English Expressions for Actions and States Related to Ears

Her ears perked up as she heard the sound of footsteps approaching.
He cupped his hand around his ear, trying to catch the faint whisper.
The deafening music pounded in her ears, making it hard to concentrate.
With a twitch of her ear, the cat turned its attention to the sound of a bird chirping outside.
The old man strained his ears, hoping to catch a snippet of the conversation happening across the room.
The baby giggled and covered her ears as the fireworks exploded in the sky.
He leaned in closer, his ear pressed against the door, trying to eavesdrop on the conversation inside.
She winced in pain as her ear was pierced with the needle during the piercing process.
He absentmindedly twirled a lock of hair around his finger, while his other hand rested behind his ear.
Tears streamed down her face as she listened to the heartbreaking news, her hands covering her ears in disbelief.