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Masking: Pure and Simple

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1.  When should the clinician mask AC thresholds?
  1. When AC threshold of NTE exceeds BC threshold of NTE by 40dB or more at that frequency
  2. When AC threshold of TE exceeds BC threshold of NTE by 40 dB or more at that frequency
  3. When AC threshold of TE exceeds BC threshold of TE by 40 dB or more at that frequency
  4. When AC threshold of NTE exceeds BC threshold of TE by 40dB or more at that frequency
2.  When should the clinician mask BC thresholds?
  1. When BC thresholds of the TE is more than 10dB better than the AC threshold of the TE at that frequency
  2. When BC thresholds of the NTE is more than 10dB better than the AC threshold of the NTE at that frequency
  3. When BC thresholds of the TE is more than 10dB better than the AC threshold of the NTE at that frequency
  4. When BC thresholds of the NTE is more than 10dB better than the AC threshold of the TE at that frequency
3.  Which of the following best describes overmasking?
  1. True thresholds not obtained in the TE, because the signal is still crossing over to the NTE
  2. True thresholds are obtained in the TE, because there is just enough noise to mask out the signal in the NTE
  3. True thresholds not obtained in the TE, because noise in the NTE is crossing over to the TE
  4. True thresholds not obtained in the TE, because noise in the TE is crossing over to the NTE
4.  Average occlusion effect (OE) values may vary in the literature and from patient to patient. Values cited in this course (per Roeser & Clark, 2007) are the following for 250, 500 and 1KHz, respectively:
  1. 10 dB, 5 dB, and 0 dB
  2. 13 dB, 7 dB, and 3 dB
  3. 18 dB, 14 dB, and 11 dB
  4. 21 dB, 18 dB, and 7 dB
5.  How is the occlusion effect used in the masking process?
  1. It is used to calculate how much noise will be presented to the NTE during BC testing
  2. It is used to calculate how much noise will be presented to the NTE during AC testing
  3. It is used to determine significant air-bone gaps and determine if masking is even necessary
  4. It is used to determine what level to deliver instructions to the patient
6.  What type of noise should be used for most efficient masking during pure-tone testing?
  1. White noise
  2. Pink noise
  3. Narrow band noise
  4. Speech noise
7.  Although formulae for determining how much noise to deliver to the NTE may vary, they all begin with which of the following as a base?
  1. BC threshold of the TE
  2. BC threshold of the NTE
  3. AC threshold of the TE
  4. AC threshold of the NTE
8.  In the plateau method, the "plateau" refers to:
  1. Raising the level of the tone (many use 15 dB) while keeping the noise level constant
  2. Raising the level of the tone by 5 dB every time you raise the level of the noise by 5dB
  3. Raising the level of the noise (many use 15 dB) while keeping the tone level constant
  4. Presenting a constant tone and gradually raising noise until the patient no longer hears the tone
9.  Which of the following is not among typical or expected outcomes following masking for BC testing?
  1. The original BC threshold (unmasked) could be found to be the true threshold after masking
  2. The masked BC threshold could drop to be superimposed with the AC threshold
  3. The masked BC threshold could be poorer than the unmasked, but not as poor as the AC threshold; that is, there still could be a significant air-bone gap
  4. The masked BC threshold could drop to be much poorer than AC thresholds and actually reach the AC limits of the audiometer
10.  Which are the proper masked symbols?
  1. Triangle for masked AC right, square for masked AC left, [ for masked BC right, and ] for masked BC left
  2. Square for masked AC right, triangle for masked AC left, ] for masked BC right, and [ for masked BC left
  3. Circle for masked AC right, triangle for masked AC left, [ for masked BC right, and ] for masked BC left
  4. Triangle for masked AC right, circle for masked AC left, [ for masked BC right, and ] for masked BC left

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