| 10. Noise |
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We call unpleasant sounds – ones
we find offensive, annoying or even painful – noises. People
who have to live with loud noise can suffer nervous disorders, digestive
problems, headaches, insomnia, etc. Constant loud noise is considered
a type of pollution: noise pollution. And as such it should be dealt
with in the same way as other forms of environmental degradation.
There are noises that are unavoidable, but there are many that are
not essential and that could be avoided: like slamming doors, booming
stereos, the screech of tyres as a car or motorbike accelerates away
from a traffic light, or disturbing a whole forest with a moto-cross
competition in the wilderness. A motorbike can emit up to 120 decibels!
One inconsiderate motor-biker alone on a noisy bike can bother one
hundred thousand people.
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| Giving examples. Giving examples is very
important for applying general ideas to specific situations. |
| Say whether you agree or not with the following
statements. Whether you agree or not, offer examples. |
| 1. |
Some people constantly make annoying noises without
taking into account that they bother other people. |
| 2. |
Some annoying noises can be avoided. |
| 3. |
Some annoying noises cannot be avoided. |
| 4. |
A motorbike makes less noise than a car. |
| 5. |
Some noises are damaging to your health. |
| 6. |
All means of transport produce
noise. |
| 7. |
One person alone can bother a hundred thousand
people. |
| 8. |
Architects and urban planners
can do a lot to combat noise. |
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| Observe the environment
during the day. Make a list of noises that could be avoided
and another of noises that cannot be avoided. |
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| Exercise. Sound
preferences, in Wondering at the World, 9.3.5 |
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| © Grup IREF 2003, with the support of the European Commission, DG XXII (Socrates/Comenius 3.2) |
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