The closest modern-day equivalent of a joint stock company is Choose 1
A government agency, sponsored by tax revenue
A scientific non-profit, dedicated to spreading knowledge about the natural world
A corporation, with shares spread among many investors

A corporation, with shares spread among many investors

Explanation:

Join-stock companies are the antecessor to modern-day corporations. In fact, join-stock companies worked essentially the same way as a modern corporation.

Join-stock companies were born in a few European countries: Italy, the Netherlands, Britain and France. They were developed when financing needs became too high for a single or a few owners to finance. This is why stocks began to be sold to many individuals, who each held a fraction of ownership of the Join-stock company.

The two most famous Join-stock companies were the British East India Company, and the Dutch East India Company. These two companies were involved in very similar businesses: colonial adventures, trade, and even slavery.

so the story tells of someone named kaushik choudhuri, but he does not narrate the story, a girl named hema does. hema tells the story in a second person point of view because you (the reader) are supposed to be the boy named kaushik.

here's an excerpt i found: "i was ushered into the fitting room, your mother watching approvingly as i took off my coat and sweater and tried on the bra."

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