Objective To study the use of the international speech test signal(ISTS) on acceptable noise level (ANL)test in Mandarin adults.Methods The Mandarin test materials and ISTS were used as test materials.The ANL test was performed on 40 normal hearing adults.For each case,the most comfortable loudness(MCL)and background noise level(BNL)were obtained.MCL minus BNL equal to ANL.Results The values of ANL under the Mandarin test materials and ISTS test materials were 39.31±6.97 and 41.85±7.60 dB HL,respectively.The values of BNL were 37.59±8.45 and 39.27±8.66 dB HL,respectively.The values of ANL were 1.53±5.61 and 2.45±5.58 dB,respectively in 40 normal hearing adults.There was no significant difference in the MCL,BNL and ANL between the test materials of Mandarin and ISTS (P> 0.05).Conclusion International speech test signal (ISTS) can be used on ANL test in Mandarin adults with normal hearing.