Have you ever noticed how families on TV always find time to eat meals together? In reality, people today arethan ever before and getting the whole family together for an evening meal is often, as all members of the family have their own activities to get on with. For most of us, sitting down together at thetable is a thing of the past, but what effect does this have on family members and the relationships between them? One of the most importantof eating together as a family is that the family has a chance to communicatewith one another in a social environment. Many familiesthat the evening meal is the best time to discuss problems and share experiences. “Eating together makes us feel, and we often have our most useful conversations at these times,” says Jane Digby, mother of three. So, although organizing a family meal everyday can be a(n), it can benefit family relationships. In addition, family meals help to improve children’sskills. They learn how to talk, how to listen and how to show consideration for otherin the conversation. Furthermore, eating together givesa sense of security. Family psychotherapist (心理治疗专家) Sue Taylor believes that children who eat with theirare far more confident as well as much more faithful to their families than children who don’t. In spite of the many advantages of eating together, theof modern life make it almost impossible for many people to do so. However, Sue Taylor insists that we should try to makefor family meals. “Mealtimes are the most valuable time a family can spend together,” she says. “If you can’t eat together every day, why notand eat together three or four times a week? It really is worth the effort.”
试题分析：因为生活的快节奏，当代的人很难找到时间与家人坐在一起吃顿晚餐，然而实际上与家人在一起吃顿饭对自身及家人都有着很多好处，所以，即使做不到每天在一起吃饭，也要抽出时间一周一起吃三、四次饭。 【小题1】B形容词辨析。A smarter聪明的，时髦的，敏捷的； B busier忙碌的；C luckier幸运的；D.happier幸福的，高兴的。从下文as all members of the family have their own activities to get on with 可知今天人们比以前更加忙碌,故选A。 【小题2】C形容词辨析。A convenient方便的；B necessary必需的，必要的；C impossible不可能的；D important重要的。从上文people today are busier than ever today及下文as all members of the family have their own activities to get on with可知一家人坐在一起吃顿晚餐常常是不可能的，故选C。 【小题3】B名词辨析。A corner角落，转角；B dinner晚餐，正餐；C window窗户；D problems问题。此处指对于我们大多数人，一起坐在餐桌旁是过去的一件事情，短语the dinner table意思是“餐桌”，故选B。 【小题4】A名词辨析。A advantages优点，优势；B challenges挑战；C adventures冒险；D problems问题。根据本句后半句可知这儿是说一家人在一起吃饭的最重要优点之一，故选A。 【小题5】D副词辨析。A slowly缓慢地；B calmly安静地，平稳地，冷静地；C instantly 立即地，即刻地；D regularly定期地，有规则地，整齐地，正式地。根据句意应是一家人在一起吃饭的最重要优点之一是家人有机会置身于一种社会环境中定期地互相沟通交流，故选D。 【小题6】C动词辨析。A doubt 怀疑；B worry担心，担忧；C find 发现，找到；D hope希望。根据句意可知许多家庭发现晚餐时间是讨论问题、分享经历的最佳时光，故选C。 【小题7】B形容词辨析。A relaxed放松的，轻松的；B close亲密的，接近的，密切的；C special特殊的，独特的，专门的；D tired疲惫的。从上文得知，此处是说家人在一起吃饭的优点，根据常识可知，在一起吃饭使我们关系亲密，故选B。 【小题8】A名词辨析。A effort努力，尽力；B method方式，方法；C idea想法，主意，见解；D mistake错误。本句是让步状语从句，由主句it can benefit family relationships可知，尽管每天组织家人聚餐可能需要努力，但它能让家人之间的关系受益，故选A。 【小题9】A形容词辨析。A social 社会的，社交的；B professional职业的，专业的，专门的，本职的；C technical 技术的，专门的；D managerial经营者的，管理人的，经营的，管理的。从下文They learn how to talk, how to listen and how to show consideration for other 10 in the conversation.可知是提高孩子们的社交能力，故选A。 【小题10】D名词辨析。A topics 话题，题目；B audience 听众，观众，（陈述、意见等的听取；C teachers 教师；D participants参与者。根据句意考虑到会话中其他的参与者，即会话中的成员，故选D。 【小题11】D名词辨析。A elders 年长者，前辈，祖先；B customers顾客；C parents 父母；D children儿童，小孩。接上文家人在一起吃饭对孩子们的好处，故选D。 【小题12】C名词辨析。A friends朋友；B classmates同学；C families家庭，家人；D neighbors邻居。根据上文句意可知此处是说与家人一起吃饭，故选C。 【小题13】C名词辨析。A varieties多样性，种类；B comforts安慰，慰问，安逸，舒适；C demands要求，需要；D pleasures快乐，逸乐。根据句意“现代生活的要求使许多人几乎不可能做到与家人一起吃饭。”故选C。 【小题14】A名词辨析。A time时间；B money金钱；C food食物；D progress前进，进步，进展。make time for sth“为╱给…腾出时间，腾出时间做某事”。故选A。 【小题15】D动词辨析。A escape逃跑，逃脱，逃避；B ask询问，请求，邀请； C pray祈祷，恳求，祈求；D try努力，尝试。根据句意应是为什么不试着一周一起吃三、四次饭，故选D。