Unlocking the Mystery of Dreams Reading Answers
Unlocking the Mystery of Dreams Reading Answers is a generic topic for IELTS Reading Answers. Unlocking the Mystery of Dreams Reading Answers comprise a total of 14 IELTS questions. For the given set of questions (Questions No. 27-31), you have to read the passage carefully and then, you have to label the given statement with the appropriate passage that satisfies the given statement as per the given passage. After that, from Questions No. 32-35, you have to choose the correct answer from the list of given options. And, finally, on the remaining set of questions (Questions No. 36-40), match the given statements with the correct person from the list given below.
The IELTS Reading Section plays an important role in the IELTS exam, evaluating a candidate's ability to understand and interpret various texts. IELTS Reading Answers examine the comprehension skills of the candidates through passages on diverse topics. Whether preparing for academic or general subjects for the test, practicing IELTS Reading Practice Tests can improve familiarity with the test structure and increase confidence for the actual test.
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Section 1
Unlocking the Mystery of Dreams Reading Answers
Dreams have captivated thinkers since ancient times, but their mystery is now closer than ever to resolution, thanks to new technology that allows scientists to watch the sleeping brain at work.
A. Thousands of years ago, dreams were seen as messages from the gods, and in many cultures, they are still considered prophetic, foretelling things to come. In Ancient Greece, sick people slept at the temples of Asclepius, the god of medicine, to receive healing dreams. Modern dream science began at the end of the 19th century with Sigmund Freud, who theorized that dreams were the expression of unconscious desires, often from childhood. He believed that exploring these hidden emotions through analysis could help cure mental illness. After Freud, the most important event in dream science was the discovery in the early 1950s of a phase of sleep characterized by intense brain activity and rapid eye movement (REM).
B. Adult humans spend about a quarter of their sleep time in REM, much of it dreaming. People awakened in the middle of REM sleep reported vivid dreams, which led researchers to conclude that most dreaming took place during REM. Using a machine called the electroencephalograph (EEG), researchers were able to see that brain activity during REM resembled that of the brain when the body is awake. The mystery of REM sleep is that even though it may not be essential, it is universal-at least in mammals and even birds. Some researchers think REM may have evolved for physiological reasons. “One thing that's unique about mammals and birds is that they regulate body temperature,” says neuroscientist Jerry Siegel, director of UCLA's Center for Sleep Research. “There's no good evidence that any cold-blooded animal has REM sleep.” REM sleep heats the brain and non-REM cools it off, Siegel says, and that could mean that the changing sleep cycles allow the brain to repair itself. “It seems likely that REM sleep is fulfilling a basic physiological function and that dreams are a kind of side effect or by-product of this.
C. There is great disagreement about the psychological function of dreams, and researchers have come up with some differing theories. On one side are scientists like Harvard's Allan Hobson, who believes that dreams are essentially random. In the 1970s, Hobson and his colleague Robert McCarley proposed what they called the “activation-synthesis hypothesis,” which describes how dreams are formed by nerve signals sent out during REM sleep from a small area at the base of the brain called the pons. These signals, the researchers said, activate the images that we call dreams. That raised questions about dream research. If dreams are insignificant nighttime images created by the brain, what is the point of studying them?
D. But more recently, new theories have made some scientists take dreams more seriously. In 1997, Mark Solms of the University of Cape Town in South Africa found that there was more than one mechanism in the brain for activating dreams. Since then, Solms has argued that medical diagnostic equipment like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) that helps researchers watch dreaming brains might lend new support to Freud's ideas because the parts of the brain that are most active during dreaming control emotion. Further research has supported Solm's findings. Scientists using PET and fMRI technology to watch the dreaming brain have found that one of the most active areas during REM is the limbic system, which controls our emotions.
E. Much less active during REM sleep is the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with logical thinking. That could explain why dreams in REM often lack a coherent storyline. Some researchers have also found that people dream in non-REM sleep as well, although those dreams are generally less vivid. Another active part of the brain in REM sleep is the anterior cingulate cortex, which detects differences or inconsistencies. Eric Nofzinger, director of the Sleep Neuroimaging Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, thinks that could be why people frequently solve tricky problems in their dreams.
F. Deirdre Barrett, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, would agree. In her book “The Committee of Sleep,” she describes how painters like Jasper Johns and Salvador Dali found inspiration in their dreams. In her research on problem-solving through dreams, Barrett has found that even ordinary people can solve simple problems in their lives (like how to fit old furniture into a new apartment) if they focus on the dilemma before they fall asleep. There is also evidence that dreaming helps certain kinds of learning. Some researchers have found that dreaming about physical tasks, like a gymnast's floor routine, enhances performance.
G. Whatever the function of dreams at night, they clearly can play a role in therapy during the day. The University of Maryland's Clara Hill, who has studied the use of dreams in therapy, says that dreams are a “back door” into a patient's thinking. “Dreams reveal stuff about you that you didn't know was there,” she says. The therapists she trains to work with patients' dreams use dream imagery to uncover hidden emotions and feelings. Rosalind Cartwright from the University Medical Center in Chicago has been studying depression in divorced men and women, and she is finding that “good dreamers,” people who have vivid dreams with strong storylines, are less likely to remain depressed. She thinks that dreaming helps diffuse powerful emotions. “Dreaming is a mental health activity,” she says.
