Noise And Echo: Listening Task In Tamhidi Centre, USIM

One of the elements in Malaysian University English Test (MUET) is listening skill. Whilst preparing for the exam, USIM’s foundation students experienced noise disturbance (outside and inside noises) when listening task were carried out in tutorial classroom (removable board-like walls), then, they move to lecture halls (well-built cemented walls) for appropriate venue. Nevertheless, it is identified that students still struggle to focus because of other distraction which is echo. It is a concern because the exam will be held at Dewan Tuanku Canselor (DTC). Sound intensity of the listening material was measured using a digital sound meter, then, echo was calculated by Institute of Physics method. Echo was detected to be 37 ms-1 (lecture halls) in comparison to 8.67 ms-1 (DTC). From the situation, it was suggested to the university that in order to reduce echo, installment of removable carpets and soft boards at certain setting can assist students in answering their listening task. Further study should be done to determine the suitable action towards this matter since MUET is one of the pre-requisites for students to enroll and to graduate.