Question

read the excerpt from trifles.
mrs. hale. duty’s all right, but i guess that deputy sheriff that came out to make the fire might have got a little of this on. (gives the roller towel a pull.) wish i’d thought of that sooner. seems mean to talk about her for not having things slicked up when she had to come away in such a hurry.
mrs. peters. (who has gone to a small table in the left rear corner of the room, and lifted on end of a towel that covers a pan). she had bread set. (stands still.)
how would an audio recording of this excerpt help establish the setting of the play?
through the characters’ expressions as they talk
through the changing tones of the characters’ voices
through the use of props such as the roller towel
through the sound effect of footsteps around the kitchen

Explanation:

To determine how an audio recording establishes the setting, we analyze each option:

• Option 1: Expressions are visual, not audible in a recording, so this is incorrect.
• Option 2: Changing tones of voices relate to mood/character emotion, not setting establishment.
• Option 3: Props are visual elements and can't be conveyed via audio (a roller towel is a prop, but audio can't show it).
• Option 4: Sound effects like footsteps in a kitchen can help listeners visualize the kitchen setting, as footsteps in a kitchen - like environment would indicate the location is a kitchen, thus establishing the setting.

Answer:

D. through the sound effect of footsteps around the kitchen