Sound

Question 1

Sound vs. Noise

Answer 1

A “sound” can be pleasant, neutral, or unpleasant - but “noise” is always either neutral or unpleasant.

Question 2

Lovely sound

Answer 2

I woke up to the lovely sound of my wife playing the piano.

Question 3

Soft sound

Answer 3

I could hear the soft sound of their voices in the other room.

Question 4

Horrible screeching sounds

Answer 4

The fighting cats made horrible screeching sounds.

Question 5

Background noise

Answer 5

I can’t hear you; there’s a lot of background noise. Could you call me back?

Question 6

Annoying buzzing noise

Answer 6

My car is making an annoying buzzing noise whenever I turn on the A/C.

Question 7

Deafening sound/noise

Answer 7

If a noise or sound is very strong, we can describe it as a loud sound/noise - and if it is really intense, then we can describe it as a deafening sound/noise.

Question 8

Faint or soft sound/noise

Answer 8

If we can barely hear the sound/noise, it is a faint or soft sound/noise.

Question 9

Muffled sound

Answer 9

When it seems that something is blocking the sound

Question 10

Constant/incessant noise

Answer 10

Noise that doesn’t stop is called constant/incessant noise.
You will hear constant/incessant noises if your house is close to the highway, for example - you’ll hear the roar of traffic day and night.

Question 11

Roar of traffic

Answer 11

If your house is close to the highway, you’ll hear the roar of traffic day and night.

Question 12

Hum of machinery

Answer 12

If you work in a factory, then you might hear the hum of machinery all day long.

Question 13

Music blaring

Answer 13

If you live next door to college students, you’ll probably hear music blaring as they party every night.

Question 14

Birds chirping

Dogs barking

Answer 14

Nature is full of noises such as birds chirping and dogs barking.

Question 15

Waves crashing

Answer 15

If you sit near the ocean, you can listen to the waves crashing.

Question 16

Rumble of thunder

Answer 16

If there’s a storm, you’ll hear the rumble of thunder - or be scared by a sudden thunderclap.

Question 17

Quiet vs. Silent

Answer 17

“Quiet” means that there is very little noise, whereas “silent” means there is no noise at all.

Question 18

Adjs for emphasizing the totality of the silence

Answer 18

Absolutely, completely, or perfectly silent

Question 19

Silence descended or fell

Answer 19

When it begins to be silent, you can say that silence descended or fell, and then when a noise interrupts the silence, it breaks or shatters the silence.

Question 20

Break or shatter silence

Answer 20

When it begins to be silent, you can say that silence descended or fell, and then when a noise interrupts the silence, it breaks or shatters the silence.

Question 21

Oddly/ strangely/ uncharacteristically quiet

Answer 21

The kids were oddly/ strangely/ uncharacteristically quiet (the fact that it is quiet is unusual, not normal).

Question 22

Awkward/ uncomfortable silence

Answer 22

His joke about sex was followed by an awkward/ uncomfortable silence.

Question 23

Stony/ sullen silence

Answer 23

After yelling at her brother, she lapsed into a stony/ sullen silence (the silence is due to anger).

Question 24

Shocked/ stunned silence

Answer 24

There was a shocked/ stunned silence after the president announced his resignation.

Question 25

Ominously/ eerily quiet

Answer 25

The city becomes ominously/ eerily quiet after midnight. (The quiet is frightening and possibly dangerous)

Question 26

Wind whistling

Answer 26

When you’re in a remote, deserted area, you might hear the wind whistling through the trees.