The need for human connection appears to be

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 26 to 30.

Love is one of the most profound emotions known to human beings. There are many kinds of love, but many people seek its expression in a romantic relationship with a compatible partner (or partners).

For many people, romantic relationships comprise one of the most meaningful aspects of life, providing a source of deep fulfillment. The need for human connection appears to be (26) ____________- but the ability to form healthy, loving relationships is learned.

Some evidence suggests that the ability to form a stable relationship starts to form in infancy, in a child's earliest experiences with a caregiver who reliably meet the infant's needs for food, care, warmth, protection, stimulation, and social contact. Such relationships are not destiny, but they are theorized to establish deeply ingrained patterns of relating to others.

Failed relationships happen for many reasons, and the failure of a relationship is often a source of great psychological anguish. Most people have to work consciously to master the skills necessary to make relationships endure and flourish.

Finding a partner with whom to share a life is a wonderful - yet somtimes difficult - process. (27) ____________it’s conducted online or in-person, the search will likely push an individual into unfamiliar settings to encounter potential partners. In order to be successful, it is often necessary to go outside one's comfort zone.

Dating is a process by which people spend time with others in order to gradually determine whether a particular person is suitable (28) ____________a potential mate. Determining whether a connection reflects (29) ____________infatuation or true love can sometimes be

challenging, but research suggests that there are revealing clues in behavior.

One possibly counterintuitive indicator of a potential match is one's sense of self. Someone who would make a good partner may push an individual to discover new activities or beliefs that expand their self-concept. Another early signifier may be stress: repeatedly interacting with someone (30) ____________impression matters deeply to someone can fuel anxiety.

Other indicators include being highly motivated to see the person and investing a significant amount of time, emotion, and energy into the budding relationship.

(26)....................

• A. innate
• B. difficult
• C. strong
• D. lost