Question

    One billion teenagers and young adults around the world risk losing their hearing by listening to loud music, according to the World Health Organization. The U. N. agency is asking young people to turn down the volume（音量） to prevent great damage to their hearing.

Many people believe the sound being louder is better if they are listening to rock and roll. But experiencing really loud music, even really good music, can have a serious effect on the hearing.

Studies in middle- and high-income countries show nearly 50 percent of teenagers and young adults aged 12 to 35 listen to unsafe levels of sound. They are listening on their personal audio devices as well as at concerts, nightclubs and other entertainment places.

But what is an unsafe level of sound?

The WHO says there can be many kinds of unsafe levels of sound. It depends on how loud the sound is and how long you listen to it. Unsafe levels of sound can mean noise levels of 85 decibels（分贝） for eight hours a day or 100 decibels for just 15 minutes.

Doctors say there are simple measures to protect people from unsafe sound levels. Young people who wear earplugs（耳塞） during concerts can enjoy music at 90 decibels as much as they can at 110 decibels. But they admit that earplugs may not look very cool. A common sense suggestion is to turn down the volume on their personal audio devices. The WHO also advises young people to limit their use of such devices to less than one hour a day. It reminds people to use their technology to stay safe. Smartphone apps can help t monitor safe listening levels.

The U. N. agency estimates 360 million people suffer hearing loss linked to many causes, including noise, genetic conditions, infectious diseases and aging. It notes half of all cases of hearing loss are avoidable.

1.What’s the purpose of the passage?

A.To advise good music.

B.To advise people to wear carplugs.

C.To give tips on how to enjoy loud music.

D.To remind people to prevent hearing loss.

2.The underlined words “unsafe levels of sound” can refer to ______.

A.how loud the sound is

B.how long you listen to the music

C.loud music at 90 decibels

D.noise at 100 decibels for 150 minutes

3.What can we learn from the passage?

A.One billion young people risk hearing loss from loud music.

B.Smartphones can do harm to people’s hearing.

C.Don’t wear earplugs during concerts.

D.Louder music is good music.

4.What’s the main idea of the last but one paragraph?

A.There are many factors that cause hearing loss.

B.Some measures to protect people’s hearing.

C.Not all cases of hearing loss are avoidable.

D.The reason why people wear earplugs during concerts.

Answer

1.D

2.D

3.A

4.B

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。全世界有10亿青少年和年轻人因听嘈杂音乐而面临失聪的危险，世界卫生组织建议调低音量，以避免对听力造成不可挽回的伤害。

1.推理判断题。根据第一段中“One billion teenagers and young adults around the world risk losing their hearing by listening to loud music, according to the World Health Organization. The U. N. agency is asking young people to turn down the volume（音量） to prevent great damage to their hearing”，可知，本文介绍了一项关于嘈杂音乐对青少年和年轻人听力影响的调查结果并提出了一些建议，因此推断文章的目的是提醒人们嘈杂音乐的危害并提醒人们避免嘈杂音乐对听力造成伤害。结合选项，故选D。

2.词义猜测题。根据第五段中的“It depends on how loud the sound is and how long you listen to it. Unsafe levels of sound can mean noise levels of 85 decibels（分贝） for eight hours a day or 100 decibels for just 15 minutes”可知，这取决于声音有多大，你听了多长时间。不安全的声音水平可能意味着每天听8小时的85分贝的噪音，或者听15分钟的100分贝的噪音。因此推断画线部分“不安全的噪音”指的是100分贝的噪音持续150分钟。故选D。

3.细节理解题。根据第一段第一句“One billion teenagers and young adults around the world risk losing their hearing by listening to loud music, according to the World Health Organization.”可知，10亿年轻人因听响亮的音乐而有听力丧失的危险。结合选项，故选A。

4.主旨大意题。根据倒数第二段中的“simple measures to protect people from unsafe sound levels”“turn down the volume”“limit their use of such devices to less than one hour a day”可知，本段主要讲述保护听力的一些措施。结合选项，故选B。