A Proposal to My Family: Phone-Free Dinners

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1. 01A Proposal: Phone-Free Dinners

   Good evening, everyone. Yes, I know this is our living room, not a conference hall, but I have a proposal for our family, and I've prepared slides. I'd like us to try phone-free dinners.

   大家晚上好。是的，我知道这是我们家的客厅，不是会议厅，但我有一个给我们家的提议，而且我还准备了幻灯片。我希望我们试试吃晚饭时不用手机。

2. 02What I've Noticed

   Here's what I've noticed lately. At most dinners, at least one of us is looking at a phone. Our meals have become shorter and quieter, and we rarely hear about each other's day.

   这是我最近注意到的情况。大多数晚饭时，我们中至少有一个人在看手机。我们吃饭的时间变短了，也变安静了，很少听到彼此聊这一天过得怎么样。

3. 03The Proposal

   My proposal is simple. Before dinner, we put our phones in a basket in the kitchen. They stay there until everyone has finished eating. To keep it realistic, it's only on weekdays.

   我的提议很简单。吃晚饭前，我们把手机放进厨房的一个篮子里。手机一直放在那里，直到所有人都吃完。为了切实可行，只在工作日这样做。

4. 04Why It's Worth Trying

   I believe it's worth trying for three reasons. We'd have real conversations, we'd actually taste the food that took time to cook, and we'd all get a short break from our screens.

   我认为这值得一试，原因有三个。我们会有真正的交谈，我们会真正品尝那些花时间做出来的饭菜，而且我们都能从屏幕前短暂地休息一下。

5. 05"But What If It's Urgent?"

   I can already hear the first objection: what if something urgent happens? That's a fair concern. The basket is only a few steps away, so if a phone rings for something important, of course we can answer it.

   我已经能听到第一个反对意见了：要是有急事怎么办？这个担心很合理。篮子就在几步之外，所以如果手机因为重要的事响了，我们当然可以接。

6. 06"Won't It Feel Awkward?"

   Another worry is that dinner might feel awkward at first. To help, I've made a small box of question cards, like "What was the best part of your day?" We can pick one if the table gets too quiet.

   另一个担心是，一开始吃饭可能会有点尴尬。为此，我做了一小盒问题卡片，比如“你今天最开心的是什么？”如果饭桌上太安静了，我们可以抽一张。

7. 07A Fair Trial

   I'm not asking for a forever rule. Let's try it for two weeks, and then vote as a family. If most of us don't like it, we'll stop. That seems fair, doesn't it?

   我不是要定一个永远的规矩。我们先试两个星期，然后全家投票。如果大多数人不喜欢，我们就停下来。这样很公平，对吧？

8. 08Conclusion

   To sum up, all I'm asking for is one basket and two weeks. Our phones will still be there after dinner, but these family dinners won't last forever. Thank you, and let's eat.

   总结一下，我只要求一个篮子和两个星期。吃完饭后手机还在那儿，但这样的家庭晚餐不会永远都有。谢谢大家，我们开饭吧。