightmares　恶梦的正面力量

The Positive Power of Nightmares恶梦的正面力量

by Marcus Maurice

Nightmares don't have to be such a bad thing.
恶梦其实没有这麽糟糕。


Have you ever jumped up and screamed at the top of your lungs in the middle of the night because you were terrified by the nightmare you were just having? There's cold sweat running down your forehead, and you're so dizzy that you don't really know what's happening. That awful feeling of falling from the top of a building, being terrorized by a pack of rabid dogs, or being stalked by a crazed killer _(1)_ with you for the next few minutes while you try to figure out what's real and what isn't.
Scientists _(2)_ a lot of time and effort into learning about dreams over the years, and it seems that nightmares can be healthy. Why? Sometimes, it's important for the body to give the mind signals about poor health. An example of this could be when a person eats a lot of greasy food right before they go to sleep. A lot of times, this ends up _(3)_ them toss and turn all night because the junk food is harmful to their bodies. _(4)_ example could be when someone is irrationally afraid of something like quitting their old job and switching to a new one. _(5)_ about this big decision could cause nightmares because the mind is trying to tell the person that it's not such a big deal. Often misread, nightmares might be harsh, but _(6)_, there may be clues from one's subconscious about what the person should do. Instead of being afraid of nightmares, treat them as puzzles that need to be solved, and they may end up helping instead of _(7)_ you.

1. (A) staying(B) stay(C) stays(D) to stay
2. (A) put(B) have put(C) will have put(D) have been put
3. (A) making(B) make(C) to make(D) makes
4. (A) Still others(B) Other(C) The other(D) Another
5. (A) Anxiety(B) Devotion(C) Extension(D) Indifference
6. (A) for good(B) in reality(C) at random(D) in unison
7. (A) expiring(B) evacuating(C) hindering(D) advocating

1. That awful feeling of falling from the top of a building, being terrorized by a pack of rabid dogs, or being stalked by a crazed killer stays with you for the next few minutes while...
   理由:
   a. 空格前的 That awful feeling 是主词，of falling from the top of a building, being terrorized by a pack of rabid dogs, or being stalked by a crazed killer 则为介词片语，作形容词用，修饰主词；空格後又有连接词 while 和一完整子句，故知连接词前须为一完整子句。
   b. 空格前的主词 That awful feeling 为第三人称单数，因此其後须接第三人称单数动词。
   c. 根据上述，(C) 项应为正选。
2. Scientists have put a lot of time and effort into learning about dreams over the years, and it seems that nightmares can be healthy.
   理由:
   a. 空格之後有时间副词片语 over the years（过去几年来），此类片语须与现在完成式或现在完成进行式并用。
   b. 空格前的 Scientists（科学家）是主动投注时间与精力的（a lot of time and effort），因此空格中的现在完成式应为主动语态。
   c. 根据上述，(B) 项应为正选。
3. A lot of times, this ends up making them toss and turn all night because the junk food is harmful to their bodies.
   理由:
   a. 本题测试下列固定用法∶
   end up V-ing结果　到头来……
   Lucy ended up divorcing her husband because he was cheating on her.
   露西因为丈夫对她感情不忠，最後跟他离婚。
   b. 根据上述，(A) 项应为正选。
4. Another example could be when someone is irrationally afraid of something like quitting their old job and switching to a new one.
   理由:
   a. 本题测试非限定的两者时，主词要使用one...another...（一个……另一个），因为第二段第三句有 An example...（= One example...），故本空格须置 Another。
   Many people have trouble sleeping at one time or another.
   很多人不时会难以入眠。
   b. 根据上述，可知 (D) 项应为正选。
5. Anxiety about this big decision could cause nightmares because the mind is trying to tell the person that it's not such a big deal.
   理由:
   a. (A) anxiety n. 焦虑
   （与介词 about 并用）
   I tried to ease Mary's anxiety about the test by reminding her that she could always retake it.
   为了平抚玛莉对於考试的焦虑之情，我提醒她随时都可以重考。
   (B) devotion n. 专注；奉献
   （与介词 to 并用）
   Your devotion to the research made the project possible.
   你对该研究的奉献使这项计划能够实现。
   (C) extension n. 延伸；延长
   （与介词 on 并用）
   Henry requested an extension on his loan payments.
   亨利要求延长他偿还贷款的时间。
   (D) indifference n. 漠不关心
   （与介词 to 并用）
   The boy's indifference to his schoolwork worried his parents.
   这男孩对他的学业漠不关心，令他父母很担心。
   b. 空格後有介词 about，又根据语意，(A) 项应为正选。
6. Often misread, nightmares might be harsh, but in reality, there may be clues from one's subconscious about what the person should do.
   理由:
   a. (A) for good永久地
   = forever
   I thought the shop would reopen, but it remained closed for good.
   我以为这家店会重新开张，没想到它却永远关门大吉了。
   (B) in reality事实上
   = in fact
   Kelly's idea sounds good in theory, but I doubt if it can be done in reality.
   凯莉的点子理论上听起来很不错，但我怀疑实际上是否可行。
   (C) at random随意地，任意地
   The employees were selected to take part in the survey at random.
   那几位员工经随机抽样被选中参与这项调查。
   (D) in unison同时地；一致地
   The students replied in unison that they didn't want a test.
   学生一致回答他们不想要考试。
   b. 根据语意，(B) 项应为正选。
7. Instead of being afraid of nightmares, treat them as puzzles that need to be solved, and they may end up helping instead of hindering you.
   理由:
   a. (A) expire vt. & vi.期满；过期
   As soon as the medication expired, I threw it out.
   一旦药物过期後，我就将它丢掉。
   ＊ throw sth out把某物丢掉
   = throw sth away
   (B) evacuate vt. 撤离
   The town was overwhelmed by the flood. Fortunately, everyone was evacuated in advance.
   这个城镇被洪水淹没。所幸所有人都已事先被撤离。
   (C) hinder vt. 妨碍
   The situation hindered our pace and caused a lot of trouble.
   这种状况妨碍了我们的进度，也造成许多麻烦。
   (D) advocate vt. 提倡 &
   n. 倡导者
   Many animal rights advocates strongly condemned the unnecessary slaughter of stray dogs.
   许多动物权倡导者强烈谴责屠杀流浪狗的不必要行为。
   b. 根据语意，(C) 项应为正选。

