Africa is home to a wide variety of religions and cultures, and this colorful variety is reflected in its diverse and colorful weddings traditions.
If any one wedding tradition might be said to be indicative of the African continent it would be the importance of family. An African wedding is, more than anything, the bringing together of two people as a single family, or the combining of two families or even the mixture of two tribes into one family unit. The concept of family is one of the unifying ideas of the African continent.
There are more than l, 000 cultural units in Africa and each culture, each tribe has its own wedding and marriage traditions, many of which can trace their origins back hundreds or even thousands of years.
Depending on which part of Africa you are in, wedding ceremonies can be elaborate, some lasting many days. Often huge ceremonies are held during which many couples are united at the same time.
In Sudan and other areas along the Nile, a man must pay his wife's family in sheep or cattle for the loss of their daughter's labor in support of the family. A wife may cost a man as many as 30 to 40 head of cattle. Often it is difficult to pay the family yet still have enough cattle left to support his new wife.
In Somalia a man is allowed to have as many as four wives if he can support them all, and it is not uncommon for a girl to be engaged before she is even born.
Bright festive colors, song, dance, and music are vital elements of many African wedding ceremonies. Common to all wedding ceremonies is the concept of transitioning (过渡) between childhood and adulthood. In any African cultures children are encouraged to marry as young as 13 to 15 years of age, as soon as they have reached physical adulthood.
Divorce is rare in African marriages. Problems in a marriage are often discussed with both families and solutions found. Often entire villagers join in to help a couple find solutions to their problems and keep a marriage from failing.
Marriage is sacred (神圣的) the world over, and that is definitely true in Africa, no matter which region or which culture you come from, and no matter what your religious beliefs. In fact, many cultures have a special totem (图腾) that is designed to remind a couple that cultural and tribal differences must be allowed for in order to make a marriage succeed.
60. According to the passage, marriage means to Africans.
A. 30 t0 40 head of cattle B. bright festive colors and music
C. the unity of two people, families or tribes D. endless love to each other
61. Which of the following is TRUE about the marriage in Africa?
A. Two couples can't get married at the same day.
B. Many wedding traditions have a long history.
C. It's common and easy for a man in Sudan to pay his wife's family.
D. Children are encouraged to get engaged when they are adults physically.
62. The underlined word “elaborate” in Paragraph 4 can be replaced by________.
A. explained detailedly B. necessary C. additional D. carefully prepared
63. What will happen if problems arise in a couple?
A. Others will help the husband find another wife.
B. They will ignore cultural and tribal differences.
C. Their marriage will have to come to an end.
D. All the villagers are ready to help maintain their marriage.