VOA标准英语2012--Unwanted Music is Noise Pollution to Some

Unwanted Music is Noise Pollution to Some

 

You probably like at least some sort of music. Tunes¹ that you pick out.

Problem is, in lots of places across the United States, you’re forced to hear somebody else’s choice in music.

Say you’ve just landed at an airport. In the terminal, the van taking you to your rental² car, and the car-rental office, so-called “background” music is blasting.

There’s peace and quiet inside your automobile³. But don’t lower the window, because the person next to you did, too, and the bass⁴ woofers in that vehicle’s stereo system are blasting so loudly that the whole car is shaking.

Mercifully, you reach your hotel lobby, only to hear syrupy-sweet “elevator music,” as it’s called - even before you get on the elevator.

In the gift shop: more tunes! Up the elevator: actual elevator music.

You go out to dinner and end up in a place where the management thinks more music will stimulate⁵ conversation or your appetite. Then a strolling mariachi band or a guy playing the violin comes around.

Psychologists call this barrage⁶ “audio architecture,” or “musical wallpaper,” designed to put you in the mood to buy more and eat a lot. 

Even the U.S. government considers this “noise pollution,” especially when the music is cranked up. Not only has the National Institutes of Health warned about hearing loss from exposure to loud noises - including music blasting into one’s ear - but the Environmental Protection Agency has even issued warnings about the effects of “unwanted or disturbing sound.” 

The latest warning reads: “Sound becomes unwanted when it either interferes⁷ with normal activities such as sleeping, conversation, or disrupts or diminishes one’s quality of life. The fact that you can’t see, taste or smell it may help explain why it has not received as much attention as other types of pollution, such as air pollution or water pollution. The air around us is constantly filled with sounds, yet most of us would probably not say we are surrounded by noise. This ‘annoyance’ can have major consequences, primarily to one’s overall health.” 

Music can be soothing⁸ or savage⁹. When it comes to their space, many people prefer a third option: peace and quiet.

1 tunes   

n.曲调，曲子( tune的名词复数 )v.调音( tune的第三人称单数 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• a potpourri of tunes 乐曲集锦
• When things get a bit too much, she simply tunes out temporarily. 碰到事情太棘手时，她干脆暂时撒手不管。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 rental   

n.租赁，出租，出租业

参考例句：

• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。
• We can organise car rental from Chicago O'Hare Airport.我们可以安排提供从芝加哥奥黑尔机场出发的租车服务。

3 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

4 bass   

n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴

参考例句：

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
• The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

5 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

6 barrage   

n.火力网，弹幕

参考例句：

• The attack jumped off under cover of a barrage.进攻在炮火的掩护下开始了。
• The fierce artillery barrage destroyed the most part of the city in a few minutes.猛烈的炮火几分钟内便毁灭了这座城市的大部分地区。

7 interferes   

vi. 妨碍，冲突，干涉

参考例句：

• The noise interferes with my work. 这噪音妨碍我的工作。
• That interferes with my plan. 那干扰了我的计划。

8 soothing   

adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的

参考例句：

• Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
• His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。

9 savage   

adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人

参考例句：

• The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
• He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。