研究:做"清醒梦"的人越来越多

    Is film Inception¹ a reality? Studies suggest 'lucid² dreams'(清醒梦) where we control the action are on the rise.
    It is the stuff of a Hollywood（好莱坞） movie: a dreamworld that can be manipulated at will. But for more and more of us, it is becoming a reality, with the number of people experiencing lucid dreams rising rapidly.
    In the blockbuster film, Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page stroll through a dreamworld where they are able to bend streets into the sky, walk up wall and destroy a cafe by the force of will.
    While the plot of a lucid dream may not be as dramatic（戏剧的）, the process is similar. Someone having a lucid dream realises they are dreaming and may from then on in ‘direct’ the action. Alternatively, they may simply ‘watch’ the dream unfold.
    Studies suggest that the number of people in the Western world experiencing the occasional（偶然的） lucid dream has risen by between 10 and 40 per cent since the 1980s. Today, they are so common that about one in eight of us will have one in our lives. Despite this, little is known about what triggers them - or what is behind the rise.
    Research carried out at the respected Harvard University in the US showed the brain to be hard at work during lucid dreams. In fact, the level of mental activity in some parts of the brain was similar to that of an awake person.
    Lucid dreamers seem to share certain personality traits. For instance, they are creative but also problem orientated³ and believe in personal responsibility rather that letting society carry the can.
    Scientists of course, do not know the function of dreams in general, far less that of lucid ones.
    Our nightmares may reflect our waking concerns, with the five most common themes falling, being chased, feeling paralysed, being late, and the death of a loved one.
    Men are more likely to have nightmares about violence or being sacked while bereavement⁴ and sexual harassment⁵ crop up more in women’s nightmares. Dreams about hair and tooth loss are also more common in women - perhaps signifying anxieties about losing their looks.
    Previous research has found that women have more nightmares than men. Their dreams are also more intense and leave more of an impression when they wake up.（本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑）

1 inception   

n.开端，开始，取得学位

参考例句：

• The programme has been successful since its inception.这个方案自开始实施以来一直卓有成效。
• Julia's worked for that company from its inception.自从那家公司开办以来，朱莉娅一直在那儿工作。

2 lucid   

adj.明白易懂的，清晰的，头脑清楚的

参考例句：

• His explanation was lucid and to the point.他的解释扼要易懂。
• He wasn't very lucid,he didn't quite know where he was.他神志不是很清醒，不太知道自己在哪里。

3 orientated   

v.朝向( orientate的过去式和过去分词 )；面向；确定方向；使适应

参考例句：

• He orientated himself by finding a familiar landscape. 他寻见一处熟悉的景色，从而确定自己所处的方位。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They orientated the tennis court north and south. 他们把网球场定为南北向。 来自辞典例句

4 bereavement   

n.亲人丧亡，丧失亲人，丧亲之痛

参考例句：

• the pain of an emotional crisis such as divorce or bereavement 诸如离婚或痛失亲人等情感危机的痛苦
• I sympathize with you in your bereavement. 我对你痛失亲人表示同情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 harassment   

n.骚扰，扰乱，烦恼，烦乱

参考例句：

• She often got telephone harassment at night these days.这些天她经常在夜晚受到电话骚扰。
• The company prohibits any form of harassment.公司禁止任何形式的骚扰行为。