In Cambodia, the choice of a spouse is a complex one for the young male. It may involve not only his parents and his friends, (1)_____ those of the young woman, but also a matchmaker. A young man can (2)_____ a likely spouse on his own and then ask his parents to (3)_____ the marriage negotiations, or the young man’s parents may make the choice of a spouse, giving the child little to say in the selection. (4)_____, a girl may veto the spouse her parents have chosen. (5)_____ a spouse has been selected, each family investigates the other to make sure its child is marrying (6)_____ a good family.
The traditional wedding is a long and colorful affair. Formerly it lasted three days, (7)_____ by the 1980s it more commonly lasted a day and a half. Buddhist priests offer a short sermon and (8)_____ prayers of blessing. Parts of the ceremony involve ritual hair cutting, (9)_____ cotton threads soaked in holy water around the bride’s and groom’s wrists, and (10)_____ a candle around a circle of happily married and respected couples to bless the (11)_____ . Newlyweds traditionally move in with the wife’s parents and may (12)_____ with them up to a year, (13 )_____ they can build a new house nearby.
Divorce is legal and easy to (14)_____ , but not common. Divorced persons are (15)_____ with some disapproval. Each spouse retains (16)_____ property he or she (17)_____ into the marriage, and jointly-acquired property is (18)_____ equally. Divorced persons may remarry, but a gender prejudice (19)_____ up: The divorced male doesn’t have a waiting period before he can remarry (20)_____ the woman must wait ten months.
