Around Highways Days IELTS Reading Answers

Aug 25, 2023

Around Highways days IELTS Reading Answers is a topic of the IELTS academic reading topic which includes 13 questions. The specified IELTS topic generates 3 types of questions: true/ false/ not given, and choose the correct option from the given options. Candidates should read the IELTS Reading passage thoroughly in order to recognize synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions below. Candidates can further enhance their reading skills by going through IELTS reading practice papers available on the website. Candidates can use IELTS reading topics like Around Highways days IELTS Reading Answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Around Highways Days IELTS Reading Answers

In a self-imposed solitary confinement, 22-year old Tom Wonnacott, a Princeton graduate student, spent four days lying in a lightless, sound-proofed isolation chamber. Unable to see or hear, he also wore thick gloves to restrict his sense of touch. Wonnacott volunteered to undergo this experience to help US-based psychologists find out what happens to people isolated from the outside world and deprived of the normal use of their senses.While over a longer period of time such extremes of silence in conjunction with sensory deprivation are harmful, there are many today who are in search of quieter areas.

An overabundance of noise has always been a significant environmental issue for man. In ancient Rome, rules existed to ensure that the noise emitted from the large iron wheels of wagons which rolled over the stones on the pavements and caused disruption of sleep and annoyance was minimized by allowing people to travel only during certain times.

The same rules existed in Medieval Europe. To ensure inhabitants were given the best chance at a peaceful night's sleep, in some cities, horse-drawn carriages and horseback riding were not allowed at night time. However when today's noise problems are compared with the noise pollution problems of the past they are almost incomparable.

An immense number of vehicles of various shapes and sizes are regularly driven around and through most of the world's cities and countryside. Loud, large diesel engines power the enormous trucks that roll around highways day and night. Aircraft and trains add to the environmental noise scenario. In industry, machinery emits high noise levels and amusement parks and pleasure vehicles distract leisure time and relaxation. One hundred years ago, environmental experts predicted that in the 21st century there would be a shortage of water. They were correct. Silence is scarce. More and more silence is drowned out by sound.

A lack of knowledge about the effects of noise pollution on humans in comparison to other pollutants has been lacking as an area of research. Although it has been generally regarded that noise pollution is primarily a 'luxury' problem - for those developed countries able to afford the purchase price of large quantities of loud, noisy machinery - it is actually a fact that due to bad planning and poor construction of buildings, noise exposure is often higher in developing countries.

This means that regardless of the economic status of a particular country, the widespread and the long-term consequences for health are the same. Therefore, practical action plans based upon proper scientific evaluation of available data on the effects of noise exposure, with the express purpose of limiting and controlling the exposure of people to environmental noise is a most worthwhile undertaking.

It has been well established that exposure to loud noises for extended periods of time causes trauma to the inner ear and often results in irreversible hearing loss. When it initially receives sound, the human ear actually amplifies it by a factor of 20. In 1965, in a remote part of Ghana, scientists went about studying the impact of insignificant exposure to industrial noise and transportation. In tandem, the Ghanese group was compared with a control group in the industrial USA. A number of startling conclusions were drawn from the experiments.

For example, both locations revealed that aging is an almost insignificant cause of hearing loss. Instead it was show-n that chronic exposure to moderately high levels of environmental noise led to hearing loss. Cardiovascular complaints also emerged from among those with prolonged exposure to industrial noise above 70 dBA. In fact, over a single eight-hour period, it was shown that participants experienced a rise in blood pressure thus indicating noise pollution contributes to human stress levels. If this was not alarming enough, also noted was an increase in the incidence of heart disease.

The findings from various noise studies had the effect of changing the perspectives of many of the world's governments. Whereas noise had been considered a 'nuisance' rather than an environmental problem, laws were made to protect citizens against it. In the United States and Ghana, federal standards for highway and aircraft noise were introduced. State governments created noise regulations pertaining to building codes, urban planning and road construction. In Canada and the EU, noise laws are the domain of local governments. Activities in those countries deemed mandatory such as the collection of rubbish or some medical services are the only allowed exceptions to what otherwise are quiet local neighborhood zones.

Typically, quiet times in neighborhoods are between 6am and 10pm with restricted higher decibel levels after these hours. What happens if these quiet times are violated? Unfortunately, the enforcement of noise laws has proven problematic for many local governments with enforcement agencies often not following up on noise complaints. For persistent nuisances, individuals may seek compensation through the local courts and in some cities, police are authorized to impound such things as stereos and cars. These are extreme cases; most issues are handled by negotiation between the emitter and the receiver.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation
Questions 1 - 7
Do the following statements reflect the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 1?
TRUE - if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE - if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN - if there is no information on this

Question 1: Noise pollution is a relatively new pollution.

Answer: false
Supporting Statement: “...An overabundance of noise has always been a significant environmental issue for man…”
Keywords: overabundance, noise, significant, environmental, issue, man
Keyword Location: para 2 line 1
Explanation: According to the writer, an overabundance of noise has always been a significant environmental issue for man

Question 2: Experts forecasted that water and noise pollution would be major future problems.

Answer: true
Supporting Statement: “...One hundred years ago, environmental experts predicted that in the 21st century there would be a shortage of water and silence…”
Keywords: environmental experts, shortage of water and silence
Keyword Location: para 4, line 5
Explanation: According to the writer, machinery emits high noise levels and amusement parks and pleasure vehicles distract leisure time and relaxation. There are many other activities that cause noise pollution, similar to the condition of water. So, it is believed that the water and noise pollution would be major future problems. Therefore, the above statement can be taken as correct.

Question 3: Noise pollution seems to be a bigger problem in richer, developed countries.

