IELTS Listening Practice Test

Noise In Cities

09:00
Noise in Cities
Past research focused on noise level (measured in decibels) and people’s responses.
Noise ‘maps’
  • Show that the highest noise levels are usually found on roads

  • Do not show other sources of noise e.g. when windows are open or people’s neighbours are in their 1

    (31) 
    

  • Ignore variations in people’s perceptions of noise

  • Have made people realize that the noise is a 2

    (32)
     issue that must be dealt with

Problems caused by noise
  • Sleep disturbance

  • Increase in amount of stress

  • Effect on the 3

    (33)  
    of school children

Different types of noise
Some noises can be considered pleasant e.g. the sound of a 4
(34) 
 in a town
To investigate this, researchers may use methods from5
 (35) 
 sciences
What people want
Plenty of activity in urban environments which are6
 (36)  
but also allow people to relax
But architects and town planners
  • Do not get much 7

    (37) 
     in acoustics

  • Regards sound as the responsibility of engineers

Understanding sound as an art form
We need to know
  • How sound relates to 8

    (38) 
    

  • What can be learnt from psychology about the effects of sound

  • Whether physics can help us understand the9

     (39) 
     of sound

Virtual reality programs
  • Advantage: predict the effect of buildings

  • Current disadvantage: they are10

     (40)