在我國，隨着經濟發展，獨居的年輕人和老年人都在增加。而在發達國家，獨居的人也越來越多。
More and more people are living alone
by Gabriella Swerling
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) published data on families and households in the UK for 2019. According to the latest data, the number of households in the UK grew by almost a quarter of a million in 2019, marking a 0.9% rise from the previous year. It went up by 249,000 to 27.8 million.
statistics /stəˈtɪstɪks/ n. 統計數字
publish /ˈpʌblɪʃ/ v. 發佈、公佈
data /ˈdeɪtə/ n. 數據
household /ˈhaʊshəʊld/ n. 住戶
mark /mɑːk/ v. 標誌着
Meanwhile, the number of people living alone has risen by a fifth over the last 20 years in what researchers deemed a "statistically significant increase". It rose from 6.8 million in 1999 to 8.2 million in 2019, with the majority of this increase driven by the growth in the numbers of men – predominantly aged between 45 and 64 – living alone. The data showed that in 2018, there were 1,375,000 men aged between 45 and 64 living alone. By 2019 that figure rose to 1,413,000.
meanwhile /ˈmiːnwaɪl/ adv. 與此同時
researcher /rɪˈsɜːtʃə(r)/ n. 研究者（由research加上表示人或物的後綴-er）
deem /diːm/ v. 視爲
statistically /stəˈtɪstɪk(ə)li/ adv. 統計上（由statistical加後綴-ly變成副詞）
significant /sɪɡˈnɪfɪk(ə)nt/ adj. 顯著的
majority /məˈdʒɒrəti/ n. 大多數（由major加後綴-ity變成名詞）
drive /draɪv/ v. 推動
growth /ɡrəʊθ/ n. 增長
predominantly /prɪˈdɒmɪnəntli/ adv. 主要地、大部分地
figure /ˈfɪɡə(r)/ n. 數字
The ONS said that the number of middle-aged men living alone was rising for a number of reasons including: that a higher proportion of men than women never marry, that men tend to marry at older ages than women and marry women younger than themselves, and partnership dissolution（解除） – leading to men living alone while women may live with any children from previous relationships.
proportion /prəˈpɔːʃ(ə)n/ n. 佔比
tend /tend/ v. 傾向於
partnership /ˈpɑːtnəʃɪp/ n. 夥伴關係
lead to 導致
relationship /rɪˈleɪʃ(ə)nʃɪp/ n. 關係、親密關係
Responding to the figures, Deborah Jeff, Partner and Head of Family at Seddons law firm, said: "The number of middle-aged bachelors（單身漢） living alone could be caused by a number of factors."
respond /rɪˈspɒnd/ v. 做出反應、迴應
cause /kɔːz/ v. 造成
factor /ˈfæktə(r)/ n. 因素
"Although the family courts are catching up with how we live our lives and that the best interests of the children can often be met by them living between both parents' homes post-separation, the arrangement where children live with one parent and spend time with the other remains the most common."
court /kɔːt/ n. 法庭
catch up 趕上、追上
interest /ˈɪntrəst/ n. 利益
meet /miːt/ v. 滿足、達到
post- 前綴，表示“在…之後”
separation /ˌsepəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 分居（由separate加後綴-ion變成名詞）
arrangement /əˈreɪndʒmənt/ n. 安排、約定（由arrange加後綴-ment變成名詞）
"Where there is insufficient money to house both parents post-separation in a home large enough to accommodate the children, it can often be the case that the children therefore live with one parent (traditionally their mother) and see the other at times agreed or as ordered by the court."
insufficient /ˌɪnsəˈfɪʃ(ə)nt/ adj. 不足的、不夠的（由sufficient加上表示否定的前綴in-）
house /haʊz/ v. 爲…提供住處
accommodate /əˈkɒmədeɪt/ v. 容納
traditionally /trəˈdɪʃ(ə)n(ə)li/ adv. 傳統上（由traditional加後綴-ly變成副詞）
order /ˈɔːdə(r)/ v. 命令
"The figures in the statistics could therefore capture the fathers of children in those circumstances where the economics after divorce or relationship breakdown make it impossible for them to live with their children."
capture /ˈkæptʃə(r)/ v. 捕獲、採集（數據）
circumstance /ˈsɜːkəmstɑːns/ n. 情況
economics /ˌekəˈnɒmɪks/ n. 經濟情況、經濟條件
divorce /dɪˈvɔːs/ n. 離婚
breakdown /ˈbreɪkdaʊn/ n. （關係）破裂（由break和down組成）
"It could also be a lifestyle choice for both sexes; more men may choose to remain single after a relationship breakup, and women no longer need to rely on men financially so they can end their marriages when historically they may have been financially dependent on their husbands."
lifestyle /ˈlaɪfstaɪl/ n. 生活方式（由life和style組成）
sex /seks/ n. 男性、女性
breakup /ˈbreɪkˌʌp/ n. 分手（由break和up組成）
rely on 依靠
financially /faɪˈnænʃ(ə)li/ adv. 金錢方面（由financial加後綴-ly變成副詞）
historically /hɪˈstɒrɪk(ə)li/ adv. 歷史上、在過去（由historical加後綴-ly變成副詞）
dependent /dɪˈpendənt/ adj. 依賴於…的
"The age groups in the statistics capture perhaps those generations where divorce was previously not contemplated but is now socially acceptable."
generation /ˌdʒenəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 一代人
contemplate /ˈkɒntəmpleɪt/ v. 深思
socially /ˈsəʊʃ(ə)li/ adv. 在社會上（由social加後綴-ly變成副詞）
acceptable /əkˈseptəb(ə)l/ adj. 可以接受的（由accept加後綴-able變成形容詞）
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