'A good cook who argues' is what makes the perfect modern wife

London, March 5 : Wondering how to become the perfect wife? Well, just learn to be a good cook and develop the ability to stand up to your man, according to a new research.

The poll, which was based on a Fifties handbook called the Good Wife's Guide, shows that although a woman's role in the home has evolved over the past 50 years, men still consider that the most important skill a woman can have is the ability to cook.

The survey, conducted on behalf of the Ideal Home Show, examined both what men want, and their spouses' desires.

The survey showed that men don't want their wives to be a total doormat, reports the Telegraph.

In fact, 59 percent of men said that they would respect a woman who could stand up to them and 69 percent wanted their wife to manage the family finances.

The infamous Good Wife's Guide, which was allegedly published by "Housekeeping Monthly" in 1955, gave tips to women such as to plan meals the night before, and to have their husband's dinner ready when he came home from work.

It said: "Don't complain if he's late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day."

The new survey of 2,309 men and women also found that what today's women think their partners expect from them differs greatly from what men really want.

For instance, although 72 per cent of women thought men hated being dragged around the shops, 63 per cent of the men said they did not mind it.

And while 65 per cent of women thought men expected household chores to be left to them, almost 75 per cent of men said they believed they should be shared equally.

ANI