Unit 5 Dreams新编大学英语第二版第二册教案.doc

Unit 5 Dreams Useful Information “Dreams surely are difficult, confusing, and not everything in them is brought to pass for mankind. For fleeting dreams have two gates; one is fashioned of horn and one of ivory. Those which pass through the one of sawn ivory are deceptive, bringing tidings which come to nought, but those which issue from the one of polished horn bring true results when a mortal sees them.”?????????????????????????????????????????? ? Homer, a Greek writer While our own understanding of dreams is certainly more complex than that of Homer, there are still many things about dreams which we do not understand. We know when dreams occur, we know they can be either “good dreams” or “bad dreams,” but there is still much disagreement about what, if any, significance dreams have to our life while we are awake. ? The interpretation of dreams has been a favorite activity of people for as long as we have had recorded history. Some of these dream interpreters have become famous, and some, like the European psychologist Sigmund Freud, felt that all dreams have meanings which relate to our personal relationships with family members and friends. Freud felt that many dreams have sexual meanings, but other dream experts reject this idea. ? Good dreams include those in which we see ourselves succeeding in some difficult or pleasant activity such as singing, dancing, talking with our friends, or experiencing the happiness which may not occur in our waking hours. Many persons report dreams of competing in athletic competitions or music competitions, or of acting in a dramatic production. The performance in these events can go beyond anything we might experience in reality. Who among us has not dreamed of spending pleasant hours with our real or imaginary lover, enjoying his or her company in ways known only to those who have loved? Many persons report dreaming of flying, jumping great distances or heights, or defeating enemies in battle. Interpreters of such dreams give v