The aim of this study was to evaluate traffic noise level and noise annoyance in Beijing and the impact of the noise on quality of life of the residents. A cross-sectional study had been carried out in a 12-floor college dormitory near 4th Ring Road in Beijing. The north-side rooms of the building were noisy with windows facing the road. Both indoor and outdoor noise was measured. A sample of 1293 college students living in the dormitory were questioned about their response of road traffic

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... annoyance using both a five-item verbal scale and a 0-11 numerical scale. The results showed that average outdoor day-night noise level (L dn ) in the noisy rooms was 79.2 dB(A), and 64.0 dB(A) in the quiet rooms. Nearly 39 % respondents living in the noisy rooms indicated that they were highly annoyed by traffic noise according to the response on the verbal scale, and 50 % respondents living in the noisy rooms were highly annoyed according to the numerical scale.