【正确答案】Key points: The convoy is a network of social relationships that provide social support throughout one's life. The convoy changes in size and membership, but core members remain for a long time. The professor gives the example of friends, who are added and lost throughout life. Close friends are core members of the convoy. The professor gives the example of spouses or partners, who may be added or lost through marriage, divorce, or death. They are core members of the convoy. Other examples are parents, siblings, and pets. All of the examples illustrate how one's convoy moves through time and changes in membership.

【答案解析】[解析] The people most likely to be part of our convoy are parents and siblings, spouse or partner, and friends. Even pets can be important members. Over the years, our convoy changes in size and makeup. Friends are gained or lost, we lose our parents to death, and we gain or lose partners through marriage or divorce. However, most of us have some members who stay with us for most of our life. In our late teens and twenties, we start building our convoy. Friends are probably the biggest percentage of our convoy at this time. Later, in our thirties, our convoy is still there, but we may not spend as much energy on expanding it. Some of our friends go off in different directions. We lose touch. In middle age, we still add or lose friends, but we seem to focus more on maintaining the relationships with core members--our spouse, close friends and family. After we retire from working, our convoy shrinks in size, but it's very important to us. Spouses and partners remain central. Close friends and siblings increase in importance. In old age, our convoy shrinks again, as spouses and friends die. This makes the remaining members, including friends and pets, much more important to us. Explain the convoy and how the examples given by the professor illustrate the concept.