Answers will vary. Your mind seems to see something that really is not there or is not happening

1. It seems like the boy on the red stool is much closer and therefore larger than the man on the left. 2. The way the room is painted gives this impression.

Picture 1: The center red dot in the left seems larger than the one on the right. Picture 2: Black dots seem to appear and disappear in the white circles. Picture 3: You can see either a white vase or two black faces.

Lesson 7A Click here to enlarge the passage

Vocabulary Lesson 7A

error (n.) a mistake

relation (n.) the connection that exists between two things

vision (n.) the ability to see clearly with your eyes

personal (adj.) belonging or relating to a particular person

compare (v.) to examine things for the differences and similarities

size (n.) how small or large something is

therefore (adv.) as a result, in conclusion

mind (n.) all your thoughts and the way you think about things

choose (v.) to decide which things you want out of several choices

straightforward (adj.) easy, direct

first paragraph lines lines 13-14

line 13 lines 19-20

larger size there see vase faces understand

therefore size minds related compared choose

thought emotion memory sensation perception

1. three 2. What these dreams mean about our lives and emotions

Lesson 7B Click here to enlarge the passage

Vocabulary Lesson 7B

contain (v.) to have or include something within it

emotion (n.) a feeling like happiness, anger, or sadness

stage (n.) a part of an activity or process

depend (on) (v.) to need someone or something in order to happen

individual (n.) one person or thing rather than a group

event (n.) something that happens, a planned occasion

period (n.) a length of time

pressure (n.) stress, a state of worry when someone is demanding

major (adj.) important, serious

prepare (v.) to get ready to do something

entire passage line 4 line 8

lines line 17

b, d c a, e

major stages periods individuals

pressure emotions prepare contains

Events major individuals prepare depend

Answers will vary, but possibilities in include insomnia, jet lag, sleeping sickness

major period stages

mind individuals Therefore events

1 and 2. Answers will vary.

For More Information ce/health-and-human-body/human- body/brain-article

Key Words for Internet Research dreamsoptical illusionsSensation emotionparasomniasleep identical twinsperceptionthought memoryRapid Eye Movement

Reading Skills

Understanding the Main Idea Once we've determined the text type of a passage, and what it's generally about, we usually then read on to understand the main idea of the passage. In other words: What is the writer basically telling us? Or, What is the writer's main message? Understanding the main idea of a text means being able to identify the most important point or information in the passage.

Identifying Details Identifying details in a text to answer specific questions (eg: who, what, when, where, why) is often achieved through a strategy known as ‘Scanning’ for details. This is actually a technique often used in daily life when looking up a word in the telephone book or dictionary. Also when you read a newspaper, you're probably not reading it word-by-word, instead you're scanning the text for important information of interest.

Understanding Reference Understanding reference in a text is an important reading skill which involves focusing on specific meaning of ‘pronoun references’ used throughout a passage (eg: this, those, their, it). This is an important skill to help develop full comprehension of significant details of a section of a passage which refer back to previous statements made.

Paraphrasing Paraphrasing involves the skill of identifying a restatement of a section in a passage that retains the basic meaning while changing the words, often explained in a more simplified form. A paraphrase often clarifies a more ambiguous original statement in the text by putting it into alternative words that are often more easily understood.

Understanding the Main Idea Once we've determined the text type of a passage, and what it's generally about, we usually then read on to understand the main idea of the passage. In other words: What is the writer basically telling us? Or, What is the writer's main message? Understanding the main idea of a text means being able to identify the most important point or information in the passage.