مکالمه ی فعالانه قسمت الف

ACTIVE SPEAKING / PART A

DREAMS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

John Lennon once sang, “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.” Who once sang, “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.”? John Lennon once sang, “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.” The former Beatle couldn’t have been more right.

Who couldn’t have been more right? The former Beatle couldn’t have been more right.

Dreams are a universal human experience.

What are dreams? Dreams are a universal human experience.

Yet the jury is still out on what their true purpose and significance are.

What is the jury still out on? The jury is still out on what their true purpose and significance are.

Sigmund Freud considered dreams to be a doorway into the realm of our unconscious.

What did Sigmund Freud consider dreams to be? Sigmund Freud considered dreams to be a doorway into the realm of our unconscious.

It is a realm rich in symbolic imagery where not everything is what meets the eye.

Is it a realm poor in symbolic imagery? No, it’s not a realm poor in symbolic imagery. It is a realm rich in symbolic imagery.

Others believe dreams are our brain’s attempt to make sense of the sensory overload of our waking life.

Are dreams our brain’s attempt to make sense of the sensory overload of our waking life? Yes, dreams are our brain’s attempt to make sense of the sensory overload of our waking life.

What happens in our waking world can echo in our dreams.

What can echo in our dreams? What happens in our waking world can echo in our dreams.

What happens in dreams can help us view reality in a different light.

Can what happens in dreams help us view reality in the same light or in a different light? What happens in dreams can help us view reality in a different light.

In some instances, the power of dreams can help change the world.

What can the power of dreams do in some instances? In some instances, the power of dreams can help change the world.

Srinivasa Ramanujan was born in a rural village in South India.

Where was Srinivasa Ramanujan born? Srinivasa Ramanujan was born in a rural village in South India.

At the age of two, he survived a severe case of Smallpox.

What did he survive at the age of two? He survived a severe case of Smallpox at the age of two.

Over four thousand children in the district in which he lived did not.

How many children in the district did not survive? Over four thousand children in the district did not survive.

As he grew Srinivasa became a keen student.

What kind of student did Srinivasa become? Srinivasa became a keen student.

His first love was mathematics.

Was his first love chocolate? No, his first love wasn’t chocolate. His first love was mathematics.

His passion for numbers and equations would consume him for the rest of his short life.

What passion would consume him for the rest of his short life? His passion for numbers and equations would consume him for the rest of his short life.

By the age of 11, Srinivasa had a higher understanding of math than most college students.

By the age of 11, what subject did Srinivasa have a high understanding of?

By the age of 11, Srinivasa had a high understanding of math. Did he have a higher understanding of math than most college students? Yes, he had a higher understanding of math than most college students.

By the time he turned 16, his peers considered him a mathematical genius.

Who considered him a genius by the time he turned 16? His peers considered him a genius by the time he turned 16.

Srinivasa was a devout Hindu and he credited his talent solely to dreams of the goddess Namagiri.

Was Srinivasa a devout Christian or a devout Hindu? Srinivasa was a devout Hindu. What did he credit solely to dreams of the goddess Namagiri? He credited his talent solely to dreams of the goddess Namagiri.

Srinivasa said he received visions of complex mathematical content from the goddess.

What kind of visions did Srinivasa receive from the goddess? Srinivasa received visions of complex mathematical content from the goddess.

These equations would unfold before his sleeping mind.

What would unfold before his sleeping mind? These equations would unfold before his sleeping mind.

English mathematician G.H. Hardy invited Srinivasa to study at Cambridge University.

What university did he invite Srinivasa to study at? He invited Srinivasa to study at Cambridge University.

Srinivasa packed his bags and took the plunge.

Did Srinivasa pack his bags and take a drive? No, Srinivasa didn’t pack his bags and take a drive. Srinivasa packed his bags and took the plunge.

While at Cambridge he published more than 30 papers and was inducted into the Royal Society.

How many papers did he publish while at Cambridge? He published more than 30 papers while at Cambridge. What society was he inducted into? He was inducted into the Royal Society.

For a brief spell of five years, he lit the world of math on fire with his outstanding ability.

Was it for a brief spell of three years or five years? It was for a brief spell of five years. What world did he light on fire with his outstanding ability? He lit the world of math on fire with his outstanding ability.

Britain’s cold climate took a toll on his health.

What took a toll on his health? Britain’s cold climate took a toll on his health.

He returned home in 1920, a dying man.

Was he well when he returned home in 1920? No, he wasn’t well when he returned home in 1920. He was a dying man when he returned home in 1920.

On his deathbed, Srinivasa dreamed again of the goddess Namagiri.

When did Srinivasa dream again of the goddess Namagiri? Srinivasa dreamed again of the goddess Namagiri on his deathbed.

In visions, she revealed to him mysterious mathematic equations.

What did she reveal to him in visions? In visions, she revealed to him mysterious mathematic equations.

He frantically scribbled these strange patterns down.

What did he frantically do with the strange patterns? He frantically scribbled the strange patterns down.