In attempting to discuss the interpretation of dreams, I do not believ

Adapted from “Introductory Remarks” in The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud (trans. 1913)

In attempting to discuss the interpretation of dreams, I do not believe that I have overstepped the bounds of neuropathological interest. For, when investigated psychologically, the dream proves to be the first link in a chain of abnormal psychic structures whose other links—the hysterical phobia, the obsession, and the delusion—must interest the physician for practical reasons. The dream can lay no claim to a corresponding practical significance; however, its theoretical value is very great, and one who cannot explain the origin of the content of dreams will strive in vain to understand phobias, obsessive and delusional ideas, and likewise their therapeutic importance.

While this relationship makes our subject important, it is responsible also for the deficiencies in this work. The surfaces of fracture, which will be frequently discussed, correspond to many points of contact where the problem of dream formation informs more comprehensive problems of psychopathology which cannot be discussed here. These larger issues will be elaborated upon in the future.

Peculiarities in the material I have used to elucidate the interpretation of dreams have rendered this publication difficult. The work itself will demonstrate why all dreams related in scientific literature or collected by others had to remain useless for my purpose. In choosing my examples, I had to limit myself to considering my own dreams and those of my patients who were under psychoanalytic treatment. I was restrained from utilizing material derived from my patients' dreams by the fact that during their treatment, the dream processes were subjected to an undesirable complication—the intermixture of neurotic characters. On the other hand, in discussing my own dreams, I was obliged to expose more of the intimacies of my psychic life than I should like, more so than generally falls to the task of an author who is not a poet but an investigator of nature. This was painful, but unavoidable; I had to put up with the inevitable in order to demonstrate the truth of my psychological results at all. To be sure, I disguised some of my indiscretions through omissions and substitutions, though I feel that these detract from the value of the examples in which they appear. I can only express the hope that the reader of this work, putting himself in my difficult position, will show patience, and also that anyone inclined to take offense at any of the reported dreams will concede freedom of thought at least to the dream life.

1. The Author uses the highlighted phrase “the inevitable,” in order to __________.

A. the scorn of many important psychologists upon his publication of his work on dreams
B. the discomfort that everyone feels when discussing dreams with other people
C. the idea that all dreams contain significant meaning
D. the fact that he had to publish some of his own dreams, which made him uncomfortable
E. the gradual loss of detail in what one can remember about a dream of thought at least to the dream life.


2. In the last sentence of the passage, the author attempts to __________.

A. get the reader to empathize with him
B. explain why he made certain redactions to the dreams he later discusses
C. emphasize why his work is valuable, despite its flaws
D. inspire the reader to conduct his or her own scientific experiments
E. encourage the reader to read the work of a variety of psychologists


3. The author of this passage is most interested in __________.

A. the workings of the human mind
B. the ability of certain dreams to foreshadow future events
C. the physical structure of the brain
D. the similarities between human brains and the brains of other mammals
E. the role of criticism in science


4. The author has written this passage in order to __________.

A. respond to a specific critic who has cast doubt on his work’s reliability
B. discuss common causes of nightmares
C. justify his work and address some of its limitations
D. teach the reader how to interpret his or her own dreams
E. propose a psychological experiment


5. The author could not rely upon the dreams related in scientific literature because __________.

A. not many dreams had been discussed in scientific literature, and those that had been discussed concerned a very limited number of topics
B. he couldn’t be sure if material had been changed in or censored from them
C. no work of scientific literature had discussed dreams at the time the author began his study
D. he needed to interview people himself in order to discuss their emotional reactions to their dreams
E. The author does not give a reason for this in the passage, but says that the rest of his work explains why this is the case.


6. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage.

A. is participating in a tradition of studying dreams in a psychological light
B. is famous
C. is unable to make sense of his own dreams
D. is not himself a psychologist
E. believes himself to have no “intermixture of neurotic characters”


7. The author argues that understanding the content of dreams is necessary for __________.

A. understanding the rest of the work from which this passage is drawn
B. accurately diagnosing a number of psychological conditions in patients
C. understanding delusional ideas
D. comprehending the therapeutic importance of dreams
E. understanding why he had difficulty choosing dreams to discuss in the work that follows