Jeremy Bentham's philosophy of a utilitarianism stated that the goodness of actions should be tested by their usefulness to society.
For the first one:
B.) Historical documents, eyewitness accounts, etc. that provide direct or firsthand evidence about an event, object, person, or work of art.
For the second one:
B.) Her mother stared at her (because "stared" sounds more threatening than "looked").
Hope this helps!
Answer: Thoreau compares the cable to a man with nothing to say to a deaf woman, supporting his idea that technology many make communication easier but not necessarily meaningful.