Some marriages seem to collapse so suddenly that you"d need a crystal ball to predict their demise (灭亡). In other 21 , though, the seeds of marital dissolution are not only easier to see but they may be planted even before the honeymoon bills come 22 . According to UCLA psychologist Thomas Bradbury, Ph. D., the way a newlywed 23 when his or her spouse is facing a personal problem—work stress, say, or a recent weight gain—is a 24 good window into their marital future.
Bradbury and Lauri Pasch, Ph.D., invited 57 couples, all married less than six months, to 25 a difficulty that each partner was having. While some couples proved to be superstars at providing emotional support, others were woefully inept (笨拙的). You just cringed (退缩) when you watched them, Bradbury says.
Two years later, nine of the couples had already 26 and five other marriages were intact but hanging by a thread. These 14 couples, it turned out, had been far less likely to provide support to one another as newlyweds than the other 43 couples whose marriages were 27 . Bradbury thinks a couple"s inability to help each other through 28 times is what often blossoms into full-fledged marital discord (不和谐)—and ultimately divorce.
All of which suggests an obvious antidote (轶事) to the sky-high divorce rate: ff couples can learn how to provide emotional support before they marry, they 29 a better chance of staying together. The trouble, Bradbury says, is that couples who go for premarital counseling—where they can learn such skills— 30 to be the ones with a lesser risk for marital problems in the first place.
A. thriving B. comments C. tough D. tend
E. committing F. cases G. stand H. intends
I. due J. reacts K. surprisingly L. durable
M. split N. regularly O. discuss