Well it is not stop listening, or make an effort too attend, I am sure that assign meaning is correct.
Answer:
I believe the theme of this story is that truth is sometimes better left unsaid[or "truth kills"]. Like in this story, the guy loved this woman and thought she had loved him back. He would have never thought that she would go out and try to deceive him. He would have lived happier, if he thought that she was still faithfully clinging and loving him silently even in death. Yet he was very oblivious and curious to know the truth of why she had died, and that truth eventually killed him.
Meddlesome is the correct answer if you look in thesaurus one of them says nosy. hope this helped
The second one that starts with higher. the simile is ‘like a cloud of fire’
