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The Importance of Sound
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Hearing can soothe and comfort.
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The snapping of logs in the fireplace,
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the gossipy whisper of a broom,
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the inquisitive wheeze of a drawer opening —
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all are savored sounds that make us feel at home.
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In a well-loved home,
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every chair produced a different,
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recognizable creak,
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every window a different click, groan or squeak.
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The kitchen by itself is a source of many pleasing sounds.
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Every place, every event has a sound dimension.
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The sense of hearing can perhaps be restored to modern man
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if he better understands its worth and how it works.
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Most people would be surprised to discover
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how far the sense can be pushed by cultivation.
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At a friend’s house recently,
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my wife opened her purse and some coins spilled out,
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one after another, onto the floor.
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“Three quarters, two dimes,
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a nickel and three pennies,”
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said our host as he came in from the next room.
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And as an afterthought:
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“One of the quarters is silver.”
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He was right, down to the last penny.
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“How did you do it?” we asked.
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“Try it yourself.” he said.
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We did, and with a little practice we found it easy.
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Curiously, evidence indicates that people need sound.
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When we are lost in thought,
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we involuntarily drum with our fingers or tap with a pencil —
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a reminder that we are still surrounded
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by a world outside ourselves.
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Just cutting down reflected sound can produce some odd results.
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The nearest thing on earth to the silence of outer space,
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for example, is the “anechoic chamber”
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at the Bell Telephone Laboratories in Burray Hills, N.J.,
38which is lined with material
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that absorbs 99.98% of all reflected sound.
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Men who have remained in the room for more than an hour report
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that they feel nervous and out of touch with reality.