Why do we need Sleep Reading Answers

Jan 6, 2025

Why do we need Sleep Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. Why do we need Sleep Reading Answers has a total of 10 IELTS questions in total. In the questions set you have to choose the correct answer from option Also, there are questions where you have to choose the correct option from the given statements.

The IELTS Reading section is a crucial component of the IELTS exam, designed to assess a candidate's ability to comprehend and analyze different types of passages. In this passage, you will engage with a series of IELTS reading practice questions that simulate real test scenarios. These questions are aimed at improving your skills in identifying key ideas, extracting specific information, and making inferences. Whether you are preparing for the Academic or General Training module, practicing these IELTS reading questions will help you become familiar with the format and boost your confidence for the actual test.

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Section 1

WHY DO WE NEED SLEEP

A. According to the United States (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 80 million American adults are chronically sleep deprived, meaning they Sleep less than the recommended minimum of seven hours a night. The resulting fatigue contributes to more than a million auto accidents each year, as well as to a significant number of medical errors. Even small adjustments in sleep can be problematic. The Monday after a daylight-saving time change in the US - when the clocks are moved ahead one hour - there is a 24 percent increase in heart attacks and a jump in fatal car crashes, compared with other Mondays.

B. During their lifetimes, about a third of Americans will suffer from at least one of the recognized sleep disorders. They range from common sleep disorders to much rarer and stranger conditions such as sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome. For example, in exploding head syndrome, booming noises seem to reverberate in your brain as you try to sleep. Also, people with Kleine-Levin syndrome will. every few years, sleep almost non-stop for a week or two. However, insomnia is by far the most prevalent of these problems and the main reason 4 percent of US adults take sleeping pills in any given month.

C. Evolution endowed us with sleep that is flexible in its timing and easily disturbed, so that attention can be directed to higher priorities.The brain has an automatic override system that can wake us up in all stages of sleep when it perceives an emergency like the cry of a child. But the problem is that, in the modern world, our ancient innate wake-up call is constantly triggered by something that is non-life threatening, like worrying before an exam or the unexpected sound of a car alarm. Before the industrial revolution, which brought us alarm clocks and fixed work schedules, we could often counteract a sleep deficit by simply sleeping in. That is no longer possible.

D. The first segment Of the brain that begins to fail when we don't get enough sleep is the prefrontal cortex, the center Of decision-making and problem-solving. Dr Chira Cirelli, a neuroscientist in the US suggests that, 'Every cognitive function to some extent seems to be affected by sleep loss,' and she comments that people are Often more irritable, moody, and irrational. For instance, sleep-deprived suspects held by the police will Often confess to anything in exchange for rest. Other research has also found that people who regularly sleep less than six hours a night have an elevated risk Of developing depression, as well as Other mental and physical illnesses. In fact, lack of sleep has been directly tied to obesity: without enough sleep, the stomach and other organs overproduce ghrelin, the hunger hormone, causing us to eat more. However, proving a cause-and-effect relationship in this case is challenging because subjecting humans to the necessary experiments is unethical.

E. NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) makes up the first of two distinct and repetitive phases Of a night's Sleep. As we fall into NREM sleep, our brain stays active and begins an editing process - deciding which memories to keep and which ones to ignore. The first of NREM's four stages is called the shallow end of sleep and is characterized by a distinctive regular pattern of brain activity, as shown on an EEG (electroencephalogram) device — a machine that measures electrical impulses. In stage two, the EEG measures electric sparks that strike the cerebral cortex (gray matter covering the outer layer of the brain) in regular half-second intervals. Researchers believe that this electrical activity helps the cortex preserve and store recently acquired information. Stages three and four have been described as a deep, coma-like sleep that is as essential to our brain as food is to our body. In stage three. big. rolling waves of brain activity as measured on an EEG are present less than half the time; in stage four. more than half the time. It is in this deep sleep that our cells produce most growth hormones, which are needed throughout life to serve bones and muscles.

F. REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep was at first believed to be only a variation of a stage in NREM sleep, and not particularly significant. However, once scientists documented the distinctive eye movements in REM. and found that virtually all dreaming takes place during this period, REM sleep was recognized as the second major phase of sleep. Today. scientists believe that the content of our approximately two hours of dreams each night in REM sleep is important in the processing of new memories. Some sleep theorists argue that REM Sleep is when we are our most intelligent, insightful, creative. and free. It's when we truly come alive. 'REM sleep may be the thing that makes us the most human, both for what it does for the brain and body, and for the sheer experience of it,' says Professor Michael Perlis.

G. The problem of sleep loss is not easily solved - whether by power naps or pharmaceuticals. Dr Jeffrey Ellenbogen, a sleep scientist at Johns Hopkins University in the US argues, 'It's tempting to manipulate sleep with drugs or devices, but we don't yet understand sleep enough to risk artificially manipulating the parts'. Dr.Ellenbogen and other experts argue against shortcuts, especially the notion that we can mostly do without sleep. In fact, Dr. Steven Lockley. of Brigham Women's Hospital in Boston, suggests that sleep may be more essential to us than food.

Questions 17-23

Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter, A-G.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

17. an example of how sleeplessness can influence a person accused of a crime a

Answer: D

Supporting statement: For instance, sleep-deprived suspects held by the police will Often confess to anything in exchange for rest.

Keywords: sleep, suspects

Keyword Location: Para D , Line 5

Explanation: In the passage it is stated that a sleep deprived person, if held accountable for any crime will confess to anything in return for some rest or sleep. This mainly happens when a person has lost their cognitive function to some extent due to insufficient sleep.

18. description of recordings of different types of brain activity during sleep

Answer: E

Supporting statement:As we fall into NREM sleep, our brain stays active and begins an editing process - deciding which memories to keep and which ones to ignore. The first of NREM's four stages is called the shallow end of sleep and is characterized by a distinctive regular pattern of brain activity,

Keywords: stages, activity

Keyword Location: Para E , Lines 4-5

Explanation: According to the passage the brain goes through four stages of activity in the NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) which consists of the first of two distinct and repetitive phases Of a night's Sleep. During this process the brain stays active and begins an editing process - deciding which memories to keep and which ones to ignore.

19. a description of how present-day society interrupts sleep

Answer: C

Supporting statement: But the problem is that, in the modern world, our ancient innate wake-up call is constantly triggered by something that is non-life threatening,

Keywords: modern, triggered

Keyword Location: Para C , Line 4

Explanation: In the passage given it is clear that the modern world interrupts sleep more in comparison to the older times. This is because in today’s world Something non-life-threatening, such as worrying before a test or hearing an unexpected car alarm, repeatedly sets off our old inbuilt wake-up call. Sleeping in was a common way to make up for a lack of sleep prior to the industrial revolution, which brought us alarm clocks and set work schedules. That's just not doable nowadays.

20. information about the relationship between being overweight and sleep

Answer: D

Supporting statement:In fact, lack of sleep has been directly tied to obesity: without enough sleep, the stomach and other organs overproduce ghrelin,

Keywords: obesity, ghrelin

Keyword Location: Para D , Lines 8-9

Explanation: In the passage Obesity has really been linked to sleep deprivation because the stomach and other organs overproduce the hunger hormone ghrelin when we don't get enough sleep, which makes us eat more. However, because it is unethical to conduct the required tests on people, it is difficult to prove a cause-and-effect link in this instance.

21. a suggestion that medication is an ineffective solution for sleeping problems

Answer: G

Supporting statement:The problem of sleep loss is not easily solved - whether by power naps or pharmaceuticals.

Keywords: loss, solved

Keyword Location: Para G , Line 1

Explanation: According to the passage Dr. Jeffrey Ellenbogen, a sleep expert at Johns Hopkins University in the US, says 'It's tempting to manage sleep with pharmaceuticals or equipment, but we are still not familiar with sleep enough to consider deliberately changing the aspects of it’.

22. a discovery that changed ideas about how sleep is understood

Answer: F

Supporting statement:However, once scientists documented the distinctive eye movements in REM. and found that virtually all dreaming takes place during this period, REM sleep was recognized as the second major phase of sleep.

Keywords: dreaming, phase

Keyword Location: Para F, Lines 3-4

Explanation: In the passage it is evident that the discovery of REM being the stage where all virtual dreaming takes place some theorists also believe that REM Sleep is when we are our most intelligent, insightful, creative. and free. It's when we truly come alive. Also according to Professor Michael Perlis, "REM sleep may be what makes us the most human, both for what it provides for the brain and body and for our simple experience of it."

