共用题干 Marriage Advertisements in IndiaEvery Sunday morning millions of Indians settle down with a cup of tea and special weekend issues of their newspapers,just as Americans do.But here,with the marriage season approaching,many of them quick-ly to a Sunday

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共用题干
Marriage Advertisements in India

Every Sunday morning millions of Indians settle down with a cup of tea and special weekend issues of
their newspapers,just as Americans do.But here,with the marriage season approaching,many of them quick-
ly to a Sunday feature that is particularly Indian-the-columns of marriage advertisements in which young peo-
pie look for husbands and wives.This is relatively modern change in the age-old custom of the arranged
marriage.The thousands of advertisements published each week increasingly reflect social changes that
coming to this traditional society.For example,although women are still described in terms of appearance,or
skill in"the wifely arts,"information about her earning power is entering more and more of the advertise-ments.This reflects the arrival in India of the working wife.
Divorce,%%Thich use(1 to be almost unheard of iii India,is sometimes now mentioned in the advertisements
as in the case of a woman whose advertisemeiit in New Delhi newspaper explained that had been"the inno-
cent party"when her marriage broke up.
Because the custom of the dowry(marriage payment)is now illegal,some advertisements say"no dow-
ry",or"simple marriage",which means the same thing. However,the fathers of many bridegrooms still re-
quire it.
In a land where light skin is often regarded as socially preferable,many also require that a woman have
a"wheat-color"complexion or that a man be"tall,fair and handsome".
Advertisements are placed and eagerly read by a wide range of people in the upper classes,mostly in
cities.Many of them receive dozens of answers."There'S nothing embarrassing about it,"explained a Cal-
cutta businessman advertising a son-in-law."It's just another way of broadening the contacts and increase
the possibility of doing the contacts and increasing the possibilities of doing the best one for one's daughter."
Because of high unemployment and a generally poor standard of living here,one of the best attractions a
marriage advertisement can offer is a permit to live abroad,especially in Canada or the United States.A per-
son who has one can get what he wants.
One recent Sunday in Madras,for example,a Punjabi engineer living in San Francisco advertised for a
"beautiful slim bride with lovely features knowing music and dance."And a man whose advertisement said
that he held an American immigration permit was able to say,only girls from rich,well-connected families
need apply.

In Marriage advertisements in India women are only introduced in terms of appearance or their skill in be-ing a good wife.
A:Right
B:Wrong
C:Not mentioned

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