The author of the passage implies that many nineteenth-century American women chose to remain single because they A. believed that marriage required them to give up much of their autonomy B. had attitudes toward marriage that were influenced by contemporary reform movements C. wanted to take advantage of increasing opportunities to distinguish themselves as professionals D. doubted that their own marriage would live up to their notion of what a marriage ought to be E. had a negative view of marriage fostered by a change in social attitudes during the nineteenth century