Use the hints below to help you with the more difficult items.

 

8 part of a collocation meaning occur

9 a conjunction

10 part of a phrasal verb

11 part of the structure the conflict between (something) … (something)

12 an adjective followed by the dependent preposition of

13 a preposition

14 part of an expression meaning altogether

15 a fixed expression: to see someone’s … of view

 

Suddenly, it's as (1) ……………………. saying goodbye to a spouse is no (2) ……………………. the dismal climax to protracted misery that it (3) ……………………. was. Divorce in the 21st century (4) ……………………. a simple lifestyle choice, the result of two people drifting (5) …………………….: now the ex-partners can move (6) ……………………. and rebuild their lives. Today, those people who once (7) ……………………. the knot because living together was frowned (8) ……………………. are cohabiting. However, the divorce (9) ……………………. is still high; there is a phenomenally high 9. of marital breakdown - 4 out of 10. So, who divorces and why? What might that (10) ……………………. us about marriages that last? Academics discovered that the deprived (11) ……………………. more divorce-prone, (12) ……………………. are those who have cohabited more than once before marriage, those who have embarked (13) ……………………. relationships (14) ……………………. a young age, those who have experienced parental divorce and those who have "low emotional well-being". In (15) ……………………., an awful (16) ……………………. of us are vulnerable. It's this "happy ever (17) ……………………. " that we can't quite seem to get (18) ……………………..

Listening

 

You will hear an interview with two writers who have each written books about marriage. Listen to the recording. For questions 1-9, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.

 

Evelyn's first 1 …………………………………….... did not reveal why so many modern marriages fail.

Evelyn found her daughter's attitude to one of the 2 …………………………………….... very significant.

Paul agrees that not many couples believe that marriage is a 3 …………………………………….....

Paul accepts that people shouldn't 4 …………………………………….... with very bad marriages.

Evelyn believes that 5 …………………………………….... are only part of the problem.

Evelyn thinks that people no longer 6 …………………………………….... with each other.

Paul refers to two modern 7 …………………………………….... to getting married.

The previous generation would have found these arrangements 8 …………………………………….....

Evelyn feels that deep down, people are still 9 …………………………………….....