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INTRODUCTION

Sometimes you’ll hear the speaker give a list of related things.

Listen carefully because the questions will use synonyms and rephrasing for those things.

For the questions in this lesson, you’ll be asked to pick the one item in the list

(A to D, or E) that isn’t mentioned in the recording.

Listen to the recording and choose the right answer for questions 1 to 3

1: Which of the following places is not mentioned as a likely place to become sick?

A: A place to borrow a book
B: A place to eat a meal
C: A place to view artefacts
D: A place to keep fit

2: Which of the following health problems is not mentioned?

A: Discomfort in your abdomen
B: Migraines
C: Desperate to vomit
D: Stressed eyes
E: Extreme tiredness

3: According to the recording, where might we not find loudspeakers?

A: Airplanes
B: Gyms
C: Offices
D: Mass transit

Keywords:

Artifact: An object produced or shaped by human craft, especially a tool, weapon, or ornament of archaeological or historical interest.

Artefact: An artificial product or effect observed in a natural system, especially one introduced by the technology used in scientific investigation or by experimental error.

Answers, transcript and clues are below the image

Background Noise Might Be Making You Sick

According to a new study, exposure to ultrasound and very high frequency noise (VHF) in highly frequented public places could be making us all sick.

The study — published in Proceedings of the Royal Society — was authored by Southampton University professor Tim Leighton. It reveals that places such as public libraries, swimming pools, and museums expose people to sound frequencies over 20 kilohertz, the limit of most people’s hearing range.

Exposure to such high frequencies can cause symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, stomach pain, fatigue, pressure in the ears and headaches. Sounds awful, but at least the noise isn’t so dissonant that it’s driving old ladies to riot, scream and hit each other with canes, as they did during Igor Stravinsky’s premiere of The Right of Spring in 1913… Right?

Loudspeakers, used as public address systems in sports facilities, movie theaters, workplaces, and public transport are the most common source of high intensity airborne ultrasound. Also contributing to this sonic toxicity are automated door openers, pest repellents, and ultrasonic weapons.

Your options going forward according to the study are to wear ear plugs or even goggles! Seems reasonable. Apparently you can also test for VHF sound and ultrasound with an app on your smartphone. If the app notifies you with pings, we’d officially hit peak modern-living-irony.

Please share to someone you know and in the meantime take a look at my Facebook Page and Website for IELTS answers and you can also join my Facebook Group here too.

Good Luck

Jonathan