Question 35·Medium·Command of Evidence
Approximate Rates of Speech and Information Conveyed for Five Languages
| Language | Rate of speech (syllables per second) | Rate of information conveyed (bits per second) |
|---|---|---|
| Serbian | 7.2 | 39.1 |
| Spanish | 7.7 | 42.0 |
| Vietnamese | 5.3 | 42.5 |
| Thai | 4.7 | 33.8 |
| Hungarian | 5.9 | 34.6 |
A group of researchers working in Europe, Asia, and Oceania conducted a study to determine how quickly different Eurasian languages are typically spoken (in syllables per second) and how much information they can effectively convey (in bits per second). They found that, although languages vary widely in the speed at which they are spoken, the amount of information languages can effectively convey tends to vary much less. Thus, they claim that two languages with very different spoken rates can nonetheless convey the same amount of information in a given amount of time.
Which choice best describes data from the table that support the researchers’ claim?
For data-support questions like this, first underline or mentally note the key idea in the claim (here: different speaking speeds but similar information rates). Then go straight to the table and look for a pair of entries that show exactly that pattern in the numbers, without worrying about the answer choices yet. Once you find the matching data, choose the option that most directly and accurately describes those specific values, and be careful not to pick answers that are true but do not actually address the claim being tested.
Hints
Restate the researchers’ claim in your own words
Focus on the sentence starting with "They found that, although languages vary widely in the speed at which they are spoken..." What kind of relationship between speed of speaking and information conveyed are the researchers describing?
Identify what to compare in the table
You need a pair of languages where one is spoken faster than the other (compare syllables per second), but they convey similar amounts of information per second (compare bits per second). Which pair looks like that?
Connect the data pattern to an answer choice
Once you find a pair of languages that fit the pattern (very different speech rates but similar information rates), look for the choice that describes that specific pair and that specific relationship.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the claim is saying
The researchers claim that two languages can have very different spoken rates (syllables per second) but still convey the same amount of information in a given time (similar bits per second).
So you need to find, in the table, a pair of languages where:
- Their rate of speech is quite different.
- Their rate of information conveyed is about the same.
Scan the table for a matching pattern
Look down the columns and compare languages:
- Check pairs where the syllables per second numbers are far apart.
- Then see if their bits per second numbers are close.
For example:
- One language has 7.7 syllables per second and 42.0 bits per second.
- Another has 5.3 syllables per second and 42.5 bits per second.
These speech rates (7.7 vs. 5.3) are quite different, but their information rates (42.0 vs. 42.5) are very close.
Match the data pattern to the answer choice
Now connect that data to the answer options:
- The language with 7.7 syllables per second and 42.0 bits per second is Spanish.
- The language with 5.3 syllables per second and 42.5 bits per second is Vietnamese.
Spanish is spoken faster than Vietnamese (7.7 vs. 5.3 syllables per second), but they convey information at almost the same rate (42.0 vs. 42.5 bits per second). The answer choice that describes this is:
Correct answer: B) Vietnamese conveys information at approximately the same rate as Spanish despite being spoken at a slower rate.