[ti:Hear vs. Listen]
[by:www.21voa.com]
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[00:02.04]Hi there! This week on Ask a Teacher,
[00:05.52]we will answer a question
[00:07.48]about the difference between "listen" and "hear."
[00:11.64]Hello,
[00:13.20]My name is Waleed.
[00:15.00]And I am from Egypt.
[00:17.64]I would like to ask about the difference
[00:20.08]between "hear" and "listen."
[00:23.48]Thanks in advance,
[00:25.12]Waleed
[00:26.76]Thanks for writing to us, Waleed.
[00:30.92]This is an excellent question.
[00:33.60]Both words have to do with sounds and our ears,
[00:38.08]but they do not mean the same thing.
[00:40.88]Let's look at each.
[00:43.92]"Hear" is a verb
[00:45.92]that can either take a direct object or not.
[00:49.44]It has several meanings.
[00:52.16]First, in its simplest form,
[00:54.76]the word means to receive sound through the ear.
[00:58.72]Every few hours I hear the whistle of the train.
[01:04.20]"Hear" can mean to get information
[01:06.96]or knowledge by hearing something.
[01:11.36]I hear that we need to clean out our offices soon!
[01:16.04]"Hear" also means to receive communication from someone.
[01:20.72]Nathan has not heard from his mother in a while.
[01:24.56]He needs to call her.
[01:27.32]"Hear" can share a meaning with the word "listen."
[01:31.08]To say you "hear" someone
[01:33.04]means that you listened to them with attention.
[01:36.48]I hear your side of the story,
[01:39.12]but I do not agree.
[01:42.28]Let's move on to "listen."
[01:44.48]Just like the last meaning we gave for "hear,"
[01:48.68]"listen" means to hear with attention
[01:51.44]and understanding.
[01:53.32]We often use the preposition "to" with it.
[01:57.52]It is difficult to listen to my teacher
[02:00.20]for a long time.
[02:04.08]"Listen" can mean paying attention
[02:06.40]to sounds or being alert enough
[02:09.32]to catch and understand sounds.
[02:12.12]Maria listens to a lot of different kinds of music.
[02:17.72]My cat listens for the sound of the can-opener
[02:21.72]to know when it is dinner time.
[02:25.44]And when speaking informally,
[02:27.80]"listen" can be a noun
[02:29.72]meaning the act of listening itself.
[02:33.72]Give this a listen!
[02:35.44]It's Carly Rae Jepsen's new song.
[02:39.40]The biggest difference between "hearing" something
[02:42.52]and "listening" to something
[02:44.80]is the amount of attention
[02:46.96]given to the process.
[02:49.32]"Hearing" is what we usually call a passive activity,
[02:53.88]sounds are coming into your ear,
[02:56.72]you receive them,
[02:58.32]but you are not necessarily paying attention to them.
[03:02.32]"Listening" suggests an active effort
[03:04.92]that requires attention.
[03:08.28]Please let us know if these explanations
[03:11.04]and examples have helped you, Waleed.
[03:14.52]Do you have a question about American English?
[03:18.04]Send us an email at learningenglish@voanews.com.
[03:24.56]And that's Ask a Teacher.
[03:27.08]I'm Faith Pirlo. 更多听力请访问21VOA.COM