Question

In American society, romantic love is considered the main reason for people to marry. On the other hand, in some societies, romantic love is considered a form of obsession or madness. In fact, even in many societies where "true love" is not considered a form of insanity, arranged marriages are still the norm. For example, in many cultures it's believed that marriage is basically an economic arrangement. Thus, a farmer needs a wife both to bear children and to share the farm work while raising new "hands" as additional farm labor. In other societies, marriage is mainly about cementing connections between families. Indeed, most marriages between members of European royal or aristocratic lineages were primarily aimed at creating trust, loyalty, and mutual obligations between privileged and powerful families. What is the main idea in this paragraph?       A. Marriage is usually a family affair.   B. Different societies have different ideas about the purpose of marriage.   C. Arranged marriages are more practical than those based on romantic love.   D. True love is a sound basis for marriage.

Answer 1

In my opinion, the correct answer is B. Different societies have different ideas about the purpose of marriage. Whereas most societies in today's developed countries have a romantic idea of marriage, with love as a presupposed connective tissue and goal, other societies have had a more practical view of it, as an economic arrangement devised for procreation of workforce or the preservation of the line (in the case of aristocracy), in mutual interest of two parties and their families.