27. A method of adapting a caller adaptive telephonic voice response system capable of interacting via a telephone line with a caller by generating voice messages recognizable by the caller as audible speech spoken at a predetermined speaking rate and by detecting a response from said caller to said voice message within a variable response time interval, the method comprising: (a) generating over said telephone line a first voice message recognizable by said caller as audible speech spoken at an initial predetermined speaking rate; (b) detecting over said telephone line a response from said caller to said first voice message; (c) measuring as said variable response time interval a time interval indicative of the elapsed time between the end of said first voice message generated in step (a) and the detection of step (b); (d) generating over said telephone line at least one subsequent voice message recognizable by said caller as audible speech spoken at a subsequent predetermined speaking rate, said subsequent voice message being generated by said system subsequent to said first voice message; and (e) adjusting said initial predetermined speaking rate to said subsequent predetermined speaking rate in response to said variable response time interval measured in step (c) so as to adjust said subsequent predetermined speaking rate to a rate higher than said initial predetermined speaking rate if said variable response time interval is shorter in duration than a first predetermined amount of time.
28. A method according to claim 27 wherein said adjusting step further adjusts said subsequent predetermined speaking rate to a rate lower than said initial predetermined speaking rate if said variable response time interval is longer in duration than a second predetermined amount of time.