Of all the components of a good night’s sleep, dreams seem to be least within our control. In dreams, a window opens into a world where logic is suspended and dead people speak. A century ago, Freud formulated his revolutionary theory that dreams were the disguised shadows of our unconscious desires and fears; by the late 1970s, neurologists had switched to thinking of them as just “mental noise” -- the random byproducts of the neural-repair work that goes on during sleep. Now researchers suspect that dreams are part of the mind’s emotional thermostat, regulating moods while the brain is “off-line.” And one leading authority says that these intensely powerful mental events can be not only harnessed but actually brought under conscious control, to help us sleep and feel better, “It’s your dream,” says Rosalind Cartwright, chair of psychology at Chicago’s Medical Center. “If you don’t like it, change it.”
31.Researchers have come to believe that dreams ________.
✔[A] can be modified in their courses
✔
[B] are susceptible to emotional changes
[C] reflect our innermost desires and fears
[D] are a random outcome of neural repairs
Of all the components of a good night’s sleep, dreams seem to be least within our control. 在所有组成良好睡眠的因素中，梦似乎是最不受控制的。↓
在影响夜间睡眠的所有要素中，梦似乎是最无法控制的一个。
In dreams, a window opens into a world where logic is suspended暂停 and dead people speak. 在梦的世界里，逻辑暂停，死人说话。↓
梦的窗户通向一个毫无逻辑的世界，在梦里甚至死人都开口说话。
A century ago, Freud formulated阐述 his revolutionary theory that dreams were the disguised伪装 shadows阴影 of our unconscious desires and fears; by the late 1970s, neurologists had switched to thinking of them as just “mental noise” -- the random随机的 byproducts of the neural-repair work that goes on during sleep. 一个世纪以前，Freud提出了他的革命性的观点，认为梦消化吸收我们无意识的渴望和恐惧的阴影。二十世纪七十年代后期，神经学家认为，梦是精神噪音-在夜晚，神经修复工作中随机产生的副产品。↓
一个世纪前，弗洛伊德阐述了革命性的理论，即梦近乎投射出我们潜意识里的欲望和恐惧；到了20世纪70年代末期，神经学家们转而认为梦是“精神噪声”，即睡眠时进行的神经修复活动的一种杂乱的副产品。
Now researchers suspect that dreams are part of the mind’s emotional thermostat调节器, regulating moods while the brain is “off-line.” 目前，研究者发现梦是大脑精神调节的一部分，在大脑处于离线状态时调节我们的情绪。↓
现在，有研究者认为，梦可能是人们头脑中情绪调节机制的一个部分，在大脑“离线”时起到情绪调整作用。
And one leading authority权威 says that these intensely powerful mental events can be not only harnessed利用 but actually brought under conscious control, to help us sleep and feel better, “It’s your dream,” says Rosalind Cartwright, chair of psychology at Chicago’s Medical Center. 一个权威人士也指出，这些强烈的精神事件不仅仅可以被利用，还能够置于意识的控制之下来帮助我们更好的睡眠。“这是你的梦，
“If you don’t like it, change it.”如果不喜欢他，可以改变他”。↓
一位重要的权威人士说，这种异常强烈的精神活动不仅可以被驾驭，事实上还可以被有意识的控制，从而让我们感觉更好，睡眠更佳。
仿写练习：
在决定成功人生的诸多要素中，乐观的态度看似最难培养。在悲观者的世界里，开怀大笑是一种奢侈，对失败的畏惧总是萦绕心头。过去，心理学家坚信，一些人生而悲观。而今，研究者们转而认为悲观是可控的——通过降低欲望就会获取更多愉悦；专注于任务，不要过于患得患失，就会减少恐惧。
Of all the traits leading to a successful life, optimism seems least possible to be fostered. For a pessimistic person, a window opens into a world where laughter is a luxury and the fear of failure haunts without any break. In the past, psychologists insisted that some individuals were born to be pessimistic. Now, however, researchers switch to thinking of pessimism as controllable — one can acquire more delight by limiting desires and sense less fear by focusing on tasks rather than the possibility of failure.
第一句
Of all the components of a good night’s sleep, dreams seem to be least within our control. In dreams, a window opens into a world where logic is suspended and dead people speak.
句子结构
状：[Of all the components of a good night’s sleep], "Of ...."表示"在…中"，component本意为“组成成分”，意译为“要素”
主：dreams
系：seem to be
表：least within our control,"least"表示否定意义
本句译文
在影响夜间睡眠的所有要素中，梦似乎是最无法控制的一个。
第二句
In dreams, a window opens into a world where logic is suspended and dead people speak.
