What does Tess's conversation with her partner in paragraph 13-19 most suggest about marriage customs in the nineteenth-century rural England?

A. like today, people want to enter into marriage with honesty about the past.

B. like today, people are most concerned about the financial security of their future partner.

C. like today, people from different social classes often married.

D. like today, people are careful what they reveal about the past to their future partner.

Answer: D. like today, people are careful what they reveal about the past to their future partner.

Explanation:

Tess of the d'Urbervilles is Thomas Hardy's novel about a 16-year-old country girl and her struggle with the past.

In Chapter 30, Tess and Angel, her future husband, are travelling together to transport the milk. Tess wants to confess her past to Angel before their relationship gets more serious. During the trip, Tess announces she needs to tell him something about herself. Tess wants to reveal her past misadventures with Alec, but as she starts talking, she becomes afraid and does not tell the truth. She only tells Angel that her ancestors are D'Ubervilles, but chooses not to tell anything about her past pregnancy. Angel replies that this will not affect their love in any way.

Although Tess tries to tell Angel the truth, she fails to do so. She is afraid that when Angel learns about her past, it will completely ruin their relationship. This proves that she is careful what she reveals about her past to her future husband.