What is the trend regarding living alone in wealthier countries?

• A. The trend of living alone has been rising significantly.
• B. The trend has been decreasing.
• C. There is no change.
• D. The trend is fluctuating with no clear pattern.

Answer: (A)

The main idea is a sustained increase in the number of people living alone in wealthier countries. This happens because longer life expectancy means more elderly individuals are living by themselves, while social and economic shifts lead more people to delay or avoid marriage, pursue independence, and maintain single-person households. Urban living and the availability of smaller, affordable housing also make it easier for individuals to live alone. Because these factors have been consistently pushing the share of single-person households upward for decades, the trend is best described as rising significantly.

The other options don’t fit the broader pattern: a consistent decline would contradict the data showing more people living alone; no change ignores the clear long-term shift; and fluctuating with no clear pattern overlooks the overall upward trajectory, even if there are short-term variations.