Section 2
Solutions and Explanations
Questions 27-31
Reading Passage 3 has seven paragraphs, A-G. Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter, A-G.
27. A reference to the significance of dreams in artists’ work
Answer: Paragraph F
Supporting statement: “.......In her book “The Committee of Sleep,” she describes how painters like Jasper Johns and Salvador Dali found inspiration in their dreams.........”
Keywords: Dreams, Book, Painters, Inspiration
Keyword Location: para 6, Line 2-3
Explanation: Paragraph F discusses how artists such as Jasper Johns and Salvador Dali found inspiration in their dreams. This highlights the importance of dreams in awakening creativity for artistic works.
28. A concern about the usefulness of dream research
Answer: Paragraph C
Supporting statement: “.......If dreams are insignificant nighttime images created by the brain, what is the point of studying them?.........”
Keywords: Nighttime, Images, Brain, Studying
Keyword Location: para 3, Line 9-10
Explanation: Paragraph C expresses concerns about the usefulness of dream research, questioning its purpose and whether dreams are simply random, insignificant brain activity during REM sleep.
29. The types of living creatures that have REM sleep
Answer: Paragraph B
Supporting statement: “.......The mystery of REM sleep is that even though it may not be essential, it is universal-at least in mammals and even birds. Some researchers think REM may have evolved for physiological reasons..........”
Keywords: REM, Sleep, Mystery, Mammals
Keyword Location: para 2, Line 6-8
Explanation: Paragraph B discusses the types of living beings that have REM sleep, stating that REM is universal in mammals and birds but absent in cold-blooded animals.
30. Research results linking dreams to psychological well-being
Answer: Paragraph G
Supporting statement: “........She thinks that dreaming helps diffuse powerful emotions. “Dreaming is a mental health activity,” she says..........”
Keywords: Diffuse, Powerful, Emotions, Mental
Keyword Location: para 7, Line 9-11
Explanation: Paragraph G discusses how dreams are used in therapy and their connection to emotional well-being. It highlights research linking vivid dreams to less depression and better mental health.
31. An account of how modern research tools have strengthened Freud's theory
Answer: Paragraph D
Supporting statement: “........Since then, Solms has argued that medical diagnostic equipment like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) that helps researchers watch dreaming brains might lend new support to Freud's ideas because the parts of the brain that are most active during dreaming control emotion...........”
Keywords: Diffuse, Powerful, Emotions, Mental
Keyword Location: para 4, Line 4-8
Explanation: Paragraph D explains how modern tools such as fMRI and PET provide new evidence supporting Freud's theory, showing that areas of the brain activated during dreaming regulate emotions.
Questions 32-34
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
32. In ancient times, people thought that dreams
A. sent messages to the gods.
B. helped resolve the conflict.
C. were a sign of physical illness.
D. predicted future events.
Answer: D (predicted future events)
Supporting statement: “........Thousands of years ago, dreams were seen as messages from the gods, and in many cultures, they are still considered prophetic, foretelling things to come............”
Keywords: Thousands, Dreams, Gods, Prophetic
Keyword Location: para 1, Line 1-2
Explanation: Paragraph A of the above passage states that dreams are “considered prophetic, foretelling things to come”, indicating that they are believed to predict future events.
33. According to the passage, which of the following happens during REM sleep time?
A. People rarely dream.
B. People's dreams become confused.
C. The temperature of the brain increases.
D. The brain behaves differently than when you are awake.
Answer: C (The temperature of the brain increases.)
Supporting statement: “........REM sleep heats the brain and non-REM cools it off, Siegel says, and that could mean that the changing sleep cycles allow the brain to repair itself.............”
Keywords: Brain, REM Sleep, Heats
Keyword Location: para 2, Line 11-13
Explanation: Paragraph B mentions that REM sleep warms the brain, while non-REM sleep cools it, which suggests that there is a temperature change during REM sleep.
34. What explanation is suggested in paragraph E for the lack of a clear narrative in dreams?
A. Some dreams occur in non-REM sleep.
B. Some dreams are generated in different areas of the brain.
C. The part of the brain in control of reasoning is less active.
D. The part of the brain responsible for feelings is highly active.
Answer: C (The part of the brain in control of reasoning is less active)
Supporting statement: “........Much less active during REM sleep is the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with logical thinking. That could explain why dreams in REM often lack a coherent storyline..............”
Keywords: Active, Logical Thinking, Dreams
Keyword Location: para 5, Line 1-3
Explanation: Paragraph E explains that the prefrontal cortex, associated with logical thinking, is much less active during REM sleep, which may explain the lack of a coherent story in dreams.
35. According to the passage, which area of the brain helps people find solutions to difficult situations through their dreams?
A. the anterior cingulate cortex
B. the pons
C. the limbic system
D. the prefrontal cortex
Answer: A (The anterior cingulate cortex)
Supporting statement: “..........Another active part of the brain in REM sleep is the anterior cingulate cortex, which detects differences or inconsistencies. Eric Nofzinger, director of the Sleep Neuroimaging Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, thinks that could be why people frequently solve tricky problems in their dreams............”
