Rhythm in English speech is based on stress. rhythm unit节奏单位)is formed by stressed syllable, together with unstressed syllables which may come before the stress and after it.The unstressed syllables before the stress are said very quickly, so they are very short, as short as you can make them; but the stressed syllable is as long as before, so there is great difference of length between the unstressed syllables and the stressed one, e.g