question_answer

Directions: In the following questions read the passages carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives. Most authorities agree that St Valentine is "the lover's saint". However, some writers are inclined to believe that no such person existed, though there appears to be proof that he was a Christian Bishop and that he suffered martyrdom under the Roman Emperor Claudius on February 14271 (AD). The story is that Emperor Claudius issued a decree forbidding marriage. Married men disliked leaving their families to go to war and they did not make good soldiers, according to the Emperor's notion. Since good soldiers were needed, he decided that marriage had to be abolished. The good priest Valentine heard this and was sad. He invited young lovers to come to him and secretly got them married. The emperor learnt of this and had Valentine put in prison. There the "friend of lovers" languished and died martyr to love. The Church made him a Saint and allotted the day of his death February 14, to him. So it is not surprising that youngsters in Rome made this day a special one in honour of the Saint; St Valentine's Day came to be known as "the day for all true lovers." Three Egyptian words will tell us more about the customs of Valentine's Day than all the falsehoods concerning the Saint. In Egyptian language, Va or Fa means "to bear", Len is "the name" or "to name". Ten means "to determines". This is the day or Valentine is that which determines whose name shall be borne by each person in this mode of marriage by drawing lots. The custom points to the time when chance, rather than choice, was the law. Marriage is still said to be a lottery. The custom of sending caricatures on Valentine's Day is probably based on asserting the freedom of choice, and making a mock of chance. If one decides to entertain people at a supper or dinner on Valentine's Day, the decoration and even the food should follow the spirit of the day. Invitations are usually heart shaped-a custom that originated with the first manufactured Valentines which were usually in the shape of hearts-darted through with arrows.

The writer means that St Valentine actually lived. Which of the following statements best reveal the meaning?

A) Most authorities agree that St Valentine was known as "the lovers' saint"

B) Valentine was put in prison and he died a martyr to love

C) There appears to be proof that he was a Christian Bishop in the 3rd century

D) Some writers are inclined to believe that no such person existed