Keywords: Anterior, Cortex, Problems, Tricky
Keyword Location: para 5, Line 5-8
Explanation: The anterior cingulate cortex identifies dissonances, aiding in problem-solving during dreams. It enables individuals to solve complex issues, as highlighted in the passage.
Questions 36-40
Look at the following statements and the list of people below. Match each statement with the correct person or people, A-G. Write the correct letter, A-G.
LIST OF PEOPLE
A. Jerry Siegel
B. Allan Hobson and Robert McCarley
C. Mark Solms
D. Eric Nofzinger
E. Deirdre Barrett
F. Ciara Hili
G. Rosalind Cartwright
36. Technology shows there is a link between dreams and the areas of the brain that deal with feelings.
Answer: C (Mark Solms)
Supporting statement: “..........Another active part of the brain in REM sleep is the anterior cingulate cortex, which detects differences or inconsistencies. Eric Nofzinger, director of the Sleep Neuroimaging Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, thinks that could be why people frequently solve tricky problems in their dreams............”
Keywords: Anterior, Cortex, Problems, Tricky
Keyword Location: para 5, Line 5-8
Explanation: The anterior cingulate cortex identifies dissonances, aiding in problem-solving during dreams. It enables individuals to solve complex issues, as highlighted in the passage.
37. Dreams are meaningless pictures created by the brain.
Answer: B (Allan Hobson and Robert McCarley)
Supporting statement: “..........If dreams are insignificant nighttime images created by the brain, what is the point of studying them?............”
Keywords: Images, Created, Brain, Studying
Keyword Location: para 3, Line 9-10
Explanation: Alan Hobson and Robert McCarley proposed the “activation-synthesis hypothesis”, which describes dreams as random neural signals that create meaningless images.
38. Dreaming is a method of calming strong feelings
Answer: G (Rosalind Cartwright)
Supporting statement: “..........She thinks that dreaming helps diffuse powerful emotions. “Dreaming is a mental health activity,” she says.............”
Keywords: Dreaming, Diffuse, Emotions, Activity
Keyword Location: para 7, Line 9-11
Explanation: Rosalind Cartwright believes that dreaming helps diffuse powerful emotions, which supports the idea that dreaming is a way to calm strong emotions.
39. Our dreams can show us unexpected things about ourselves.
Answer: F (Clara Hill)
Supporting statement: “...........The University of Maryland's Clara Hill, who has studied the use of dreams in therapy, says that dreams are a “back door” into a patient's thinking. “Dreams reveal stuff about you that you didn't know was there,” she says............”
Keywords: Dreams, Therapy, Patient, Thinking
Keyword Location: para 7, Line 2-4
Explanation: Clara Hill says that dreams are a “back door” into the patient's thinking and reveal hidden emotions. This suggests that dreams can show us unexpected things about ourselves.
40. Dreams may be a result of maintaining an essential body function.
Answer: A (Jerry Siegel)
Supporting statement: “...........REM sleep heats the brain and non-REM cools it off, Siegel says, and that could mean that the changing sleep cycles allow the brain to repair itself. “It seems likely that REM sleep is fulfilling a basic physiological function and that dreams are a kind of side effect or by-product of this............”
Keywords: Brain, Cools, Siegel, Cycles
Keyword Location: para 2, Line 11-15
Explanation: Siegel proposed that REM sleep might serve a basic physiological function, with dreams as a by-product. They suggested that REM regulates brain temperature, aiding in repair and maintenance.
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- IELTS questions. For the given set of questions (Questions No. 27-31), you have to read the passage carefully and then, you have to label the given statement with the appropriate passage that satisfies the given statement as per the given passage. After that, from Questions No. 32-35, you have to choose the correct answer from the list of given options. And, finally, on the remaining set of questions (Questions No. 36-40), match the given statements with the correct person from the list given below.
The IELTS Reading Section plays an important role in the IELTS exam, evaluating a candidate's ability to understand and interpret various texts. IELTS Reading Answers examine the comprehension skills of the candidates through passages on diverse topics. Whether preparing for academic or general subjects for the test, practicing IELTS Reading Practice Tests can improve familiarity with the test structure and increase confidence for the actual test.
Check: Get 10 Free Sample Papers
Check: Register for IELTS Coaching — Join for a Free Trial Class Now
Section 1
Unlocking the Mystery of Dreams Reading Answers
Dreams have captivated thinkers since ancient times, but their mystery is now closer than ever to resolution, thanks to new technology that allows scientists to watch the sleeping brain at work.
A. Thousands of years ago, dreams were seen as messages from the gods, and in many cultures, they are still considered prophetic, foretelling things to come. In Ancient Greece, sick people slept at the temples of Asclepius, the god of medicine, to receive healing dreams. Modern dream science began at the end of the 19th century with Sigmund Freud, who theorized that dreams were the expression of unconscious desires, often from childhood. He believed that exploring these hidden emotions through analysis could help cure mental illness. After Freud, the most important event in dream science was the discovery in the early 1950s of a phase of sleep characterized by intense brain activity and rapid eye movement (REM).
