Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 44 to 50

It is often held that technology in general does little to help family relationships as, in many cases, family members are more interested in their smartphones and the TV than they are in each other. Before smartphones, the TV was blamed the most for breakdowns in communication between parents and children. It was argued that 'the box' stopped them from talking to each other, and clashes between family members over what programmes to watch created barriers and caused resentment.

However, TV programmes can be both informative and entertaining. They often provide topics for family members to discuss, bringing them closer together rather than driving them further apart. What is more, twenty-first century families do not need to watch the same programme at the same time. The fact that people can watch what they want results in more time for families to be together rather than less.

The smartphone has taken over from the TV as the major reason for a lack of communication between family members. Parents often do not see why their children spend so much time online and fail to see the importance of having an online identity while most teens feel their online image is part of who they are. They often criticise the amount of time their children spend online rather than attempting to understand why they do it. In fact, adults are often not very good examples themselves. Who has not witnessed a table at a restaurant where all the family members are silently focused on their mobile devices?

Broadly speaking, smartphones do have some negative effects on family relationships. This technology is still relatively new, so many families have not yet learned how to deal with it. Parents and children should discuss how they use technology to help them all make the most of technology instead of blaming it for their problems.

(Adapted from High Note)