听美文故事记6级单词01-07

Drivers warned against loud music

Listening to loud music while driving can seriously hamper¹ reaction times and cause accidents, new research suggests.

A Canadian study found people took up to 20% longer to perform physical and mental tasks to loud music.

If motorists were delayed that long at the wheel they could suffer a fatal crash, warned the RAC Foundation, a British motoring organization.

Edmund King, the RAC Foundation's executive director, said the study showed that "not only is loud music a nuisance to others, it could also be the cause of accidents".

Earlier research by the RAC Foundation found drivers were twice as likely to skip a red light while listening to music.

In the Canadian study volunteers carried out tasks while listening to levels of noise varying from 53 decibels² (equivalent to an office environment) to 95 decibels (equivalent to an oil rig).

Researchers found reactions to be significantly decreased at higher noise levels for both physical and mental work.

At 95 decibels reaction times to tasks that involve decision making plummeted³ by 20%.

Edmund King said: "The findings of the Canadian study are bad news for decibel-loving drivers, as they prove that not only is loud music a nuisance to others, it could also be the cause of accidents on the roads."

Drivers are at even greater risk if they listen to music with a pounding beat rather than more relaxed tunes⁴, according to experts.

Conrad King, consultant⁵ psychologist to the foundation, said: "It is important that drivers choose their music carefully when driving, as up-tempo music has been shown to cause drivers to have double the amount of accidents as those listening to slower music.

"In general, if music is above 60 beats per minute, listeners experience a faster heart rate and increased blood pressure.

"It doesn't matter if you listen to opera, classical or the latest rave⁶ music. It's the speed of the beat that counts."

开车音乐声太吵易引发交通事故

一项新的研究表明，边驾车边听吵闹的音乐会严重影响反应次数并引发交通事故。

加拿大的一项研究发现，边听吵闹的音乐边进行体力劳动和脑力劳动时，所花费的时间会延长20%。

英国机动车组织“英国皇家飞行俱乐部基金会”警告说，如果驾驶员开车时被耽搁那么长时间的话，可能会发生致命的撞车事故。

英国皇家飞行俱乐部基金会常务理事埃德蒙·金说，研究显示“驾车时听吵闹的音乐不仅惹人讨厌，还有可能导致交通事故的发生。”

英国皇家飞行俱乐部基金会的早期研究发现，驾驶员开车时听音乐闯红灯的可能性是不听音乐时的两倍。

在加拿大的研究中，志愿者们边开车边听不同分贝的音乐，从53分贝（相当于办公室的声音环境）到95分贝（相当于石油钻探时的声音环境）不等。

研究人员发现，不管是体力还是脑力劳动时，较高的噪音环境都会使反应能力明显下降。

噪音达到95分贝时，作出判断的反应次数锐减了20%。

埃德蒙·金说：“加拿大的研究发现对那些喜欢听高分贝音乐的司机们来说是个坏消息，因为他们证明了音乐不仅让他人反感，也有可能导致道路交通事故的发生。

据专家们说，驾驶员开车时听有重音节拍的音乐比听放松的音乐出交通事故的危险更大。

该基金会的心理学顾问康拉德·金说：“驾车时认真挑选音乐极为重要。因为选择听快节奏音乐的司机发生交通事故的数量比听节奏较慢音乐的司机高两倍。

“一般而言，如果每分钟音乐的节拍超过60下，听者就会感到心跳加速和血压增高。

“不管你是听歌剧、古典音乐还是最新的劲爆锐舞音乐，重要的是要考虑音乐节拍的速度。”

1 hamper   

vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子

参考例句：

• There are some apples in a picnic hamper.在野餐用的大篮子里有许多苹果。
• The emergence of such problems seriously hamper the development of enterprises.这些问题的出现严重阻碍了企业的发展。

2 decibels   

n.分贝( decibel的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The typical lawn mower makes about 90 decibels of noise. 典型的割草机发出的声响约为90分贝。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A normal conversation reaches 55 decibels. 普通的谈话即可达55分贝。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 plummeted   

v.垂直落下，骤然跌落( plummet的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Share prices plummeted to an all-time low. 股票价格暴跌到历史最低点。
• A plane plummeted to earth. 一架飞机一头栽向地面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 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》

5 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

6 rave   

vi.胡言乱语；热衷谈论；n.热情赞扬

参考例句：

• The drunkard began to rave again.这酒鬼又开始胡言乱语了。
• Now I understand why readers rave about this book.我现明白读者为何对这本书赞不绝口了。