Table 1. Description of passages (CT and FN are the number of content words and function words, respectively. WPM is word per minute.)

Passage Word count Dur (sec) WPM #Sentences Genre (Topic)
CT FN
1 118 38 186 12 Conversation (Performance review)
56 (47%) 62 (53%)
2 122 39 191 16 Conversation (Piano repair)
58 (48%) 64 (52%)
3 103 29 162 9 Telephone message (Missing paycheck)
51 (50%) 52 (50%)
4 90 28 142 10 Telephone message (Pharmacy prescription)
50 (56%) 40 (44%)
Total 433 134 171 (Mean) 47
215 (50%) 218 (50%)