One of the most striking findings of a newly research in the UK is that of the people interviewed， one in two believes that it is becoming more difficult to meet someone to start a family with．
Why are many finding it increasingly difficult to start close relationships？ Does modern life really make it harder to fall in love？ Or are we making it harder for ourselves？ It is certainly the case today that contemporary couples benefit in different ways from relationships． Women no longer rely upon partners for money or status． A man doesn't expect his wife to be in sole （唯一的） charge of running his household and raising his children．
But perhaps the knowledge that we can live perfectly well without a partnership means that it takes much more to persuade people to abandon their independence．
In theory， finding a partner should be much simpler these days． Only a few generations ago， your choice of soul mate was limited by geography， social convention and family tradition． Although it was never clear， many marriages were essentially arranged． Now those barriers have been broken down． You can approach a builder or a brain surgeon in any bar in any city on any given evening． When the world is your oyster （牡蛎）， you surely have a better chance of finding a pearl．
But it seems that the old conventions have been replaced by the limitation of choice． The expectations of partners are raised to an unmanageable degree： good looks， impressive salary， kind to grandmother， and right socks． There is no room for error in the first impression．
We think that a relationship can be perfect． If it isn't， it should be ended． We work to protect ourselves against future heartache and don't put in the hard emotional labor needed to build a strong relationship． Twelve-hour work at the office makes relaxed after-hours dating difficult． The cost of housing and child-raising creates pressure to have a stable income and career before a life partnership．



What is a contemporary family like in the UK today？ ______

A. Women are responsible for housework．
B. Men begin to depend on women．
C. Couples share the burdens．
D. It is difficult to take care of a family．

Why do people want to preserve their independence？ ______

A. To ignore traditions．
B. To have more choices．
C. To avoid marriages．
D. To live alone happily．

What makes it hard for people to date？ ______

A. Mental headache in dating．
B. Bad luck in finding a partner．
C. The pressure to survive．
D. The disbelief in life partners．

What is the author trying to inform us in this text？ ______

A. Expectations and reality stand in the way of relationships．
B. People should spend more money on marriages．
C. Perfect marriages conflict with individual independence．
D. Independence is much more important than love．