Engaged to a Nun

Question

by Translated by Herbert A. Giles

They invited her in, and there she saw a young girl of about eighteen sitting in the parlour, and as great a beauty as she had ever set eyes on. Now, as she was always thinking of making a good match for her son, and curing him of his settled melancholy, she asked who the young lady might be; and they told her that her name was Wang,—that she was a connection of their own, and that her father and mother being dead, she was staying temporarily with them. Chên’s mother inquired the name of Miss Wang’s betrothed, but they said she was not engaged; and then taking her hand, she entered into conversation, and was very much charmed with her. Passing the night there, Chên’s mother took her cousin into her confidence, and the latter agreed that it would be a capital match; “but,” added she, “this young lady is somewhat ambitious, or she would hardly have remained single so long. We must think about it.” Meanwhile, Chên’s mother and Miss Wang got on so extremely well together that they were already on the terms of mother and daughter; and Miss Wang was invited to accompany her home.

Use the story excerpt to answer the question.

Which piece of context would be most useful to have in order to evaluate the events in this excerpt?

(1 point)
Responses

knowing how long a typical engagement lasted in this culture before a wedding
knowing how long a typical engagement lasted in this culture before a wedding

understanding how weddings were typically celebrated in this culture at this time
understanding how weddings were typically celebrated in this culture at this time

understanding any official or unwritten rules of betrothal in this culture
understanding any official or unwritten rules of betrothal in this culture

knowing whether it was common in this culture for mothers to choose wives for their sons
knowing whether it was common in this culture for mothers to choose wives for their sons

Answer 1

The most useful context to evaluate the events in this excerpt would be:

knowing whether it was common in this culture for mothers to choose wives for their sons.

This context is essential because the excerpt revolves around Chên's mother actively seeking a suitable match for her son, indicating the cultural practice of parental involvement in marriage arrangements. Understanding whether this was a common practice would help assess the motivations and social dynamics at play in the interactions between Chên’s mother and Miss Wang.