How Do Ears Hear Sound? | A2 ESL Science Reading Passage

Use this A2-B1 ESL science reading passage to learn how ears hear sound. It includes key vocabulary, reading comprehension questions, and answers for English learners.

The ears catch sound waves and send signals to the brain.

Reading Level

A2-B1

Word Count

204 words

Reading Passage

Sound is all around us. We hear voices, music, footsteps, rain, and birds. But sound does not enter the brain directly. The ears and brain work together.

Sound travels through the air as sound waves. These waves move outward from a sound source, like ripples moving across water.

The outer ear catches sound waves. Its shape helps guide the waves into the ear canal. The ear canal is a small tunnel that leads deeper into the ear.

At the end of the ear canal is the eardrum. When sound waves reach the eardrum, it moves back and forth very quickly. This movement is called vibration.

Inside the ear, tiny parts pass the vibration along. The vibration reaches the inner ear. The inner ear changes the vibration into signals.

These signals travel along a nerve to the brain. The brain reads the signals and understands them as sound. This is how you know if you hear a bell, a dog, or a friend's voice.

The ears can hear soft sounds and loud sounds. Very loud sounds can hurt the ears, so it is important to protect them.

Hearing happens very fast. Sound waves move, the eardrum vibrates, signals travel, and the brain understands the sound.

Sound waves travel into the ear, make the eardrum vibrate, and become signals for the brain.

Key Vocabulary

Word	Meaning	Example
sound wave	a moving pattern of energy that carries sound	Sound waves travel through the air.
outer ear	the outside part of the ear	The outer ear catches sound.
ear canal	a small tunnel inside the ear	Sound moves through the ear canal.
eardrum	a thin part of the ear that vibrates	The eardrum moves when sound reaches it.
vibration	a quick back-and-forth movement	Sound can make a vibration.

Reading Comprehension Questions

1. How does sound travel through the air?
2. What does the outer ear do?
3. What happens when sound waves reach the eardrum?
4. What does the inner ear change vibrations into?
5. Why should we protect our ears from very loud sounds?

Answers

1. Sound travels as sound waves.
2. The outer ear catches sound waves and guides them into the ear canal.
3. The eardrum vibrates.
4. The inner ear changes vibrations into signals.
5. Very loud sounds can hurt the ears.

Short Summary

Ears hear sound by catching sound waves and turning vibrations into signals. The brain reads those signals and understands sound.

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