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Apple sued over hearing loss
蘋果被控有損聽力
Sunday, Apr 16, 2006,Page 14
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Three different iPods are displayed in California.
三款iPod產品在加州展示。 (照片：美聯社)
PHOTO: AP
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Facing a lawsuit charging that its iPod music player hurts users' hearing, Apple Computers has created software that limits the volume on its portable music players.
The new Apple software allows people to set "personal maximum-volume limits" on its latest series of iPod players. The software also lets parents set volume limits on their children's iPods.
"We want to offer customers an easy-to-use option to set their own personal volume limit," said Greg Joswiak of Apple.
The software release came a month after a customer filed a lawsuit in a US court against Apple, charging that iPods damage users' hearing.
Listening to an iPod at its maximum volume for just 28 seconds per day can cause hearing damage, the lawsuit said.
Apple iPods do not give enough warning about possible hearing damage, the lawsuit charged. It also said that the earphones sold with the iPods don't properly disperse the sound.
Scientists have warned that listening to loud music could damage one's hearing since portable music players were first invented in the 1980s.
Hearing specialists recommended that people listen to iPods or other MP3 players for no more than one hour a day at less than 60 percent of the maximum volume. (AFP)
面對iPod音樂播放器會影響使用者聽力的指控，蘋果電腦已設計出可限制旗下行動音樂播放器音量的軟體。
iPod最新系列產品的使用者可利用這套新軟體自行設定「個人最大音量限制」，父母也可用它來鎖定子女使用iPod的音量。
蘋果的葛瑞格．喬斯維克說：「我們想提供消費者一種簡便設定個人音量限制的方式。」
蘋果公司之所以推出這套軟體，是因為一個月前，一名消費者向美國法院提起訴訟，指控蘋果生產的iPod有損使用者聽力。
訴訟中指出，用最大音量聽iPod，一天只要二十八秒，就可能造成聽力受損。
這項訴訟指控，蘋果公司並未適當提醒使用者，iPod可能帶來聽力傷害。訴訟中還說，隨iPod販售的耳機，也沒有完全分散音量。
自一九八０年代隨身音樂播放器問世以來，科學家就提出警告，聆聽高分貝的音樂可能會損害聽力。
聽力專家建議，民眾在聽iPod或其他MP3播放器時，一天最好不要超過一小時，音量也最好低於最大音量的60%。 （法新社）
| Today's Words 今天單字 |
1. charge v.t.
指控 (zhi3 kong4)，控訴 (kong4 su4)
例： The police charged Stuart with committing a crime, but he denied it.
（警方指控史都華犯罪，但他矢口否認。）
2. series n.
系列 (xi4 lie4)
例：The car company will release its newest series of cars in the fall.
（那家汽車公司秋季將推出最新系列車款。）
3. file v.t.
提起訴訟 (ti2 qi3 su4 song4)；登記備案 (deng1 ji4 bei4 an4)
例：If someone robs you, file a report with the police.
（如果遭搶，要跟警方備案。）
4. disperse v.i./v.t.
分散 (fen1 san4)
例：My family members are dispersed all over Taiwan.
（我的家人分散在台灣各地。） |
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Reading Comprehension
閱讀測驗 |
1. What has Apple created to help people control the volume of their music?
a. A new kind of iPod.
b. New software.
c. New earphones.
2. What is the problem with the iPod earphones?
a. They aren't comfortable.
b. They are too expensive.
c. They concentrate the sound too much.
3. The lawsuit charged that iPods ...
a. don't give enough warning about hearing damage.
b. don't get loud enough.
c. have poor software.
4. You should not listen to your iPod for more than ...
a. one hour per day.
b. two hours per day.
c. three hours per day. |
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