Although marriage customs vary greatly from one culture to another, the importance of the institution is universally acknowledged. Infant marriage, prevalent in places such as India and Melanesia, is a result of concern for family,caste, and property alliances. Levirate, the custom by which a man might marry the wife of his deceased brother, was practiced chiefly by the ancient Hebrews, and designed to continue a family connection that was already established. Sororate,a custom which is still practiced in remote parts of the world, permits a man to marry one or more of his wife's sisters, usually if she has died or cannot have children. Monogamy（一夫一妻制）, the union of one man and woman,is the prototype of human marriage and it's most widely accepted from, predominating also in societies in which other forms of marriage are accepted. All other forms of marriage are generally classed under polygamy.

In most societies,marriage is established through a contractual procedure, generally with some sort of religious sanction（核准）.Most marriage are preceded by a betrothal period, during which various rituals, such as exchanges of gifts and visits, lead to the final wedding ceremony and make the claims of the partners public.In societies where arranged marriages still predominate, families must negotiate dowries（嫁妆）, future living arrangements and other important matters before marriage can be arranged.

Because marriage arouses apprehension as well as joy,Hindus, Buddhists, and many other communities consult astrologers（占星家）before and after marriages are arranged to avoid unlucky times and places. In some countries,including Ethiopia, it was long customary to place an armed guard by the bridal couple during the wedding ceremony to protect them from demons（魔鬼）.An exchange of rings or the joining of hands frequently represents the new bonds between the married couple, as in the United States and many other counties. Finally, the interest of the community is expressed in many ways, through feasting and dancing, the presence of witnesses, and the official sealing of marriage documents.

1.According to the passage,_______ is widespread in the whole world.

A. infant marriage

B. levirate

C. sororate

D. monogamy

Best Answer:D

详解：答案D。从文章第一段可知，monogamy（一夫一妻制）是比较普遍的，前三种类型只有某些地区盛行，但不是全世界。

2. It is still a universal practice______.

A. for a man to marry his sister-in-law

B. for newly married couples to wear disguises

C. for a man to marry one or more of his wife's sisters

D. for a couple to go through a certain contractual procedure to get married.

Best Answer:D

详解：答案D。见文中第二段开头：In most societies, marriage is established through a contractual procedure，故D项为正确答案。B项只是古希伯来人的婚俗；C项只在某些社会中风行;D项是边远地区的婚俗。

3.If a man has four wives, the marriage belongs to _______.

A. polygamy

B. levirate

C. sororate

D. monogamy

Best Answer:A

详解：答案A。见第一段结尾：All other forms of marriage are generally classed under polygamy，即除开一夫一妻制(monogamy)以外的形式即一夫多妻或一妻多夫制(polygamy)。

4.Which of the following is NOT true?

A. The bridal couple may ask a guard to stand before their house for one year to protect them.

B. The couple may exchange something before the marriage.

C. The two families may negotiate dowries before marriage.

D. The parents of the couple may visit each other.

Best Answer:A

详解：答案A。根据第二段所述，夫妇婚前要交换信物、讨论嫁妆、双方家长互访，故B、C、D项均正确。新婚当天可能会有警卫守护，但不是一年，所以A项符合题意。

5. Some couples consult astrologers before arranging their marriage because _______.

A. they want to avoid unlucky things

B. it's a very popular custom to observe

C. it's part of the ceremony to follow

D. they are told to do so

Best Answer:A

详解：答案A。见第三段第一句：…many other communities consult astrologers before and after marriages are arranged to avoid unlucky times and places，即有人婚前、婚后求助于占星术，为的是避过不吉祥的时间和地点。