Read the excerpt from a short story. I thanked her again for the cake, and quietly retreated from the porch. A blast of air conditioning assailed me as I reentered our home and closed the summer heat behind me. Placing the cake on the table with the others, I noted its carefully scalloped frosting with mounting sadness. Clutching the doorjamb, I suppressed a sob. The reality of our loss would wait. Which words from the excerpt convey the tone? “thanked” and “retreated” “assailed” and “reentered” “placing” and “scalloped” “clutching” and “suppressed”

d.) then bernice winced as marjorie tossed her own hair over her shoulders and began to twist it slowly into two long blond braids until in her cream-colored negligée she looked like a delicate painting of some saxon princess. fascinated, bernice watched the braids grow. heavy and luxurious they were, moving under the supple fingers like restive snakes—and to bernice remained this relic and the curling iron and a to-morrow full of eyes.

explanation:

the goblins and dwarves have different perspectives of things. bilbo is a hobbit and goblins dwarves and hobbits all believe and do a different way of living

c. nature verses humanity is correct