B. Adult humans spend about a quarter of their sleep time in REM, much of it dreaming. People awakened in the middle of REM sleep reported vivid dreams, which led researchers to conclude that most dreaming took place during REM. Using a machine called the electroencephalograph (EEG), researchers were able to see that brain activity during REM resembled that of the brain when the body is awake. The mystery of REM sleep is that even though it may not be essential, it is universal-at least in mammals and even birds. Some researchers think REM may have evolved for physiological reasons. “One thing that's unique about mammals and birds is that they regulate body temperature,” says neuroscientist Jerry Siegel, director of UCLA's Center for Sleep Research. “There's no good evidence that any cold-blooded animal has REM sleep.” REM sleep heats the brain and non-REM cools it off, Siegel says, and that could mean that the changing sleep cycles allow the brain to repair itself. “It seems likely that REM sleep is fulfilling a basic physiological function and that dreams are a kind of side effect or by-product of this.
C. There is great disagreement about the psychological function of dreams, and researchers have come up with some differing theories. On one side are scientists like Harvard's Allan Hobson, who believes that dreams are essentially random. In the 1970s, Hobson and his colleague Robert McCarley proposed what they called the “activation-synthesis hypothesis,” which describes how dreams are formed by nerve signals sent out during REM sleep from a small area at the base of the brain called the pons. These signals, the researchers said, activate the images that we call dreams. That raised questions about dream research. If dreams are insignificant nighttime images created by the brain, what is the point of studying them?
D. But more recently, new theories have made some scientists take dreams more seriously. In 1997, Mark Solms of the University of Cape Town in South Africa found that there was more than one mechanism in the brain for activating dreams. Since then, Solms has argued that medical diagnostic equipment like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) that helps researchers watch dreaming brains might lend new support to Freud's ideas because the parts of the brain that are most active during dreaming control emotion. Further research has supported Solm's findings. Scientists using PET and fMRI technology to watch the dreaming brain have found that one of the most active areas during REM is the limbic system, which controls our emotions.
E. Much less active during REM sleep is the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with logical thinking. That could explain why dreams in REM often lack a coherent storyline. Some researchers have also found that people dream in non-REM sleep as well, although those dreams are generally less vivid. Another active part of the brain in REM sleep is the anterior cingulate cortex, which detects differences or inconsistencies. Eric Nofzinger, director of the Sleep Neuroimaging Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, thinks that could be why people frequently solve tricky problems in their dreams.
F. Deirdre Barrett, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, would agree. In her book “The Committee of Sleep,” she describes how painters like Jasper Johns and Salvador Dali found inspiration in their dreams. In her research on problem-solving through dreams, Barrett has found that even ordinary people can solve simple problems in their lives (like how to fit old furniture into a new apartment) if they focus on the dilemma before they fall asleep. There is also evidence that dreaming helps certain kinds of learning. Some researchers have found that dreaming about physical tasks, like a gymnast's floor routine, enhances performance.
G. Whatever the function of dreams at night, they clearly can play a role in therapy during the day. The University of Maryland's Clara Hill, who has studied the use of dreams in therapy, says that dreams are a “back door” into a patient's thinking. “Dreams reveal stuff about you that you didn't know was there,” she says. The therapists she trains to work with patients' dreams use dream imagery to uncover hidden emotions and feelings. Rosalind Cartwright from the University Medical Center in Chicago has been studying depression in divorced men and women, and she is finding that “good dreamers,” people who have vivid dreams with strong storylines, are less likely to remain depressed. She thinks that dreaming helps diffuse powerful emotions. “Dreaming is a mental health activity,” she says.
Section 2
Solutions and Explanations
Questions 27-31
Reading Passage 3 has seven paragraphs, A-G. Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter, A-G.
27. A reference to the significance of dreams in artists’ work
Answer: Paragraph F
Supporting statement: “.......In her book “The Committee of Sleep,” she describes how painters like Jasper Johns and Salvador Dali found inspiration in their dreams.........”
Keywords: Dreams, Book, Painters, Inspiration
Keyword Location: para 6, Line 2-3
Explanation: Paragraph F discusses how artists such as Jasper Johns and Salvador Dali found inspiration in their dreams. This highlights the importance of dreams in awakening creativity for artistic works.
28. A concern about the usefulness of dream research
Answer: Paragraph C
Supporting statement: “.......If dreams are insignificant nighttime images created by the brain, what is the point of studying them?.........”
Keywords: Nighttime, Images, Brain, Studying
Keyword Location: para 3, Line 9-10
Explanation: Paragraph C expresses concerns about the usefulness of dream research, questioning its purpose and whether dreams are simply random, insignificant brain activity during REM sleep.
29. The types of living creatures that have REM sleep
Answer: Paragraph B
Supporting statement: “.......The mystery of REM sleep is that even though it may not be essential, it is universal-at least in mammals and even birds. Some researchers think REM may have evolved for physiological reasons..........”
Keywords: REM, Sleep, Mystery, Mammals
Keyword Location: para 2, Line 6-8
Explanation: Paragraph B discusses the types of living beings that have REM sleep, stating that REM is universal in mammals and birds but absent in cold-blooded animals.
