Answer:
B. Moctezuma demanded tributes and victimized his people.
Explanation:
From the passage, we discover that his people resented to his demands for tribute and victims of the religious sacrifices. Such resentment from his people weakened his conquest.
When any people are against their rulers, it is difficult for such ruler to enjoy freedom and exercise his authority. I believe this played out when the people began resenting Moctezuma.
He demanded tributes and victimized the people but that worked against him and made him a prisoner in his own palace.
The irony is that they are smiling with “torn and bleeding hearts”.
The idea it emphasizes is that they are smiling to hide their pain.
The overall message revealed by the irony is that they are in considerable emotional turmoil and faking happiness to mask their distress.
He is trying to see what you think of the story
I think the answer is D. Elusion is defined as hiding from someone or something. I don't think there is a such thing as hiding from something in literature.
I'm am NOT a professional, simply using prior knowledge!
B. Across the street is the prepositional phrase