The Positive Power of Nightmares 惡夢的正面力量

by Marcus Maurice
Nightmares don't have to be such a bad thing.

　　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
@原來如此
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 是主詞，of falling from the top of a building, being terrorized by a pack of rabid dogs, or being stalked by a crazed killer 則為介詞片語，作形容詞用，修飾主詞；空格後又有連接詞 while 和一完整子句，故知連接詞前須為一完整子句。
b. 空格前的主詞 That awful feeling 為第三人稱單數，因此其後須接第三人稱單數動詞。
c. 根據上述，(C) 項應為正選。

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. 空格之後有時間副詞片語 over the years（過去幾年來），此類片語須與現在完成式或現在完成進行式並用。
b. 空格前的 Scientists（科學家）是主動投注時間與精力的（a lot of time and effort），因此空格中的現在完成式應為主動語態。
c. 根據上述，(B) 項應為正選。

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. 本題測試下列固定用法：
end up V-ing　　結果∕到頭來……
Lucy ended up divorcing her husband because he was cheating on her.
露西因為丈夫對她感情不忠，最後跟他離婚。
b. 根據上述，(A) 項應為正選。

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. 本題測試非限定的兩者時，主詞要使用one...another...（一個……另一個），因為第二段第三句有 An example...（= One example...），故本空格須置 Another。
Many people have trouble sleeping at one time or another.
很多人不時會難以入眠。
b. 根據上述，可知 (D) 項應為正選。

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. 焦慮
（與介詞 about 並用）
I tried to ease Mary's anxiety about the test by reminding her that she could always retake it.
為了平撫瑪莉對於考試的焦慮之情，我提醒她隨時都可以重考。
(B) devotion n. 專注；奉獻
（與介詞 to 並用）
Your devotion to the research made the project possible.
你對該研究的奉獻使這項計劃能夠實現。
(C) extension n. 延伸；延長
（與介詞 on 並用）
Henry requested an extension on his loan payments.
亨利要求延長他償還貸款的時間。
(D) indifference n. 漠不關心
（與介詞 to 並用）
The boy's indifference to his schoolwork worried his parents.
這男孩對他的學業漠不關心，令他父母很擔心。
b. 空格後有介詞 about，又根據語意，(A) 項應為正選。

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.
我以為這家店會重新開張，沒想到它卻永遠關門大吉了。
(B) in reality　　事實上
= in fact
Kelly's idea sounds good in theory, but I doubt if it can be done in reality.
凱莉的點子理論上聽起來很不錯，但我懷疑實際上是否可行。
(C) at random　　隨意地，任意地
The employees were selected to take part in the survey at random.
那幾位員工經隨機抽樣被選中參與這項調查。
(D) in unison　　同時地；一致地
The students replied in unison that they didn't want a test.
學生一致回答他們不想要考試。
b. 根據語意，(B) 項應為正選。

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.期滿；過期
As soon as the medication expired, I threw it out.
一旦藥物過期後，我就將它丟掉。
＊ throw sth out　　把某物丟掉
= throw sth away
(B) evacuate vt. 撤離
The town was overwhelmed by the flood. Fortunately, everyone was evacuated in advance.
這個城鎮被洪水淹沒。所幸所有人都已事先被撤離。
(C) hinder vt. 妨礙
The situation hindered our pace and caused a lot of trouble.
這種狀況妨礙了我們的進度，也造成許多麻煩。
(D) advocate vt. 提倡 &
n. 倡導者
Many animal rights advocates strongly condemned the unnecessary slaughter of stray dogs.
許多動物權倡導者強烈譴責屠殺流浪狗的不必要行為。
b. 根據語意，(C) 項應為正選。
@精解字詞片語
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.
我使盡全力地喊，但約翰仍沒聽到我的聲音。

2. in the middle of...　　在……的中間
Most people were oblivious to the earthquake because it happened in the middle of the night.
大部分人都沒察覺有地震，因為它發生在半夜。
＊ oblivious a. 不注意的

3. terrified a. 受到驚嚇的
Control freaks are terrified of failure and paranoid about losing something precious to them.
控制狂害怕失敗，且因為害怕失去珍貴的東西而疑神疑鬼。

4. cold sweat　　冷汗
break out in / into a cold sweat　　渾身冒冷汗
John broke out in a cold sweat because he was scared of the dog.
約翰因為害怕那隻狗而渾身冒冷汗。

5. stalk vt. 悄悄地跟蹤；偷偷靠近
The crazed woman stalked the man she liked until the police stepped in.
那瘋狂的女人尾隨跟蹤她心儀的男子，直到警方介入為止。

6. toss and turn　　輾轉反側
Jack is exhausted from tossing and turning all night.
整晚輾轉難眠讓傑克累壞了。

7. irrationally adv. 不理性地
Diana feels that her daughter has been behaving irrationally lately.
黛安娜覺得她女兒最近的行徑有些失去理性。

8. switch to...　　轉換到……
switch vi. 轉換（與介詞 to 並用）
When I see a political debate on TV, I quickly switch to another channel.
當我在電視上看到政治辯論節目，我很快就轉到另外一台。

9. clue n. 線索（後接介詞 to）
The detective is searching for clues to the murder at the scene of the crime.
這名刑警正在犯罪現場搜尋謀殺案的線索。
@單字小舖
1. nightmare n. 惡夢
2. scream vi. & n. 尖叫
3. forehead n. 額頭
4. dizzy a. 頭暈的
5. rabid a. 患狂犬病的
6. crazed a. 極度瘋狂的
7. signal n. 信號
8. greasy a. 油膩的
9. misread vt. 誤導
10. harsh a. 艱苦的；惡劣的
11. subconscious n. 下意識 & a. 下意識的
12. puzzle n. 猜謎遊戲
@片語小舖
1. a pack of...　　一群（狗、狼等犬科動物）
2. be harmful to...　　對……有害
@中文翻譯＆標準答案
惡夢的正面力量
惡夢其實沒有這麼糟糕。
　　你是否曾經因為受到剛剛所做惡夢的驚嚇，而在半夜彈起來並大聲尖叫呢？你的額頭冷汗直流，而且你感到非常暈眩，以致於你不知道到底發生了什麼事。在接下來的幾分鐘，從一棟建築的頂樓跌落、被一群瘋狗威脅或是被一個瘋狂殺人魔跟蹤的恐懼感一直纏繞著你，而此時你試圖去搞懂什麼是真實的，什麼又不是。
　　多年來，科學家投注了許多時間和精力去探討夢境，而作惡夢似乎可能是健康的。為什麼呢？有時候，身體向大腦提出健康警訊是很重要的。有個例子是當某人在睡前吃了很多油膩的食物。屢見不鮮的是，這會導致他們整夜輾轉難眠，因為垃圾食物對身體有害。另外一個例子可能是當某人辭去舊工作並對換新工作產生非理性的恐懼。對這項重大決定的焦慮可能會導致做惡夢，因為大腦試著告訴人們這沒什麼大不了的。惡夢經常被錯誤解讀，它可能很殘酷，但事實上，一個人該怎麼做的線索可能就來自他的潛意識。與其害怕惡夢，你不如把它們當作必須解開的謎題，也許到頭來它們會是助力而非阻力。

答案：1. C　2. B　3. A　4. D　5. A　6. B　7. C