A spouse’s traits can become more grating than the quirks of others
Fill in the gaps in the article extract with the words in bold below:
strong-willed irresponsible flip clingy immature
laid-back outgoing spouses agreeable
There are people who meet, fall in love, stay married for their entire lives, and never have an unkind word for their 1. ………. . Then there are the other seven billion people on the planet.
Men and women frequently describe their partners as both “the love of my life” and “one of the most annoying people I know.” It is a baffling paradox. (…) It seemed that the very quality that was initially attractive became an irksome characteristic later in the relationship.
(…) Someone who is seen as humorous at the start of a relationship can later be considered “flaky” or “2. …………. .” (…) Caring is another positive quality with a downside . Felmlee reports that one woman was attracted to a man who was “very attentive” and persistent, but she disliked that he “tries to be controlling.” Another woman described a former partner as “caring,” “sensitive” and someone who listened to her. Yet she did not like the fact that he also got jealous very easily, and “he hated it when [she] wanted to spend time with other friends.”
For nearly every positive quality that you can think of, the 3. ………. side can later become annoying:
- People who are nice and 4. …………. can be seen as passive over time.
- Someone who is 5. ………….. can, with repeated exposure, appear stubborn and unreasonable.
- The 6. …………. , garrulous life of the party can also be the nonstop performer who will not shut up.
- The solicitous, caring suitor becomes the 7. …………. , needy partner.
- An exciting risk taker later comes across as an 8. …………….. parent.
- A physically attractive person can become a 9. …………. spouse.
- 10. ………. can also seem lazy.
- The highly successful love interest can later be seen as a workaholic. (…)
In order to read the whole article/check your answers, go to: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-partnership-paradox
Key: 1. spouses; 2. immature; 3. flip; 4. agreeable; 5. strong-willed; 6. outgoing; 7. clingy; 8. Irresponsible; 9. high-maintenance; 10. laid-back
Glossary
- grating – irritating
- quirk – an individual peculiarity of character; mannerism
- baffling – extremely confusing or difficult to understand
- irksome – annoying; irritating; exasperating; tiresome
- flaky – behaving in a way that is strange, not responsible or not expected
- garrulous – a garrulous person just won’t stop talking
- solicitous – showing consideration, concern, attention
Practice makes perfect
Read the article and decide if the sentences below are true or false:
1. A significant number of young singles believe that dating has become easier in recent years.
2. The National Retail Federation predicts record spending for Valentine’s Day this year.
3. Sweethearts is focusing on casual relationships in its Valentine’s Day marketing campaign.
4. A majority of Gen-Z singles find an interest in cooking to be an appealing quality in a partner.
5. The text indicates that many brands are ignoring modern dating challenges in their Valentine’s Day promotions.
6. The author suggests that cooking is a skill that can foster connections and demonstrate care.
7. Young people are less likely to celebrate Valentine’s Day compared to older generations.
In order to read the whole article/check your answers, go to: https://www.inc.com/ben-sherry/ai-leaders-in-the-u-s-react-to-deepseek-calling-it-impressive-but-staying-skeptical
Key: 1F; 2T; 3F; 4T; 5F; 6T; 7F
Fill in the sentence gaps with some of the words from the Glossary:
1. The shop assistant was clearly a ………….man who enjoyed chattering to his customers.
2. He had this …………. habit of leaving all the kitchen cabinet doors open.
3. He hotel staff was extremely …………. . I really enjoyed my stay there.
4. Your friend’s hatred for the taste of chocolate is utterly ………… .
5. Marianne had her little ……….s, like everyone else in the world.
6. If a person’s described as……….. , they probably don’t function in society quite like everyone else.
Key: 1. garrulous; 2. irksome; 3. solicitous; 4. baffling; 5. quirks; 6. flaky
Watch and revise!
Valentine’s Day
Love, Quirks, and Gen-Z Dating Woes
https://www.cloud.worldwideschool.pl/index.php/s/g3gHrzXMQ6feG7o
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