Read the following paragraph and answer the question that follows: and these i address to all females that would be married, or are already so; not that i suppose their sex more faulty than the other, and most to want advice, for i assure [women], upon my honour, i believe the quite contrary; but the reason is, because i esteem them better disposed to receive and practice it, and therefore am willing to begin, where i may promise myself the best success. what kind of style does franklin use to reach his readers? he refers to women, but he is actually appealing to men. he refers to men, but he is actually appealing to women. he directly refers to the women he hopes are reading. he directly refers to the men he hopes are reading.

I would contend that the right answer is the A) He refers to women, but he is actually appealing to men.

Explanation: Just to elaborate a little on the answer, it can be added that this is an excerpt from Franklin's "Rules and Maxims for Promoting Matrimonial Happiness," which he published in 1730 a few weeks after he married his wife Deborah. In these lines he was actually apologizing for seeking to advise women, since men were more faulty, "but the reason is because I esteem them better disposed to receive and practice it." Options B and D should, therefore, be discarded, since he is clearly referring to women, but his audience would be mostly made up of men, who would be compelled to reflect upon, and certainly to embrace, his traditional views on marriage—one of Franklin's rules advised women to be "assured, a Woman’s Power, as well as Happiness, has no other Foundation but her Husband’s Esteem and Love."

b is the answer.   i sat on the lumpy sofa, totally exhausted, with a bad taste in my mouth, wondering what i should do next.  

the part where he says my friends