一邊看電視一邊玩手機，一邊背單詞一邊煎雞蛋，一邊聽課一邊看小說，以上種種大概很多人都經歷過。我們同時兼顧幾件事，而每件事得到的關注度都只有一部分。這種狀態在英語里就叫continuous partial attention。

Continuous partial attention(CPA) refers to a state in which most of one‘s attention is on a primary task, but where one is also monitoring several background tasks just in case something more important or interesting comes up.

Continuous partial attention(CPA)指的是這樣一種狀態：一個人大部分的注意力都集中在一個主要任務上，但同時還在關注著好幾個其他的任務，以防哪個領域突然冒出來一件重要或者有意思的事情，我們可以稱之為“持續部分關注”，也有人稱作“持續走神”。

Continuous partial attention is that state most of us enter when we're in front of a computer screen, or trying to check out at the grocery store with a cellphone pressed to an ear — or blogging the proceedings of a conference while it's underway. We're aware of several things at once, shifting our attention to whatever's most urgent — perhaps the chime of incoming e-mail, or the beep that indicates the cellphone is low on juice. We are now involved in a continuous flow of interactions in which you can only partially concentrate on each. (Source: Word Spy)

坐在電腦前，一邊在雜貨店結賬一邊打手機，或者開會時一邊聽著會一邊在博客上直播，這些都屬于“持續部分關注”的狀態。我們同時在關注著好幾件事情，不斷將注意力轉移到最需要關注的地方，可能是新郵件到達的提示音，也可能是手機電量不足的報警聲。我們要持續參與一系列互動行為，因而分到每件事上的注意力就只有一部分。

相關閱讀

你“第二屏幕”了嗎？

劇場的“微博專座”

聽過“微博欠轉抑郁癥”嗎？

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen）

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