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As many as one in five US agers have some degree of hearing loss, according to researchers. They
say the problem is growing.
agers really don't pay attention to how much noise they are exposed (暴露) to, Josef Shargorodsky
of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston told Reuters. 'Often people won't notice it, but even slight hearing
loss may affect language development,' said Shargorodsky, one of the researchers.
The study compared surveys from the early 1990s and the mid-2000s. Each included a few thousand
agers. In the first survey, about 15 percent of agers had some degree of hearing loss. Some 15 years
later, that number had risen by a third, to nearly 20 percent.
'This certainly is big news,' said Alison Grimes, an ear doctor. Hearing loss is very common in old people,
Grimes said, but she added that it was worrying to see it happen in the younger age group.
In babies and young children, hearing problems are known to slow language development. The science is
less clear for agers, but it is easy to imagine how being hard of hearing could affect learning, said Grimes.
The reasons for the rise are still unclear. When researchers asked agers about noise exposure-on the job,
at school or from activities, for example-the agers didn't report any change. But Shargorodsky said that
might not be true. 'We knew from before that it is difficult to ask this age group about noise exposure-they
underestimate (低估) it.' Few people would call it noise when they listen to music on their MP3 player, for
example. 'There is a difference between what we think is loud and what is harmful to the ear,' said Grimes.
Although it's not clear that the MP3 players cause agers' hearing loss, Grimes said it was still a good
idea to turn down the sound and take short breaks from listening.
1. According to the researchers, in a US class of 40 students, about_____ students have some degree of
hearing loss.
[ ]
A. one
B. five
C. six
D. eight
2. Which of the following statements is true according to the article?
[ ]
A. Slight hearing loss does not influence learning.
B. Only a few old people have hearing problems.
C. Hearing problems can slow language development.
D. Noise exposure is clearly noticed by agers.
3. About hearing loss, it can be inferred that _____.
[ ]
A. the reasons for the rise have been found
B. MP3 players are to blame
C. listening to loud music may be a cause
D. noise is the main reason
4. The article was written to _____.
[ ]
A. warn agers that loud music might be harmful
B. explain what kinds of noises might affect studies
C. suggest that agers shouldn't listen to loud music
D. show how important hearing can be for learning