Final answer:
Eric's reluctance to listen to George about Reeper's letter in 'George's Secret Key to the Universe' may be due to being preoccupied, distrustful of the letter's contents, or influenced by emotion or past experiences.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Chapter 24 of George's Secret Key to the Universe, Eric does not want to listen to George about Reeper's letter because of several potential reasons that are not explicitly stated but can be inferred from the text.
One possibility is that Eric may be preoccupied with his own thoughts or concerns, making him unreceptive to what George has to say.
Alternatively, Eric might have an assumption or a lack of trust regarding the contents of the letter or its significance, leading him to dismiss George's attempt to communicate about it.
It's also plausible that Eric's emotional state or past experiences with similar situations are causing him to be hesitant or resistant to hearing about the letter.