Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
People. this usually unwilling to make changes in their lives after being accustomed to a certain style of life. However, this can cause a lot of problems, as changing circumstances often make a change in lifestyle inevitable. Take for example, people who leave their country and go abroad for various reasons. Such people will inevitably face many challenges. First they have to adapt to a new culture and habits that are completely different from what they were used to in their. own country. They will also have to adapt to the weather and may need to learn a new language, or now, communicate regularly in a language other than their mother tongue, which they used more frequently before their relocation.
Again, at some point in their lives, some people may have cause to change their career. The reasons for this may be varied and need not concern us here. But career changes inevitably necessitate the acquisition of a different set of skills and. experience in the new job, a new routine and adaptation to new friends and colleagues at work . In the face of economic recession and related circumstances, people may lose their jobs as the organizations they work for try to adjust to the ,adverse situation by retrenching many of their workers. (Terms such as -down-sizing”,” right-sizing and restructuring” are the modern-day euphemisms for this phenomenon!) A worker who suddenly loses his or her job obviously has to adjust to a new lifestyle – at least until a new job comes along.
Closely related to job loss is retirement. Many people carry on at their jobs as if they will remain. at such jobs forever. But retirement is inevitable not only for the paid worker but also the self-employed. Retirement in most cases means a change from an active working life to a more sedentary lifestyle. It often requires giving up official property such as accommodation and vehicles and the replacement of a regular salary with a modest pension, which may not be regular. Because of these, the prospect of retirement is often viewed with apprehension by many. as they are not prepared for it.
Outside the work domain, other changes inevitably continue to take place. For example, at some point in their lives, young men and women come together and get married and start their own families. The transition from bachelorhood or spinsterhood of course means adaptation to a spouse. raising children and discarding many of the habits, often reckless and impulsive, of unmarried life.
Finally, as painful and undesirable as it is, death is inevitable. The untimely loss of a loved one – a wife, a husband. a parent – often turns people’s lives upside down. and necessitates a drastic change in lifestyle. Many people never anticipate such a loss. and if unfortunately it does occur. it can be quite devastating. ‘ n conclusion people have to be l ready for any changes that may occur in their lives. as change is inevitable and there is no guarantee for anyone that life will be stable forever.
(a) In six sentences, one for each. summarize the six factors that can cause a change in lifestyle as discussed in the passage.
Explanation
(a) The factors that can cause a change in lifestyle are
(i) change of location/relocation (ii) change of job/career (iii) loss of job/employment (iv) retirement (v) change in marital status/marriage (vi) the loss/death of a loved one.