听力文摘：模仿语速

Matching Tempos²

模仿语速

Research shows that people change the speed at which they speak to more closely match speech they have just heard. They don’t imitate each other exactly, but they get sort of pulled in one direction or another, depending on whether a person speaks slowly or quickly.

研究表明，人会变化语速，接近所听到的语速。这并非刻意地模仿，但是，受说话者或快或慢语速的影响。

Scientists say that while it makes sense that musicians adapt their tempos, being that they are trained to do so, it’s not clear why speakers do it. After all, we don’t have to speak at the same tempo¹ in order to understand each other.

科学家说，音乐人的语速会调节得和训练时一样，虽然原因尚不清楚。事实上，我们说话时，并不需要一样的语速来听懂谈话。

What’s more is that when asked to repeat a sentence they heard from a recording³, the subjects in this research inserted pauses in the same places where the recording they heard inserted pauses. They did this without being directed to mimictempo or pauses.

另外，受测者在听过一段录音，再重复录音时，会在和录音相同的地方停顿。虽然，研究人员并未要求受测者刻意模仿语速和停顿。

In order to better understand these findings and to test them out in real interactions, scientists intend to study unscripted, casual conversation.

科学家还会研究日常生活对话，证实现实对话是否也存在模仿语速，加深对调查结果的理解。

1 tempo   

n.(音乐的)速度；节奏，行进速度

参考例句：

• The boss is unsatisfied with the tardy tempo.老板不满于这种缓慢的进度。
• They waltz to the tempo of the music.他们跟着音乐的节奏跳华尔兹舞。

2 tempos   

乐曲的速度或拍子( tempo的名词复数 )； （运动或活动的）速度，进度

参考例句：

• The tempos of income refer to real tempo, The price factor is taken out. 收入发展速度为扣除物价因素后的实际发展速度。
• Contrasting tempos and the restraining influence of synchronism serve to produce effects of scattering and tightening. 不尽相同的曲调形成调式、速度上的对比，它们由“合头”拉扯着，形成分散、聚合的效果。

3 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。