Some people who play video games might hurt their ears because they play with the sound very loud. A group of smart people looked at many studies and learned that this is true. They say that when you play games for a long time and the sound is too loud, it can be bad for your ears. These smart people want everyone to know that this can be a problem, just like with loud music and headphones. They say we should be careful and not play games with the sound too loud.

The World Health Organization says that loud sounds can be okay for a little time, but not for too long. If the sound is very, very loud, you should not hear it for more than a little while. Kids should be even more careful with loud sounds. The smart people found that the sound in some games is louder than what is safe. They say we need to learn more, but it’s important to keep our ears safe by not playing games too loudly, taking breaks, and using special headphones that help keep out other loud sounds.

Original news source: Gamers at risk of irreversible hearing loss and tinnitus, study suggests (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

Fast

📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a list of actions or activities related to video games (e.g. playing, shooting, jumping). One person from each group will act out a word or phrase from the list without speaking, while the others in the group try to guess what it is. The group that guesses correctly gets a point. Play several rounds, switching the actor each time.

– News Summary
Instructions: Read the article aloud to the class. Then, ask the students to work in pairs and summarize the main points of the article in their own words. After a few minutes, have some pairs share their summaries with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Ask each group to discuss their opinion on the topic of loud sounds in video games and whether or not they think it is a problem. Give them a few minutes to talk and then have each group share their opinions with the class. Encourage students to explain their reasons for their opinions.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article on small pieces of paper, fold them, and put them in a box or bowl. Divide the class into two teams. One student from each team will come up and pick a word from the box without showing it to their teammates. They will then have one minute to draw pictures to represent the word, while their team tries to guess what word it is. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. Play several rounds, alternating players.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Ask each group to make a list of the pros and cons of playing video games with loud sound. After a few minutes, have each group share their lists with the class. Encourage students to provide reasons and examples for each point they make.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What can happen to your ears if you play video games with the sound very loud?
2. What did the smart people learn after looking at many studies?
3. What are some things that can be bad for your ears, just like playing games with loud sound?
4. What does the World Health Organization say about loud sounds?
5. Who needs to be even more careful with loud sounds?
6. What did the smart people find about the sound in some games?
7. How can we keep our ears safe while playing video games?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Some people who play video games might hurt their (1)______ because they play with the sound very (2)______. A group of smart people looked at many studies and learned that this is true. They say that when you play games for a long time and the sound is too loud, it can be bad for your ears. These smart people want everyone to know that this can be a (3)______, just like with loud music and headphones. They say we should be (4)______ and not play games with the sound too loud.

The World Health Organization says that loud sounds can be (5)______ for a (6)______ time, but not for too long. If the sound is very, very loud, you should not hear it for more than a little while. Kids should be even more careful with loud sounds. The smart people found that the sound in some games is louder than what is safe. They say we need to learn (7)______, but it’s important to keep our ears safe by not playing games too loudly, taking breaks, and using (8)______ headphones that help keep out other loud sounds.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a video game?
2. How would you feel if you played a game with the sound very loud?
3. Do you like playing video games? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important to be careful with loud sounds? Why or why not?
5. What is the World Health Organization?
6. How long should you listen to very, very loud sounds?
7. Why should kids be even more careful with loud sounds?
8. What did the smart people find about the sound in some games?
9. Do you think it’s important to keep our ears safe? Why or why not?
10. What can we do to keep our ears safe while playing games?
11. What are special headphones?
12. How do special headphones help keep out other loud sounds?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. video games
2. studies
3. smart
4. problem
5. headphones
6. careful
7. loud
8. breaks
9. special
10. safe

Meanings:
(A) When you are not in danger and nothing will hurt you
(B) When you try not to do something that could be bad or hurt you
(C) When someone knows a lot of things
(D) Times when you stop doing something for a little while to rest
(E) Something that is not like everything else because it has something extra or different
(F) A noise that is very strong and can make your ears hurt
(G) Something that is not good and can make you sad or hurt
(H) Things you put on your ears to listen to music or sounds
(I) Games you play on a TV or computer
(J) Times when people try to learn new things by looking and testing
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why might some people hurt their ears when playing video games?
(a) Because they play with the sound very quiet
(b) Because they play with the sound off
(c) Because they play without headphones
(d) Because they play with the sound very loud

2. What did a group of smart people learn about playing games with loud sound?
(a) It can be good for your ears
(b) It can be bad for your ears
(c) It doesn’t affect your ears
(d) It can make your ears stronger

3. What did the World Health Organization say about loud sounds?
(a) They are always okay, no matter how loud
(b) They are never okay, even for a little time
(c) They are only okay for adults, not for kids
(d) They can be okay for a little time, but not for too long