30. Research results linking dreams to psychological well-being
Answer: Paragraph G
Supporting statement: “........She thinks that dreaming helps diffuse powerful emotions. “Dreaming is a mental health activity,” she says..........”
Keywords: Diffuse, Powerful, Emotions, Mental
Keyword Location: para 7, Line 9-11
Explanation: Paragraph G discusses how dreams are used in therapy and their connection to emotional well-being. It highlights research linking vivid dreams to less depression and better mental health.
31. An account of how modern research tools have strengthened Freud's theory
Answer: Paragraph D
Supporting statement: “........Since then, Solms has argued that medical diagnostic equipment like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) that helps researchers watch dreaming brains might lend new support to Freud's ideas because the parts of the brain that are most active during dreaming control emotion...........”
Keywords: Diffuse, Powerful, Emotions, Mental
Keyword Location: para 4, Line 4-8
Explanation: Paragraph D explains how modern tools such as fMRI and PET provide new evidence supporting Freud's theory, showing that areas of the brain activated during dreaming regulate emotions.
Questions 32-34
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
32. In ancient times, people thought that dreams
A. sent messages to the gods.
B. helped resolve the conflict.
C. were a sign of physical illness.
D. predicted future events.
Answer: D (predicted future events)
Supporting statement: “........Thousands of years ago, dreams were seen as messages from the gods, and in many cultures, they are still considered prophetic, foretelling things to come............”
Keywords: Thousands, Dreams, Gods, Prophetic
Keyword Location: para 1, Line 1-2
Explanation: Paragraph A of the above passage states that dreams are “considered prophetic, foretelling things to come”, indicating that they are believed to predict future events.
33. According to the passage, which of the following happens during REM sleep time?
A. People rarely dream.
B. People's dreams become confused.
C. The temperature of the brain increases.
D. The brain behaves differently than when you are awake.
Answer: C (The temperature of the brain increases.)
Supporting statement: “........REM sleep heats the brain and non-REM cools it off, Siegel says, and that could mean that the changing sleep cycles allow the brain to repair itself.............”
Keywords: Brain, REM Sleep, Heats
Keyword Location: para 2, Line 11-13
Explanation: Paragraph B mentions that REM sleep warms the brain, while non-REM sleep cools it, which suggests that there is a temperature change during REM sleep.
34. What explanation is suggested in paragraph E for the lack of a clear narrative in dreams?
A. Some dreams occur in non-REM sleep.
B. Some dreams are generated in different areas of the brain.
C. The part of the brain in control of reasoning is less active.
D. The part of the brain responsible for feelings is highly active.
Answer: C (The part of the brain in control of reasoning is less active)
Supporting statement: “........Much less active during REM sleep is the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with logical thinking. That could explain why dreams in REM often lack a coherent storyline..............”
Keywords: Active, Logical Thinking, Dreams
Keyword Location: para 5, Line 1-3
Explanation: Paragraph E explains that the prefrontal cortex, associated with logical thinking, is much less active during REM sleep, which may explain the lack of a coherent story in dreams.
35. According to the passage, which area of the brain helps people find solutions to difficult situations through their dreams?
A. the anterior cingulate cortex
B. the pons
C. the limbic system
D. the prefrontal cortex
Answer: A (The anterior cingulate cortex)
Supporting statement: “..........Another active part of the brain in REM sleep is the anterior cingulate cortex, which detects differences or inconsistencies. Eric Nofzinger, director of the Sleep Neuroimaging Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, thinks that could be why people frequently solve tricky problems in their dreams............”
Keywords: Anterior, Cortex, Problems, Tricky
Keyword Location: para 5, Line 5-8
Explanation: The anterior cingulate cortex identifies dissonances, aiding in problem-solving during dreams. It enables individuals to solve complex issues, as highlighted in the passage.
Questions 36-40
Look at the following statements and the list of people below. Match each statement with the correct person or people, A-G. Write the correct letter, A-G.
LIST OF PEOPLE
A. Jerry Siegel
B. Allan Hobson and Robert McCarley
C. Mark Solms
D. Eric Nofzinger
E. Deirdre Barrett
F. Ciara Hili
G. Rosalind Cartwright
36. Technology shows there is a link between dreams and the areas of the brain that deal with feelings.
Answer: C (Mark Solms)
Supporting statement: “..........Another active part of the brain in REM sleep is the anterior cingulate cortex, which detects differences or inconsistencies. Eric Nofzinger, director of the Sleep Neuroimaging Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, thinks that could be why people frequently solve tricky problems in their dreams............”
Keywords: Anterior, Cortex, Problems, Tricky
Keyword Location: para 5, Line 5-8
Explanation: The anterior cingulate cortex identifies dissonances, aiding in problem-solving during dreams. It enables individuals to solve complex issues, as highlighted in the passage.
37. Dreams are meaningless pictures created by the brain.
Answer: B (Allan Hobson and Robert McCarley)
Supporting statement: “..........If dreams are insignificant nighttime images created by the brain, what is the point of studying them?............”
Keywords: Images, Created, Brain, Studying
Keyword Location: para 3, Line 9-10
Explanation: Alan Hobson and Robert McCarley proposed the “activation-synthesis hypothesis”, which describes dreams as random neural signals that create meaningless images.
