HearingProblems
Paragraph 1 (Q.1) The old adage extols the virtue ofsilence by claiming it is
golden, yet experience tells us thatsilence is as hard to come by as the precious
metal itself. Thebenefit of silence to the human ear is
scientificallydemonstrable. Less superfluous noise; less impairment to
thehearing. Yet this precious commodity is no longer valued. Noiseis ever
present in modern life and is an accumulative experience.The ill effects of
noise pollution are of two kinds: acute -exposure to an individual instance of a
very loud noise, such asa gunshot or explosion; and chronic - the experience of
too muchnoise over an extended period of time.
Paragraph 2 (Q.2) City and urban dwellers exist in anincreasingly noise-ridden
environment, and it is now almostimpossible to escape exposure to high noise
levels. Even if weexclude the more obvious sources of noise pollution such as
jetplane engines, road works, power tools, loud music at danceparties and so
on, it is clear that noise is a constant and oftenunwelcome companion. We have
only to walk through a suburbanshopping mall or department store, or catch a
bus or train to besubjected to noise levels that a few decades ago would have
beenconsidered beyond human endurance. The popular practice of
'layering'sound, by adding a louder source of noise to that which alreadyexists
in order to mask it, merely compounds the problem. Becauseof the
accumulative nature of noise abuse, constant noise isworse than noisy periods
interspersed with silence.
Paragraph 3 (Q.3) Our noise level acceptance thresholdis rising in step with
the number of persons developing hearingproblems. Data available from a
recent survey conducted by theAustralian Bureau of Statistics show that 7.4%
of people over 14years of age have some discernible hearing problem.
According tothe survey, 24.6% of the 7.4% of persons with affected
hearinghave problems caused by subjection to a constant barrage of noise,either
at work, in the everyday living environment, or as theresult of a particular
choice of leisure activity. The problem ismost severe for males aged between
25 and 64 years of age, 9.1%of whom have a hearing disability, and for which
the cause isconstant noise in 44.4% of cases.
Paragraph 4 (Q.4) Of current concern to acousticalengineers and psychologists
at the National AcousticsLaboratories in Sydney, Australia, is the potential for
damage tothe eardrum caused by the transmission of loud sound
throughearphones placed directly into the ear canal. An almost universalfad
among young people, the pocket-sized radio-cassette player (commonlyknown
by the brand name 'Walkman') may be exposing its owner togreater than the
maximum safe dosage of noise recommended forindustrial workers - 90
decibels* over a period of 8 hours. Thisdosage, called Dose 1, can be achieved
much sooner by exposingthe ear to only slightly more than 90 decibels.
Increases to thedecibel level logarithmically shorten the exposure time
requiredto reach a given dose. For instance, to achieve Dose 1 in 4 hours,it is
necessary to raise the decibel exposure level by a mere 3decibels.
Paragraph 5 (Q.5) One danger posed to young ears isthat the peak sound level
from these radio-cassette players isoften far too great; at high volume it is all
too easy to receiveDose 1 in a short period of time. Any further noise heard
above90 decibels that day and the recipient is causing measurabledamage to his
or her ears. Another danger is the likelihood of achange in the pain threshold of
noise resulting in userscompensating by increasing the volume to levels way
above what isconsidered safe. Finally, insertable earphones block the earcanal,
thereby further increasing the noise level absorbed.
Paragraph 6 (Q.6) But perhaps the most alarmingpotential for danger caused
by insertable earphones is the easewith which the listener can exceed the safe
time length ofexposure to noise. The small earphones can be comfortably
wornfor extended periods of time. What is more, there is the dangerof falling
asleep with the earphones inserted, leading to anaccumulation of excess noise
while unconscious.
Paragraph 7 (Q.7) Noise abuse soon leads to varyingdegrees of hearing loss.
