Unit 11

Unit 11 Turn it down! LESSON 21 Dad, that music’s loud! Turn it down! Sorry, Lucy! Am I interrupting your homework? It's not that, Dad. We had a lesson today about hearing. Look at this. One person in seven in the UK is deaf, and many of them are deaf because of noise. For most people, the safe limit is 85 decibels(dB) for continuous noise, and 103 dB for sudden noise. After fifteen minutes at 105 dB, most people will have some damage to their hearing. Music in nightclubs is often much louder than the safe limit. 19% of young people listen to their MP3players at 105 to 110 dB for many hours. 75% of them will experience ‘ringing in the ears', and they will feel a bit deaf. If they are lucky, this will last for one or two days. If they are unlucky, the damage will last for ever. You're always listening to loud music, Dad. If you aren't careful, you'll become deaf. Sorry, Lucy! What did you say? Oh, Dad! It isn't funny! Of course it isn't. And I will turn the sound down. I promise!