23. examples of the life-threatening consequences of inadequate sleep

Answer: A

Supporting statement: The Monday after a daylight-saving time change in the US - when the clocks are moved ahead one hour - there is a 24 percent increase in heart attacks and a jump in fatal car crashes, compared with other Mondays.

Keywords: heartattack, crashes

Keyword Location: Para A , Line 7

Explanation: In the passage it is evident that sleep deprivation can cause over a million car accidents and a large number of medical blunders each year. Sleep changes, even little ones, can cause issues. Compared to prior Mondays, the Monday after a daylight-saving time shift in the United States—when the clocks move forward by one hour—has a 24 percent higher rate of heart attacks and a higher rate of fatal crashes involving cars.

Questions 24-25

Choose TWO letters. A-E.

Which TWO of these statements describe characteristics of NREM sleep?

A. NREM sleep is important for maintaining brain function.

B. NREM sleep consists of two distinct parts.

C. The brain remains passive throughout NREM sleep.

D. Each Stage of NREM sleep has a unique EEG pattern.

E. Hormones are released continuously throughout NREM sleep.

Answer: A

Supporting statement: As we fall into NREM sleep, our brain stays active and begins an editing process - deciding which memories to keep and which ones to ignore.

Researchers believe that this electrical activity helps the cortex preserve and store recently acquired information.

Keywords: memories, cortex

Keyword Location: Para E , Line 3- 8

Explanation: For the brain to continue functioning, NREM sleep is essential. Our brain continues to function while we shift into NREM sleep, making decisions about which memories should be kept and which to discard. Electric sparks that impact the cerebral cortex, which is the gray matter covering the outer layer of the brain, at regular half-second intervals are measured by the EEG in stage two. This electrical activity, according to researchers, aids in the preservation and storage of previously acquired knowledge in the cortex. more than half the time in stage four. The majority of growth hormones, which are necessary for healthy bones and muscles throughout life, are produced by our cells during this deep sleep.

Answer: D

Supporting statement: In stage two, the EEG measures electric sparks that strike the cerebral cortex (gray matter covering the outer layer of the brain) in regular half-second intervals.

In stage three. big. rolling waves of brain activity as measured on an EEG are present less than half the time; in stage four. more than half the time. It is in this deep sleep that our cells produce most growth hormones,

Keywords: EEG, brain

Keyword Location: Para E, Line 6-11

Explanation: The shallow end of sleep, the first of NREM's four phases, is distinguished by a unique, consistent pattern of brain activity as seen on an electroencephalogram (EEG) device. Electric sparks that impact the cerebral cortex, which is the gray matter covering the outer layer of the brain, at regular half-second intervals are measured by the EEG in stage two. Big, rolling waves of brain activity, as shown by an EEG, are present less than half the time in stage three. more than half the time in stage four. The majority of growth hormones, which are necessary for healthy bones and muscles throughout life, are produced by our cells during this deep sleep.

Questions 26 and 27

Choose TWO letters, A-E.

Which TWO of these statements describe the characteristics of REM sleep?

A. The REM stage is the longest phase of sleep.

B. REM sleep can be identified by an unusual physical feature.

C. REM sleep is important for removing unpleasant memories.

D. REM sleep is another part of NREM sleep

E. Some scientists consider REM sleep to be a source of human innovation.

Answer: B

Supporting statement:significant. However, once scientists documented the distinctive eye movements in REM. and found that virtually all dreaming takes place during this period,

Keywords: distinctive, movement

Keyword Location: Para F, Line 3

Explanation: According to the passage some scientists believe that REM sleep is the stage of sleep in which the human body has the most distinctive eye movement as all the virtual dreaming takes place in this part.

Answer: E

Supporting statement:Some sleep theorists argue that REM Sleep is when we are our most intelligent, insightful, creative. and free. It's when we truly come alive. REM sleep may be the thing that makes us the most human,

Keywords:REM, human

Keyword Location: Para F, Lines 6-8

Explanation: In the passage given above it is clear that some scientists believe that REM sleep is the sleep in which a human is the most creative,intelligent, insightful, and free.

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