Singing Alarms Could Save the Blind

銆€銆€If you cannot see, you may not be able to find your way out of a burning building-and that could be fatal. A company in Leeds could change all that__1__ directional sound alarms capable of guiding you to the exit.

銆€銆€Sound Alert, a company__2__ the University of Leeds, is installing the alarms in a residential home for__3__ people in Sommerset and a resource centre for the blind in Cumbria.__4__produce a wide range of frequencies that enable the brain to determine the __5__ is coming from.

銆€銆€Deborah Withington of Sound Alert says that the alarms use most of the frequencies that can be __6__ by humans. "It is a burst of white noise__7__ people say sounds like static on the radio," he says. "Its life-saving potential is great"

銆€銆€She conducted an experiment in which people were filmed by thermal-imaging cameras trying to find their way out of a large__8__ room. It__9__ them nearly our minutes to find the door__10__ a sound alarm, but only 15 seconds with one.

銆€銆€Withington studies how the brain__11__ sounds at the university. She says that the __12__ of a wide band of frequencies can be pinpointed more easily than the source of a narrow band. Alarms__13__ on the same concept have already been installed on emergency vehicles.

銆€銆€The alarms will also include rising or falling frequencies to indicate whether people should go up__14__ down stairs. They were__15__ with the aid of a large grant from British Nuclear Fuels.

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銆€銆€3. A) slow B)deaf C)blind D)lame

銆€銆€4. A) Alarms B) Alarm C) The alarm D) The alarms

銆€銆€5. A) noise B) sound C) music D) bell

銆€銆€6. A) watched B) produced C) learnt D) heard

銆€銆€7. A) where B) what C) that D) how

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銆€銆€9. A) has taken B) takes C) took D) will take

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銆€銆€11. A) processes B) produces C) possesses D) proceeds

銆€銆€12. A) feature B) quality C)diagram D) source

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銆€銆€15. A) developed B) determined C) discovered D) delivered

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