Noise levels
30 dB soft music, whisper (耳语)
40 dB home noise
60 dB normal talk
70 dB office noise
75 dB vacuum cleaner (吸尘器)
80-90 dB heavy traffic
90-95 dB subway
100-105 dB school dance
120-129 dB sports crowd
130 dB car race
140 dB siren (警笛)
We all need to quiet down! "The rising noise pollution in cities will become a top environmental threat (威胁)，the United Nations (UN) said in a report on Feb17. It asks governments to take action as soon as possible.
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What is noise pollution? According to the UN, unwanted noise above 65 decibels (dB,分贝) is noise pollution. Noise becomes harmful when it's over 75 dB and is painful above 120 dB. People who live near airports or highways get lots of noise pollution. When neighbors remodel (装修) their homes or stomp (跺脚) around above you, that's also noise pollution. When you hear such kind of noise, you may not get good sleep at night. Why is noise pollution bad? "High levels of noise is harmful to human health," the UN report says. According to Science magazine, too much noise causes health problems like stress and tiredness from poor sleep. More serious problems may be heart disease (心脏病) and hearing loss. In Europe, 12,000 people die each year because of noise pollution, according to CGTN. |
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How can we solve the problem? The European Commission says cities can fight noise pollution. One great way is to build barriers (围栏) along railroads and highways. Some European countries have also used rubber (橡胶) to build roads. It's the same rubber as your school's running track on the playground. It makes cars quieter. |
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How can you and I help? We can stop stomping around our houses! |
