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USA Marriage and Divorce Rates Between 1970 and 2000 - Task 1 Bar Graph Report

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.


The charts below give information about USA marriage and divorce rates between 1970 and 2000, and the marital status of adult Americans in two of the years.


Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.


Write at least 150 words

USA Marriage and Divorce Rates Between 1970 and 2000 - Task 1 Bar Graph Report

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Model Answer 1

The charts presented delineate the trends in USA marriage and divorce rates over the span of three decades, from 1970 to 2000, as well as portraying the marital status distribution of adult Americans during the initial and final years of this period.


In an overarching sense, the data signals a pronounced decline in marriages in the USA, juxtaposed with a notable shift in the marital status dynamics of the adult population. A marked escalation in adults opting to remain single in the year 2000 is also evident when compared to 1970.


In the initial decade, marriages peaked at 2.5 million, only to witness a gradual descent to 2 million by the millennium's onset. In a contrasting narrative, divorces saw an ascension from 1 million to a zenith of 1.5 million in the '80s, before receding back to the 1970 level by 2000. This ebb and flow resulted in a 2000 scenario where divorces constituted half the number of marriages.


The marital landscape in terms of status saw 70% of adults married in 1970, a figure which shrank to approximately 60% thirty years hence. Concurrently, the widowhood rate dipped slightly, while both the never-married and divorced segments experienced an approximate 8% uptick, hinting at evolving societal norms around marital commitments and longevity.


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Model Answer 2

The provided illustrations delineate the trends in USA marriage and divorce rates spanning from 1970 to 2000, alongside the marital status of adult Americans during the commencement and conclusion of this timeframe.


The overview of the graphs indicates a discernible shift in marital patterns over the three-decade period. Initially, marriages markedly outnumbered divorces; however, a gradual decline in marriage rates coupled with a spike and subsequent fall in divorces was observed. Concurrently, there was a notable alteration in marital status, with a decreased proportion of married adults and an uptick in those never married or divorced by the year 2000.


Delving into specifics, the inaugural bar chart illustrates that in 1970 and 1980, marriages stood at a zenith of 2.5 million before diminishing to 2 million by the millennium. Conversely, divorce rates initially recorded at 1 million, surged to roughly 1.5 million in 1980, and then ebbed to the initial figure by 2000. This denotes a period of heightened marital dissolutions followed by a reversion to earlier rates.


The latter graph sheds light on the marital status of adult Americans, revealing that 70% were wed in 1970, a figure that saw a 10% reduction thirty years thence. Meanwhile, the fraction of the population that had never married or were divorced saw an increase. Specifically, the never-married cohort expanded from under 15% to a more substantial segment, while those divorced also rose, reflecting evolving societal norms concerning marital commitments.


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Model Answer 3

The provided visual data meticulously records the fluctuation in USA marriage and divorce rates from 1970 through to the year 2000 and concurrently maps the marital status of adult Americans at the bookends of this thirty-year epoch.


Encapsulating the broad strokes, the graphical analysis underscores a discernible diminishment in the incidence of marriages within the USA, coupled with a shift towards a higher incidence of single adulthood by the close of the century. This panorama is further complicated by the divorce rates that take a notable turn over the decades.


A closer scrutiny of the matrimonial arena discloses that the 1970s celebrated 2.5 million unions, a number which subsequently dwindled to a mere 2 million by the year 2000. In an antithetical arc, divorce filings, which initially mirrored the million mark in 1970, surged to an apex of 1.5 million ten years later, before retracting to their initial count by the turn of the millennium. This oscillation resulted in a scenario where the divorces by 2000 were halved in comparison to marriages in the same annum.


Shifting the lens to the marital status of adult Americans, a noticeable contraction from 70% to around 60% married adults is observed across the three-decade span. This period also saw a nominal decline in widowhood, while the proportions of both never-married and divorced individuals incrementally increased by roughly 8%, reflecting an evolving societal narrative around marital decisions and their permanence.


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Model Answer 4

The bar charts present a comparative analysis of USA marriage and divorce rates spanning three decades from 1970 to 2000, alongside the marital status distribution of adult Americans in 1970 and at the turn of the millennium.


A discernible trend is the decline in marriage rates, coupled with fluctuations in divorces. While the number of marriages held steady at 2.5 million in the first two decades, a downtrend emerged in the 1990s, descending to 2 million by 2000. Conversely, the divorce rate experienced its zenith in 1990 with 1.4 million instances, contrasting with the consistent figures of 1 million in both 1970 and 2000.


The marital landscape in 1970 was predominantly characterized by wedlock, with a staggering 70% of adult Americans married. Fast forward thirty years, and this figure had dwindled to 59%. The incidence of divorce, while minimal in 1970 at 2%, had quadrupled by 2000. Conversely, the proportion of never-married adults saw an increment, as did the percentages of widowed and divorced individuals, underscoring a shift in marital trends over the three decades.


In essence, the data encapsulates a significant shift in the marital patterns among American adults, indicating a societal trend towards fewer marriages, a rise in divorces, and an increased prevalence of singlehood by the year 2000. These shifts in the USA marriage and divorce rates, and the marital status of adult Americans signal evolving social norms and changing personal commitments over the thirty-year period.



Model Answer 5

The visual data presents an analytical comparison of USA marriage and divorce rates over three decades from 1970 to 2000, alongside a depiction of the marital status of adult Americans in the years 1970 and 2000.


In an overarching observation, the initial three decades saw a steadfast number of marriages, beginning at 2.5 million in 1970, maintaining this figure in 1980, and then experiencing a moderate decline. In parallel, divorce rates witnessed an elevation from one million in 1970 to 1.4 million in 1980, before reverting to the original figure by the year 2000. The second graph delineates a significant majority of adults were married in both years, with a notable rise in never-married adults and a marginal increase in divorces by 2000.


Examining the data more closely, the USA marriage and divorce rates remained static at 2.5 million marriages for the first ten years. The subsequent decade saw a slight dip in marriages, with figures rounding off at 2 million by the turn of the century. Contrastingly, the divorce rates after the initial climb in 1980 fell back to their starting point, completing a full cycle over the thirty-year span.


The marital status of adult Americans reveals a more dynamic landscape. While the proportion of married adults decreased from 70% to just above 50%, the never-married category saw an approximate doubling from 15% to just below 30%. Widowed percentages halved, and divorced adults, though under the 10% mark, approached this threshold by 2000, reflecting changing societal norms.


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