PARTVREADINGCOMPREHENSION

Inthissectiontherearefourpassagesfollowedbyquestionsorunfinishedstatements,eachwithfoursuggestedanswersmarkedA,B,CandD.Choosetheonethatyouthinkisthebestanswer.

TEXTA

Racket,dinclamor,noise,whateveryouwanttocallit,unwantedsoundisAmerica'smostwidespread

nuisance.Butnoiseismorethanjustanuisance.Itconstitutesarealandpresentdangertopeople'shealth.Day

andnight,athome,atwork,andatplay,noisecanproduceseriousphysicalandpsychologicalstress.Nooneis

immunetothisstress.Thoughweseemtoadjusttonoisebyignoringit,theear,infact,neverclosesandthe

bodystillresponds—sometimeswithextremetension,astoastrangesoundinthenight.

Theannoyancewefeelwhenfacedwithnoiseisthemostcommonoutwardsymptomofthestressbuilding

upinsideus.Indeed,becauseirritabilityissoapparent,legislatorshavemadepublicannoyancethebasisof

manynoiseabatementprograms.Themoresubtleandmoreserioushealthhazardsassociatedwithstress

causedbynoisetraditionallyhavebeengivenmuchlessattention.Nevertheless,whenweareannoyedormade

irritablebynoise,weshouldconsiderthesesymptomsfairwarningthatotherthingmaybehappeningtous,

someofwhichmaybedamagingtoourhealth.

Ofmanyhealthhazardstonoise,hearinglossisthemostclearlyobservableandmeasurablebyhealth

professionals.Theotherhazardsarehardertopindown.Formanyofus,theremaybeariskthatexposuretothe

stressofnoiseincreasessusceptibilitytodiseaseandinfection.Themoresusceptibleamongusmayexperience

noiseasacomplicatingfactorinheartproblemsandotherdiseases.Noisethatcausesannoyanceandirritability

inhealthpersonsmayhaveseriousconsequencesforthesealreadyillinmindorbody.

Noiseaffectsusthroughoutourlives.Forexample,thereareindicationsofeffectsontheunbornchildwhen

mothersareexposedtoindustrialandenvironmentalnoise.Duringinfancyandchildhood,youngstersexposed

tohighnoiselevelsmayhavetroublefallingasleepandobtainingnecessaryamountsofrest.

Why,then,istherenotgreateralarmaboutthesedangers?Perhapsitisbecausethelinkbetweennoiseand

manydisabilitiesordiseaseshasnotyetbeenconclusivelydemonstrated.Perhapsitisbecausewetendto

dismissannoyanceasapricetopayforlivinginthemodernworld.Itmayalsobebecausewestillthinkof

hearinglossasonlyanoccupationalhazard.

1.InParagraph1,thephrase"immuneto"areusedtomean___.

A.unaffectedby

B.hurtby

C.unlikelytobeseenby

D.unknownby

2.Theauthor'sattitudetowardnoisewouldbestbedescribedas___.

A.unrealistic

B.traditional

C.concerned

D.hysterical

3.Whichofthefollowingbeststatesthemainideaofthepassage?

A.Noiseisamajorproblem;mostpeoplerecognizeitsimportance.

B.Althoughnoisecanbeannoying,itisnotamajorproblem.

C.Noiseisamajorproblemandhasnotyetbeenrecognizedassuch.

D.Noiseisamajorproblemaboutwhichnothingcanbedone.

4.Theauthorcondemnsnoiseessentiallybecauseit___.

A.isagainstthelaw

B.canmakesomepeopleirritable

C.isanuisance

D.inagangertopeople'shealth

5.Theauthorwouldprobablyconsiderresearchabouttheeffectsnoisehasonpeopletobe___.

A.unimportant

B.impossible.

C.awasteofmoney

D.essential