38. Dreaming is a method of calming strong feelings
Answer: G (Rosalind Cartwright)
Supporting statement: “..........She thinks that dreaming helps diffuse powerful emotions. “Dreaming is a mental health activity,” she says.............”
Keywords: Dreaming, Diffuse, Emotions, Activity
Keyword Location: para 7, Line 9-11
Explanation: Rosalind Cartwright believes that dreaming helps diffuse powerful emotions, which supports the idea that dreaming is a way to calm strong emotions.
39. Our dreams can show us unexpected things about ourselves.
Answer: F (Clara Hill)
Supporting statement: “...........The University of Maryland's Clara Hill, who has studied the use of dreams in therapy, says that dreams are a “back door” into a patient's thinking. “Dreams reveal stuff about you that you didn't know was there,” she says............”
Keywords: Dreams, Therapy, Patient, Thinking
Keyword Location: para 7, Line 2-4
Explanation: Clara Hill says that dreams are a “back door” into the patient's thinking and reveal hidden emotions. This suggests that dreams can show us unexpected things about ourselves.
40. Dreams may be a result of maintaining an essential body function.
Answer: A (Jerry Siegel)
Supporting statement: “...........REM sleep heats the brain and non-REM cools it off, Siegel says, and that could mean that the changing sleep cycles allow the brain to repair itself. “It seems likely that REM sleep is fulfilling a basic physiological function and that dreams are a kind of side effect or by-product of this............”
Keywords: Brain, Cools, Siegel, Cycles
Keyword Location: para 2, Line 11-15
Explanation: Siegel proposed that REM sleep might serve a basic physiological function, with dreams as a by-product. They suggested that REM regulates brain temperature, aiding in repair and maintenance.
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Unlocking the Mystery of Dreams Reading Answers
Unlocking the Mystery of Dreams Reading Answers is a generic topic for IELTS Reading Answers. Unlocking the Mystery of Dreams Reading Answers comprise a total of 14 IELTS questions. For the given set of questions (Questions No. 27-31), you have to read the passage carefully and then, you have to label the given statement with the appropriate passage that satisfies the given statement as per the given passage. After that, from Questions No. 32-35, you have to choose the correct answer from the list of given options. And, finally, on the remaining set of questions (Questions No. 36-40), match the given statements with the correct person from the list given below.
The IELTS Reading Section plays an important role in the IELTS exam, evaluating a candidate's ability to understand and interpret various texts. IELTS Reading Answers examine the comprehension skills of the candidates through passages on diverse topics. Whether preparing for academic or general subjects for the test, practicing IELTS Reading Practice Tests can improve familiarity with the test structure and increase confidence for the actual test.
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Section 1
Unlocking the Mystery of Dreams Reading Answers
Dreams have captivated thinkers since ancient times, but their mystery is now closer than ever to resolution, thanks to new technology that allows scientists to watch the sleeping brain at work.
A. Thousands of years ago, dreams were seen as messages from the gods, and in many cultures, they are still considered prophetic, foretelling things to come. In Ancient Greece, sick people slept at the temples of Asclepius, the god of medicine, to receive healing dreams. Modern dream science began at the end of the 19th century with Sigmund Freud, who theorized that dreams were the expression of unconscious desires, often from childhood. He believed that exploring these hidden emotions through analysis could help cure mental illness. After Freud, the most important event in dream science was the discovery in the early 1950s of a phase of sleep characterized by intense brain activity and rapid eye movement (REM).
B. Adult humans spend about a quarter of their sleep time in REM, much of it dreaming. People awakened in the middle of REM sleep reported vivid dreams, which led researchers to conclude that most dreaming took place during REM. Using a machine called the electroencephalograph (EEG), researchers were able to see that brain activity during REM resembled that of the brain when the body is awake. The mystery of REM sleep is that even though it may not be essential, it is universal-at least in mammals and even birds. Some researchers think REM may have evolved for physiological reasons. “One thing that's unique about mammals and birds is that they regulate body temperature,” says neuroscientist Jerry Siegel, director of UCLA's Center for Sleep Research. “There's no good evidence that any cold-blooded animal has REM sleep.” REM sleep heats the brain and non-REM cools it off, Siegel says, and that could mean that the changing sleep cycles allow the brain to repair itself. “It seems likely that REM sleep is fulfilling a basic physiological function and that dreams are a kind of side effect or by-product of this.
C. There is great disagreement about the psychological function of dreams, and researchers have come up with some differing theories. On one side are scientists like Harvard's Allan Hobson, who believes that dreams are essentially random. In the 1970s, Hobson and his colleague Robert McCarley proposed what they called the “activation-synthesis hypothesis,” which describes how dreams are formed by nerve signals sent out during REM sleep from a small area at the base of the brain called the pons. These signals, the researchers said, activate the images that we call dreams. That raised questions about dream research. If dreams are insignificant nighttime images created by the brain, what is the point of studying them?
D. But more recently, new theories have made some scientists take dreams more seriously. In 1997, Mark Solms of the University of Cape Town in South Africa found that there was more than one mechanism in the brain for activating dreams. Since then, Solms has argued that medical diagnostic equipment like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) that helps researchers watch dreaming brains might lend new support to Freud's ideas because the parts of the brain that are most active during dreaming control emotion. Further research has supported Solm's findings. Scientists using PET and fMRI technology to watch the dreaming brain have found that one of the most active areas during REM is the limbic system, which controls our emotions.
