单选题 The sense of sound is one of our most important means (方法，手段) of knowing what is going on around us. Sound has a wasted product, too, in the form of noise. Noise has been called unwanted sound. Noise is growing and it may get worse before it gets any better.
Scientists, for several years, have been studying how noise affects people and animals. They are surprised by what they have learned. Peace and quiet are becoming harder to find. Noise pollution is a threat that should be looked at carefully.
There is a saying about it being noisy that you can't hear yourself think. Doctors who study noise believe that we must sometimes hear ourselves think. If we don't, we may have headaches, other aches and pains, or even worse mental problems.
Noise adds more tension (紧张) to a society that already faces enough stress.
But noise is not a new problem. In ancient Rome, people complained so much about noise that the government stopped chariots (四轮马车) from moving through the streets at night.
Ways of making less noise are now being tested. There are even laws controlling noise. We can't return to the "good old days" of peace and quiet. But we can reduce noise — if we shout loudly enough about it.

单选题 Why are scientists surprised by the findings in their noise study?

A. Because the world is becoming more and more noisy.
B. Because they have learned that noise is also a kind of pollution.
C. Because noise is an unwanted waste for human beings.
D. Because people knew little about the danger of noise before.

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[解析] 本题考查文中提及的细节。根据文中第二段第二和第三句话“They are surprised by what they have learned. Peace and quiet are becoming harder to find”，可以得出本题答案为[A]。

单选题 What may be the result if we cannot hear ourselves think?

A. We may forget what we have thought about.
B. Our thoughts may be interfered.
C. Our mind may be harmed.
D. We have difficulty using the right words.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 本题考查对相关句子句意的理解。文中第三段最后一句讲到“If we don't, we may have headaches, other aches and pains, or even worse mental problems”，其意思是“否则，我们可能会头痛，或其他部位疼痛，甚至出现严重的精神问题”。对比四个选项，[A]、[B]、[D]没有被提及，而[C]则符合句意。

单选题 When the writer says we cannot return to the good old days, he means that

A. our society is becoming much worse than before
B. in our modern society it is hard to lead a quiet life
C. the old days were much happier than the present time
D. it is impossible for us to deal with noise as we did before

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 本题考查对相关句子句意的理解及由此得出的合理推断。文中最后一段的倒数第二句活明确说明了所谓的“过去的好时光”是指平静安宁的时代。由此，我们可以推断本题答案为[B]，意思是“在现代社会里很难过一种平静安宁的生活”。

单选题 From the last sentence of the passage we can learn that

A. we can put noise under control if our measures are effective
B. sometimes we have to shout loudly so that others can hear us
C. shouting is a chief cause of noise pollution
D. it is important to warn people of the danger of noise pollution

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】[解析] 本题考查对句意的正确理解：最后一句话“But we can reduce noise—if we shout loudly, enough about it”的意思是“但我们能够减少噪音——如果我们大声疾呼的话”。根据常识，这里大声疾呼指的是提醒人们。本题答案为[D]。