Answer: false
Supporting Statement: “...generally regarded that noise pollution is primarily a 'luxury' problem - for those developed countries able to afford the purchase price of large quantities of loud, noisy machinery..”
Keywords: noise pollution, luxury problem, developed countries, noisy machinery
Keyword Location: para 5, line 2
Explanation: According to the writer, the noise pollution is the luxury problem of developed countries only because they can invest a lot of money to purchase the loud and noisy machinery and the poor building construction leads to exposure of noise which causes the noise pollution. This means that regardless of the economic status of a particular country, the effects of noise are just as widespread and the long-term consequences for health the same. Therefore, the above statement can be taken as wrong.

Question 4: Noises that enter the human ear are actually heard louder than they really are.

Answer: true
Supporting Statement: “...established that exposure to loud noises for extended periods of time causes trauma to the inner ear and often results in irreversible hearing loss…”
Keywords: loud noises, exposure, trauma, inner ear, hearing loss
Keyword Location: para 7, line 1
Explanation: According to the writer, it has been observed that exposure to loud noises for extended periods of time causes trauma to the inner ear and often results in irreversible hearing loss. Therefore, the above statement can be taken as correct.

Question 5: There is a strong relationship between hearing loss and age.

Answer: false
Supporting Statement: “...both locations revealed that aging is an almost insignificant cause of hearing loss. Instead it was show-n that chronic exposure…”
Keywords: aging, insignificant, hearing loss
Keyword Location: para 8, line 1
Explanation: According to the writer, it was observed in 1965 in a remote part of Ghana, scientists went about studying the impact of 'insignificant' exposure to industrial noise and transportation. In tandem, the Ghanese group was compared with a control group in the industrial USA. A number of startling conclusions were drawn from the experiments. The both locations revealed that aging is an almost insignificant cause of hearing loss. Therefore, the above statement can be taken as wrong.

Question 6: Loud noise exposure studies have caused government changes.

Answer: true
Supporting Statement: “...findings from various noise studies had the effect of changing the perspectives of many of the world's governments…”
Keywords: noise, world’s government, nuisance
Keyword Location: para 9, line 1
Explanation: According to the writer, the findings from various noise studies had the effect of changing the perspectives of many of the world's governments. The noise had been considered a 'nuisance' rather than an environmental problem, laws were made by the governments of different countries to protect citizens against it. Therefore, the above statement can be taken as correct.

Question 7: In Canada, police monitor the level of noise in local neighborhoods.

Answer: not given
Explanation: No relevant information has been provided in the passage in order to support the said statement. Therefore, we can clearly conclude the statement as an invalid one.

Question 8 - 9:
Choose TWO letters, A-G. The list of problems below can be caused by exposure to high noise levels.
Which TWO are mentioned by the writer of the text?

increased ear sensitivity
reduced reaction time
increased aging of the body
heart disease
stomach cancer
sleep apnea
increased blood pressure

Question 8:

Answer: D
Supporting Statement: “...Cardiovascular complaints also emerged from among those with prolonged exposure to…”
Keywords: cardiovascular, prolonged exposure
Keyword Location: para 8, line 3
Explanation: According to the writer, heart- related problems also emerged from among those with prolonged exposure to industrial noise above 70 dBA.

Question 9:

Answer: G
Supporting Statement: “...participants experienced a rise in blood pressure thus indicating noise pollution…”
Keywords: blood pressure, noise pollution
Keyword Location: para 8, line 4
Explanation: According to the writer, over a single eight-hour period, it was shown that participants experienced a rise in blood pressure thus indicating noise pollution contributes to human stress levels.

Questions 10 - 13:
Classify the following features as applying to? Write the correct letter A, B or C.

people from the USA
people from Ghana
both people from the USA and Ghana

Question 10: individuals participated in a noise study

Answer: C
Supporting Statement: “...In 1965, in a remote part of Ghana, scientists went about studying the impact of 'insignificant' exposure to industrial noise…”
Keywords: United States, Ghana, industrial noise
Keyword Location: para 7, line 3-4
Explanation: According to the writer, in a remote part of Ghana, scientists went about studying the impact of 'insignificant' exposure to industrial noise and transportation. In tandem, the Ghanese group was compared with a control group in the industrial USA.

Question 11: conducted a silence study

Answer: A
Supporting Statement: Wonnacott volunteered to undergo this experience to help US-based psychologists find out what happens to people isolated from the outside world and deprived of the normal use of their senses.
Keywords: Wonnacott volunteered, US-based psychologists
Keyword Location: para 1, line 4
Explanation: According to the writer, the Wonnacott volunteered to undergo this experience to help US-based psychologists. That helped to find out what happens to people isolated from the outside world. It brings out the question about the deprivation of the normal use of their senses.

Question 12: introduced air traffic regulations

Answer: C
Supporting Statement: “...In the United States and Ghana, federal standards for highway and aircraft noise…”
Keywords: United States, Ghana, aircraft noise
Keyword Location: para 9, line 3-4
Explanation: According to the writer, federal standards for highway and aircraft noise were introduced in the United States and Ghana. State governments created noise regulations pertaining to building codes, urban planning and road construction.

Question 13: the relationship between industrial noise and blood pressure

Answer: C
Supporting Statement: “...over a single eight-hour period, it was shown that participants experienced a rise in blood pressure thus indicating noise pollution…”
Keywords: blood pressure, noise pollution
Keyword Location: para 8, line 4
Explanation: According to the writer, in a remote part of Ghana, scientists went about studying the impact of 'insignificant' exposure to industrial noise and transportation. In tandem, the Ghanese group was compared with a control group in the industrial USA. Over a single eight-hour period, it was shown that participants experienced a rise in blood pressure thus indicating noise pollution contributes to human stress levels.