Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in each blank with a proper word given in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. balance            B. communicate            C. contaminated            D. deprive                  E. disruptive F. dramatically       G. interrupt                 H. mate                       I. occupational            J. respectively K. vibrations

Noisy Earth

When we think of pollution, we usually think of harmful toxins in the environment. For example, air pollution is【小题1】air that can be dangerous to breathe. But there is another kind of pollution which can be just as harmful to living things as other types of pollution.

Noise pollution consists of loud sounds in the environment that are【小题2】. Just like other types of pollution, noise pollution is caused by humans and is mainly a problem in urbans. Car alarm sirens, construction work and the roar of engines are just a few examples of noise pollution.

Why should we be concerned about noise pollution? According to a World Health Organization report, noise can cause serious health problems. It may【小题3】people of sleep and causes heart disease and hearing loss. These problems are【小题4】hazards for people who work in noisy places. Musicians, mechanics, police officers, and airport workers all have to put up with noise pollution.

Physical health problems are just some of the effects of noise. Noise also affects learning ability and memory. Noise poses a threat to animals in nature as well, which can cause them to die from lack of food. For example, some types of birds cannot find food in areas that have bad noise pollution. Whales, for example, produce sounds in order to 【小题5】with each other. Noises in the ocean from ships and other human activities can【小题6】whale communication. The noises can also affect the ability of whales to find a【小题7】, which could reduce whale populations. In addition, researchers discovered that noise pollution can cause physical harm to those marine animals. They found several dead giant squids off the coast of Spain. In this respect, 【小题8】from the guns of naval ships in the area tore holes in the squids’ statocysts. Statocysts are organs behind the squids’ eyes that help them maintain【小题9】. Damage to the statocysts made it impossible for the squids to swim, eat, or reproduce, and they died.

Countries around the world recognize that noise pollution is a real problem. Many government agencies already control noise from trucks and buses. Noise barriers covered with plants along the highway【小题10】reduced noise for nearby apartment dwellers. With these health and safety regulations and increased awareness, we may be able to live in a quieter world.