What may begin as an acute temporarycondition, in time becomes a chronic
and irreversible disability.A common complaint is 'tinnitus', or a 'ringing in the
ears'which fails to subside after the ears are subjected to a shortbut extreme
dose of noise. It is an exhausting condition that canseriously threaten the
composure of the sufferer who can bedriven to near madness. It is believed the
composer Beethoven wasparticularly aggravated by this malady. At present,
there islittle that can be done in the majority of cases, although thevictim might
be able to obtain some temporary relief by using amasking device which blocks
out the offending frequencies ofsound with other, less annoying frequencies.
Paragraph 8 (Example) Inevitably, though, years ofexcessive noise
accumulation take their toll and partial orcomplete deafness results. If silence is
the cure for ailing ears(or, at least, the best way to prevent further deterioration
ofone's hearing), it is sobering to realise that it is also theunfortunate and
permanent curse of a lifetime of noise abusecaused by ignoring the warnings.
* decibel: standard unit of sound measurement
Questions 1 - 7
Match the headings below with paragraphs 1 - 8 in the readingpassage entitled
"Hearing Problems". There are moreheadings than required. The last paragraph
heading has beencompleted for you as an example.
A. Research into earphones inserted in the ear canal
B. Listening through earphones for too long
C. The maximum noise level of the 'Walkman'
D. The benefit of silence
E. An environment of constant noise
F. Three problems caused by inserted earphones
G. The maximum safe noise dosage
H. The curse of silence (Example)
8
I. A cure for 'tinnitus'
J.Alarming statistical evidence
K.A chronic hearing loss impairment
L. The danger of falling asleep
Questions 8 - 16
Refer to the reading passage entitled "Hearing Problems"and answer the
questions below with answer T (for True) or F (forFalse) in the box below. The
first one has been done for you asan example.
Ex. Silence is not beneficial to the human ear
F
Q8. Silence is no longer a precious commodity
Q9. There are basically two kinds of noise pollution
Q10. The noise from a jet plane engine is not an obvious formof noise pollution
Q11. 'Layering' sound reduces the overall amount of soundby masking it
Q12. More males than females suffer the consequences ofconstant noise
Q13. To achieve Dose 1 in 4 hours, the ear needs to be exposedto 93 decibels
for that period of time
Q14. The passage outlines four main dangers from usinginsertable earphones
Q15. Beethoven's ability to compose music was threatened byhis 'tinnitus'
Q16. Deafness is caused by not hearing the warnings aboutnoise abuse
Questions 17 - 20
Answer the questions below by using words and phrases takenfrom the reading
passage entitled "Hearing Problems". Notethat there is a maximum of three
words for eachanswer.
Q17. In Paragraph 1, what are the words of the old adage?
Q18. In Paragraph 1, less damage to the hearing is the resultof
Q19. How many sources are given for hearing problems caused byconstant
noise?
Q20. What might a sufferer of 'tinnitus' get by blockingout certain sound
frequencies?
Writing
Writing Task 1
You are advised to spend a maximum of 20 minutes on thistask.
In June 1996, an experimental flu vaccine was trialled in alarge country
town on females only .
Write a report for a university tutor describing theinformation shown in
the diagrams below.
You should write at least 150 words.
Writing Task 2
You are advised to spend a maximum of 40 minutes on this task.
Write an essay for a university lecturer on the following topic:
The costs of medical health care are increasing all the time.
Governmentsare finding it difficult to balance the health care
budget.Should citizens be totally responsible for their own health costs and
takeout private health insurance, or is it better to have a comprehensive
healthcare system which provides free health services for all? Discuss.
You should write at least 250 words. Practise answering the suggested
practice questions forthe 5 Stages of the IELTS interview below,
remembering to giveanswers that are as detailed and informative as you can.
Ifpossible, practise with a partner and compare your responses.
Stage 1
Hello, please come in and take a seat. How are you today? CanI see your
passport please? and your CV?
Thank you. My name is (interviewer's name). What shall Icall you?
Where do you come from? Where is that exactly?
Can you tell me a little about your educational background?
Did you like school? What were your favourite subjects? Why?
