Communication in family conflicts 家庭矛盾中的沟通

李全忠

沟通是处理家庭矛盾的重要因素。未解决的分歧会给父母和孩子带来压力，导致日常互动困难、争吵频率增加。虽然没有办法完全避免家庭矛盾，但如能传达清晰的口头和非口头信息并积极倾听，我们就有可能减轻家庭矛盾的影响并使其处于控制之中。

1 Communication is an important factor in managing family conflict. Unresolved disagreements can result in stress for both parents and children， difficulty in everyday interactions， and increased frequency of arguments. While there is no way to completely avoid family conflict， being able to send clear verbal and nonverbal messages and engage in active listening can help lessen the impact and keep it under control.

2 Family conflict can occur between parents and children， between siblings， or between spouses （配偶）. How family members approach a conflict can mean the difference between positive or negative effects on the family unit. Productive conflict can help a family become closer and assist members in moving through their problems. However， in its destructive form， it can be detrimental to any relationship.

3 Healthy communication—which includes listening， being positive， respecting the opinions and feelings of others， and staying calm—can help family members be more receptive to each other during a conflict. Open and honest communication can aid in problem solving and can help family members acknowledge any underlying issues involved in conflict. It can also increase the likelihood that the original cause of a conflict will not lead to future problems on the same subject.

4 When family members adopt unhealthy styles of interaction or have difficulty relating to each other altogether， disagreements can become more intense. Examples include exhibiting extreme emotions， changing the subject， making excuses， blaming others， and being rude. According to Leanne Knobloch， an expert in interpersonal communication and conflict resolution， having the same argu?ments over and over as a result of unresolved， ongoing conflict can cause harmful effects on personal well⁃being and the health of relationships.

5 Once family members learn what skills work during conflict， they can use them in future disagreements. It is important to pay attention to the verbal and nonverbal cues of everyone involved in an interaction. Other suggestions include being open to conflicting views， welcoming compromises （和解） and avoiding negativity during and after the conflict.

[Reading][Check]

Choose the best answers according to the text

Vocabulary    1. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “detrimental” in para⁃graph 2？

A. Cautious.    B. Sensitive.    C. Harmful.     D. Supportive.

Gist 2. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about？

A. Different types of conflict.

B. Unhealthy communication styles.

C. How communication helps.

D. What brings healthy communication.

Detail    3. Which of the following statements will Leanne Knobloch agree with？

A. One should stay calm before conflict.

B. Language skills work little in conflict.

C. Men should give in to women in conflict.

D. Unresolved conflict affects ones health.

Detail     4. According to the author， what plays an important part in solving conflict？

A. Communication skills.                  B. Levels of relationships.

C. Easily solved problems.                D. Attitudes to communication.

[Language][Study]

Ⅰ. Analyze the difficult structure in the text

When family members adopt unhealthy styles of interaction or have difficulty relating to each other altogether， disagreements can become more intense. 當家庭成员采用不健康的互动方式或相互理解存在困难时，分歧可能会变得更加激烈。

【点石成金】本句是一个主从复合句，句中的When引导时间状语从句。have difficulty （in） doing sth意为“做……有困难”。

Ⅱ. Memorize some text⁃centered chunks

result in 导致

engage in 参加;从事;忙于

move through 通过

aid in 在……方面有帮助

lead to 导致

pay attention to 关注