平均專注時間八秒
In spite of living in a world where technology allows constant digital communication, no one seems to really listen.
儘管我們活在一個即時通訊技術發達的世界，但似乎沒人真的在聽別人說話。
in spite of=despite儘管;雖然constant(adj.)頻繁的;連續不斷的digital(adj.)數位的digital cameradigital marketing
In fact, we feel lonelier and more isolated than ever.
實際上，我們比以前更感到寂寞且孤立。
lonely(adj.)寂寞的;孤單的isolated(adj.)孤立的;被隔離的
Kate Murphy, a Texas-based journalist, knows how we got here and shares it with us in her new book “You’re Not Listening.”
一位常駐德州的記者凱特·墨菲知道我們是怎麼落得如此下場的，她在新書《你都沒在聽》裡頭分享了她的看法。
-based(suff.)以~基礎;總部在;常駐在...journalist(n.)記者
Heavy users of social media increase their risk of depression by 27%: the more they use social media, the less happy they are.
沈迷於社交媒體的重度使用者罹患憂鬱症的風險比一般人高出2.7成：使用得越多越不快樂。
heavy user重度使用者increase(v.)增加;升高decrease(v.)減少;下降risk(n.)風險;(v.)冒險pose a risk to...=對~造成風險risk one’s life doing sth.=冒著生命危險做某事depression(n.)憂鬱症
“Our devices indulge our fear of intimacy by fooling us into thinking that we are socially connected even when we are achingly alone,” writes Murphy.
墨菲寫道：「電子設備讓我們放縱對親密感的恐懼並且愚弄我們，即使我們深感寂寞，手機讓我們誤以為自己有在進行社交。」
device(n.)設備;裝置electronic devicesindulge(v.)沈溺;放縱intimacy(n.)親密fool(v.)愚弄;欺騙connected(adj.)(關係上或物理上)有連接的
It is undeniable that our phones are eating into the time which we might have spent listening to our loved ones.
無可否認的是，手機佔據了我們原本可能用來傾聽的時間。
undeniable(adj.)無可否認的deny(v.)否認;反對eat into消耗;佔據might have P.P=第三類條件句;假設應該發生但沒發生的事
Over the past century, the average amount of time people spent on listening to one another has dropped by almost half.
在過去的一個世紀，人們平均花在傾聽上的時間就少了將近一半。
average(adj.)平均的drop(v.)減少;下降=reduce=go down
Another study showed that our average attention span is only eight seconds.
另一項研究顯示，我們的平均專注時長只有區區八秒鐘。
attention(n.)注意力;專注;注意draw (catch;get) attention to sth.吸引對~的注意draw attention from sth.轉移對~注意attention span專注時長
Murphy mentions that even her friend’s toddler knew what kept his parents from listening, and that explains why the child had repeatedly thrown her friend’s phones into the toilet.
墨菲提到就連她朋友的小孩都知道是什麼讓他的父母不能專心傾聽，這也解釋了為什麼那個小孩會不斷把她朋友的手機丟到廁所裡。
toddler(n.)剛學會走路的幼童keep (prevent) sb. from (doing) sth.讓某人不能做某事repeatedly(adv.)重複地;不斷地
“Nature has given men one tongue but two ears, that we may hear from others twice as much as we speak,” Murphy cites what the ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus said, suggesting just how important listening is to human survival.
墨菲引述古希臘哲學家愛比克泰德說過的話：「上天給了我們一張嘴與兩個耳朵，就是要我們多聽少說。」她表示傾聽之於人類生存有多麼重要。
cite(v.)引述;舉例ancient(adj.)年代久遠的;古老的philosopher(n.)哲學家philosophy(n.)哲學important(adj.)重要的;必需的survival(n.)生存
Perhaps this is the main reason why evolution gave humans eyelids, to close our eyes, rather than a similar structure to shut off our ears.
也許這是為什麼人類在進化中長出用來闔眼的眼皮，而不是長出類似的結構讓我們合上耳朵的主要原因。
perhaps=maybeevolution(n.)進化;演化rather than N or RV=而不是...structure(n.)結構