What do the abbreviations after a word in the dictionary tell you about the word?

You suspect that this article has left out some facts that might lead the reader to believe that someone else made the star-spangled banner. what is the best way to verify this? by consulting a variety of sources by disregarding the article entirely by writing a letter to the editor of the publication that printed the article by reading various historical accounts by verifying the opinions

Based on this work of satire, what is most likely the authors opinion?

Which two lines in this excerpt from leo tolstoy's the death of ivan ilyich together use symbolism to indicate that death is approaching?