Question

After reading the article, answer the questions that follow.

Turning Off, Dining In

Last night at dinner, I suddenly realized that no one around our table had said anything for quite a while. I looked at my son, who had headphones on and whose face was aglow with the white-blue light of this phone on which he was watching a YouTube video. My daughter was also bathed in this same glow, but a tap-tap-tap was coming from her phone as she was texting a friend. My husband didn't have a phone but was reading The Economist. I almost announced to my family that is was right next to me. I tried the table, but I noticed that my own phone was right next to me. I tried the table, but I noticed that my own phone was right next to me. I tried to justify its presence to myself by reasoning that I thought my sister might call-she's been having a rough time at work. But the I realized that I do generally have my phone with me at dinner and I often use it to catch up on personal email.

I remember growing up and eating dinner with my mother and sister almost every night. There was a routine. Mom would cook, and my sister and I would take turns setting the table and cleaning up. This routine made sure that for at least an hour, we were all present in the same room with our hands occupied so that we were forced to acknowledge each other's existence, and maybe even talk. It wasn't always easy-adolescence is a stormy period-but at least we were present with each other.

I don't remember specific conversations that we had-nothing life changing most of the time-but generally we offered an account of how we had spent our time that day and what the schedule was likely to be tomorrow. It was also a time for negotiations about weekend plans, whether I could borrow the car, whether my sister could buy a designer shirt, and why that shirt was very necessary for her. Even though my parents split when I was young, I think these dinners helped us stay out of trouble, while other kids of divorced parents found it a bit too easy to evade the distracted attention of harried parents.

It seems to me that smartphones are slowly eroding connected quality time for families, and at no other time does this become more clear than at dinner time, which has traditionally been a time to reconnect and reinforce relationships through conversation.

I found that there's actually research backing up my views on this. According to a study printed in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, the mere presence of a cell phone can decrease the quality of one-on-one conversation. Researchers Andrew K. Przybylski and Netta Weinstein of University of Essex, UK demonstrated that interpersonal closeness and trust are less likely to form when a phone is present during a conversation about a meaningful topic. In addition, research subjects who conversed with a phone present reported that they felt their conversation partners had less empathy toward them (244).

Closeness, trust, and empathy are all important factors in family relationships. If a parent-child relationship lacks these characteristics, children are much more likely to operate independently of parents, often tot their disadvantage. But parents are also more likely to miss key moments in their children's lives, finding that they know more about a colleague's project than their child's recent soccer game.

In a different study, cell phones were also found to reduce "prosocial" behaviors and lead to dehumanization. University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business found that after using a cell phone-or even thinking about using their cell phone-or even thinking about using their cell phone-research participants were more likely to dehumanize strangers and were less charitable (Waytz and Epley 74). Although not often acknowledged, the relationship between parents and their children is prone to dehumanization and stereotyping: Children may think their parents are artifacts of a bygone era and don't "get" them, and parents may think that their children aren't mature enough to have real feelings or make important decisions for themselves. Is it possible that in an already-strained relationship, texting with friends or checking email while eating with your family might encourage more "us vs. them" thinking about family members?

So would putting down the smartphone at dinner ensure that families stay connected and children make it adulthood without too much turmoil? Those who have studied the question can't provide a definitive answer. Some recent research has shown that while families who eat dinner together do see healthier, happier children, this relationship is one of correlation rather than causation. Children fared best in families with strong relationships between parents and children, participation in shared activities, effective monitoring, and financial resources, whether or not these families ate dinner together. However, a family with all of these characteristics is more likely to choose to have dinner together on a routine basis (Musick and Meier 492).

But even if dinner together is not a cure-all for the modern turmoil of adolescence, it is shared activity, an opportunity to develop strong relationships, for parents to find out information about their children's lives that will help keep their kids out of trouble. And dinner is a good candidate for family quality time. The process of preparing, eating, ad cleaning up a meal makes it a good "togetherness" task. If the whole family so they should probably just agree to treat that time as family time. People have recently begun various techniques for detaching from the technology, including screen-free weekends (weekends where people spend time actually doing stuff rather than watching TV, viewing the internet, or messaging with friends), screen-free evenings, and even screen-free weeks or months. These are generally a hard sell for modern teens. But a screen-free dinner is a good compromise that may lead to stronger relationships.

