I would say the aswer is D. I would say that because they are going against their pride. They are being unselfish. Della is trying hard to find something for Jim, since Christmas is not far away.
The mood created is Suspense.
Choice A: We conducted a survey of those in the immediate area and asked which type of notary stamp each liked best.
Essentially, the only thing that differentiates Choice A from the rest, is it's pronoun used.
In the original, the pronoun phrase used in relation to the adjective "those," was "he or she."
From this we can infer that Choice B is out of the question since it only states "she."
Choice C, though a tempting choice, is incorrect since the word "they" isn't inclusive enough.
Choice D is erroneous because it does not provide more clarity than the original. In fact, it doesn't even seem like a revision since the two pronouns were joined by a forward slash.
Answer: The author is emphasizing the sense of loss that Della must feel when she realizes she can’t use them
Explanation:
Here's the remainder of the question:
What is the purpose of the author’s description of the beauty of the combs?
a The author is emphasizing the sense of loss that Della must feel when she realizes she can’t use them.
b. This description is included as a part of the setting of the story.
c. The author is contrasting Della’spoverty with her extravagant tastes.
d. The author wants the reader to understand Jim’s disappointment in Della..
From the excerpt, we can deduce that Della had always worshipped and craves for the beautiful combs, which were pure tortoise shell, and had jewelled rims which she could use for her hair.
We are further told that even though the conbs were expensive, and that she had craved and yearned for them, she has them now but that the tresses that would have adorned the coveted adornments were gone.
This illustrates the sense of loss that Della must feel when she realizes she can’t use them.