Waking up in a Nightmare Reading Answers

Aug 13, 2024

The topic discussed is an academic reading answers topic. Waking up in a nightmare Reading Answers has a total of 13 IELTS questions in total. In the questions, you have to choose the correct heading from the options. In the next section, you have to tell whether the statement is true or false.

Candidates should read the IELTS Reading passage thoroughly to recognise synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions below. IELTS Reading practice papers, which feature topics such as Waking up in a Nightmare Reading Answers. Candidates can use IELTS reading practice questions and answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

Section 1

WAKING UP IN A NIGHTMARE

A. Imagine the following. It happens out of nowhere: one second you're fast asleep, then, with a snap, you're suddenly wide awake. The room around you is dark, but you can feel a presence lurking in the shadows, somehow, you know it intends to harm you. As it draws closer you try to scream for help, but the words remain stuck in your throat. You try to raise your arms, reach for the bed covers and drag yourself off the mattress, but your fingers refuse to move. Your heart beats rapidly: you feel like you're choking. Then a few minutes later, out of the blue, it stops. You're back in control of your body and you can finally move again.

B. Many people who suffer from chronic sleep paralysis begin to experience the phenomenon in early childhood, though the disorder can strike a any stage of life. Sufferers may think they are alone in their suffering, though recent studies reveal that this is far from the case. According to a study published by Sleep Medicine Reviews, around 8% of the population has suffered through the experience of sleep paralysis at least once in their lives with that number climbing to nearly 30% for psychiatric patients and, curiously, students. (Although that might have more to do with the average age of a student rather than a person's inclination towards academia.)

C. A separate study conducted by James Cheyne, a psychologist at the University of Waterloo, suggests that the number of those in the general population who experience sleep paralysis at least once is closer to 40%-with up to 6% experiencing regular incidents of sleep paralysis

D. So what is sleep paralysis, exactly? To this day, scientists fail to agree on a satisfactory definition, though throughout history there have been a variety of differing hypotheses. Among other things, sleep paralysis has been attributed to demons, ghosts, aliens, or even malevolent female horses riding on sleepers' chests. The Chinese use a name that roughly translates as "Ghost Depression" for it, while the Turks call it "The Dark Presser". Ir German, the mare who was said to cause it was known as the Nachtmahr-which, as you may be able to guess, is where the English word 'nightmare comes from.

E. Sleep paralysis has been heavily documented in art, too: Herman Melville's novel Moby Dick is a notable example, as well as the 1781 Henri Fuseli painting, The Nightmare, which portrays a woman lying on her back with a demon perched atop her and a sprite lurking in the background. More recently, Rodney Ascher's 2015 docudrama The Nightmare uses a range of special effects in an attempt to convey to viewers the often terrifying sensations experienced by those who suffer from sleep paralysis.

F. Though a resounding definition for sleep paralysis is still yet to be found, we do know that sleep paralysis occurs during REM sleep when our muscles are locked and cannot move. Presumably, this is to prevent us from acting out our dreams and lashing out in real life. In the vast majority of cases, sleep paralysis is completely harmless-though it certainly might not feel that way for the sufferer. Symptoms may vary quite widely; some people can open their eyes while others can't; some people sense a foreign presence near them; while some experience more vivid hallucinations, such as "a little vampire girl with blood coming out of her mouth", as Brian Sharpless, a clinical psychologist at Washington State University, describes one of his patient's recurring experiences.

G. Surprisingly, sleep paralysis holds the possibility for a pleasant experience, too. Jorge Conesa Sevilla, a psychologist at Northland College, believes sleep paralysis sufferers can be taught over time to remove themselves from their panic-stricken state while retaining the waking levels of awareness they experience during sleep paralysis, which would allow sufferers to turn a sleep paralysis incident into one of 'lucid dreaming', that is, a dream where the dreamer not only is aware that they are dreaming but can also exert some degree of control over the dream and manipulate it to their liking. Lucid dreams allow one to direct and act out impossible fantasies, experience the impossible, and take control of their dreams.

H. For those who are less interested in mastering lucid dreaming. and simply want to stop experiencing sleep paralysis, there are a few things which can be done to lower the chances of an episode of sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis is associated with irregular sleeping patterns and sleep deprivation As such, making sure to get at least six hours of sleep every night can help, as can regularly going to sleep at the same time. Avoiding large meals or exercise in the evening is also helpful, and so is making sure your sleeping environment is dark, quiet, comfortable, and has a slightly cool temperature. Sleeping on your side is also less likely to trigger a sleep paralysis episode than lying on your back, so this is also often recommended to sufferers. Some sufferers find that simply reminding themselves that the experience, though it may be extremely scary, is not capable of causing them harm, helps to calm them when they find themselves experiencing an episode of sleep paralysis.

Questions 1-8

Reading Passage 1 has eight paragraphs, A.

Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.

i. Who is affected?

Il. Sleep paralysis defined

iii. Examples of different experiences

iv. Four out of ten know what it's like

v. The silver lining for sufferers

vi. Famous depictions

vil. A contradictory thought

viii. The experience of sleep paralysis

ix. A terrifying exercise

x. Cultural interpretations

xi. Tips to reduce episodes of sleep paralysis

1. Paragraph A

Answer: VIII

Supporting statement: “.......Imagine the following... You're back in control of your body and you can finally move again.......”

Explanation: Paragraph A vividly describes the typical experience of sleep paralysis, from the sudden awakening to the terrifying inability to move. This matches the heading "The experience of sleep paralysis."

