9．No one knows why people dream，but some dreams might be connected to the mental processes that help us learn．In a recent study，scientists found a connection between nap-time （午睡时间） dreams and better memory in people who were learning a new skill．
So perhaps one way to learn something new is to practice，practise，practise---and then sleep on it．
"I was surprised by this finding，"Robert Stickgold，a Harvard University scientist who led the study．
In the study，100 college students each spent an hour on a computer，trying to get through a virtual maze （虚拟迷宫）．The maze was difficult，and the study participants had to start in a different place each time they tried---making it even more difficult．
Then，for the first 90 minutes of a five-hour break，half of the participants were required to stay awake while half were told to sleep．Participants who stayed awake were asked to describe their thoughts．Participants who slept were asked to describe any dream they had．
Stickgold and his colleagues wanted to know about NREM，or non-REM sleep．REM stands for"rapid eye movement"，which is what happens during REM sleep．This period of sleep often brings strange dreams to a sleeper，although dreams can happen in both kinds of sleep．Stickgold wanted to know what people were dreaming about when their eyes weren't moving，during NREM sleep．Other studies have found a connection between NREM bring activity and learning ability．
Four of the 50 people who slept said their dreams were about the maze．Later，when these four people tried the computer maze again，they were able to complete it faster．
Stickgold believes the dream itself doesn；t help a person learn---it's the other way around．He suspects that such dreams are caused by the brain processes associated with learning．
All the maze-dreamers had done the task poorly the first time，which makes Stickgold wonder if the NREM dreams show up when a person finds a new task particularly difficult．People who had other dreams，or people didn't sleep，didn't show the same improvement．
36．In the first stage of the study，the participants were asked toB
A．design a maze on computer
B．find their way out of a maze
C．decide where to begin a maze
D．remember a location in a maze
37．What happened to the participants during the break？D
A．Half of them were woken up when they started to dream．
B．Half of them were asked to dram about the maze．
C．All of them were asked to describe their thoughts．
D．Half of them were asked to sleep for 90 minutes．
38．What can we learn from the passage？D
A．Everyone will dream about a new skill after learning it．
B．Stickgold was the first to study dreams and learning．
C．During NREM sleep，people usually don't dream．
D．Unusual dreams often occur during REM sleep．
39．In the first stage of the study，the participants were asked toB
A．design a maze on computer
B．find their way out of a maze
C．decide where to begin a maze
D．remember a location in a maze
40．Which of the following statement best summarizes the study's conclusion？A
A．Dreams have a role in learning．
B．Dreams have no basis in reality．
C．Dreams are important for health．
D．Dreams are the best way to study．
分析 本文是一篇科教类阅读，文章主要讲述了一个实验，实验要求参与者在电脑上走出一个虚拟的迷宫．此外，研究者对参与者做梦和学习技能的能力进行分析，从而得出结论：做梦在学习方面起着作用．
解答 36．B细节理解题．根据第四段In the study，100 college students each spent an hour on a computer，trying to get through a virtual maze （虚拟迷宫）．可知在研究中，参与者被要求在电脑上，走出虚拟的迷宫．故选B．
37．D细节理解题．根据第五段Then，for the first 90 minutes of a five-hour break，half of the participants were required to stay awake while half were told to sleep．可知在休息期间的前90分钟，一半的参与者被要求醒着，另一半被要求睡觉．故选D．
38．D推理判断题．根据第六段This period of sleep often brings strange dreams to a sleeper，although dreams can happen in both kinds of sleep．可知在REM睡眠阶段，睡觉的人经常梦到奇怪的梦．故选D．
39．B细节理解题．根据第四段In the study，100 college students each spent an hour on a computer，trying to get through a virtual maze （虚拟迷宫）．可知在研究中，参与者被要求在电脑上，走出虚拟的迷宫．故选B．
40．A推理判断题．根据第一段可知，研究结果表明做梦在学习方面起着作用．故选A．
点评 本文考察学生的理解推断能力以及细心程度，只要抓住文章的关键词，采用寻读的方法查找细节，就能找到正确答案．
