Noise Pollution
Introduced| English | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Noise pollution/nɔɪz pəˈluːʃn/ | Noise pollution |
| decibels/ˈdesɪblz/ | decibels |
| hearing/ˈhɪərɪŋ/ | hearing |
| whale/weɪl/ | whale |
Pollution you hear
- Not all pollution is a chemical.
- Noise pollution 噪声污染 is unwanted, harmful sound.
- Traffic, aircraft, machines, and industry all add to it.
- It is loudest and most constant in busy cities.
Measuring loudness
- Sound level is measured in decibels 分贝 (dB).
- A quiet room is about 30 dB; a busy street about 80 dB.
- A jet taking off is over 120 dB — painfully loud.
- The higher the number, the more damaging the sound.
The decibel scale: prolonged exposure above 85 dB damages hearing 听力
Noise pollution is…
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Noise pollution is unwanted, harmful sound — from traffic, machines, aircraft, and more.
Harm to people
- Years of loud noise cause permanent hearing loss.
- Constant noise raises stress and blood pressure.
- It disturbs sleep, leaving people tired and unwell.
- It makes it hard to think, learn, and rest.
Source or effect of noise pollution?
Sort each item into a source of noise or an effect it causes.
Loudness of sound is measured in…
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Sound level is measured in decibels (dB) — the higher the number, the louder and more damaging.
Years of loud noise can cause permanent ____ loss.
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Long exposure to loud noise damages the ear, causing permanent hearing loss.
Harm to wildlife
- Animals rely on sound to communicate and navigate.
- Ship engines and sonar drown out whale 鲸 calls.
- Traffic noise scares birds away from good habitat.
- So noise harms nature as well as people.
Noise pollution can harm wildlife, such as whales that rely on sound to communicate.
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Ship and sonar noise drowns out the sounds whales use to navigate and find each other.
Select all effects of noise pollution.
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Noise causes hearing loss, stress, and poor sleep. It has nothing to do with air quality.
Noise pollution is easy to overlook because it leaves no residue — switch off the source and the noise is gone. But its effects are real and lasting: hearing loss doesn't reverse, and chronic noise raises stress and blood pressure for years. And it isn't only a human problem — underwater noise can disrupt whales across whole ocean basins.
Living near an airport:
- Every few minutes a jet roars overhead at over 100 decibels.
- The family's sleep is broken night after night, raising their stress and blood pressure.
- Over years, the constant noise dulls their hearing — a permanent harm from a pollutant that left nothing behind but sound.
Noise pollution is unwanted, harmful sound, measured in decibels, from traffic, aircraft, and machines. In people it causes permanent hearing loss, stress, high blood pressure, and disturbed sleep. It also harms wildlife — for example, ship noise drowns out whale communication. Its effects last even though it leaves no residue.