如今單身者越來越多了。科學研究表明，那些處在親密關係中的人，要花更多的錢。不過單身雖然省錢，恐怕也沒有多少人會爲了省錢而單身吧。
How much being in a relationship costs you
by Gabriella Swerling
Valentine's Day, birthdays, Christmas and just keeping up with the Jones's can spark panic at the best of times. Yet not only does being in a relationship cost you financially – it can specifically set you back £3,600 a year, new research suggests.
Valentine's /ˈvæləntaɪnz/ Day 情人節
keep up with 跟上（keep up with the Jones's指跟身邊人攀比，不能比人家差）
spark /spɑːk/ v. 引起、激起
panic /ˈpænɪk/ n. 恐慌
at the best of times 在最好的情況下
yet /jet/ adv. 儘管如此、但是
relationship /rɪˈleɪʃ(ə)nʃɪp/ n. 關係、親密關係
financially /faɪˈnænʃ(ə)li/ adv. 金錢上、財務上（由financial加後綴-ly變成副詞）
specifically /spəˈsɪfɪk(ə)li/ adv. 具體說（由specifical加後綴-ly變成副詞）
set back 花掉（一筆錢）
suggest /səˈdʒest/ v. 提出
More than 4,000 UK adults were asked whether or not they were in a relationship and how well off they were financially. It was found that more than half (60%) of single adults in the UK have chosen the single lifestyle, with more women (66%) embracing it than men (53%), as the research from Lloyds Bank reveals that, although they may not think so, singletons（單身者） are also better off financially.
well off 過得好
lifestyle /ˈlaɪfstaɪl/ n. 生活方式（由life和style組成）
embrace /ɪmˈbreɪs/ v. 擁抱、欣然接受
reveal /rɪˈviːl/ v. 揭示
The researchers found that independence and not dealing with relationship troubles are the main reasons for Britons choosing to be single. They also analysed Office for National Statistics (ONS) data and found that singletons spend £300 less on living costs – or £3,600 less a year – than those in a relationship.
researcher /rɪˈsɜːtʃə(r)/ n. 研究者（由research加上表示人的後綴-er）
independence /ˌɪndɪˈpendəns/ n. 獨立
Briton /ˈbrɪt(ə)n/ n. 英國人
analyse /ˈæn(ə)laɪz/ v. 分析
statistics /stəˈtɪstɪks/ n. 統計數字
data /ˈdeɪtə/ n. 數據
or /ɔː(r)/ conj. 也就是
Harry Wallop, a consumer affairs expert, said the research was "surprising". However he added: "It's worth remembering that the Lloyds Bank survey asked single people, not single households, which is usually the criteria that the likes of the ONS use.
consumer /kənˈsjuːmə(r)/ n. 消費者
affair /əˈfeə(r)/ n. 事務、事情
survey /ˈsɜːveɪ/ n. 問卷調查
household /ˈhaʊshəʊld/ n. 住戶
criterion /kraɪˈtɪəriən/ n. 判斷標準（criteria /kraɪˈtɪəriə/ 是複數）
the likes of 像…這樣的東西
"Importantly, this considers the financial benefits that shared housing brings – in that a single person could be living with four others and splitting their living costs five ways. It's also worth considering the large number of single people in their fifties and sixties – a demographic often overlooked – many of whom have paid off their mortgage and have lower outgoings."
importantly /ɪmˈpɔːt(ə)ntli/ adv. 重要的是（由important加後綴-ly變成副詞）
housing /ˈhaʊzɪŋ/ n. 住房
split /splɪt/ v. 分開、分擔
way /weɪ/ n. 一份
demographic /ˌdeməˈɡræfɪk/ n. 人口羣體
overlook /ˌəʊvəˈlʊk/ v. 忽視
pay off 還清（欠款）
mortgage /ˈmɔːɡɪdʒ/ n. 房貸
outgoings /ˈaʊtˌɡəʊɪŋz/ n. 經常性支出
"Another reason why single people could be better off is that they do not face as much pressure as couples when it comes to spending lots of money on presents around anniversaries, birthdays and Christmas – as someone who is married with four children, I definitely feel the pinch at this time of the year!"
face /feɪs/ v. 面對、面臨
pressure /ˈpreʃə(r)/ n. 壓力
anniversary /ˌænɪˈvɜːs(ə)ri/ n. 週年紀念日
feel the pinch /pɪntʃ/ 感到拮据
"However, what is less heartening（令人振奮的） for singletons is that they also save less, according to this Lloyds survey. Finding someone to talk to about money may be harder to do if you're not in a relationship but being open about your spending and saving is one of the secrets to having healthy finances."
open /ˈəʊp(ə)n/ adj. 坦誠的
finances /ˈfaɪnænsɪz/ n. 資金、財力
Michaela Hyde, executive director of the Marriage Foundation, added: "Making the best relationship choice for yourself is a positive move which for some means being single.★ However, today's figures also show that just under half of all singles aren't content. They want to join the majority of the adult population and be in a relationship."
executive /ɪɡˈzekjutɪv/ director 執行董事
foundation /faʊnˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 基金會
positive /ˈpɒzətɪv/ adj. 正面的、好的
move /muːv/ n. 行動
★ 這句話裏some後面省略了people，這個which從句相當於which means being single for some people
figure /ˈfɪɡə(r)/ n. 數字
content /kənˈtent/ adj. 心滿意足的
majority /məˈdʒɒrəti/ n. 大多數（由major加後綴-ity變成名詞）
（如果您發現某些行的最後一個單詞被分成兩半了，請把您使用的瀏覽器升級到最新版本就能正常顯示了。）