So, what do you intend to study now?
What is it that interests you about that?
And, your family? Do they support you in your decision?
Tell me a little about your family.
What does your family like doing on the weekend?
Stage 2
And you?
What do you like doing on the weekend?
I'm going to ask you to talk about a particular topic - let'ssee - er, sport and
fitness.
What do you do to keep fit?
How often do you play a sport?
Do you consider yourself to be healthy?Why?
Is there anything you could do to increase your fitness levelthat you don't do at
present?
Tell me about sport in your country. What kinds of sport aremost popular?
Why?
How important is it that sport be included in the secondaryschool curriculum?
Should team sports be compulsory at school?
If you had the chance to take up a new sport, which would youchoose? Why?
Stage 3
Thank you. Next, I'll give you the chance to ask me somequestions. I want you
to pretend that you are a new student atuniversity (or college) and that you wish
to find out aboutbecoming a member of the Sports Centre. Take this role-play
card
You can ask me any questions you wish. The topics on the cardwill give you
some ideas.
SPORTS CENTRE MEMBERSHIP
You are a new student at university. You wish to join the university Sports
Centre because you want to get fit. The interviewer is a Student Union
Representative who has information about the facilities available on campus.
Find out as much as you can about how to become a member of the Sports
Centre.
Suggested topics that may help you:
- facilities available
- swimming pool costs
- aerobics classes
- opening and closing times
- massage and sauna
- parking
- joining fees
- hire of equipment
- rules and regulations
Stage 4
Thank you. Now I'd like you to give me back the card, and tell me in more
detail about your future plans.
What do you intend to do after this examination?
Have you made any enquiries about courses that offer you what you want?
Is it easy to succeed in this particular field of work? What are the problems you
might encounter?
Can you be a little more specific?
What kind of person do you have to be to succeed in this line of work? What
kind of qualities do you need to possess? Why?
What might you do if you had to pursue another career?
Do you have any personal goals in life other than those pertaining to your
career?
Do you intend to travel or live for a time overseas, for example?
Are you the kind of person for whom financial success is very important?
Stage 5
Very good. That just about brings us to the end of the interview.
Is there anything else you might like to tell me about?
Right, then. Goodbye, and thank you for sharing your time with me.
I wish you all the best.
You are required to support your arguments with relevant information and
examples basedon your own ideas, knowledge and experience
Go to Writing
IELTS answers
1.Listening
Questions 1-9
1. 4 out of 5
2. 10
3. 350,000
4. 50,000
5. 4
6. 0
7. 87.5%
8. 1/4
Notes:
Q4. The number of people per year who die in the US from smoking is 7 times
the number who die from car accidents. ( 350,000 / 7 = 50,000 )
Q5. The question asks for the number of decades (a decade is a period of 10
years) that tobacco has been recognised as dangerous.
Q6. Since nicotine is now recognised to be the most addictive substance
known, there can be no substances more seriously addictive.
Questions 9 - 16
9. T
10. T
11. T
12. T
13. F
14. F
15. N
16. F
Notes:
Q10. Yes. "If the clot blocks a blood vessel in the brain, the result is a stroke
if the clot blocks an artery in the heart, the result is a heart attack."
Q11. Yes. "The risk of cancer is greater for all smokers." (Usually, wordssuch
as "all", or "only" etc., being 100% inclusive or exclusive, are foundin
statements that are later modified or qualified in some way. But, inthis case, the
statement is true.)
Q12. Yes, " the immune system works tirelessly to kill cells which
havebecome potentially [possibly, in the future] cancerous.".
Q13. Smoking decreases that ability ( "seriously affects the ability of
theimmune system to do its job" ).
Q14. The answer to this question must be worked out from the descriptionsof
the causes given. You do not hear the answer in a particular phrase.
Q15. It may be a true fact that smoking causes lung cancer, but we are nottold
this in the talk. Therefore, the answer must be N for Not Mentioned.
