Question

read the passage from a dolls house.
nora: hide the christmas tree carefully, helen. be sure the children do not see it until this evening, when it is dressed. to the porter, taking out her purse. how much?
porter: sixpence.
nora: there is a shilling. no, keep the change. the porter thanks her, and goes out. nora shuts the door. she is laughing to herself, as she takes off her hat and coat. she takes a packet of macaroons from her pocket and eats one or two, then goes cautiously to her husbands door and listens. yes, he is in. still humming, she goes to the table on the right.
what do the stage directions tell the reader about nora?
○ they show how much money nora gives to the porter.
○ they give important background details about noras life.
○ they show noras mood and her approach to her husband.
○ they show how nora wants to hide the christmas tree.

Explanation:

The stage directions describe Nora laughing to herself, eating macaroons secretly, and cautiously listening at her husband's door. These actions reveal her playful, somewhat secretive mood and her careful, tentative approach to interacting with her husband, as she seems to be hiding a small indulgence (the macaroons) from him. The other options are incorrect: the money given to the porter is dialogue, not stage directions; the stage directions don't provide broad background details; and hiding the tree is stated in dialogue, not conveyed by stage directions.

Answer:

They show Nora's mood and her approach to her husband.