24/7 English
The internet page print: www.liu.englishon-line.com/gb

Level 2 – Pre-intermediate

The love lab

Scientists at a research institute in Seattle in the United States are studying people’s relationships. They are using mathematics to predict the success or failure of marriages. They have studied five hundred couples so far. They say that their predictions are over ninety per cent correct. They can predict which marriages will end in divorce and which couples will stay together forever.

They record a couple’s conversations on video. They also measure physical reactions and emotions. They calculate the negative and positive interactions in a conversation. They then use a mathematical model to predict the couple’s future.

They have found that a sense of humour is an important ingredient to a successful marriage.

By recording a couple's conversations, measuring their physical reactions and by using mathematics:

scientists know if a couple will get married.

scientists know if a couple will get divorced.

scientists know if a couple will have children.

Couples who do not get divorced will probably:

be good at mathematics.

record their conversations on video.

have a good sense of humour.