Sample Analysis

Now that you have analyzed the article, take a look at an annotated version of the text that shows how one reader completed an analysis of the piece.

1. Last night at dinner, I suddenly realized that no one round our table had said anything for quite a while.

The author is telling the story in first-person point of view and using a person anecdote in order to make the setting more relatable for the audience.

2. This routine made sure that for at least an hour, we were all present in the same room with our hands occupied so that we were forced to acknowledge each other's existence, and maybe even talk.

This anecdote from the past contrasts directly with the paragraph above it, showing a clear difference between the present and the post,

3. It seem to me that smartphones are slowly eroding connected quality time for families, and it no other time does this become more clear than at dinner time, which has traditionally been a time to reconnect and reinforce relations hips through conversation.

The author is pulling back from the anecdotes to give a clear statement about her opinion-meaning that this is likely to be the main point she is trying to make.

4. According to a study printed in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships,

Although the author began with personal anecdotes to draw her audience in, she now offers hard scientific research in order to further support her argument;

5. But parents are also more likely to miss key moments in their children's lives, finding that they know more about a colleague's project than their child's recent soccer game.

By explaining how this affects parents, not just children, the author makes it clear to her likely audience (parents) why her argument matters to them.

6. research participants were more likely to dehumanize strangers and were less charitable (Waytz and Epley 74). Although not often acknowledged, the relationship between parents and their children is prone to dehumaruzation and stereotyping.

The author does not just cite a scientific study-she connects it back to her main point. Merely citing a research is not enough; the writer is also expected to explain how it supports her main point.

7. is it possible that in an aleady-strained relationship, texting with friends or checking email while eating with your family encourage more "us vs. them" thinking about family members?

This is a rhetorical question, meaning that the answer is implied in the question. The question wants her audience to think that yes, it is possible that texting and emailing can exaerbate an already-strained relationship.

8. Those who have studied the question can't provide a definitive answer.

By admitting that there is no absolute answer, the author is acknowledging that others may disagree with her point. However, this makes her more credible, because it gives her space to argue her point against possible opposition.

9. But even if dinner together is not a cure-all for the modern turmoil of adolescence; it is a shared activity, an opportunity to develop strong relationships, for parents to find out information about their children's lives that will help them is a good candidate for family quality time.

The author rebuts the lack of definitive answer mentioned above with her argument-that even though a direct link between putting electronics away during dinner and improvement of family dynamic can't be proven, it is stall a good idea.

questions to completely

1. What is the context of "Turning Off, Dining In"?

2. Summarize the author's purpose for writing the article in one sentence.

3. Look back and try to find the actual sentence (s) in which the author states her main point.

4. Identify one area in the text in which the author supports her main point with evidence.

5. How would you describe the author's style and tone?

not economics is english composition

Answer 1

1. The above article tries to summarize through personal as well as scientific evidences the harmful effects of smart phones on personal relationships and what people are doing to reduce the usage of smartphones in their lives.

2. The main purpose of author in writing this article is to make people aware how smartphones is impacting their personal lives and also impacting the personal development of their children.

3. The actual sentence where the author states her main point is - It seems to me that smartphones are slowly eroding connected quality time for families, and at no other time does this become more clear than at dinner time, which has traditionally been a time to reconnect and reinforce relationships through conversation.

4. The author supports he main point of evidence using the study- According to a study printed in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, the mere presence of a cell phone can decrease the quality of one-on-one conversation. Researchers Andrew K. Przybylski and Netta Weinstein of University of Essex, UK demonstrated that interpersonal closeness and trust are less likely to form when a phone is present during a conversation about a meaningful topic.

This shows the scientific evidence of the study.