Khalida′sfathersaysshe′s9-ormaybe10.AsmuchasSayedShahloveshis10children,thefunctionallyilliterateAfghanfarmercan′tkeeptrackofalltheirbirthdates.Khalidahuddlesathisside,tryingtohidebeneathherchadorandheadscarf.Theybothknowthefamilycan′tkeephermuchlonger.Khalida′sfatherhasspentmuchofhisliferaisingopium,asmenlikehimhavebeendoingfordecadesinthestonyhillsidesofeasternAfghanistanandonthedustysouthernplains.It′stheonlyreliablecashcropmostofthosefarmerseverhad.Evenso,Shahandhisfamilybarelygotby:traffickersmayprosper,butpoorfarmerslikehimonlysubsist.Nowhe′slosingfarmorethanmoney."IneverimaginedI′dhavetopayforgrowingopiumbygivingupmydaughter,"saysShah.Thefamily′sheartbreakbeganwhenshahborrowed$2000fromalocaltrafficker,promisingtorepaytheloanwith24kilosofopiumatharvesttime.Latelastspring,justbeforeharvest,agovernmentcrop-eradicationteamappearedatthefamily′slittleplotoflandinLaghmanprovinceanddestroyedShah′sentiretwoandahalfacresofpoppies.Unabletomeethisdebt,ShahfledwithhisfamilytoJalalabad,thecapitalofneighboringNangarharprovince.Thetraffickerfoundthemanywayanddemandedhisopium.SoShahtookhiscasebeforeatribalcouncilinLaghmanandbeggedforleniency.Instead,theeldersunanimouslyruledthatShahwouldhavetoreimbursethetraffickerbygivingKhalidatohiminmarriage.Nowthefamilycanonlywaitforthe45-year-olddrugrunnertocomebackforhisprize.Khalidawantedtobeateachersomeday,butthathasbecomeimpossible."It′smyfate,"thechildsays. Afhansdisparaginglycallthem"loanbrides"--daughtersgiveninmarriagebyfatherswhohavenootherwayoutofdebt.Thepracticebeganwiththedowryabridegroom′sfamilytraditionallypaystothebride′sfatherintribalPashtunsociety.Thesedaystheamountrangesfrom$3,000orsoinpoorerplaceslikeLaghmanandNangarharto$8,000ormoreinHelmand,Afghanistan′sNo.1opium-growingprovince.Foradesperatefarmer,thatbridepricecanbesalvation--butatacruelcost.AmongthePashtun,debtmarriageputsalastingstainonthehonorofthebrideandherfamily.Itbringsshameonthecountry,too.PresidentHamidKarzairecentlytoldthenation:"Icallonthepeople[notto]givetheirdaughtersformoney;theyshouldn′tgivethemtooldmen,andtheyshouldn′tgivetheminforcedmarriages." Allthesame,localfarmerssayamancangetkilledforfailingtorepayaloan.NooneknowshowmanydebtweddingstakeplaceinAfghanistan,where93percentoftheworld′sheroinandotheropiatesoriginate.ButAfghanssaythenumberofloanbrideskeepsrisingaspoppy-eradicationeffortspushmorefarmersintodefault."Thiswillbeourdarkestyearsince2000,"saysBazMohammad,65,awhite-beardedformeropiumfarmerinNangarhar."Evenmoredaughterswillbesoldthisyear."Theoldmanliveswiththeanguishofsellinghisown13-year-olddaughterin2000,afterTalibanleaderMullahMohammedOmarbannedpoppygrowing."Lendersnevershowanymercy,"theoldmansays.Localfarmerssaymorethanonedebtorhasbeenboundhandandfoot.thenlockedintoasmallwindowlessroomwithasmolderingfire.slowlychokingtodeath. Effortstopromoteothercropshavefailed.Wheatorcornbrings$250anacreatbest,whilepoppygrowerscanexpect10timesthatmuch.Besides.poppiesaremoredependable:hardierthaneitherwheatorcornandmoretolerantofdroughtandextremeheatandcold.Andinacountrywithpracticallynogovernment-fundedcreditforsmallfarmers,opiumgrowerscaneasilygetadvancesontheircrops.Theborrowermerelyagreestorepaythecashwithsomanykilosofopium,atapricestipulatedbythelender--often40percentormorebelowmarketvalue.Islamforbidscharginginterestonaloan,butmoneylendersinpoppycountryeludethebanbypackagingthedealasacrop-futurestransaction--andnevermindthattherateofreturnistantamounttousury. Whichofthefollowingisnottrueabout"debtmarriage"inthethirdparagraph?
A.It forces thegirls to marry old men. B.It enables thegirls to pay off their debts. C.The girl's familycan get much money from it. D.It is a shame forthe girls and their family.正确答案C
