This precious metal has not always been associated ________ happiness.

This precious metal has not always been associated ________ happiness.

• A. With
• B. To
• C. For
• D. Of

Answer: (A)

The sentence tests the common collocation be associated with, meaning to be connected or linked to something. Here, the idea is that this precious metal has not always been connected with happiness, so the natural preposition after associated is with. Using other prepositions—to, for, or of—would sound incorrect in this context because English normally pairs associated with with to show a link or relationship. The fixed expression with this meaning is “associated with happiness,” which clearly conveys the intended connection.

The sentence tests the common collocation be associated with, meaning to be connected or linked to something. Here, the idea is that this precious metal has not always been connected with happiness, so the natural preposition after associated is with. Using other prepositions—to, for, or of—would sound incorrect in this context because English normally pairs associated with with to show a link or relationship. The fixed expression with this meaning is “associated with happiness,” which clearly conveys the intended connection.