The Reading / Listening - Level 5

An expert thinks she has unlocked the secret of what dogs dream about. A psychologist at Harvard Medical School did research into dog dreams. She concluded that dogs dream about their owners. She also said dog dreams were similar to those humans have: "Humans dream about the same things they're interested in by day….There's no reason to think animals are any different….It's likely your dog is dreaming of your face, your smell and of pleasing or annoying you." The psychologist advised pet owners to give their pets "happy daytime experiences" so they have nice dreams.

The psychologist said there is no way of knowing what dogs see in their dreams. Research isn't close to solving that mystery with human dreams. The research is based on the fact that dogs have a sleep cycle like the human cycle. This includes a period of activity called REM (Rapid Eye Movement). This is the part of sleeping when humans dream. The psychologist said: "That certainly makes it the best guess that other mammals are dreaming too." Dogs may also move about while they are asleep because they are acting out their dreams. Their legs move in a running motion in their sleep.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/dog-dreaming-about-you-owners-psychologist-harvard-a7373571.html
  • http://www.techtimes.com/articles/183351/20161022/your-dog-is-likely-dreaming-about-you-says-harvard-psychologist.htm
  • http://www.fox25boston.com/news/trending-now/dogs-likely-dream-about-their-owner-harvard-expert-says/459453345


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. unlocked the
  2. what dogs
  3. research into
  4. She concluded that dogs
  5. dog dreams were similar to
  6. There's no reason to think
  7. pleasing or
  8. pet
  1. dream about their owners
  2. annoying you
  3. secret
  4. animals are any different
  5. dog dreams
  6. those humans have
  7. owners
  8. dream about

Paragraph 2

  1. The psychologist said there is
  2. Research isn't close to solving
  3. based on the fact that dogs
  4. This includes a period of
  5. This is the part of sleeping
  6. other mammals
  7. they are acting
  8. Their legs move in a running
  1. that mystery
  2. are dreaming too
  3. when humans dream
  4. motion in their sleep
  5. no way of knowing
  6. out their dreams
  7. have a sleep cycle
  8. activity called REM

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

An expert thinks she has (1) ___________________ of what dogs dream about. A psychologist at Harvard Medical School did research into dog dreams. (2) ___________________ dogs dream about their owners. She also said dog dreams were (3) ___________________ humans have: "Humans dream about the same things they're (4) ___________________ day….There's no reason to think animals are any different….It's likely your dog is dreaming of your face, your smell and of (5) ___________________ you." The psychologist (6) ___________________ to give their pets "happy daytime experiences" so they have nice dreams.

The psychologist said there is no (7) ___________________ what dogs see in their dreams. Research isn't close to (8) ___________________ with human dreams. The research is based on the fact that dogs have a sleep cycle like the human cycle. This includes a (9) ___________________ called REM (Rapid Eye Movement). This is the (10) ___________________ when humans dream. The psychologist said: "That certainly makes it the best guess that (11) ___________________ dreaming too." Dogs may also move about while they are asleep because they are acting out their dreams. Their legs move in (12) ___________________ in their sleep.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Anexpertthinksshehasunlockedthesecretofwhatdogsdreamabout.A
psychologistatHarvardMedicalSchooldidresearchintodogdreams.Sh
econcludedthatdogsdreamabouttheirowners.Shealsosaiddogdream
sweresimilartothosehumanshave:"Humansdreamaboutthesamethi
ngsthey'reinterestedinbyday….There'snoreasontothinkanimalsarea
nydifferent….It'slikelyyourdogisdreamingofyourface,yoursmelland
ofpleasingorannoyingyou."Thepsychologistadvisedpetownerstogiv
etheirpets"happydaytimeexperiences"sotheyhavenicedreams.Thep
sychologistsaidthereisnowayofknowingwhatdogsseeintheirdreams.
Researchisn'tclosetosolvingthatmysterywithhumandreams.Theres
earchisbasedonthefactthatdogshaveasleepcyclelikethehumancycle
.ThisincludesaperiodofactivitycalledREM(RapidEyeMovement).Thisi
sthepartofsleepingwhenhumansdream.Thepsychologistsaid:"Thatc
ertainlymakesitthebestguessthatothermammalsaredreamingtoo."
Dogsmayalsomoveaboutwhiletheyareasleepbecausetheyareacting
outtheirdreams.Theirlegsmoveinarunningmotionintheirsleep.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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