[单项选择]

      In sixteenth-century Italy and eighteenth-century France, waning prosperity and increasing social unrest led the ruling families to try to preserve their superiority by withdrawing from the lower and middle classes behind barriers of etiquette. In a prosperous community, on the other hand, polite society soon absorbs the newly rich, and in England there has never been any shortage of books on etiquette for teaching them the manners appropriate to their new way of life.
       Every code of etiquette has contained three elements: basic moral duties; practical rules which promote efficiency; and artificial, optional graces such as formal compliments to, say, women on their beauty or superiors on their generosity and importance.
       In the first category are consideration for the weak and respect for age. Among the ancient Egyptians the young always stood in the presence of
A. Respect for age.
B. Formal compliments.
C. Proper introductions at social functions.
D. Eating with a fork rather than fingers.