'I've been here before': the déja vu feeling

You are going to read the introduction to a book about déja vu. For questions 31-36, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

 

'I've been here before': the déja vu feeling

 

Most people - two out of three, according to surveys - have experienced déja vu (French for 'already seen'). It is that weird sensation of having 'been here before ' or having 'Iived this moment already'. You may be visiting some entirely unfamiliar town, for instance, and 'realise' that you have already been in that precise spot, even though you know itis impossible. The feeling goes way beyond any vague sense of having seen or done something similar before - it feels identical to a past experience. Yet trying to pin down the memory is like trying to catch a dream - just as you think you are homing in on it, it turns to vapour. The eeriness of this has led to all sorts of spooky theories. A popular one is that itis the memory of a dream in which the person has lived through the current moment in advance. In recent years, however, neuroscientists have discovered enough about perception and memory to piece together a more plausible explanation.

 

Every conscious experience we have is 'constructed' by our brain out of lots of different components, rather as a car might be made in a factory. We tend to think of an event as a bundle of sensations: sight , sound, etc., but there is actually much more to it. If you (literally) bump into someone in the street, for example, you will be aware of the sight of them, the touch of them as you bump, the sound each of you makes, and so on. But you will also be aware of the meaning, tone and intention of the sound, the pain from the bump, a sense of irritation or embarrassment; a thought, perhaps, that you, or the other person, is clumsy, and so on. There is much more to experience than simple sensations.

 

One very important 'component' that often gets added is a sense of familiarity. This is generated in the deep part of the brain that creates emotions. The sense of 'Ah yes! I recognise this!' usually only gets attached to experiences which 'match' stored memories. Sometimes, though, the part of the brain which generates the feeling of familiarity attaches it to an experience that is actually quite novel. This is what seems to happen in déja vu. The brain then tries to dig out matching memories, but of course they aren't there - hence the maddening feeling of chasing shadows.

 

For most people, déja vu is a rare and fleeting phenomenon, intriguing rather than disturbing. And it doesn't seem to be unhealthy - indeed , déja vu is most commonly reported by people who are young, intelligent and well-educated. Given that it is actually a minor brain malfunction, this may seem strange. The explanation may be that young brains are more 'recognition sensitive', so they are more easily triggered into familiarity mode. Similar sensitivity may also be a factor in intelligence - bright people 'see things' more readily than others, and intelligent people tend to go on to higher education. So déja vu may be a side effect of having a brain that is quick to recognise things.

 

For an unfortunate few, though, déja vu is a constant companion, and a serious blight on their lives. Dr Chris Moulin is a psychologist who is studying this strange disorder. He first came across it when he was working in a memory clinic: 'We had a peculiar referral from a man who said there was no point visiting the clinic because he'd already been there, although this would have been impossible. Déja vu had developed to such an extent that he had stopped watching TV because it seemed to be a repeat. He even believed he could hear the same bird singing the same song in the same tree every time he went out.

 

For an unfortunate few, though, déja vu is a constant companion, and a serious blight on their lives. Dr Chris Moulin is a psychologist who is studying this strange disorder. He first came across it when he was working in a memory clinic: 'We had a peculiar referral from aman who said there was no point visiting the clinic because he'd already been there, although this would have been impossible. Oéja vu had developed to such an extent that he had stopped watchingTV because it seemed to be a repeat. He even believed he could hear the same bird singing the same song in the sametree every time he went out

 

31.- What point does the writer make about déja vu in the first paragraph?

A) Scientists tend to disbelieve people who claim to have had the experience.

B The experience is more common than scientists are prepared to admit.

C) Many previous attempts to explain it were based on unscientific beliefs.

D) Some evidence of a non-scientific cause cannot be disproved.

 

32.- Why does the writer mention manufacturing a car?

A) to indicate that our experiences are more complex than we realise

B) to suggest that many of the experiences people have are similar

C) to show that different experiences tend to consist of the same components

D) to emphasise the role of other people in the experiences we have

 

33.- According to the third paragraph, déja vu seems to be caused by…

A) emotions that are normally linked with different experiences becoming confused.

B) an experience arousing an emotion which is Iinked with similar previous experiences .

C) the brain failing to distinguish between different emotional responses.

D) a feeling of recognition mistakenly being Iinked with a new experience.

 

34.- According to the fourth paragraph, déja vu is probably caused by…

A) a person's lack of patience.

B) the level of education that a person achieves.

C) a useful attribute of some people's brains.

D) the environment in which some people are brought up.

 

35.- Chris Moulin gives the example of a man…

A) whose experience of déja vu could not be treated.

B) who thought that actual and potential experiences duplicated previous ones.

C) who blamed television for making his condition worse.

D) who found the familiarity of his experiences somewhat comforting.

 

36.- What advice does the writer give to people who frequently experience déja vu?

A) to avoid situations where there is a risk of experiencing déja vu

B) not to trust others until they have evidence that they will not be exploited

C) to check with people they meet whether or not they have met previously

D) not to commit themselves to something on the basis of its apparent familiarity

 

O’Dell, Felicity (2015) Advanced Trainer. 2^nd edition. Reading and Use of English Part 5 Test 5. Cambridge University Press: Dubai. Pages 155 and 156.