Title: ‘When we dream, we have the perfect chemical(化学的) canvas(画布) for intense visions(幻觉)’
canvas 单数原型
have a visions of sth
intense adj.很大的; 十分强烈的; 严肃紧张的; 激烈的; 有强烈感情(或意见、想法)的; 尖锐的; 热切的;
Alice Robb is an American science journalist(记者) who has written for the Washington Post《华盛顿邮报》 and the New Republic《新共和》. Her new book, Why We Dream, encourages(鼓励) us to rethink(重新思考) the importance of dreams and to become dream interpreters ourselves.
interpreter n.译员；演绎者 interpret v.解释，翻译 -er
simultaneous interpreter 同声传译员
The Interpretation of Dreams. 梦的解析
Recently there's been a massive interest in the science of sleep(睡眠科学). Sleep plays a role in maintaining our mental health(心理健康). Are dreams part of that process?
massive adj.巨大的; 大而重的; 结实的; 非常严重的;
paly a role in… 在…中起作用 还可以在role前加形容词，加以修饰，表示具体起到什么作用
maintain v.维持; 保持; 维修; 保养; 坚持(意见); 固执己见;
mental adj.思想的; 精神的; 思考的; 智力的; 精神病治疗的; 精神健康的; 疯狂; 发疯
Dreams play a big role in helping us cope with stress(精神上的压力), grief(悲伤) and trauma(心理创伤). Dreams are an opportunity to work through things that frighten us in real life, to play out worst-case scenarios in an environment where they have no consequences(结果，后果，重要性).
cope with 应对…
trauma n.心理创伤
the trauma of marriage breakdown 婚姻破碎的创伤
work through 逐步去解决…
play out 某事逐渐进行或者演化
worst-case scenario <口>最坏的可能，最糟的情况
scenario 可能出现的场景
Has anyone explained(解释) why dreams contain such surreal elements(要素，基本部分), weird collages of time, people, geography(具体的地点) and so on?
surreal adj.离奇的，荒诞的，超现实的 sur- 在…之上
weird adj.奇异的; 不寻常的; 怪诞的; 离奇的; 诡异的;
collage n.(不同事物的)大杂烩；拼贴画 college n.大学
make a collage of postcards(明信片)
geography n.地理(学); 地形; 地貌; 地势; 地理环境
When we dream, the logic centres(逻辑中枢) of our brain — the frontal lobes — go dark, and chemicals associated with self-control(自制力), like serotonin(血清素) and norepinephrine(去甲肾上腺素), drop(降低). At the same time, the emotion centres(情绪中枢) light up: we have a perfect chemical canvas for dramatic(激动人心的), psychologically(心理上地) intense(强烈的) visions.
frontal lobe 大脑额叶 front adj.前面的；前部的 lobe n.大脑、肺、肝等器官的叶
go dark 进入休眠；关闭
associated adj.有关联的; 相关的; 有联系的; (用于联合企业的名称) 联合的;
v.联想; 联系; 交往; (尤指) 混在一起; 表明支持; 表示同意;
light up 激活，进入活跃状态
You say neglecting(忽略) to consider(考虑) our dreams is like "throwing away a gift from our brains without bothering to open it." What is the gift?
you say 引用了对方的原话，表示这是对方的观点
neglect to do sth 忽略做某事
bother to do sth 费心做某事
When we're dreaming, we're thinking in a state (that) we never have access to by day. Dreams offer the opportunity to think in a different way and show new answers to problems. They show us blind spots, help us home in on things we might be neglecting in our personal lives.
have access to 有…的机会 / 权力
blind spot 盲点，无知领域
home in on 集中注意力于；瞄准，对准
home in on sth. /sb.