E. Much less active during REM sleep is the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with logical thinking. That could explain why dreams in REM often lack a coherent storyline. Some researchers have also found that people dream in non-REM sleep as well, although those dreams are generally less vivid. Another active part of the brain in REM sleep is the anterior cingulate cortex, which detects differences or inconsistencies. Eric Nofzinger, director of the Sleep Neuroimaging Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, thinks that could be why people frequently solve tricky problems in their dreams.
F. Deirdre Barrett, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, would agree. In her book “The Committee of Sleep,” she describes how painters like Jasper Johns and Salvador Dali found inspiration in their dreams. In her research on problem-solving through dreams, Barrett has found that even ordinary people can solve simple problems in their lives (like how to fit old furniture into a new apartment) if they focus on the dilemma before they fall asleep. There is also evidence that dreaming helps certain kinds of learning. Some researchers have found that dreaming about physical tasks, like a gymnast's floor routine, enhances performance.
G. Whatever the function of dreams at night, they clearly can play a role in therapy during the day. The University of Maryland's Clara Hill, who has studied the use of dreams in therapy, says that dreams are a “back door” into a patient's thinking. “Dreams reveal stuff about you that you didn't know was there,” she says. The therapists she trains to work with patients' dreams use dream imagery to uncover hidden emotions and feelings. Rosalind Cartwright from the University Medical Center in Chicago has been studying depression in divorced men and women, and she is finding that “good dreamers,” people who have vivid dreams with strong storylines, are less likely to remain depressed. She thinks that dreaming helps diffuse powerful emotions. “Dreaming is a mental health activity,” she says.
Section 2
Solutions and Explanations
Questions 27-31
Reading Passage 3 has seven paragraphs, A-G. Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter, A-G.
27. A reference to the significance of dreams in artists’ work
Answer: Paragraph F
Supporting statement: “.......In her book “The Committee of Sleep,” she describes how painters like Jasper Johns and Salvador Dali found inspiration in their dreams.........”
Keywords: Dreams, Book, Painters, Inspiration
Keyword Location: para 6, Line 2-3
Explanation: Paragraph F discusses how artists such as Jasper Johns and Salvador Dali found inspiration in their dreams. This highlights the importance of dreams in awakening creativity for artistic works.
28. A concern about the usefulness of dream research
Answer: Paragraph C
Supporting statement: “.......If dreams are insignificant nighttime images created by the brain, what is the point of studying them?.........”
Keywords: Nighttime, Images, Brain, Studying
Keyword Location: para 3, Line 9-10
Explanation: Paragraph C expresses concerns about the usefulness of dream research, questioning its purpose and whether dreams are simply random, insignificant brain activity during REM sleep.
29. The types of living creatures that have REM sleep
Answer: Paragraph B
Supporting statement: “.......The mystery of REM sleep is that even though it may not be essential, it is universal-at least in mammals and even birds. Some researchers think REM may have evolved for physiological reasons..........”
Keywords: REM, Sleep, Mystery, Mammals
Keyword Location: para 2, Line 6-8
Explanation: Paragraph B discusses the types of living beings that have REM sleep, stating that REM is universal in mammals and birds but absent in cold-blooded animals.
30. Research results linking dreams to psychological well-being
Answer: Paragraph G
Supporting statement: “........She thinks that dreaming helps diffuse powerful emotions. “Dreaming is a mental health activity,” she says..........”
Keywords: Diffuse, Powerful, Emotions, Mental
Keyword Location: para 7, Line 9-11
Explanation: Paragraph G discusses how dreams are used in therapy and their connection to emotional well-being. It highlights research linking vivid dreams to less depression and better mental health.
31. An account of how modern research tools have strengthened Freud's theory
Answer: Paragraph D
Supporting statement: “........Since then, Solms has argued that medical diagnostic equipment like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) that helps researchers watch dreaming brains might lend new support to Freud's ideas because the parts of the brain that are most active during dreaming control emotion...........”
Keywords: Diffuse, Powerful, Emotions, Mental
Keyword Location: para 4, Line 4-8
Explanation: Paragraph D explains how modern tools such as fMRI and PET provide new evidence supporting Freud's theory, showing that areas of the brain activated during dreaming regulate emotions.
Questions 32-34
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
32. In ancient times, people thought that dreams
A. sent messages to the gods.
B. helped resolve the conflict.
C. were a sign of physical illness.
D. predicted future events.
Answer: D (predicted future events)
Supporting statement: “........Thousands of years ago, dreams were seen as messages from the gods, and in many cultures, they are still considered prophetic, foretelling things to come............”
Keywords: Thousands, Dreams, Gods, Prophetic
Keyword Location: para 1, Line 1-2
Explanation: Paragraph A of the above passage states that dreams are “considered prophetic, foretelling things to come”, indicating that they are believed to predict future events.
33. According to the passage, which of the following happens during REM sleep time?
A. People rarely dream.
B. People's dreams become confused.
C. The temperature of the brain increases.
D. The brain behaves differently than when you are awake.
Answer: C (The temperature of the brain increases.)
