Final answer:
Civil marriage rates in the United States require current statistical data to accurately determine the trend. Historical trends show life expectancy rising and a dynamic landscape for marriage equality, but caution should be exercised when discussing current marriage rates without recent data.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question 'Rates of civil marriage are __________ in the United States' can be addressed by looking at trends in civil marriage. When we look at similar trends in society, we've observed that life expectancy has generally risen steadily since World War II, divorce rates have not been at an all-time high or low, and the number of states practicing marriage equality increased, particularly after key legal rulings. However, without current statistics explicitly detailing the rates of civil marriage, it is prudent to either look at the most recent data if available or avoid making a claim about the current trend in civil marriage rates.