Audiology Exam #2 ACTUAL UPDATED
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
What are the axes labels on an audiogram? - CORRECT ANSWER - Frequency in Hz
(across top)
Intensity in dB HL (along side)
What are the numeric divisions of degrees of severity in adults? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Normal = 0 -25 dB HL
(Slight = 16 -25 dB HL)
Mild = 26 - 40 dB HL
Moderate = 41 - 55 dB HL
Moderately Severe = 56 - 70 dB HL
Severe = 71 - 90 db HL
Profound = 91+ db HL
What is hearing sensitivity? - CORRECT ANSWER - A person's ability to detect sounds/
how softly you can hear sounds (volume control)
What is hearing acuity? - CORRECT ANSWER - A person's ability to understand what is
being said/sometimes can detect, but don't know what it means (clarity)
What is the speech banana? - CORRECT ANSWER - - the area in which the majority of
speech sounds falls on an audiogram
- gives reference point
- aka Long Term Average Speech Spectrum (LTASS)
What makes conductive hearing loss? - CORRECT ANSWER - - other voices seem
softer/yours seems louder
- AC thresholds = >25 dB HL
,- BC thresholds = normal limits
- ABG > 10 dB
What makes sensorineural hearing loss? - CORRECT ANSWER - - affecting inner ear or
auditory nerve
- AC thresholds = > 25 dB HL
- BC thresholds = within 10 dB of AC thresholds
- ABG < 10 dB
What makes mixed hearing loss? - CORRECT ANSWER - - combination of conductive
and SNHL
- affects outer/middle ear and inner ear/auditory nerve
- AC thresholds = >25 dB HL
- BC thresholds = >25 dB HL
- ABG = BC thresholds 15+ dB higher than AC
What is the audiogram symbol for the right ear (color, unmasked, masked, AC, BC)? -
CORRECT ANSWER - color = red
unmasked AC = O
unmasked BC = <
masked AC = Δ
masked BC = [
What is the audiogram symbol for the left ear (color, unmasked, masked, AC, BC)? - CORRECT
ANSWER - color = blue
unmasked AC = X
unmasked BC = >
masked AC = □
masked BC =]
, What is the audiogram symbol for forehead BC? - CORRECT ANSWER - BC = ^ or v
(not ear specific)
What is the audiogram symbol for Soundfield? - CORRECT ANSWER -S
What does no response look like for AC and BC? - CORRECT ANSWER - R = symbol +
arrow to left
L = symbol + arrow to right
What is the difference between not testing and no response? - CORRECT ANSWER --
No response is when the audiologist is testing a frequency and reaches the maximum limits of
the audiometer for that frequency for that presentation mode (AC or BC), and yet the patient still
cannot respond that they hear the tone. There will be some sort of symbol on the audiogram or in
a data table for every frequency and mode that an audiologist tested.
- When a frequency was not tested, you will not see any mark on the audiogram. Occasionally in
a data table you may see "DNT" (Did Not Test) if it is unusual for the data to be missing.
Otherwise you just don't test it, and you don't mark anything and you have no information about
that frequency/mode.
Should thresholds be connected? - CORRECT ANSWER - - AC is always connected
(unless no response)
- BC is not required to be connected, but if it is, use dotted or dashed lines
What is non-organic hearing loss? - CORRECT ANSWER - - patient is showing hearing
loss in test with no reason for loss
What is malingering hearing loss? - CORRECT ANSWER - - patient is faking hearing loss
for monetary gain
- ex. VA benefits, worker's comp
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
What are the axes labels on an audiogram? - CORRECT ANSWER - Frequency in Hz
(across top)
Intensity in dB HL (along side)
What are the numeric divisions of degrees of severity in adults? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Normal = 0 -25 dB HL
(Slight = 16 -25 dB HL)
Mild = 26 - 40 dB HL
Moderate = 41 - 55 dB HL
Moderately Severe = 56 - 70 dB HL
Severe = 71 - 90 db HL
Profound = 91+ db HL
What is hearing sensitivity? - CORRECT ANSWER - A person's ability to detect sounds/
how softly you can hear sounds (volume control)
What is hearing acuity? - CORRECT ANSWER - A person's ability to understand what is
being said/sometimes can detect, but don't know what it means (clarity)
What is the speech banana? - CORRECT ANSWER - - the area in which the majority of
speech sounds falls on an audiogram
- gives reference point
- aka Long Term Average Speech Spectrum (LTASS)
What makes conductive hearing loss? - CORRECT ANSWER - - other voices seem
softer/yours seems louder
- AC thresholds = >25 dB HL
,- BC thresholds = normal limits
- ABG > 10 dB
What makes sensorineural hearing loss? - CORRECT ANSWER - - affecting inner ear or
auditory nerve
- AC thresholds = > 25 dB HL
- BC thresholds = within 10 dB of AC thresholds
- ABG < 10 dB
What makes mixed hearing loss? - CORRECT ANSWER - - combination of conductive
and SNHL
- affects outer/middle ear and inner ear/auditory nerve
- AC thresholds = >25 dB HL
- BC thresholds = >25 dB HL
- ABG = BC thresholds 15+ dB higher than AC
What is the audiogram symbol for the right ear (color, unmasked, masked, AC, BC)? -
CORRECT ANSWER - color = red
unmasked AC = O
unmasked BC = <
masked AC = Δ
masked BC = [
What is the audiogram symbol for the left ear (color, unmasked, masked, AC, BC)? - CORRECT
ANSWER - color = blue
unmasked AC = X
unmasked BC = >
masked AC = □
masked BC =]
, What is the audiogram symbol for forehead BC? - CORRECT ANSWER - BC = ^ or v
(not ear specific)
What is the audiogram symbol for Soundfield? - CORRECT ANSWER -S
What does no response look like for AC and BC? - CORRECT ANSWER - R = symbol +
arrow to left
L = symbol + arrow to right
What is the difference between not testing and no response? - CORRECT ANSWER --
No response is when the audiologist is testing a frequency and reaches the maximum limits of
the audiometer for that frequency for that presentation mode (AC or BC), and yet the patient still
cannot respond that they hear the tone. There will be some sort of symbol on the audiogram or in
a data table for every frequency and mode that an audiologist tested.
- When a frequency was not tested, you will not see any mark on the audiogram. Occasionally in
a data table you may see "DNT" (Did Not Test) if it is unusual for the data to be missing.
Otherwise you just don't test it, and you don't mark anything and you have no information about
that frequency/mode.
Should thresholds be connected? - CORRECT ANSWER - - AC is always connected
(unless no response)
- BC is not required to be connected, but if it is, use dotted or dashed lines
What is non-organic hearing loss? - CORRECT ANSWER - - patient is showing hearing
loss in test with no reason for loss
What is malingering hearing loss? - CORRECT ANSWER - - patient is faking hearing loss
for monetary gain
- ex. VA benefits, worker's comp
