Nancy and the Noise Wall

Nancy went to visit her Grandma each summer. Mom and Dad had come to visit, too. Nancy lived far away in Kansas. Her Grandma lived in a big old house in New York.


Nancy loved seeing Grandma. She liked to bake with her. She liked to play cards with her, too. This summer, though, Grandma did not seem as happy. She seemed stressed or worried a lot. Sometimes she seemed annoyed.


"What's wrong with Grandma?" Nancy asked her mom.


"The noise pollution is getting to her," Mom said.


"Do you mean the noise from all those cars?" Nancy asked.


"Yes," Mom said. "When Grandma moved here many years ago, there wasn't such a big road here. Now they made it very big so people can get to work in the city. The big trucks deliver food all over, too, by using this road. They make so much noise. The noise pollution really gets to Grandma."


"I know what water pollution and air pollution are. I learned about them in school. What is noise pollution?" Nancy asked.


"Pollution is something bad for you," Mom said. "With noise pollution, certain sounds affect someone's health. The person might become annoyed or stressed out. Grandma's blood pressure goes up. She also has trouble sleeping with all the traffic in the morning. Grandma's hearing has been hurt by all the noise, too."


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