"Iwillnevermarry"thefutureElizabethIdeclaredattheageofeight，and，totheterrorofherpeople，theGreatQueenkeptherword．Forfourcenturies，historianshaveguessedwhyElizabethnevermarried．Inherownday，herde
"Iwillnevermarry"thefutureElizabethIdeclaredattheageofeight，and，totheterrorofherpeople，theGreatQueenkeptherword．
Forfourcenturies，historianshaveguessedwhyElizabethnevermarried．Inherownday，herdecisiontoremainsinglewasconsideredabsurdanddangerous．Aqueenneededahusbandtomakepoliticaldecisionsforherandtoorganizeandleadhermilitarycampaigns．Moreimportantly，sheneededmaleheirs （继承人） toavoidacivilwarafterherdeath．
TherewasnoshortageofsuitorsfortheQueen，bothEnglishcourtiers （朝臣） andforeignprinces，anditwasconfidentlyexpectedforthebestpartof30yearsthatElizabethwouldeventuallymarryoneofthem．Indeed，althoughsheinsistedthatshepreferredthesinglestate，shekeptthesesuitorsinastateofpermanentexpectation．ThiswasadeliberatepolicyontheQueen'spart，sincebykeepingforeignprincesinhope，sometimesforadecade，shekeptthemfriendlywhentheymightotherwisehavemadewaronherkingdom．
Therewere，indeed，goodpoliticalreasonsforheravoidingmarriage．ThedisastrousunionofhersisterMaryItoPhilipIIofSpainhadhadanunwelcomeforeigninfluenceuponEnglishpolitics．TheEnglishweregenerallyprejudicedagainsttheQueentakingaforeignhusband，particularlyaCatholic（天主教的） one．YetifshemarriedanEnglish，jealousymightleadtotheseparationofthecourt．
Sheoncepointedoutthatmarriageseemedtoouncertainastateforher．Herfather，HenryVIII，hadhadhermother，AnneBoleyn，killed； herstepmotherCatherineHowardlatersufferedthesamefate．
Elizabethhadtodecideherpriorities．Marriageorbeingsingle？Elizabethwasfartoointelligent．Thechoiceshemadewascourageousandrevolutionary，and，inthelongrun，therightoneforEngland．
49．TothesuitorsincludingEnglishcourtiersandforeignprinces，Elizabeth___．
A．heldbackthetruth
B．keptthemexpectingonpurpose
C．gaveadefiniteanswer"no"
D．saidshepreferredthesinglestate
50．IfElizabethhadmarriedaforeignprince，theremighthavebeen___．
A．prejudiceagainsther
B．separationofthecourt
C．anegativeimpactonEnglishpolitics