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Section B
Passage Two
It's an annual argument. Do we or do we not go on holiday? My partner says no because the boiler could go, or the roof fall off, and we have no savings to save us. I say that you only live once and we work hard and what's the point if you can't go on holiday. The joy of a recession means no argument next year – we just won't go.
Since money is known to be one of the things most likely to bring a relationship to its knees, we should be grateful. For many families the recession means more than not booking a holiday. A YouGov poll of 2,000 people found 22% said they were arguing more with their partners because of concerns about money. What's less clear is whether divorce and separation rates rise in a recession – financial pressures mean couples argue more but make splitting up less affordable. A recent research shows arguments about money were especially damaging to couples. Disputes were characterized by intense verbal aggression, tended to be repeated and not resolved, and made men, more than women, extremely angry.
Kim Stephenson, an occupational psychologist, believes money is such a big deal because of what it symbolizes, which may be different things to men and women. "People can say the same things about money but have different conceptions of what it is for," he explains. "They will say it's to save, to spend, for security, for freedom, to show someone you love them" He says men are more likely to see money as a way of buying status and of showing their parents that they've achieved something.
"The biggest problem is that couples assume each other knows what is going on with their finances, but they don't. There seems to be more of a taboo about talking about money than talking about death. But you both need to know what you are doing, who is paying what into the joint account and how much you keep separately. In a healthy relationship you don't have to agree about money, but you have to talk about it."
62. What does the author say about vacationing?
A People enjoy it all the more during a recession
B Few people can afford it without working hard
C It makes all the hard work worthwhile
D It is the chief cause of family disputes
63. What does the author mean by saying “money is known… to bring a relationship to its knees” (Line1 Para. 2)?
A Money is considered to be the root of all evils
B Some people sacrifice their dignity for money
C Few people can resist the temptation of money
D Disputes over money may ruin a relationship
64. The YouGov poll of 2000 people indicates that in a recession _________________.
A conflicts between couples tend to rise
B it is more expensive for couples to split up
C couples show more concern for each other
D divorce and separation rates increase
65. What does Kim Stephenson believe?
A Money is often a symbol of a person’s status
B Money means a great deal to both men and women
C Men and women spend money on different things
D Men and women view money in different ways
66. The author suggests at the end of the passage that couples should ________________
A put their money together instead of keeping it separately
B make efforts to reach agreement on their family budgets
C discuss money matters to maintain a healthy relationship
D avoid arguing about money matters to remain romantic
