It’s a feature or Quality
The sentence that is correctly construed with an independent clause and a dependent clause is A) As they examined the evidence afresh, they thought of a completely different explanation.
The other sentences don't have dependent clauses, only phrases.
C. The author uses a simile to compare the feeling of nervousness to melting because the sentence uses the word "like," which is an underlying hint to similes. Without it, it would be a metaphor.
