Question

The author could not rely upon the dreams related in scientific literature because \(\underline{\hspace{4cm}}\).

• A. he needed to interview people himself in order to discuss their emotional reactions to their dreams
• B. not many dreams had been discussed in scientific literature, and those that had been discussed concerned a very limited number of topics
• C. 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.
• D. no work of scientific literature had discussed dreams at the time the author began his study
• E. he couldn't be sure if material had been changed in or censored from them

Hint:

In reading comprehension, it's crucial to stick to what the text explicitly states or directly implies. Be wary of answer choices that seem logical or plausible in the real world but are not supported by the specific information given in the passage.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question asks for the specific reason the author gives for finding dreams from existing scientific literature unsuitable for his study. We must locate the relevant sentence in the provided passage about Sigmund Freud.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
In the third paragraph of the passage, the author states: "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."
This sentence explicitly tells the reader that the explanation is not contained within this introductory passage. Instead, the author defers the reasoning to the main body of his work. He states that the work itself will make it clear why other sources were "useless."
Let's analyze the options:
- (A), (B), (E): These are plausible reasons why a scientist might reject prior data, but the author does not mention any of them in this passage.
- (D): The passage implies that scientific literature on dreams did exist, but it was "useless," not that it was nonexistent.
- (C): This option accurately reflects the author's statement. He doesn't give the reason now but promises that the main work will provide it.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The author explicitly states that the main body of his work will demonstrate why existing literature was not useful. Therefore, he does not give a direct reason in this passage.