環(huán)球英語—836：Too Much Noise

Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Liz Waid
Voice 2
And I'm Joshua Leo. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
Listen for a moment to the sounds around you. What do you hear? If you live near a busy street maybe it sounds like this:
Voice 2
But even in areas full of houses far away from busy streets, there can still be a lot of noise. Sometime this noise can wake you from sleep at night. Other times it may make it difficult to talk to a friend. Noise can make resting almost impossible. This kind of noise is often called noise pollution. It is also called "community noise." It is noise that damages the balance of normal life for people and animals.
Voice 1
Most noise pollution is caused by transportation. Cars, trucks, trains, and airplanes can all be very loud. And in many cities around the world, people's homes are very close to these transportation systems. But even things like building tools and music can be noise pollution. Sometimes it can be difficult to find a quiet place.
Voice 2
Noise pollution is particularly a problem in developing countries. Growing cities and towns are not planned to reduce noise. Many homes and businesses are built next to busy roads. Traffic grows and with it the noise grows.
Voice 1
George Prochnik wrote a book about silence and noise in our world and culture. He said that noise can do more than just take our attention. Noise may harm our health. He says that noise can greatly affect our bodies. Most people know that loud noise can damage our ears. But noise can damage more than our ears. When a person experiences high levels of noise, his heart beats faster. His blood pressure gets higher. Noise can even change the balance of chemicals in a person's body.
Voice 2
Noise can also affect the way a person sleeps at night. A good night of sleep happens when a person is asleep for a long period of time. This is often called "deep sleep." But when there is too much noise at night, a person cannot get this deep sleep. Studies show that lack of sleep is connected to many different health problems. If a person is always tired, her body is not as strong. She is not able to fight sickness easily. She may also have a difficult time concentrating on work during the day.
Voice 1
Researchers in New York City studied the effects of noise on a school. The school was near noisy train tracks. Some of the rooms of the school faced the train tracks. Other rooms were far from the train. They were quieter. The researchers tested children over six years. The children on the noisy side of the school were not as good at reading as the children on the quiet side of the school. The school then built special walls near the tracks to make it quieter. After this, reading improved.
Voice 2
But noise does not just affect humans. Birds sing songs to communicate. But if it is too noisy, the birds cannot communicate. Cows feed less and produce less milk when it is noisy. Some studies even show that the growth of some plants can be affected by noise.
Voice 1
Louis Hagler is a doctor in California. He fights for quiet in cities. He believes that cities should treat noise like any other dangerous thing.
Voice 3
"We do not say to people 'you just have to learn to live with waste in your water.' Why should we have to live with waste in our ears?"
Voice 2
But for many people, the problem of noise is not about health. It is about peace. In many religions, quiet is connected to peace. People use times of quiet to communicate with God. They pray or read holy books. Noise can keep us from thinking about God. It may even be difficult to pray if too much noise surrounds us.
Voice 1
In some religions, holy men and women have special times of silence. Some of these people make a promise not to speak for a period of time. This can be very difficult. But these men and women see their silence as a way to control themselves and honor God.
Voice 2
These men and women use silence as a way to show respect. But this does not only happen in churches. All around the world people make their voices quiet to respect others. People are quiet in cemeteries, where people bury the dead. They are quiet in museums where people learn about art or history, and in libraries where people read books. People also use silence as a way to honor people who have died. Often, at special events or celebrations, people will have a moment of silence. This is a short time when large groups of people quiet their voices to remember the dead. Quiet and silence is special. It is important.
Voice 1
But finding quiet places in a busy world can be difficult. Noise is all around, and sometimes you can not avoid it. But you can reduce noise in your life. The website Green Living Tips discusses the problem of noise on their blog. Here are some things they say to reduce noise in your life.
Voice 4
Keep your mobile telephone at a low volume.
Voice 5
If you have to raise your voice when you are talking to someone, something is wrong. Look for what is creating noise around you and what you can do to control it.
Voice 4
Train your pet dogs to not bark without reason.
Voice 5
Make an effort to reduce noise at night time when people are sleeping.
Voice 4
If you want to share your music with people who live near you, do not do it by playing music louder. Play music at a level that only you can hear, or only indoors.
Voice 5
If you live a life that creates a lot of noise, plant tall plants around your home. These plants will block some of the noise that you create.
Voice 4
Instead of driving a car or riding a motor bike, ride a bicycle instead. This will reduce noise on the roads.
Voice 5
And finally, if you have children, take them to quiet areas and let them listen. Teach them to value quiet in their lives.
Voice 2
Escaping from the noise of life can give us energy. It can make a person calm. It can help bring balance to the body. Quiet can bring us closer to God and help us rest.