Relationships in the digital ageVersion en ligne Choose the option that best fits for each question. par ADR Formación 1 What is the writer's general feeling toward the changes in relationships in the digital age? a It is largely negative. b It is largely positive. c d 2 In the ever-evolving landscape of the digital age, friendships and relationships _____ a profound transformation. a undergo b underwent c have undergone d 3 It _____ more and more evident that social media is here to stay, while more traditional relationships might well be a thing of the past. a is becoming b becomes c d 4 One of the most apparent shifts is the way people initiate and nurture friendships. Social media platforms, which _____ merely as a tool for communication, are now virtual gathering places where individuals connect, share, and build relationships. a are being used b were once used c d 5 However, the flip side is clear; it _____ increasingly difficult to distinguish between genuine connections and the curated (or false) personas prevalent in the digital world. a gets b has been getting c d 6 Where once one had to meet their potential suitor - perhaps the friend of a friend- face-to-face; engaging in meaningful conversation, more and more people _____ far beyond their immediate social circle, though it can be argued that the connection may be based more on superficial appearances than any real substance. a are now searching b have now searched c d 7 We are now facing the challenge of maintaining meaningful conversations amid the cacophony of notifications and digital distractions where once we _____ to chat, safe in the knowledge that our friends’ attention would be solely on us, and not on the constant bleeping of their mobile. a were able b were being able c d Explicación 1 The writer does point out some potential benefits to using technology as a means of keeping in touch and meeting people, but as a whole they are focusing on the negative changes to relationships (the difficulty of establishing genuine connections, the possibility of hiding your true self, the superficiality of relationships, the difficulty of focusing on friends with the constant distraction of technology). 2 You need the present perfect here, as it is describing a change from the past with consequences in the present. 3 You need the present continuous here, as it is describing something happening NOW. This is highlighted by the use of the expression 'more and more', indicating that this change is happening right now. 4 The context in the sentence makes it clear that is referring to a specific past time (once = in the past). Therefore, the past simple is needed. 5 We can use the present simple (gets) to describe a fact. however, here it is describing a change from a past situation to a present one. For this you need the present perfect. Either the simple (has gotten), or continuous (has been getting) could be used. 6 This is describing a current trend. Something happening nowadays. For this reason, the present continuous should be used. The present perfect would be used if it were describing a past change that is now in place (E.g. Romantic relationships HAVE also BEEN revolutionised by the rise of digital dating apps) 7 This describes a past situation. However, the use of a STATE verb (be able to) means that the past SIMPLE should be used, as continuous tenses should not be used with state verbs,