Well before the 15th century, an Anglo-Saxon custom required that a prospective bridegroom break some highly valued personal belonging. Half of the broken token was held by the father of the bride and the other half by the groom. A wealthy man was expected to split a piece of gold or silver.
The earliest engagement rings were also used as wedding rings, serving to seal an act of sale which transformed o
wnership of a daughter from father to husband. Such rings were usually of solid gold to prove the groom’s worth.
For Roman Catholics, the engagement ring became a required statement of Nuptial intent（结婚意向）, as decreed by Pope Nicholas I in 860 A.D. The engagement ring was to be of valued metal, preferably gold, which for the husband-to-be represented a financial sacrifice.
Signifying enduring love, and chosen for its durability, the diamond was chosen for the engagement ring. The diamond’s fire is also associated with “love’s clear flame,” given by Medieval Italians because of their belief that the diamond was created from the flames of love.
The Venetians were the first to discover that the diamond is one of the hardest, most enduring substances in nature, and fine cutting and polishing releases the brilliance. Rarity and cost limited their rapid proliferation（急增） throughout Europe but their intrinsic（内在的） appeal guaranteed them a future. By the 17th century, the diamond ring had become the most sought after statement of European engagement.
1. Who kept the two halves of the engagement rings before marriage?
A. The bride’s father and the bridegroom’s mother.
B. The bride’s mother and the bridegroom.
C. The bride and the bridegroom.
D. The bridegroom and the bride’s father,
2. What’s TRUE about the early Anglo-Saxon custom before the 15th century ?
A. A will-be bridegroom should beat all his valuable belongings.
B. Every will-be bride should split a piece of gold.
C. The engagement rings were also used to prove the groom’s worth.
D. A rich bride should break one of her most valuable personal belongs.
3. Pope Nicholas made the engagement ring a required statement of nuptial intent ______.
A. in t
he 15th century B. over 1,000 years ago
C .in the 1860s D. by the 17th century
4. What kind of engagement ring has been the most popular one in Europe ?
A. Rings made of gold B. Rings made of silver
C. Rings made of diamond D. Rings made of an unknown substance in nature.