[1] 主句：
状：[In dreams],
主：a window
谓：opens
状：into a world
字面：在梦中／一扇窗户／打开了／通向一个世界
合译：梦的窗户通向一个世界
[2] 修饰a world的定语从句
where = in which = in the world
因为比较简单，and前后的并列句就不再分开讲解：
where logic is suspended
and
(where) dead people speak.
字面：在那里／逻辑／停止了／并且（在梦里）／死人／说话
意译：毫无逻辑，在梦里连死人都开口说话
本句译文
梦的窗户通向一个毫无逻辑的世界，在梦里甚至死人都开口说话。
第三句
A century ago, Freud formulated his revolutionary theory that dreams were the disguised shadows of our unconscious desires and fears; by the late 1970s, neurologists had switched to thinking of them as just “mental noise”—the random by-products of the neural-repair work that goes on during sleep.
本句结构：[1]+[2]与[3]+[4]并列，以分号联结
[1]
状：[A century ago],
主：Freud
谓：formulated
宾：his revolutionary theory
译文：一个世纪前，弗洛伊德阐述了开创性的理论
[2] theory的同位语从句：
引：that
主：dreams
系：were
表：(the disguised) shadows (of our unconscious desires and fears);
字面：即／梦／是／伪装的／阴影／我们潜意识里的欲望和恐惧
译文：即梦是我们潜意识里欲望和恐惧经伪装后的阴影
或：即梦近乎投射出我们潜意识里的欲望和恐惧
[3] 与 [1] 并列
状：[by the late 1970s],
主：neurologists
谓：had switched to 转而做某事；谓语译为“转而认为”
宾：thinking of them as just “mental noise” 其中them指dreams
同：the random by-products of theneural-repair work 是mental noise的同位语，“神经修复过程中的一堆杂乱的副产品”
译文：到了20世纪70年代末期，神经学家们转而认为梦是“精神噪声”，即神经修复活动的一种杂乱的副产品
[4] 修饰work的定语从句：
主：that 指work
谓：goes on
状：[during sleep].
译文：睡眠时进行的……
本句译文：
一个世纪前，弗洛伊德阐述了革命性的理论，即梦近乎投射出我们潜意识里的欲望和恐惧；到了20世纪70年代末期，神经学家们转而认为梦是“精神噪声”，即睡眠时进行的神经修复活动的一种杂乱的副产品。
第四句
[1] Now researchers suspect [2] that dreams are part of the mind's emotional thermostat, regulating moods [3] while the brainis "off-line".
[1]主句
状：Now
主：researchers
谓：suspect
宾：…
译文：现在，有研究者认为……可能……
[2] suspect的宾语从句
引：that
主：dreams
系：are
表：part of the mind's emotional thermostat, 其中thermostat本意为“温度调节器”，在此暗喻“调节机制”
状：regulating moods
译文：梦（可能）是人们头脑中情绪调节机制的一个部分，起到情绪调整作用
[3]分词短语regulating moods的时间状语从句
引：while
主：the brain
系：is
表："off-line"，其"off-line"字面含义为“离线”，隐喻“休息”
译文：在大脑“离线”的时候
本句译文
现在，有研究者认为，梦可能是人们头脑中情绪调节机制的一个部分，在大脑“离线”时起到情绪调整作用。
第五句
[1] And one leading authority says [2] that these intensely powerful mental events can be not only harnessed but actually brought under conscious control, to help us sleep and feel better.
[1] 主句：
连：And
主：one leading authority
谓：says
宾：…
译文：一位重要的权威人士说
[2] says的宾语从句
引：that
主：these intensely powerful mental events，指代dreams（梦）
谓：can be not only harnessed but actually brought under conscious control,
状（目的）：[to help us sleep and feel better]
本句译文
这种异常强烈的精神活动不仅可以被驾驭，事实上还可以被有意识的控制，从而让我们感觉更好，睡眠更佳。
走心的仿写
Of all the traits leading to a successful life, optimism seems least possible to be fostered. For a pessimistic person, a window opens into a world where laughter is a luxury and the fear of failure haunts without any break. In the past, psychologists insisted that some individuals were born to be pessimistic. Now, however, researchers switch to thinking of pessimism as controllable — one can acquire more delight by limiting desires and sense less fear by focusing on tasks rather than the possibility of failure.
在成功人生的诸多要素中，乐观态度看似最难培养。在悲观者的世界里，开怀大笑是一种奢侈，对失败的畏惧总是萦绕心头。过去，心理学家坚信，一些人生而悲观。而今，研究者们转而认为悲观是可控的——通过降低欲望就会获取更多愉悦；专注于任务，不要过于患得患失，就会减少恐惧。