Everyone knows that a good night's sleep is very important for good health. However, did you know that a good night's sleep is also linked to memory? Think about the last time you did something really new like starting a new school, a new job, or some kind of new activity. If you're like most people, you dreamed about that new activity when you went to sleep at night. That's because sleep strengthens memories by by "practising" new things that you learned during the day. Your intense and active dreams are your mind's way of getting you acclimated to your new activity. You probably notice that once you get used the new activity, the crazy dreams stop. Sleep is linked to memory in other ways, too. During sleep, your brain recognizes and reorganizes memories. Researchers believe that this function of sleep provides a vital link between memory and creativity. People who get an average of at least 6.5 hours of sleep per night have also been shown to live longer than those who only average 5 hours per night.

I. Word List

linked: closely related to

acclimated: used to something

vital: very important

II. Answer the following questions.

1. Why is it important to get a good night's sleep?

___________________________________________________________.

2. What does your brain do while you are sleeping?

___________________________________________________________.

3. How much sleep do you usually get?

___________________________________________________________.

4. What is something that you do when you have trouble sleeping?

___________________________________________________________.

5. Have you noticed that you have dreams when you start a new activity?

___________________________________________________________.

III. Wrong Sentences—Each sentence contains a mistake. Correct them.

1. Five hours of sleep per night is enough for most people.__________

2. Getting enough sleep can help us be more hungry.__________

3. We often dream about old activities.__________

4. When you sleep, your brain erases your memories.__________

5. Sleeping can help us drink longer.__________

IV. Opposites—Find the opposites to these words in the reading.

1. different from - l _ _ _

2. weakens - s _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

3. passive - a _ _ _ _ _

4. shorter - l _ _ _ _ _

5. usual, normal - c _ _ _ _