4. Who needs to be even more careful with loud sounds?
(a) Kids
(b) Adults
(c) Teenagers
(d) Elderly people

5. What did the smart people find about the sound in some games?
(a) It is quieter than what is safe
(b) It is the same as what is safe
(c) It is louder than what is safe
(d) It doesn’t affect your ears

6. What should we do to keep our ears safe when playing games?
(a) Play games as loud as possible, never take breaks, and use regular headphones
(b) Not play games too loudly, take breaks, and use special headphones
(c) Play games with the sound off, take breaks, and use regular headphones
(d) Not play games at all, never take breaks, and use regular headphones

7. What can help keep out other loud sounds when playing games?
(a) Regular headphones
(b) No headphones
(c) Special headphones
(d) Playing games with the sound off

8. What is the main message of the article?
(a) We should be careful and not play games with the sound too loud
(b) We should play games with the sound as loud as possible
(c) We should never play games
(d) We should always wear headphones when playing games

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. These smart people want everyone to know that playing games with loud sound can be a problem, just like with loud music and headphones.
2. Kids should not be careful with loud sounds.
3. It’s important to keep our ears safe by not playing games too loudly, taking breaks, and using special headphones that help keep out other loud sounds.
4. Some people who play video games make their ears hurt because they play with the sound very softly.
5. The smart people found that the sound in some games is quieter than what is safe.
6. If the sound is very, very loud, you should not hear it for more than a little while.
7. The World Health Organization says that loud sounds can be okay for a long time.
8. Smart people looked at many studies and found out that playing games with loud sound can be bad for your ears.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. Why might some people hurt their ears when they play video games?
2. What did the smart people learn from looking at many studies?
3. What can happen to your ears if you play games for a long time with the sound too loud?
4. What does the World Health Organization say about loud sounds?
5. How can we keep our ears safe when playing video games?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What can happen to your ears if you play video games with the sound very loud?
Your ears can get hurt or damaged.

2. What did the smart people learn after looking at many studies?
They learned that playing games with loud sound can be bad for your ears.

3. What are some things that can be bad for your ears, just like playing games with loud sound?
Loud music and headphones can also be bad for your ears.

4. What does the World Health Organization say about loud sounds?
They say loud sounds are okay for a little time, but not for too long.

5. Who needs to be even more careful with loud sounds?
Kids need to be even more careful with loud sounds.

6. What did the smart people find about the sound in some games?
They found that the sound in some games is louder than what is safe.

7. How can we keep our ears safe while playing video games?
We can keep our ears safe by not playing games too loudly, taking breaks, and using special headphones that help keep out other loud sounds.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) ears
(2) loud
(3) problem
(4) careful
(5) okay
(6) little
(7) more
(8) special
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. video games
Answer: (I) Games you play on a TV or computer

2. studies
Answer: (J) Times when people try to learn new things by looking and testing

3. smart
Answer: (C) When someone knows a lot of things

4. problem
Answer: (G) Something that is not good and can make you sad or hurt

5. headphones
Answer: (H) Things you put on your ears to listen to music or sounds

6. careful
Answer: (B) When you try not to do something that could be bad or hurt you

7. loud
Answer: (F) A noise that is very strong and can make your ears hurt

8. breaks
Answer: (D) Times when you stop doing something for a little while to rest

9. special
Answer: (E) Something that is not like everything else because it has something extra or different

10. safe
Answer: (A) When you are not in danger and nothing will hurt you
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why might some people hurt their ears when playing video games?
Answer: (d) Because they play with the sound very loud

2. What did a group of smart people learn about playing games with loud sound?
Answer: (b) It can be bad for your ears

3. What did the World Health Organization say about loud sounds?
Answer: (d) They can be okay for a little time, but not for too long

4. Who needs to be even more careful with loud sounds?
Answer: (a) Kids

5. What did the smart people find about the sound in some games?
Answer: (c) It is louder than what is safe

6. What should we do to keep our ears safe when playing games?
Answer: (b) Not play games too loudly, take breaks, and use special headphones

7. What can help keep out other loud sounds when playing games?
Answer: (c) Special headphones

8. What is the main message of the article?
Answer: (a) We should be careful and not play games with the sound too loud
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. These smart people want everyone to know that playing games with loud sound can be a problem, just like with loud music and headphones. (Answer: True)
2. Kids should not be careful with loud sounds. (Answer: False)
3. It’s important to keep our ears safe by not playing games too loudly, taking breaks, and using special headphones that help keep out other loud sounds. (Answer: True)
4. Some people who play video games make their ears hurt because they play with the sound very softly. (Answer: False)
5. The smart people found that the sound in some games is quieter than what is safe. (Answer: False)
6. If the sound is very, very loud, you should not hear it for more than a little while. (Answer: True)
7. The World Health Organization says that loud sounds can be okay for a long time. (Answer: False)
8. Smart people looked at many studies and found out that playing games with loud sound can be bad for your ears. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