Question

Some women with stupid husbands are able to manage the family's finances, calculating the outlays and receipts of money and grain, without being cheated by anyone. Of those with [irresponsible] husbands, there are also some who are able to manage the finances with the help of their sons . . . . But the most remarkable are the women who manage a household after their husbands have died leaving them with young children.

Background Information: This excerpt is from an essay by a scholar-official named Yuan Cai, who lived during the Song dynasty.

According to this excerpt, what role are women expected to fulfill?

They are solely responsible for their entire families.
They should be financially independent from their husbands.
They should run their homes with great efficiency.
They should be financially dependent on the men in their lives.

Answer 1

They should run their homes with great efficiency.

Explanation: the passage praises women who manage household finances—keeping accounts, preventing cheating, and running the household effectively (especially after a husband's death).