Question

Ement of the progress bar may be uneven because questions can be worth more or less (including 2016)

Reading Passage
Based on paragraph 12 of the passage, what
conclusion can the reader make about the author?
Once It's Gone, It's Gone
by Julia Casey
She wishes she would have taken better care of
her hearing.
1 I'm a normal high school kid-that is, I like listening to music. Until about a year
ago, I always liked listening to it loud. Loud enough that it filled up my head and
pulsed through my body, so the boundary between me and the music disappeared.
I've listened to countless hours of music-vibrant music pouring into my ears from
She wants to warn others about the dangers of headphones, washing over me from car speakers, or blasting at me from gigantic
loud music.
speakers at concerts.
She wishes she could travel back in time.
She knows her hearing is as important as her
eyesight.
2 But there's something about me that makes me not so normal. I have a hearing
loss and a constant ringing in my ears that, unless some medical miracle happens,
I'll suffer from these impairments forever. My ear problems are so severe that I feel
I need to warn you: You have to protect your hearing as much as you can.
3 I'll tell you about my own experience, and I'll give you some scientific
information.
41 convinced my parents to get me a music device with headphones when I was
eleven. When I was fifteen, I started going to concerts at indoor arenas and large

Answer 1

The reader can conclude from paragraph 12 that the author regrets not taking better care of her hearing. The passage indicates that the author has a hearing loss and experiences a constant ringing in her ears due to prolonged exposure to loud music. The statement, "I always liked listening to it loud," suggests that the author engaged in behaviors that contributed to her hearing impairment. The regret is expressed in the line, "She wishes she would have taken better care of her hearing," indicating a retrospective realization about the importance of protecting one's hearing from potential damage caused by exposure to loud sounds, such as music through headphones or at concerts. The paragraph emphasizes the author's desire to warn others about the dangers of not safeguarding their hearing and highlights the lasting impact of hearing impairment.

Answer 2

The author of the passage, Julia Casey, regrets not protecting her hearing and aims to alert others to the hazards of loud music, which can cause irreversible hearing damage.

Based on paragraph 12 of the provided reading passage from Julia Casey's "Once It's Gone, It's Gone," the reader can conclude that the author regrets not taking better care of her hearing and now seeks to warn others about the dangers of loud music.

The author describes her personal experiences with hearing loss and tinnitus due to exposure to loud music through headphones, car speakers, and concerts.

Moreover, the author suggests that such damage to hearing is irreversible as the tiny hair cells in the cochlea, which are critical for our hearing ability, do not grow back once destroyed, leading to permanent hearing loss. Therefore, the author emphasizes the importance of protecting our hearing from loud sounds, likely by using earplugs or other protective measures.