What does "understate" meab in these sentences?​

Which revision of this sentence best uses direct characterization?

Read the quotation from "an occurrence at owl creek bridge." and now he became conscious of a new disturbance. striking through the thought of his dear ones was a sound which he could neither ignore nor understand, a sharp, distinct, metallic percussion like the stroke of a blacksmith’s hammer upon the anvil; it had the same ringing quality. he wondered what it was, and whether immeasurably distant or near by—it seemed both. its recurrence was regular, but as slow as the tolling of a death knell. he awaited each stroke with impatience and—he knew not why—apprehension. the intervals of silence grew progressively longer, the delays became maddening. with their greater infrequency the sounds increased in strength and sharpness. they hurt his ear like the thrust of a knife; he feared he would shriek. what he heard was the ticking of his watch. which best describes the effect of the narration in the excerpt? it suggests that the man being executed feels tranquil and at peace. it suggests that the narrator is sympathetic to the man being executed. it suggests that the plot will become less tense as the story continues. it suggests that the story will become more intense and mysterious.

How does the poem "the lady of shalott" by alfred, lord tennyson convey the position of victorian women? a curse is on her if she stay to look down to camelot. she knows not what the curse may be, and so she weaveth steadily, and little other care hath she, the lady of shalott. and moving thro' a mirror clear that hangs before her all the year, shadows of the world appear. there she sees the highway near winding down to camelot: there the river eddy whirls, and there the surly village churls, and the red cloaks of market girls, pass onward from shalott. a. most victorian women were restricted to their homes. b. victorian women were confined to domestic duties. c. most victorian women worked hard but were often bored. d. victorian women employed themselves by weaving.