Couples might want to [add / put] a little extra [effort / affront] into their marriage just before March and August every year. Sociologists have [identity / identified] annual [spikes / sparks] in the number of divorces [filled / filed] in these two months. Researchers from the University of Washington analysed data for divorces filed in the U.S. state [of / as] Washington between 2001 and 2015. There were almost 25,000 divorces filed in the state in 2014 [alone / lonely] . The scientists found that over the 14-year period of the study, divorce rates [poked / peaked] in August, after the summer holidays, and in March, after the Christmas and New Year holidays. Some researchers said the divorces could be [due / dew] to financial problems [caused / causing] by the winter and summer holidays.
Researcher Julie Brines suggested that the anti-climax [felt / touched] after the build-up to holidays, and the holidays [itself / themselves] , may leave couples feeling stressed and [inflated / deflated] . She said: "People [tend / trend] to face the holidays with [risen / rising] expectations, despite what disappointments they might have had in years [passed / past] ." She added: "Holidays represent periods in the year when there's the [constipation / anticipation] or the opportunity for a new beginning, a new start, something different, a [contrition / transition] into a new period of life. It's like an optimism [bike / cycle] ." Couples generally spend more time in closer proximity to each other during holidays, which may actually exacerbate tensions rather than [rewind / rekindle] romance.
