Sounds and the human voice
Exercise
All the words in the list can be both nouns and regular verbs, and they describe sounds. Many of the words are onomatopoeic, (i.e., they sound like the sound they describe). Listen to the sounds and the words.
Complete the sentences with the correct word.
- bang
- buzz
- click
- crash
- creak
- crunch
- drip
- hiss
- honk
- hum
- rattle
- roar
- screech
- slam
- slurp
- sniff
- snore
- splash
- tap
- tick
- whistle
- This clock has a very loud ________ .
- Don’t ________ ! Get a tissue and blow your nose.
- To download the new software just ________ on the “download” icon.
- There was a ________ as he jumped into the swimming pool.
- Did you hear that ________ ? It sounded like a gun.
- I heard a floorboard ________ and I knew somebody had come into the room.
- I lay there hearing the ________ of a fly, but I couldn’t see it anywhere.
- I hate people who ________ at me when I slow down at a yellow light.
- When I’m nervous I often ________ my fingers on the table.
- Don’t ________ your soup! Eat it quietly.
- The snake reared its head and gave an angry ________ .
- Please turn the faucet off properly otherwise it’ll ________ .
- We could hear the ________ of the crowd in the baseball stadium from our hotel.
- Some of the players went on playing because they hadn’t heard the ________ .
- I don’t remember the words of the song, but I can ________ the tune.
- Please don’t ________ the door. Close it gently.
- I heard the ________ of their feet walking through the crisp snow.
- I can’t share a room with you if you ________ — I won’t be able to sleep.
- Every time a bus or truck goes by, the windows ________ .
- I heard the ________ of brakes as the driver tried to stop and then a loud ________ .
- tick
- sniff
- click
- splash
- bang
- creak
- buzz
- honk
- tap
- slurp
- hiss
- droop
- roar
- whistle
- hum
- slam
- crunch
- snore
- rattle
- screech / crash
Match the definitions
All the words in the list can be both nouns and regular verbs, and they describe sounds. Many of the words are onomatopoeic, (i.e., they sound like the sound they describe). Listen to the sounds and the words.
- giggle
- groan
- mumble
- scream
- sigh
- sob
- stutter
- whisper
- yell
- ____________to make a loud, high cry because you are hurt, frightened, or excited
- ____________(atsb) to shout loudly, e.g., because you are angry
- ____________(at sth) to laugh in a silly way
- ____________(to sb) to speak very quietly so that other people can’t hear what you are saying
- ____________to speak or say sth in a quiet voice in a way that is not clear
- ____________to make a long deep sound because you are in pain or annoyed
- ____________to speak with difficulty, often repeating sounds or words
- ____________to cry noisily, taking sudden sharp breaths
- ____________to take in and then let out a long deep breath that can be heard, e.g., to show that you are disappointed
- scream
- yell
- giggle
- whijsper
- mumble
- groan
- stutter
- sob
- sigh
Answer the questions
Answer the questions using one of the verbs above.
What do people do…?
when they are nervous
when they are terrified
when they lose their temper
when they are not supposed to be making any noise
when they speak without opening their mouth enough
when they are relieved
when they are disappointed
when they are deeply saddened
- stutter
- scream
- yell
- whisper
- mumble
- sigh
- groan
- sob
📝 Let's exercise!
🎧 Listen to the audio
Circle the correct
Circle the correct word.
It was so quiet in the room that you could hear the ticking / clicking of the clock.
She banged / tapped her finger on the table while she was waiting for the doctor’s diagnosis.
The children ran out of the room because of the huge bee hissing / buzzing around.
I can’t stand it when people slurp / drip their soup when they eat.
I had to get up and lock the door because it was splashing / rattling in the wind.
The cat arched its back and hissed / whistled at us when we walked in.
The engine crashed / roared into action as he switched it on.
Johnny has a cold, so he’s been snoring / sniffling all day.
The dog was creaking / crunching a bone that the neighbor gave to it.
There was a loud bang / slam as the fireworks went off.
We heard the screeching / creaking of tires when Janet’s boyfriend pulled into her driveway.
Carl stormed out of the room and slammed / hummed the door after the argument.
- ticking
- tapped
- buzzing
- slurp
- rattling
- hissed
- roared
- sniffling
- crunching
- bang
- screeching
- slammed
Complete the sentences
Complete the sentences with these verbs.
- giggled
- groaned
- mumbled
- screamed
- sighed
- sobbed
- stuttered
- whispered
- yelled
- “There’s a spider in the bathtub!” my sister ___________.
