Question 15
In Germany, married couples are allowed to divorce. Most of the time they have to observe the “separation year” to do this. What does that mean?
German original: In Deutschland dürfen Ehepaare sich scheiden lassen. Meistens müssen sie dazu das "Trennungsjahr" einhalten. Was bedeutet das?. In the test, all questions are asked in German.
Answer options
- The divorce process lasts a year.
- The spouses are married for one year, then divorce is possible.
- Visitation rights for the children last for one year.
- The spouses lead their own lives separately for at least a year. After that, divorce is possible. — Correct answer
Explanation
The 'year of separation' means that married couples must have lived apart for at least one year before they can get divorced. After this period, the family court can grant the divorce.
Key terms in this question
- Germany — Germany is a country in central Europe with a parliamentary democracy. It is a member of the European Union and its capital is Berlin.
- most — 'Most' refers to the largest part of a group or quantity. It indicates that something applies to more than half, often to nearly all, of something.
- married couple — Two people who are legally married to each other. They share legal rights and responsibilities as spouses.
- must / to have to — 'Müssen' is a modal verb expressing necessity or obligation. It means that something is required and there is no choice.
- Federal state — A federal state is one of the 16 regions that together form Germany. Each state has its own government, parliament, and areas of responsibility.
- to be allowed to / may — 'Dürfen' is a modal verb expressing that something is permitted or that permission has been granted to do something.
- year — A year is a period of 12 months or 365 days. It is the basic unit used to measure longer periods of time.
- in addition / for that / to do so — 'Dazu' means 'in addition', 'for that', or 'to do so'. It connects a statement to something extra or related.