We have spoken of marriage as a formal contract. It should be noted, however, that this contract does not (47) the same form in different societies. In Western societies, the (48) of a man and a woman is given the status of legal marriage by being registered by an official (49) by the state. In some African societies, however, marriage has nothing to do with an official registration of this kind but is legalized by the formal (50) of goods; Generally it is the bridegroom who is required to make a (51) of goods to the bride’s kin(亲戚), though sometimes a payment is also made by the bridegroom’s kin to that of the bride.
Among the Nuer, a people living in Southern Sudan, the payment made to the bride’s kin, (52) as bridewealth, is in the (53) of cattle. Once the (54) of bridewealth is agreed upon, and the for- mal payment is made, the marriage becomes a (55) union and the offspring of. the union become the acceptable (56) of the husband. They remain his children even if the wife subsequently leaves him to live with another man.
A — exchange B — known C — union D — type
E — consumption F — recognized G — make H — form
I — communication J — children K — legal L — payment
M — take N — amount O — money