- “What did you do this time?”___________ Stephen’s mother with resignation.
- “My new doll is broken,”___________the little girl, tears rolling down her cheeks.
- “I hurt my ankle,’’the player__________as he lay on the ground.
- “Sorry,” he___________, but nobody could understand what he said.
- “STOP MAKING SO MUCH NOISE!” the old man___________from an upstairs window.
- “I didn’t have t-t-time to do my h-h-homework,” Phil ___________ nervously.
- Halfway through the test David___________to Alison, “What’s the answer to number 5?”
- “Look at her hat!” the students___________. “It looks really funny.”
- screamed
- sighed
- sobbed
- groaned
- mumbled
- yelled
- stuttered
- swhispered
- giggled
Audio Homework 1
Talk about the sounds that annoy you the most.
Include:
- What the sound is
- Where you hear it
- Why it annoys you
Exercise
Look at a list of the most annoying noises in an office (not in order).
Which one do you think was voted the most irritating?
It drives me crazy!
Office noises we just can’t stand…
According to a nationwide poll, many office workers
are being driven crazy by noises made by their co-workers. The problem can be particularly serious where two or three people share a small office and in companies which have “open plan” offices.
Amplifon, the organization which conducted the online opinion poll, said: “People are easily annoyed by sounds in the office but very few do anything about it. Most people just suffer in silence.” The most irritating noises (not in order) were:
____ Other people’s cell phone ringtones
____ People making personal phone calls
____ People slurping tea and coffee
____ People typing on computer keyboards
____ The boss’s voice
____ The crunch of people eating chips
____ The “hold” music on the telephone
____ The hum of the air conditioning
Which one do you think was voted the most irritating?
🔊 Learning Through Text (LTT)
Now listen to the noises, in reverse order (8 = the least annoying).
🎧 Listen to the audio
3 Other people’s cell phone ringtones
5 The hum of the air conditioning
Listen to a radio program about noise levels in New York City’s restaurants and subway system. Put a check (✔) next to the best summary of what the reporter says.
1 ___ New Yorkers are so used to the noise levels in the city that loud noises don't bother them.2 ___ Some New York City restaurants and subways are so noisy that they are causing hearing damage to workers and customers.
3 ___ New Yorkers aren’t aware of the dangerous noise levels around the city because they are focused on their jobs and other priorities.
🎧 Listen to the audio
Look at the glossary and listen to the program again. Then with a partner try to answer the questions.
- What are the two noises in the restaurant that the reporter complains about?
- How does the restaurant worker she interviews feel about the noise in her workplace?
- What noise does the reporter use for comparison? Is it louder or softer than in the restaurant she visited?
- Why is the restaurant worker getting headaches and hearing buzzing in her ears? What is the daily permissible exposure time for 95 decibels?
- What effect does faster tempo of music have on customers? Why do restaurants think it’s good for business?
- What noise does the reporter use to compare the noise levels in the New York City subways?
- What are some symptoms of hearing loss? Do symptoms mean permanent damage?
- What can cause sudden hearing loss?
- What does the commuter mean when she says, “1 just want to commute in quiet sometimes, but it’s a luxury”?
Put a check (✔) next to the best summary of what the reporter says.
1 ___ New Yorkers are so used to the noise levels in the city that loud noises don’t bother them.
2 V – Some New York City restaurants and subways are so noisy that they are causing hearing damage to workers and customers.
3 ___ New Yorkers aren’t aware of the dangerous noise levels around the city because they are focused on their jobs and other priorities.
Look at the glossary and listen to the program again. Then with a partner try to answer the questions.
- She complains about the thumping of the music out in the street and people trying to talk above the noise.
- She gets headaches from her job and sometimes she wakes up with her ears buzzing, but she stays on the job because the money is good.
- She compares it to the equivalent of a jackhammer at 50 feet in the ground.
- She’s working twice the permitted time, which is 95 decibels for 4 hours.
- Loud and fast-tempo music encourages customers to drink and chew more quickly.
- She compares the noise levels in the New York City subway to a jet take-off.
- Some symptoms are having trouble hearing other people and hearing a constant noise in the ears.
- It can result from one-time exposure at above 120 decibels.
- She means it’s not likely to happen and that quiet is something that can’t be easily attained.
Audio Homework 2
Describe sounds that annoy you in your daily life.
Explain:
- What they are
- How often you hear them
- Why they bother you
