Part II – READING COMPREHENSION (B)

Read the following passage carefully and answer in ENGLISH. (25 points)

קראו את הקטע שלפניכם וענו על השאלות שאחריו באנגלית. اقرأ القطعة التي أمامك، وأجب عن الأسئلة التي تليها.

Too Much Noise

I Modern cities are very noisy. Noise is not only unpleasant – it is also harmful. Noise above 75 decibels* can cause people stress, sleep problems, and heart disease. In cities, harmful noise comes mainly from transportation. Noise from road traffic, including cars, buses, and trucks, reaches 85 decibels and affects 92 million Europeans. Another kind of transportation noise comes from trains. 5 This noise affects 18 million Europeans and can reach 75 decibels. Airplanes are noisy, too. They can produce 130 decibels and affect 2.6 million people in Europe.

*decibels דציבלים – יחידה למדידת עוצמת רעש - ديسيبل – وحدة لقياس شدة الضوضاء/ الصوت وحدة لقياس شدة

II Asia has some very noisy cities. Moradabad, India, and Islamabad, Pakistan are two of the noisiest cities in the world today, but they are not as noisy as Dhaka in Bangladesh. In the past, Chinese cities such as Shanghai were also very noisy, but the situation has improved. For many years, big 10 construction projects were a major source of noise in China’s cities. However, many of these construction projects ended in 2020 and noise levels dropped. In addition, in 2024 China installed 32 million square meters of special roads that reduce noise. China was able to make cities quieter. Maybe other countries can do the same.

Adapted from: https://www.iberdrola.com/sustainability/what-is-noise-pollution-causes-effects-solutions

Answer the following questions in English. (25 points) ענו על השאלות הבאות באנגלית. أجب عن الأسئلة التالية بالإنجليزية .