full transcript

From the Ted Talk by Rod Phillips: A brief history of divorce

Unscramble the Blue Letters


Religious authorities have often rtageuled marriage and divorce. Muslims in Africa, the mdidle East, and Asia began using the Quran’s rules in the 7th century AD— greenlaly, a husband can divorce his wife without cause or agemrenet, while a wife must secure her husband’s agreement to divorce him. In Europe, Christian churches controlled divorce from the 11th century on, with the Catholic Church bnianng it entirely and Protestant churches allowing it in restricted circumstances, particularly adutrley.

In the late 18th century, a series of changes took place that would eventually shape divorce laws around the world. Following cuintrees of religious conflict, Europeans pushed for state governance saearpte from rogiuiels control. Secular courts gradually took over education, welfare, health, marriage— and divorce. The French riotelvoun ushered in the first of the new docrvie laws, allowing men and women to divorce for a nuebmr of grounds, including adultery, violence, and desertion, or simply mutual consent.

Open Cloze


Religious authorities have often _________ marriage and divorce. Muslims in Africa, the ______ East, and Asia began using the Quran’s rules in the 7th century AD— _________, a husband can divorce his wife without cause or _________, while a wife must secure her husband’s agreement to divorce him. In Europe, Christian churches controlled divorce from the 11th century on, with the Catholic Church _______ it entirely and Protestant churches allowing it in restricted circumstances, particularly ________.

In the late 18th century, a series of changes took place that would eventually shape divorce laws around the world. Following _________ of religious conflict, Europeans pushed for state governance ________ from _________ control. Secular courts gradually took over education, welfare, health, marriage— and divorce. The French __________ ushered in the first of the new _______ laws, allowing men and women to divorce for a ______ of grounds, including adultery, violence, and desertion, or simply mutual consent.

Solution


  1. middle
  2. banning
  3. centuries
  4. adultery
  5. revolution
  6. regulated
  7. generally
  8. separate
  9. number
  10. religious
  11. agreement
  12. divorce

Original Text


Religious authorities have often regulated marriage and divorce. Muslims in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia began using the Quran’s rules in the 7th century AD— generally, a husband can divorce his wife without cause or agreement, while a wife must secure her husband’s agreement to divorce him. In Europe, Christian churches controlled divorce from the 11th century on, with the Catholic Church banning it entirely and Protestant churches allowing it in restricted circumstances, particularly adultery.

In the late 18th century, a series of changes took place that would eventually shape divorce laws around the world. Following centuries of religious conflict, Europeans pushed for state governance separate from religious control. Secular courts gradually took over education, welfare, health, marriage— and divorce. The French Revolution ushered in the first of the new divorce laws, allowing men and women to divorce for a number of grounds, including adultery, violence, and desertion, or simply mutual consent.

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations


ngrams of length 2

collocation frequency
divorce laws 3
catholic church 2
religious rules 2


Important Words


  1. adultery
  2. africa
  3. agreement
  4. allowing
  5. asia
  6. authorities
  7. banning
  8. began
  9. catholic
  10. centuries
  11. century
  12. christian
  13. church
  14. churches
  15. circumstances
  16. conflict
  17. consent
  18. control
  19. controlled
  20. courts
  21. desertion
  22. divorce
  23. east
  24. education
  25. europe
  26. europeans
  27. eventually
  28. french
  29. generally
  30. governance
  31. gradually
  32. grounds
  33. health
  34. husband
  35. including
  36. late
  37. laws
  38. marriage
  39. men
  40. middle
  41. muslims
  42. mutual
  43. number
  44. place
  45. protestant
  46. pushed
  47. regulated
  48. religious
  49. restricted
  50. revolution
  51. rules
  52. secular
  53. secure
  54. separate
  55. series
  56. shape
  57. simply
  58. state
  59. ushered
  60. violence
  61. welfare
  62. wife
  63. women
  64. world