Question

In the following pages, I shall demonstrate that there is a psychological technique which makes it possible to interpret dreams, and that on the application of this technique, every dream will reveal itself as a psychological structure, full of significance, and one which may be assigned a specific place in the psychic activities of the waking state. Further, I shall endeavour to elucidate the processes, the nature of the psychic forces whose conflict or cooperation is responsible for our dreams. This done, my investigation will terminate, as it will have reached the point where the problem of the dream merges into more comprehensive problems, and to solve these we must have recourse to material of a different kind.
Which of the following would be closest to the ideas expressed in the first two sentences of the above passage?

• A. Overt causes can have only overt effects.
• B. Overt causes have only covert effects.
• C. Covert effects have only covert causes.
• D. You can’t judge a book by its cover.
• E. Overt effects can have covert causes.

Hint:

When interpreting comprehension passages, match the logical relationship rather than superficial wording. Dreams = overt effect; hidden psychic structures = covert cause.

Answer 1

Answer: (E)

The passage discusses how dreams (which are {overt effects} we experience) actually reveal deeper psychological structures and hidden psychic forces ({covert causes}).
Options (A) and (B) incorrectly restrict effects only to overt or covert outcomes.
Option (C) misplaces the logic, since dreams (overt) can be caused by covert factors.
Option (D) is metaphorical but too vague and not specific to the dream analysis.
Option (E) best fits: it states that {visible effects (dreams)} can originate from {hidden causes (psychic forces)}. Thus, the closest idea is: \[ \boxed{\text{Overt effects can have covert causes.}} \]