1 . Whenever Michael Carl, the fashion market director at Vanity Fair, goes out to dinner with friends, he plays something called the “phone stack” game: Everyone _______ their phones in the middle of the table; whoever looks at their device before the check arrives _______ the tab (账单).

Brandon Holley, the former editor of Lucky magazine, had trouble _______ her mobile phone when she got home from work. So about six months ago, she _______ putting her phone into a milk tin the moment she walked in. It remains there until after dinner. And Mare Jacobs, the fashion designer, didn’t _______ to sleep close to a buzzing gadget (小装置). So he _______ digital devices from his bedroom — a house rule he _______ with audiences during a recent screening of Disconnect, a film that shows how technology has alienated (使疏远) people from one another.

As smart phones _______ to make their way into our lives, and wearable devices like Google Glass _______ to destroy our personal space even further. Whether it’s a physical ____________ (no iPads at the dinner table) or a conceptual (精神上的) one (turn off devices by 11 p.m.), users say these disconnecting ____________ are improving their relationships.

“Disconnecting is a luxury that we all ____________,” said Lesley M. M. Blume, a New York writer who keeps her phone away from the dinner table at home. “The expectation that we must always be ____________ to employers, colleagues and family creates a real problem in trying to ____________ private time. But that private time is more important than ever.”

A popular method for disconnecting is to choose a box for your cellphone, like the milk tin that Ms. Holley uses. “____________ my phone is buzzing or lighting up, it’s still a distraction (分散注意力的事), so it ____________ in the box.” said Ms. Holley. Others choose new ____________. “No screens after 11 p.m.” said Ari. Melber, a TV host. “Now evenings are more ____________ and I am sleeping better.” he added.

Sleep is a big factor, which is why some ____________ to leave their phones out of their bedrooms. “I don’t want to sleep next to something full of photos and emails.” said Peter Som, a fashion designer, who keeps his phone plugged in in the living room overnight. “It ____________ is a head­clearer and distinguishes daytime and sleep time.”