Meaning: This sentence means that the students were paying close attention to what the teacher was saying.
Choice of Words: The word "listened" means to pay attention to what someone is saying. The word "attentively" means to pay close attention.
Alternative Expressions
The students listened quietly to the answers.
Meaning: This means that the children in the class were paying very close attention to the information that was being given to them, and they were not making any noise.
Choice of Words:Quietly means without making any noise. All the other words are the same as in the first example.
The students eagerly listened to the answers.
Meaning: This means that the children in the class were very interested in the information that was being given to them, and they were paying very close attention.
Choice of Words:Eagerly means to be very interested in something. All the other words are the same as in the first example.