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Social Isolation

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Select the word that best completes each gap. Each blank has its own set of options.

Sound depressing, even apocalyptic? Well, it could be the future. If government are right, about 20 years from now, two out of five households will be single . And there is evidence the situation is already . According to a report, Social Isolation in America, published in the American Sociological Review in 2006, the average American today has only two close friends. Twenty-five percent of those surveyed said they do not have anyone to talk with about important things and yet, while some are a crisis in our ability to make friends, others are saying exactly the opposite. For example, MSN's Anatomy of Friendship Report, published last November, suggests that the average Briton has 54 friends - a rise of 64 percent since 2003.
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Question, answer and explanation

Sound depressing, even apocalyptic? Well, it could be the future. If government [blank 1] are right, about 20 years from now, two out of five households will be single [blank 2] . And there is evidence the situation is already [blank 3] . According to a report, Social Isolation in America, published in the American Sociological Review in 2006, the average American today has only two close friends. Twenty-five percent of those surveyed said they do not have anyone to talk with about important things and yet, while some are [blank 4] a crisis in our ability to make friends, others are saying exactly the opposite. For example, MSN's Anatomy of Friendship Report, published last November, suggests that the average Briton has 54 friends - a [blank 5] rise of 64 percent since 2003. Blank 1 options: forecasts, prediction, goals, aims Blank 2 options: occupancy, occupied, household, family Blank 3 options: deteriorating, improving, damaging, recovering Blank 4 options: declaring, requiring, announcing, releasing Blank 5 options: spectacular, amazing, special, applausive

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Answer: 1. forecasts, 2. occupancy, 3. deteriorating, 4. declaring, 5. spectacular

Explanation: This passage on friendship statistics needs subject-verb agreement as well as the word that fits its surrounding number or contrast, not just a same-meaning synonym. Blank 1: forecasts — The plural noun before 'are right' must agree with the plural verb 'are', naming the government predictions about future households. Blank 2: occupancy — The noun after 'single' names the type of household being predicted, meaning one resident living alone. Blank 3: deteriorating — The present participle after 'is already' describes the situation getting worse over time, matching the passage's opening 'depressing, even apocalyptic' tone. Blank 4: declaring — The present participle after 'some are' pairs with 'a crisis' to describe taking a firm public stance, matching the contrast with 'others are saying exactly the opposite'. Blank 5: spectacular — The adjective before 'rise of 64 percent' describes a large, striking statistical increase in the number of friends reported.