I think marriage isn't emphasized in Japanese modern society because women who don't marry and get married later in life increase with the increase in the ranks of working women.
I think husband and wife are best friend and respect each other. Being able to respect each other may be secret that maintain a lasting relationship. To have a baby isn't women's duty, but there is a need it because of solving the low birthrate problem. The omiai is one of the sexual encounter. We may be able to meet the ideal partner because we can meet a person who don't meet in an ordinary life.

Is Japanese life affected by superstitions?

　I think that Japanese life is affected by superstitions. For example, four is an unlucky number in Japan. Four is pronounced as shi and death is pronounced as shi in Japanese, so they are same pronounciations. Therefore there aren't the room numbers with the fours in some hospitals and hotels. People want to avoid the number four. There are also many other superstitions in Japan. Some people continue to believe some superstitions from a childhood.

What superstitions do you practice? Which ones? Why?

　It is the superstition that we don't feel nervous if we write the character "person" three times in a kanji on our palm with our finger and assume to drink. I often practice it because I am liable to feel nervous. If I practice it, I feel as if my feeling were relaxing. I have heard the opinion that there is a pressure point to relax around the center of our palm. If we write the character, the pressure point makes us relax.

The meaning of the proverbs in the text book on page 75 number 8

1. Time is money.
Time is valuable as money. This means that don't waste time because it is precious and effective as money.

2. A stitch in time saves nine.
The rip in clothes expands soon. And you will become out of control. So if you get one stitch on the rip now, you can avoid the trouble of having to get nine stitches later. This means that it is important to prepare not to fail in advance and if you deal with the problem quickly, you feel easy later.

3. There's no time like the present.
This means that now especially is important in your precious time.

4. Let's meet at four. If I'm not there by five, leave without me at six, and I'll be there at seven.
I don't know this proverb. Maybe this means that it is indifferent to time.