\[\begin{array}{}
{1} &\;\; \text{Most adult women living in the modern western world will} \\
{2} & \;\;\text{proudly don a ring on their left hand upon becoming engaged} \\
{3} & \;\;\text{to be married. While a diamond stone on a gold band seems} \\
{4} & \;\;\text{to be the most popular choice, many women are starting to} \\
{5} &\;\; \text{branch out and select more unique designs for their} \\
{6} & \;\;\text{engagement rings. Colorful gems, such as rubies and} \\
{7} & \;\;\text{sapphires, are especially growing in popularity. Still other} \\
{8} & \;\;\text{women choose no gemstone at all, preferring the ease and} \\
{9} & \;\;\text{simplicity of a band.} \\
\end{array}\]
\[\begin{array}{}
{10} &\;\; \text{Regardless of the design choice, wearing an engagement} \\
{11} & \;\;\text{ring of some kind is a time-honored tradition that most} \\
{12} & \;\;\text{people accept without further thought. But from where does} \\
{13} & \;\;\text{this tradition stem? Why is it the norm to wear a ring after} \\
{14} & \;\;\text{getting engaged?} \\
\end{array}\]
\[\begin{array}{}
{15} &\;\; \text{The history of the engagement ring goes back farther than} \\
{16} & \;\;\text{most people would guess. While the modern engagement} \\
{17} & \;\;\text{ring is a relatively new tradition, using rings to represent} \\
{18} & \;\;\text{matrimony or partnership can be traced all the way back to} \\
{19} & \;\;\text{the Egyptians in 2800 B.C. Since then, wedding and} \\
{20} &\;\; \text{engagement rings have cropped up in many societies all} \\
{21} & \;\;\text{over the world, including Asia and Europe. Archduke} \\
{22} & \;\;\text{Maximilian of Austria is said to have been the first to propose} \\
{23} & \;\;\text{with a diamond ring in 1477, but it would be a long time yet} \\
{24} & \;\;\text{before diamond rings were the norm. Early societies used all} \\
{25} &\;\; \text{types of materials to create rings, including thread, wood,} \\
{26} & \;\;\text{iron, and even hair. Puritans in the eighteenth century wore} \\
{27} & \;\;\text{thimbles to represent matrimony, eventually cutting the tops} \\
{28} & \;\;\text{off of them to create rings.} \\
\end{array}\]
\[\begin{array}{}
{29} &\;\; \text{Based on the history of the engagement ring, it seems that} \\
{30} & \;\;\text{wearing a ring as a symbolic representation of love or} \\
{31} & \;\;\text{attachment is by no means a new idea. The western} \\
{32} & \;\;\text{standard of diamonds and other expensive gems are simply} \\
{33} & \;\;\text{the most modern trend in the engagement ring practice.} \\
\end{array}\]