Fill in the gaps with the following phrases:
Memorable, predictions, symbolize, scripts, purpose, previous, interpret
When we fall asleep, our brains invent incredibly realistic and (1) ______ dreams. Sometimes those dreams are dark and terrifying, making falling asleep something to fear.
Why do we dream? Do dreams have a (2) ______? When the brain is asleep it's inundated by impulses and senses and experiences, and the brain puts them together. A necessary function of sleep is to consolidate the information that was gathered in the (3) ________ day and even in the more distant past, into coherent, long-term memories that get stored for later use. That's what dreams are. Dr. Gerber explained that the general scientific theory is that “Every night when we sleep our brains are consolidating what we should remember and letting go what we don’t.”
People's dreams have various (4) ______ but there are some common themes. For example most people dream about flying, being chased, falling or not being able to move. People have always sought meaning in dreams and considered them to be (5)______ of the future.
There are a lot of books trying to (6) _______ our dreams and to explain what the future holds. So if we dream about being chased, we are running away from something in real life. A dream about crossroads symbolizes that soon we will have to make an important decision about business or love. Finding money may (7) _______ a birth. Crossing a river means a fundamental change of lifestyle. Dreaming about a rainbow predicts good news.