The answer is b, are.
The reason is because it is the only one that fits in the sentence that makes sense!
The tone is of <u>strong disapproval.</u>
Explanation:
The passage here presents multiple instances of disapproval of Countess Olenska's behavior
- <u>the narrator calls her a compromised woman</u>, essentially, one of a loose character.
- <u>questions her going outside in the' shopping hour</u>', that is, when she has a chance of meeting men outside.
- <u>her absence when the betrothed couple comes is presented as a relief.</u> She is either ill mannered or her family is ashamed of having her around.
It is evident that the Countess here is being judged on impossible standards.
Answer:
To some extent, all countries, including the United States, are becoming a kind of "big brother society." This is so because governments, at present and to a greater extent, monitor the movements of the country's citizens through different governmental control mechanisms, such as internal intelligence agencies, under the pretext of contributing to this. surveillance of national security. Thus, laws such as the Patriot Act have violated the privacy of citizens, and have guaranteed the government that it can control and monitor the different aspects of their lives. Therefore, the question of governmental control of the private life of citizens is not a myth or a conspiracy theory, but a fact.
