Listen or hear: which word to choose?

Hearing

does not require any effort on our part, it is enough that we have a good hearing for the sounds and the voices to reach us.

We don't even have to strain our ears to hear baby's whims, the roar of motorcycles or the horns of supporters, they are imposed on us.

But since it is better to hear that than to be deaf, we dare not complain.

Because you can also enjoy the songs of birds in the forest and the cries of seagulls at Cape Fréhel.

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When we

, we are active.

We pay attention to whoever wants to talk to us, and we accept their remarks.

Otherwise, he will leave disappointed: “

"

Sometimes we should refrain from listening

The worried parent listens if baby cries, the good student (an endangered species) listens to his Latin teacher. And if the teacher knows how to be listened to, he will have academic qualifications. The doctor's first gesture, he does with his stethoscope: he listens to the patient's heartbeat. But if the latter listens too much, it means that he is hypochondriac. The doctor will answer him: "

"

Verlaine (He cries in my heart) likes to listen to the "

". But sometimes one should refrain from listening: the songs of the sirens (Homer.

) were bewitching, and the sailors who listened to them died. Ulysses escaped him narrowly, because he knew how to resist them. We just listen at the doors, it's not pretty pretty. But we have an excuse: the walls have ears. Animals also have ears, it was Louis (Raymond Devos,

) who told me: "

Hello! ”Hello!

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