The passage is mainly about the Great Depression.
This is false: it has a very negative connotation.
It refers to a smile that is mocking or contemptuous (or a remark that is mocking or contemptuos) - so it's not a genuine smile, but an ironic and sarcastic smile. It has a negative and not a neutral connotation.
Answer:
The nouns are "Richard" and "Explanation"
Explanation:
It's a complete sentence and has to be connected to another one
