Вопрос школьника
Read and translate the sentences. Mind the difference between hear and listen (to).
Mr Jackson doesn’t hear anything. It’s too noisy.
Why don’t you listen to me? It’s very important to know about it.
Ответ от учителя
The sentences highlight the difference between the verbs «hear» and «listen (to)». «Hear» refers to the ability to perceive sound, while «listen (to)» refers to the act of paying attention to and processing what is being said.
In the first sentence, «Mr Jackson doesn’t hear anything», it means that Mr Jackson is unable to perceive any sound due to the noise level being too high. This implies that his hearing ability is not the issue, but rather the external factors affecting his ability to hear.
In the second sentence, «Why don’t you listen to me? It’s very important to know about it», it means that the speaker is urging the listener to pay attention and process the information being conveyed. This implies that the listener has the ability to hear, but may not be actively engaging in the act of listening.
In summary, while «hear» refers to the physical ability to perceive sound, «listen (to)» refers to the active engagement in processing and understanding what is being said.