Supporting statement: “........REM sleep heats the brain and non-REM cools it off, Siegel says, and that could mean that the changing sleep cycles allow the brain to repair itself.............”
Keywords: Brain, REM Sleep, Heats
Keyword Location: para 2, Line 11-13
Explanation: Paragraph B mentions that REM sleep warms the brain, while non-REM sleep cools it, which suggests that there is a temperature change during REM sleep.
34. What explanation is suggested in paragraph E for the lack of a clear narrative in dreams?
A. Some dreams occur in non-REM sleep.
B. Some dreams are generated in different areas of the brain.
C. The part of the brain in control of reasoning is less active.
D. The part of the brain responsible for feelings is highly active.
Answer: C (The part of the brain in control of reasoning is less active)
Supporting statement: “........Much less active during REM sleep is the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with logical thinking. That could explain why dreams in REM often lack a coherent storyline..............”
Keywords: Active, Logical Thinking, Dreams
Keyword Location: para 5, Line 1-3
Explanation: Paragraph E explains that the prefrontal cortex, associated with logical thinking, is much less active during REM sleep, which may explain the lack of a coherent story in dreams.
35. According to the passage, which area of the brain helps people find solutions to difficult situations through their dreams?
A. the anterior cingulate cortex
B. the pons
C. the limbic system
D. the prefrontal cortex
Answer: A (The anterior cingulate cortex)
Supporting statement: “..........Another active part of the brain in REM sleep is the anterior cingulate cortex, which detects differences or inconsistencies. Eric Nofzinger, director of the Sleep Neuroimaging Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, thinks that could be why people frequently solve tricky problems in their dreams............”
Keywords: Anterior, Cortex, Problems, Tricky
Keyword Location: para 5, Line 5-8
Explanation: The anterior cingulate cortex identifies dissonances, aiding in problem-solving during dreams. It enables individuals to solve complex issues, as highlighted in the passage.
Questions 36-40
Look at the following statements and the list of people below. Match each statement with the correct person or people, A-G. Write the correct letter, A-G.
LIST OF PEOPLE
A. Jerry Siegel
B. Allan Hobson and Robert McCarley
C. Mark Solms
D. Eric Nofzinger
E. Deirdre Barrett
F. Ciara Hili
G. Rosalind Cartwright
36. Technology shows there is a link between dreams and the areas of the brain that deal with feelings.
Answer: C (Mark Solms)
Supporting statement: “..........Another active part of the brain in REM sleep is the anterior cingulate cortex, which detects differences or inconsistencies. Eric Nofzinger, director of the Sleep Neuroimaging Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, thinks that could be why people frequently solve tricky problems in their dreams............”
Keywords: Anterior, Cortex, Problems, Tricky
Keyword Location: para 5, Line 5-8
Explanation: The anterior cingulate cortex identifies dissonances, aiding in problem-solving during dreams. It enables individuals to solve complex issues, as highlighted in the passage.
37. Dreams are meaningless pictures created by the brain.
Answer: B (Allan Hobson and Robert McCarley)
Supporting statement: “..........If dreams are insignificant nighttime images created by the brain, what is the point of studying them?............”
Keywords: Images, Created, Brain, Studying
Keyword Location: para 3, Line 9-10
Explanation: Alan Hobson and Robert McCarley proposed the “activation-synthesis hypothesis”, which describes dreams as random neural signals that create meaningless images.
38. Dreaming is a method of calming strong feelings
Answer: G (Rosalind Cartwright)
Supporting statement: “..........She thinks that dreaming helps diffuse powerful emotions. “Dreaming is a mental health activity,” she says.............”
Keywords: Dreaming, Diffuse, Emotions, Activity
Keyword Location: para 7, Line 9-11
Explanation: Rosalind Cartwright believes that dreaming helps diffuse powerful emotions, which supports the idea that dreaming is a way to calm strong emotions.
39. Our dreams can show us unexpected things about ourselves.
Answer: F (Clara Hill)
Supporting statement: “...........The University of Maryland's Clara Hill, who has studied the use of dreams in therapy, says that dreams are a “back door” into a patient's thinking. “Dreams reveal stuff about you that you didn't know was there,” she says............”
Keywords: Dreams, Therapy, Patient, Thinking
Keyword Location: para 7, Line 2-4
Explanation: Clara Hill says that dreams are a “back door” into the patient's thinking and reveal hidden emotions. This suggests that dreams can show us unexpected things about ourselves.
40. Dreams may be a result of maintaining an essential body function.
Answer: A (Jerry Siegel)
Supporting statement: “...........REM sleep heats the brain and non-REM cools it off, Siegel says, and that could mean that the changing sleep cycles allow the brain to repair itself. “It seems likely that REM sleep is fulfilling a basic physiological function and that dreams are a kind of side effect or by-product of this............”
Keywords: Brain, Cools, Siegel, Cycles
Keyword Location: para 2, Line 11-15
Explanation: Siegel proposed that REM sleep might serve a basic physiological function, with dreams as a by-product. They suggested that REM regulates brain temperature, aiding in repair and maintenance.
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