Question

the unexpected gift
sarah stared at the beautifully wrapped package on her doorstep, a mix of curiosity and unease settling in her stomach. the pristine silver paper gleamed in the morning sun, topped with an elaborate bow that seemed too perfect to be real. she hadnt ordered anything, and her birthday was months away.
\mom?\ she called out, but remembered her mother was at work. the house remained silent, save for the gentle hum of the air conditioner.
sarah circled the package carefully, noting there was no shipping label, no return address - nothing to indicate its origin. her best friend jessica would have texted if shed left something, and her neighbors werent the gift - giving type. the package was just large enough to hold a shoebox.
she pulled out her phone and snapped a picture, sending it to jessica with a quick message: \did you leave this?\
three dots appeared, then:
ope, not me! open it!!!\
sarahs fingers traced the edge of the paper, finding the seam. as she began to carefully unwrap it, a faint ticking sound emerged from within. her heart jumped to her throat. ticking packages were never
what effect does the ticking sound have on sarah?
it calms her.
it makes her curious.
it raises her anxiety.
it makes her laugh.

Explanation:

In the story, when Sarah hears the ticking sound from the package she didn't order, her heart jumps to her throat, which indicates her anxiety rises.

Answer:

It raises her anxiety.