Q16. The word "always" is a 'danger' word in True/False type tasks. In fact,the
body weight is "likely to be a good deal less than normal".
2.Reading
Questions 1-7
A. Research into earphones inserted in the ear canal 4
B. Listening through earphones for too long 6
C. The maximum noise level of the 'Walkman'
D. The benefit of silence 1
E. An environment of constant noise 2
F. Three problems caused by inserted earphones 5
G. The maximum safe noise dosage
H. The curse of silence (Example) 8
I. A cure for 'tinnitus'
J. Alarming statistical evidence 3
K. A chronic hearing loss impairment 7
L. The danger of falling asleep
Questions 8 - 16
Q8. Silence is no longer a precious commodity F
Q9. There are basically two kinds of noise pollution T
Q10. The noise from a jet plane engine is not an obvious form of noise
pollution F
Q11. 'Layering' sound reduces the overall amount of sound by masking it F
Q12. More males than females suffer the consequences of constant noise T
Q13. To achieve Dose 1 in 4 hours, the ear needs to be exposed to 93 decibels
for that period of time T
Q14. The passage outlines four main dangers from using insertable
earphones F
Q15. Beethoven's ability to compose music was threatened by his 'tinnitus' T
Q16. Deafness is caused by not hearing the warnings about noise abuse T
Questions 17 - 20
Q17. In Paragraph 1, what are the words of the old adage?
Silence is Golden
Q18. In Paragraph 1, less damage to the hearing is the result of
less superfluous noise
Q19. How many sources are given for hearing problems caused by constant
noise?
3
Q20. What might a sufferer of 'tinnitus' get by blocking out certain sound
frequencies?
(some) temporary relief
3.Writing
Writing Task 1:
The diagrams show data for a flu epidemic which hit a large country town in
1996. Figure 1 gives the number of persons who died; Figure 2 shows the
percentage breakdown of females who received a new flu vaccine; and Figure 3
gives the number of cases of flu before and during the epidemic.
In Figure 1 it can be seen that the flu was responsible for the deaths of 2
females but no males in the period from March to May. However, from June to
August, there were 4 female deaths and 1 male death.
According to the pie chart in Figure 2, only those females most at risk were
given the new flu vaccine; 28% did not take part in the trial. Of those females
who took part, 35% were aged (over 65 years old); 24% were babies or
children; and 13% were either hospitalised or receiving other medical attention.
From Figure 3 it is clear that the new vaccine had a positive effect on the
number of new cases of flu reported in females. There were just over 1000
cases reported in March, climbing rapidly to a peak of 3500 in June. Thereafter,
the number of cases dropped slowly to about 2800 in August, before levelling
off at 2500 for the rest of the year. For males, the figures were lower but
showed a similar trend throughout the epidemic. (232 words)
Writing Task 2:
A much debated issue these days is whether citizens should take out private
health insurance or not. The cost of providing free medical care for both the
wealthy and the poor is far too great for any government, and most people
agree that if you can pay for insurance, you should. In this essay, I will argue
that all who can afford it should be insured, but free medical care must be made
available for those too poor to do so.
The most important reason for encouraging people to take out private health
insurance is the cost to the government of health care. Free health cover for
people who are able to pay for it is a waste of public money. Of course, people
will only pay health insurance premiums if they know that they are getting
good value for their money. If they get sick, they should pay very little or
nothing at all. In addition, the privately insured are entitled to special benefits
such as having the choice of their own doctors, and being able to avoid long
waiting lists for hospital beds.
On the other hand, those who really cannot afford to pay private insurance
premiums, which are often very high, are still entitled as citizens to the best
medical care available - they cannot be expected to pay their own medical bills.
However, if they are working, they should still pay a percentage of their wage
(say 1 to 2%) as a tax which pays towards the cost of providing 'free' medical
services.
In conclusion, most people should privately insure their health, but it is
unreasonable to suppose that all citizens can afford it. Therefore, a safety net in
the form of a basic free health care system must exist for the very poor and the
unemployed.
(301 words)