Ezra, a construction worker, visits a doctor and explains that he is unable to hear well. Upon examination, Ezra is told that his hearing ability has been slightly reduced due to the nature of his work, which exposes him to high levels of noise on a daily basis. The doctor assures Ezra that his reduced hearing can be fixed with the use of a hearing aid. In this scenario, Ezra's condition can be referred to as a$($n$)\_\_\_\_\_.$