The other day, my friend Nicky was reflecting on what kind of a job she haddone as a mother. Her three boys had completed their education without majormishaps, all were now holding down a job. Result! "Then I had dinner with them, "said Nicky, "and, oh my God, their table manners. It was like feeding time at thezoo. How did I forget to do table manners?"Nicky made me thinking about the state of dining etiquette at my home. TheDaughter has never quite mastered putting her knife and fork together at the end ofa meal. The Boy eats like Henry VIII, and I don't mean in an impressive, regalmanner. A sausage will be speared on a fork, then lifted up and gnawed from eitherend. Tom who, after 15 years of nagging, chiding and pleading, is almost acomplete stranger to the knife, despite many attempts to explain that it's the thingyou use to cut stuff up. My son will attempt to eat any foodstuff by fork — or hand— alone. Judging by his peer group, the knife is increasingly regarded as anoptional implement. A finger buffet used to be something you found at weddings;now all of life is one long finger buffet.Frankly, I blame myself. I managed to drum please and thank you into bothchildren but, instead of insisting that they ate meat, I fed them the new childhoodstaples: carrots, rice, pasta and sauce. Knives not required.Over Sunday lunch last week, I encouraged the Boy to swap the fork into hisleft hand, hold the knife in his right and push his peas onto the back of the fork. Nottoo much to ask, is it? He gave an existential snort as befits a teenager. "Why wouldI want to do that?" he inquired. "Because. Because table manners are... veryimportant, " I said helplessly.Are they? Of course, they are. Manners make the man. At least, that's what Iwas taught during a childhood when every meal was an ordeal. Elbows Off TheTable! Don't Speak With Your Mouth Full! Don't Hold Your Knife Like a Pen!Ask Before You Get Down From The Table! Don't Chew Noisily! Where's YourNapkin?And God help you if you didn't clear your plate. We were the children offrugal, wartime children and food was a serious business, not to be played with orwasted. Back then, there was no such thing as a fussy eater: you were shut in aroom with five brussels sprouts till you surrendered.Parents today lack both the stomach, and the time, for such a battle of wills.Carolyn, a primary teacher who works at one of London's leading prep schools, tells me that it's not uncommon for pupils to arrive unable to use cutlery. Partly, shethinks it's to do with being given constant finger food.I can, however, identify another possible culprit: the kitchen island. It's notunusual to find all members of a family, adults and kids, standing round the island, grazing on different types of food. They can't be bothered to sit down at the table; ifthey still have one, that is. According to recent research, six out of ten mealsconsumed in British homes are eaten in front of the TV. Fortunately, there are nostatistics for barbarians like mine who are quite happy to eat in bed.Is all this the end of civilization as we know it or just a changing familydynamic with more casual ways of eating? Will my darling son ever learn to put hispeas on the back of a fork and be acceptable in polite society, or is polite societynow rudely picking up fries with its fingers?I will always nag my kids about such things because they are an expression ofcivility, restraint and, yes, my mother was quite right: speaking with your mouthfull is not nice.12) How did Nicky feel about her children?1) They were not well-educated.2) They needed better jobs.3) They misbehaved in public.4) They were untidy at meals.13) The author compares her son to the King of England because of his...1) manner of speech.2) reaction to his peers.3) lack of table etiquette.4) judgments about food.14) What does the author blame herself for?1) She was bad at cooking meat.2) She was demanding about table manners.3) She overlooked dining etiquette.4) She made her children eat vegetables.15) What is NOT true about the author's childhood?1) She was picky about food.2) She was taught table manners.3) She followed social rules.4) She hated mealtimes.16) The expression "lack the stomach" in "Parents today lack both thestomach, and the time..." (paragraph 7) means to "lack the...1) will.2) ability.3) strength.4) health.17) What is the major reason of poor dining etiquette, in author's opinion?1) People consume more food.2) Children are not given knives.3) TV programs omit this topic.4) There are no strict mealtimes.18) What is the main idea of the article?1) Table manners are outdated in today's world.2) Modern people should learn dining etiquette.3) Healthy food is more important than being polite.4) People should accept new social norms.