Reading: Cocktail Party Cocktail（鸡尾酒） parties have many advantages. The first is that they make it possible to entertain more people than could otherwise be accommodated in the same space. At our house, for example, we can seat about eight people at our dinner table. If we want to entertain（使快乐） more than that, a cocktail party is often the best alternative（选项，选择）. Another advantage of cocktail parties is that there is less work for the hosts（主人） than dinner parties. Most foods can be prepared well in advance（提前） and kept in the refrigerator until party time. There's little or no cooking to do; you don't have to set the table（摆餐具；摆饭桌） or wash the dishes; and the entire affair is more informal and relaxed than most dinner parties. Because of the numbers of guests that can be invited, cocktail parties are particularly useful for introducing people. For example, when a new family moves nearby, a cocktail party is a fine way to have them meet the neighbors.