2. Paragraph B

Answer: I

Supporting statement: “......Many people who suffer from chronic sleep paralysis begin to experience the phenomenon in early childhood... though recent studies reveal that this is far from the case.........”

Keywords: Chronic, Studies

Keyword Location: para B, Lines 1-3

Explanation: Paragraph B focuses on the demographics of those affected by sleep paralysis, noting that many begin experiencing it in childhood and that it affects a broad range of individuals.

3. Paragraph C

Answer: IV

Supporting statement: “.......James Cheyne... suggests that the number of those in the general population who experience sleep paralysis at least once is actually closer to 40%.......”

Keywords: 40%, General population

Keyword Location: para C, Lines 1-3

Explanation: Paragraph C provides statistical data, indicating that up to 40% of the general population may experience sleep paralysis at least once. The emphasis on the prevalence of the condition within the population supports the heading "Four out of ten know what it's like."

4. Paragraph D

Answer: X

Supporting statement: “.......To this day, scientists fail to agree on a satisfactory definition... The Chinese use a name that roughly translates as 'Ghost Depression' for it, while the Turks call it 'The Dark Presser'........”

Keywords: Depression, Dark

Keyword Location: para D, Lines 3-5

Explanation: Paragraph D discusses various cultural interpretations of sleep paralysis, including how different societies have understood and named the phenomenon. This exploration of cultural perspectives directly relates to the heading "Cultural interpretations."

5. Paragraph E

Answer: VI

Supporting statement: “......Sleep paralysis has been heavily documented in art, too: Herman Melville's novel Moby Dick... and the 1781 Henri Fuseli painting, The Nightmare.........”

Keywords: Art, Moby

Keyword Location: para E, Lines 1-3

Explanation: paragraph E mentions famous artistic and literary works that depict sleep paralysis, such as Melville's Moby Dick and Fuseli's painting The Nightmare. These references to well-known depictions of the phenomenon in art and literature match the heading "Famous depictions."

6. Paragraph F

Answer: III

Supporting statement: “.......Some people can open their eyes while others can't; some people sense a foreign presence near them; while some experience more vivid hallucinations.......”

Keywords: Hallucinations, Foreign

Keyword Location: para F, Lines 4-6

Explanation: Paragraph F details the variety of experiences people have during sleep paralysis, ranging from the ability to open their eyes to vivid hallucinations. This description of different individual experiences corresponds to the heading "Examples of different experiences."

7. Paragraph G

Answer: V

Supporting statement: “......Sleep paralysis sufferers can be taught... to turn a sleep paralysis incident into one of 'lucid dreaming'... where the dreamer... can also exert some degree of control........”

Keywords: dreaming, Control

Keyword Location: para G, Lines 2-4

Explanation: Paragraph G discusses a positive aspect of sleep paralysis, suggesting that sufferers can transform their experience into lucid dreaming. where they can control their dreams.

8. Paragraph H

Answer: XI

Supporting statement: “........There are a few things which can be done to lower the chances of an episode of sleep paralysis... making sure to get at least six hours of sleep every night......”

Keywords: Reduce, Sleep

Keyword Location: para H, Lines 2-4

Explanation: Paragraph H provides practical advice on how to reduce the likelihood of experiencing sleep paralysis, such as maintaining a regular sleep schedule. These directly relate to the heading "Tips to reduce episodes of sleep paralysis."

Questions 9-13

Do the following statements reflect the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 1?

YES - if the statement reflects the claims of the writer

NO - if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer

NOT GIVEN - if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

9. There is a link between someone's education and the likelihood of experiencing sleep paralysis.

Answer: NO

Supporting statement: “......Sufferers may think they are alone in their suffering, though recent studies reveal that this is far from the case........”

Keywords: Sufferers, Studies

Keyword Location: para B, Line 3

Explanation: The passage does not mention any connection between education and sleep paralysis. It only talks about the prevalence of the condition among certain groups like psychiatric patients and students due to age, not because of their education level. Therefore, the correct answer is NO.

10. Germans blamed evil female horses for sleep paralysis in the past.

Answer: YES

Supporting statement: “......In German, the mare who was said to cause it was known as the Nachtmahr........”

Keywords: Mare, Nachtmahr

Keyword Location: para D, Line 6

Explanation: The passage confirms that in German folklore, sleep paralysis was attributed to a mare, specifically referred to as the Nachtmahr. This connection directly supports the statement, making the correct answer "YES."

11. The novelist Herman Melville wrote about his experience with sleep paralysis.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Explanation: The passage mentions that Melville's novel Moby Dick contains a depiction of sleep paralysis but does not state whether this was based on his personal experience. Since the text does not confirm or deny this, the correct answer is NOT GIVEN.

12. Sleep paralysis is a potentially dangerous condition.

Answer: NO

Supporting statement: “.......In the vast majority of cases, sleep paralysis is completely harmless.......”

Keywords: Harmless, Majority

Keyword Location: para F, Line 6

Explanation: The passage explicitly states that sleep paralysis is generally harmless, even though it might be frightening. This contradicts the statement that it is dangerous, so the correct answer is NO.

13. The way you position yourself when you sleep can trigger a sleep paralysis incident.

Answer: YES

Supporting statement: “........Sleeping on your side is also less likely to trigger a sleep paralysis episode than lying on your back......”

Keywords: Position, Trigger

Keyword Location: para H, Line 7

Explanation: The passage indicates that sleeping position can influence the likelihood of experiencing sleep paralysis, particularly noting that lying on your back is more likely to trigger it. This supports the statement, making the correct answer YES.

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