Bells ringing around the necks of dairy cows eating grass lazily on a green field may sound peaceful, but if you live next door, it can be noisy.
Two residents( 住 户 )who recently moved to the small village of Aarwangen in the Swiss Alps, which has a population of just 4, 700 people, complained about the ringing of cowbells. They asked for the cows’ bells to be removed at night so they can sleep.
Long-term residents and the village’s remaining farmers were angry. They felt it was an attack on their traditional culture. Cowbells have been used in rural Switzerland for centuries. They were once useful for tracking herds( 牧 群 )in the Alps in summer. Older farmers say they could hear each individual cow by the sound of its own bell. Another resident, Mr Andreas Baumann, said cowbells were an important part of the Swiss soul. Referring to the sound of cowbells, he said, “As soon as I hear them, I know I’m back home.”
The noise level of these cowbells is usually between 90 and 113 decibels(分贝) —which is equal to the noise from an alarm clock, hairdryer or some power tools. In modern times, however. many farmers have changed to using electronic chips instead of bells.
This year’s argument is not the first time residents have complained about cowbells. In 2015, a Zurich court( 法 庭 )ordered a farmer to remove the bells from his 27 cows from 10 pm to am since they were safe in a farm and always keeping the neighbors awake.
Next month, Aarwangen’s villagers will gather for a public meeting to vote on the future of their bells. They will decide how the sound of the bells can continue without breaking noise pollution laws.
【小题1】Why did the new residents complain about the ringing of cowbells?| A．It affected their rest at night. | B．It was an attack on culture. |
| C．It was not attractive. | D．It couldn't be heard clearly. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Worried. | C．Doubtful. | D．Supportive. |
| A．How to make laws. | B．How to keep the bells. |
| C．When to vote on the bells. | D．Whether to remove noise pollution laws. |
| A．An introduction to cowbells. | B．An argument about pollution. |
| C．Cowbells: a trouble or a tradition. | D．Farmers: for or against raising cows. |
