Elaine Finazzo, age 12, of Staten Island, N.Y.,for her question:

Do frogs have ears?

The shell like ears on the sides of your head merely capture and guide the sound waves. The real hearing job is done by the middle and inner ears, buried inside the skull. Frogs do not have outer ears attached to their heads, but they certainly    have inner ears buried in their skulls. The openings to these sensitive hearing organs are covered with thin layers of skin. So, when a frog croaks a love song, his lady love can hear every note. And, when you walk toward the pond, the frog chorus becomes suddenly silent  because their inner ears hear your footsteps.