1. at the top of one's lungs
   以某人最大音量
   = at the top of one's voice
   I yelled at the top of my lungs, but John still couldn't hear me.
   我使尽全力地喊，但约翰仍没听到我的声音。
2. in the middle of...在……的中间
   Most people were oblivious to the earthquake because it happened in the middle of the night.
   大部分人都没察觉有地震，因为它发生在半夜。
   ＊ oblivious a. 不注意的
3. terrified a. 受到惊吓的
   Control freaks are terrified of failure and paranoid about losing something precious to them.
   控制狂害怕失败，且因为害怕失去珍贵的东西而疑神疑鬼。
4. cold sweat冷汗
   break out in / into a cold sweat浑身冒冷汗
   John broke out in a cold sweat because he was scared of the dog.
   约翰因为害怕那苹狗而浑身冒冷汗。
5. stalk vt. 悄悄地跟踪；偷偷靠近
   The crazed woman stalked the man she liked until the police stepped in.
   那疯狂的女人尾随跟踪她心仪的男子，直到警方介入为止。
6. toss and turn辗转反侧
   Jack is exhausted from tossing and turning all night.
   整晚辗转难眠让杰克累坏了。
7. irrationally adv. 不理性地
   Diana feels that her daughter has been behaving irrationally lately.
   黛安娜觉得她女儿最近的行径有些失去理性。
8. switch to...转换到……
   switch vi. 转换（与介词 to 并用）
   When I see a political debate on TV, I quickly switch to another channel.
   当我在电视上看到政治辩论节目，我很快就转到另外一台。
9. clue n. 线索（後接介词 to）
   The detective is searching for clues to the murder at the scene of the crime.
   这名刑警正在犯罪现场搜寻谋杀案的线索。

1. nightmare n. 恶梦
2. scream vi. & n. 尖叫
3. forehead n. 额头
4. dizzy a. 头晕的
5. rabid a. 患狂犬病的
6. crazed a. 极度疯狂的
7. signal n. 信号
8. greasy a. 油腻的
9. misread vt. 误导
10. harsh a. 艰苦的；恶劣的
11. subconscious n. 下意识 & a. 下意识的
12. puzzle n. 猜谜游戏

恶梦的正面力量
恶梦其实没有这麽糟糕。
你是否曾经因为受到刚刚所做恶梦的惊吓，而在半夜弹起来并大声尖叫呢？你的额头冷汗直流，而且你感到非常晕眩，以致於你不知道到底发生了什麽事。在接下来的几分钟，从一栋建筑的顶楼跌落、被一群疯狗威胁或是被一个疯狂杀人魔跟踪的恐惧感一直缠绕著你，而此时你试图去搞懂什麽是真实的，什麽又不是。
多年来，科学家投注了许多时间和精力去探讨梦境，而作恶梦似乎可能是健康的。为什麽呢？有时候，身体向大脑提出健康警讯是很重要的。有个例子是当某人在睡前吃了很多油腻的食物。屡见不鲜的是，这会导致他们整夜辗转难眠，因为垃圾食物对身体有害。另外一个例子可能是当某人辞去旧工作并对换新工作产生非理性的恐惧。对这项重大决定的焦虑可能会导致做恶梦，因为大脑试著告诉人们这没什麽大不了的。恶梦经常被错误解读，它可能很残酷，但事实上，一个人该怎麽做的线索可能就来自他的潜意识。与其害怕恶梦，你不如把它们当作必须解开的谜题，也许到头来它们会是助力而非阻力。

答案∶1. C2. B3. A4. D5. A6. B7. C