English Online with Speak Method

500 Words Extra Practice: the Long E Sound

These reading passages have many words with Long E from the 500 words list. Use these to practice English pronunciation of Long E sounds.

Seeing, Hearing and Feeling

   The ability to see varies with age. As children learn to read, many lose the freedom to see clearly without glasses. Many people cannot see even a few feet down a street. The capacity to see well both near and far is almost an oddity. Most people can see at some point in between. It is easier to see near than far or far than near. Laser surgery can correct eyesight these days. Over the years, we will see if everyone is happy with this surgery. Maybe reading off machines will make eyesight even worse. Or, machines could make reading more healthy.

   Hearing can become difficult as people age. We forget how much we hear every day. We hear the appearance of cars behind us. We hear leaves in the wind and the long green grasses in fields. It can be hard to keep the capacity to hear because of how noisy society can be. Many coffee shops and restaurants play noisy music. Two times each year, we hear fireworks for the big events: July 4th and New Year's. 

   Though we lose our abilities to see and hear as we age, it is interesting that we often gain emotional and physical feeling. Many elderly people are very sensitive to touch. Many people easily cry from old memories. Some people cry so easily, they cannot keep the emotion from others, even if they want to. The deep feelings come too quickly. Elderly people can teach us a lot about emotion. We see how keenly they feel memories about meaness or happiness. The many years of life bring experiences that leave them with mixed feelings.