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[B+] Everyday Sounds

LET'S UNLOCK WORDS AND PHRASES 🔐

prelude

[ 'pree-lood ]

noun

- something that comes before a more important event or action and introduces or prepares for it; introduction

The dinner was only a prelude to a much larger meeting.

disruptive

[ dis-'ruhp-tiv ]

adjective

- causing trouble and therefore stopping something from continuing as usual

A few disruptive students can easily ruin a class.

hinge

[ hinj ]

noun

- a folding device, usually made of metal, that is attached to a door, gate, or lid on one side, allowing it to open and close

Eventually both of the door's plastic hinge stubs broke, and it fell off!

reverberate

[ ri-'vur-buh-reyt ]

verb

- (of sound) to continue to be heard; to echo repeatedly:

The loud music reverberated off the walls.

send shivers down one's spine

idiom

- to make someone feel very thrilled, frightened, etc.

Hearing that song still sends shivers up my spine.

LET'S UNDERSTAND! 📚

A. eerie silence

  • strange in a frightening and mysterious way.

EERIE SILENCE

Dialogue

Melly_Happy Icon

Melly

Today seems unusually silent and dark.

Icon_Cindy

Cindy

I think there's an incoming hurricane. You know that the prelude to a hurricane is an eerie silence as the sky turns black.

Melly_Happy Icon

Melly

We should keep an eye out for any weather warnings and stay safe.

B. muffled sound

  • quiet or not clear:

MUFFLED SOUND

Dialogue

Icon_Sally

Sally

Do you hear that muffled sounds coming from upstairs?

Icon_Cindy

Cindy

Yeah, it sounds like someone's playing loud music or having a party.

Icon_Sally

Sally

We should go up and ask them to keep it down. It's getting quite disruptive.

C. dull thud

  • a dull sound, such as that which a heavy object makes when it hits something soft.

DULL THUD

Dialogue

Icon_Alex

Alex

Hey, did you just hear that dull thud?

John_Happy Icon

John

Yeah, it sounded like something heavy fell or got knocked over. I think it might have come from the attic or one of the rooms up there.

Icon_Alex

Alex

You're right. Mom is cleaning the attic today, so I'll go check if she needs any help or if something fell that needs to be fixed.

D. grating noise

  • harsh and unpleasant

GRATING NOICE

Dialogue

Icon_Alex

Alex

What's that noise?

Icon_Michael

Michael

Oh, that's just the big old iron door. It always makes a grating noise when it's being opened.

Icon_Alex

Alex

It's quite annoying. We should oil the hinges to reduce the sound.

E. deafening noise

  • a very loud noise.

DEAFENING NOICE

Dialogue

Icon_Sally

Sally

How are you coping with the construction noise in your building?

Icon_Angry(Woman)

Melly

It's been tough. The drilling and banging create a deafening noise all day long.

Icon_Sally

Sally

Have you complained to the management about it? They should address the issue to ensure some peace and quiet for everyone.

F. rumble of thunder

  • A loud rumbling or crashing noise heard after a lightning flash.

SCARED DOG

Dialogue

Icon_Anna Happy

Anna

Poor dog, he got scared by the rumble of thunder and hid under the sofa.

Icon_Cindy

Cindy

Thunderstorms can be really frightening for pets.

Icon_Anna Happy

Anna

I'll try to comfort him and create a cozy spot where he can feel protected during storms.

LET'S PRACTICE! 📝

Part I

Direction: Choose the appropriate idioms to complete each of the sentences.

eerie silence muffled sound
dull thud grating noise
deafening noise rumble of thunder
  1. The concert was so loud that it created a that reverberated through the entire venue.

  2. The was accompanied by flashes of lightning, creating a dramatic atmosphere during the stormy night.

  3. The old car's brakes produced a whenever it came to a sudden stop, indicating a need for maintenance.

  4. As the power outage hit, the whole neighborhood was engulfed in an , with no buzzing of electronic devices or humming of appliances.

  5. The storm clouds darkened the sky, and soon the could be heard in the distance, warning of an approaching storm.

  6. The of the rain tapping on the window provided a soothing background for my reading.

Part II

Direction: Listen as your mentor reads the statements twice. Then, repeat after your mentor.

  1. 🔊

  2. 🔊

  3. 🔊

Part III

Direction: Paraphrase the following sentences. Make sure to paraphrase the underlined idiomatic expressions.

  1. The concert was accompanied by a deafening noise of cheering fans and amplified music.

    .

  2. The dull thud of footsteps echoed through the hallway, signaling someone's approach.

    .