Page 127 - English Vocabulary In Use upper intermediet and advance

Sound and light

General words to describe sound

I could hear the sound of voiceslmusic coming from the next room. [neutral]
Our neighbours had a party last night. The noise went on till 3 a.m. [loud, unpleasant
sounds]
I tried hard to hear what she was saying above the din of the traffic. [very loud,
irritating noise]
The children are making a terrible racket upstairs. Could you go and tell them to be
quiet? [very loud, unbearable noise, often of human activity]
Racket and din are quite informal words. Noise can be countable or uncountable. When it
means sounds of short duration, it is countable, when it means a lot of continual or
continuous sounds, it is uncountable.
Their lawnmower makes a lot of noise, doesn't it? [uncountable]
I heard some strange noises in the night. [countable]

Sound words and things that typically make them

The words can be used as nouns or verbs
I could hear the rain pattering on the roof. We heard the patter of a little child's feet.

verblnoun example of what makes the sound
bang a door closing in the wind, someone bursting a balloon
rustle opening a paperlplastic bag, dry leaves underfoot
thud a heavy object falling on to a carpeted floor
crash a big, solid, heavy object falling on to a hard floor
clang a big bell ringing, a hollow metal object being struck
clatter a metal pan falling on to a concrete floor
hiss gaslsteam escaping through a small hole
rumble distant noise of thunder, noise of traffic far away
roar noise of heavy traffic, noise of a huge waterfall

Darkness
Some adjectives for dark conditions. (For adjectives describing brightness, see Unit 64.)
These brown walls are a bit gloomy. We should paint them white.
This torch gives a dim light. I think it needs new batteries.
It was a sombre room, with dark, heavy curtains. [serious, imposing]

Types of light
The sun shines and gives out rays of light.
A torch gives out a beam of light.
A camera gives a flash of light.
Stars twinkle.
A candle-flame flickers in the breeze.
White-hot coal on a fire glows.
A diamond necklace sparkles.
A gold object glitters.

English Vocabulary in Use