Final answer:
Slowing down in measures 16 and 17 to prepare the listener for the end of a piece is a common interpretive technique called 'ritardando' or 'rallentando', making the statement True.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks whether it is true or false that slowing down in measures 16 and 17 would appropriately prepare the listener for the end of a piece of music. In musical performance, changes in tempo can indeed signal transitions and help in conveying the mood or structure of a piece. It's a common interpretive technique to slow down as one approaches the end of a composition for dramatic effect, allowing the listener to anticipate the conclusion. This is known as a 'ritardando' or 'rallentando', and while not applicable to every piece of music, it is a widely accepted practice in many compositions. So the statement is True, assuming that the context and style of the music imply that a slowdown would be musically appropriate at that point.