便携式音乐播放器导致听力受损

发表于 2007-10-2 11:21:43

Portable Music Players Linked to Hearing Loss

This is Shep O'Neal with the VOA Special English HEALTH REPORT.

Electronic devices are changing the way people listen to music. But studies show the devices may be causing hearing loss in many people. Some experts say people may be playing them too loud and for too long.

Researchers from Zogby International did a study for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. It involved three hundred high school students and one thousand adults. They were asked about their use of portable music devices. Some of the most popular are Apple Computer's iPod, C.D. players and portable laptop computers.

Forty percent of students and adults said they set the sound levels, or volume, at high on their iPods. But students were two times more likely to play the music at a very loud volume. More than half of the students said they would probably not limit their listening time. And about a third said they were not likely to reduce the volume.

The study found that more than half of the students and less than forty percent of the adults had at least one kind of hearing loss. Some reported difficulty hearing parts of a discussion between two people. Others said they had to raise volume controls on a television or radio to hear it better. And, some experienced ringing in their ears or other noises.

Hearing experts say part of the problem is the listening equipment people are using. They say large earphones that cover the whole ear are probably safer than the smaller earbuds that come with most music players. Earbuds are thought to be less effective than earphones in blocking out foreign noises.

Hearing loss may not be apparent for years. But once it happens, it is permanent. About thirty million Americans have some hearing loss. One third of them lost their hearing as a result of loud noises.

Experts at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota say any sound above ninety decibels for long periods may cause some hearing loss. But most portable music players can produce sounds up to one hundred twenty decibels.

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association is working with manufacturers and government officials on setting rules for use of portable music devices. The group says the best way to protect your hearing is to reduce the volume, limit listening time and using earphones that block out foreign noises.

This VOA Special English Health Report was written

小海豚 · 发表于 2007-10-2 11:22:09

翻译:

便携式音乐播放器导致听力受损

这里是希普·奥尼尔带来的VOA特别英语《健康报道》。

电子设备正在改变人们听音乐的方式。不过研究显示，这些设备可能会导致很多人的听力受损。一些专家表示，人们开的音量可能太大且时间太长了。

佐格比国际的研究员为美国听力语言学会做了一份研究。此研究涵盖了300名中学生以及1000名成年人。调查的问题包括他们使用的便携音乐播放器。其中最流行的是苹果电脑的iPod、CD机和便携式笔记本电脑。

40％的学生和成年人表示他们在iPod上设的声音级别，或者说音量，都很高。而学生以极高音量播放音乐的倾向倍增。超过一半的学生表示他们不会限制听音乐的时间。大约三分之一的人表示他们很少调低音量。

这份研究发现，超过一半的学生以及少于40％的成年人至少有一种听力受损。有人表示很难听清二人之间的部分谈话。还有人说他们只有提高电视或者收音机的音量才能听得更清楚。而且有些人还有过耳鸣或者其它杂音症状。

听力专家表示这些问题的一部分原因是人们使用的音乐设备。他们表示能够盖住整个耳朵的大型头戴式耳机可能比多数音乐播放器使用的小型耳塞式耳机安全。一般认为耳塞式耳机在阻隔外部噪音方面效果较差。

听力受损可能在几年内都不会明显地表现出来。不过一旦出现，就是永久性损伤。大约3000万美国人都有一些听力受损，其中有三分之一是因为高音量噪音导致听力损伤。

明尼苏达州梅奥门诊的专家表示，任何一种超过90分贝的声音在长时间的情况下都会导致不同程度的听力受损。而多数便携式音乐播放器都可以调到120分贝的音量。

美国听力语言学会正在与制造商和政府官员共同制定便携式音乐播放器的使用规定。该组织表示保护你的听力最好的办法就是调低音量，限制收听时间，并且使用可以隔绝外部噪音的耳机。

这期VOA特别英语健康报道由辛西娅·柯克撰写。我是希普·奥尼尔。