A new study has found that playing video games can damage your hearing. The study says that gamers often play with the volume turned up really loud for a long time. This can hurt your ears and make it hard to hear properly. The study looked at 14 other studies with over 50,000 people. It says that we need to do more to tell people about the risks of playing games on their hearing. The World Health Organization says that adults shouldn't listen to sounds that are louder than 80 decibels for more than 40 hours a week. For kids, it's even lower. Some of the studies found that the sounds in shooting games were between 88.5 and 91.2 decibels. That's really loud! The study also found that boys play games more often and for longer than girls, and they play at higher volumes. Some studies found that playing games can cause hearing loss, while others found that it can cause a condition called tinnitus. The people who did the study say that we need to do more research to know for sure if playing games can hurt your hearing. They also say that we should look at things like e-sports, where people play games competitively, and where people live, and how old they are, and if they're a boy or a girl. The study says that playing games might be a common way that people hurt their hearing, so we need to teach people how to listen safely. The people who make video games say that we should use headphones at a safe volume, but they didn't say anything else about the study. To protect your hearing while playing games, it's a good idea to turn the volume down to about half, take breaks every hour, and use headphones that block out noise in loud places.
Original news source: Gamers at risk of irreversible hearing loss and tinnitus, study suggests (BBC)
π§ Listen:
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a different section of the article. In their groups, students should read their assigned section and summarize the main points in a short news summary. Afterward, each group can present their summary to the class.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Have students form pairs or small groups. Give each group a list of statements related to the article, such as "Playing video games is a common way people damage their hearing" or "Using headphones at a safe volume can protect your hearing while playing games." Students should discuss each statement and indicate whether they agree or disagree, and why. Afterward, each group can share their opinions with the class.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of vocabulary words from the article on the board, such as "decibels," "tinnitus," and "e-sports." Divide the class into two teams. One student from each team will come to the front of the class and have one minute to draw a picture representing one of the vocabulary words. The team members must guess the word based on the drawing. The team with the most correct guesses wins.
– Headline Creation
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, have students create catchy headlines for the article. The headlines should capture the main idea or a key point from the article. Afterward, each group can share their headlines with the class and discuss why they chose them.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into two groups. One group will brainstorm the pros of playing video games, while the other group will brainstorm the cons. Each group should come up with at least three points for their side. Afterward, have a class discussion where students present their points and discuss the overall benefits and drawbacks of playing video games.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
A new study has found that playing video games can damage your hearing. The study says that gamers often play with the volume turned up really loud for a long time. This can hurt your ears and make it hard to hear properly. The study at 14 other studies with over 50,000 . It says that we need to do more to tell people about the risks of playing games on their hearing. The Health says that shouldn't listen to sounds that are louder than 80 decibels for more than 40 a week. For kids, it's even lower. Some of the studies found that the sounds in shooting were between 88.5 and 91.2 decibels. That's really loud! The study also found that boys play games more often and for longer than girls, and they play at higher volumes. Some studies found that games can cause hearing loss, while found that it can cause a condition tinnitus. The people who did the say that we need to do more to know for sure if playing games can hurt your hearing. They also say that we should look at things like e-sports, where people play games competitively, and where people live, and how old they are, and if they're a boy or a girl. The study says that playing games might be a common way that people hurt their hearing, so we need to teach people how to listen safely. The people who make video games say that we should use headphones at a safe volume, but they didn't say anything else about the study. To protect your hearing while playing games, it's a good idea to turn the volume down to about half, take breaks every hour, and use headphones that block out noise in loud places.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. Do you like playing video games? Why or why not?
2. How often do you play video games?
3. Have you ever played video games with the volume turned up really loud? How did it make you feel?
4. Do you think playing video games can damage your hearing? Why or why not?
5. What is tinnitus? Have you ever experienced it?
6. How would you feel if you couldn't hear properly because of playing video games?
7. Do you think it's important to educate people about the risks of playing games on their hearing? Why or why not?
8. What are some ways we can listen to video games safely?
9. Have you ever used headphones while playing video games? Did it make a difference in the volume?
10. How do you think e-sports might affect a person's hearing?
11. Do you think boys play video games more often and for longer than girls? Why or why not?
12. How do you protect your hearing in loud places?
13. Have you ever taken breaks while playing video games? How often do you take breaks?
14. What do you think the video game industry can do to promote safe listening practices?
15. How would you feel if you couldn't play video games anymore because of hearing damage?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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