At the beginning of the 19th century ,___________.

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions below

Women in Britain are  better off today than they used to be. At the beginning of the 19^th century, women seem to have almost no rights at all. They could not vote, or even sign a contract. Their marriages were arranged by their parents. They were once kept at home and if they were allowed to work, they were never given responsible jobs. It is strange to think that, as far as we know, most women were happy with that situation.

Today the position is quite different. Women now can vote and choose their own husbands. In 1970, a law was passed to give them an equal share of property in the case of divorce, and in the same year the Equal Pay Act gave them the right to get equal payment with men for work of equal value.

Despite these changes, there is no doubt that there are still great differences in status between men and women. Many employers seem to ignore the Equal Pay Act. It is also more difficult for a woman to get promotion than a man does.

There is sex distinction in England although it has not been so serious as it was. More and more women go out to work, earn more money, get high positions in the society, and live independently. However, there are two great problems to solve. The first problem is men's attitude. They always think that women are lower in rank and are the weaker sex. We do not know exactly how long it will take them to change their mind. And the other problem which is much more difficult is women's attitude. They should be ready to struggle to change their fate.

At the beginning of the 19^th century ,___________.

• A. British women were better off than today.
• B. Women seemed to have almost no rights at all.
• C. British women had the right to vote.
• D. British women had the right to choose their husbands.