Question

We live in a noisy world. Young and old alike are troubled by sounds over which we may have little or no control: car and house alarms, motorcycles, loudspeakers, even movie previews.

We attend rock concerts, weddings, parties and sports events at which the music is so loud that you can hardly hear the person sitting next to you. At home, televisions, stereos and computer games are often turned up so loud that listeners cannot hear a doorbell or a telephone.

As if environmental noise were not enough, now we surround children with noisy toys and personal listening devices that can permanently damage their hearing. A series of studies conducted in 2002 indicated that even moderate (缓和的) background noise can interfere with how they learn language. In fact, children in classrooms on the noisy side of a school had lower reading scores than those whose classes were on the quiet side.

Noise-induced (噪音诱发的) hearing loss can come about in two ways: from a brief exposure to a very loud noise or from consistent exposure to moderate-level noise. Thus, there is much concern about the lasting effects of MP3 players that are turned up loud enough to block out surrounding sound, like street noise. An MP3 player at maximum volume produces about 105 decibels（分贝）— 100 times as severe as 85 decibels, where hearing damage begins.

So, before buying noise-making toys, parents would do well to listen to how loud they are. If the item comes with a volume control, monitor its use to make sure it is kept near the lowest level. Consider returning gifts that make loud noises, or disable the noise-making function. Children who play computer games and stereo equipment should be warned to keep the volume down. Most iPads have a control that allows parents to set a maximum volume.

Avoid taking children to loud action movies. If you do go and the sound seems deafening, ask the management to turn down the volume or insist on your money back.

The League for the Hard of Hearing urges parents to encourage participation in quiet activities, like reading, doing puzzles, making things with construction toys, playing educational computer games, drawing and painting, and visiting libraries and museums.

Noise And Children’s Hearing
Fact about noise	We live in a world of noise which   1.    people and is free of   2.   .
The  3.   that noise causes	We find it hard to hear others in a noisy   4.  .
Noisy toys and personal listening devices can permanently     5.   children’s hearing.
Two  6.  of noise-induced hearing loss	People are  7.  to loud noise for short time or to moderate-level noise for long time.
Advice for parents	They should pay attention to how   8.   the noise-making toys are and the returning gifts.
They shouldn’t   9.   their children to loud action movies.
They should encourage their children to  10.   in quiet activities.

Answer

1.troubles

2.control

3.problems

4.environment

5.damage

6.ways/approaches

7.exposed

8.loud

9. take

10.participate

【解析】

试题分析：本文讲述噪音产生影响人的生活及噪音的来源和应对措施。

1.troubles  词性转化题。根据第一段Young and old alike are troubled by sounds over which we may have little or no control: car and house alarms, motorcycles, loudspeakers, even movie previews.，年轻老幼都受声音的困扰，故填troubles 的动词形式。

2.control  记性转化题。根据第一段Young and old alike are troubled by sounds over which we may have little or no control: car and house alarms, motorcycles, loudspeakers, even movie previews.，所有人受到声音的困扰，声音处于失控的状态。故用control的名词形式。

3.problems 总结性题。第二段和第三段讲述的是声音所导致的问题。

4.environment 原句重现题。根据第二段As if environmental noise were not enough, now we surround children with noisy toys and personal listening devices that can permanently damage their hearing.在这种环境中听不清人讲话，故在这种吵闹的环境下。

5.damage 原句重现。根据第三段As if environmental noise were not enough, now we surround children with noisy toys and personal listening devices that can permanently damage their hearing，这种环境破坏人的听力，故用damage.

6.ways/approaches 原词重现题。根据第四段Noise-induced (噪音诱发的) hearing loss can come about in two ways:噪音诱发听力失聪有两种方法，可知填ways或者同义词approaches.

7.exposed 近义词转换。根据第四段from a brief exposure to a very loud noise or from consistent exposure to moderate-level noise，exposure 用be exposed to 来替代。

8.loud 原句重现题。根据第五段So, before buying noise-making toys, parents would do well to listen to how loud they are可知填loud。

9. take 近义词转化题。根据第六段Avoid taking children to loud action movies，避免带孩子去看巨声电影。而问题中是they shouldn’t take their children to loud action movies.是同义句。故用take.

10.participate 近义词转化。根据最后一段The League for the Hard of Hearing urges parents to encourage participation in quiet activities,，participation转换成participate in .

考点  任务型阅读。