Directions: For the given question, select one entry for the blank from the given choices, to best complete the text.

Recent years have seen an explosion of male joblessness and a steep decline in men's life prospects that have disrupted the ________ in ways that narrow a woman's options: increasingly, her choice is between deadbeats (whose numbers are rising) and playboys (whose power is growing).

(1) Incorrect; it is a woman's options, in terms of romance, that are being discussed. 'Economic cycle' does not fit the context. (2) Incorrect; marital bliss would come after marriage, not while making choices from among the men available. (3) Correct; because it is not necessary that all women would be looking for marriage in all the romantic relationships they have, the phrase sums up the scenario correctly. (4) Incorrect; contextually unfit for the passage. Idyllic musings would be related to wishful thinking whereas a realistic scenario is under discussion in the passage. (5) Incorrect; not every woman would necessarily be looking for marital possibilities when moving through relationships.