Question

read the excerpt from the inheritors. emil: guess you dont know much about the espionage act or youd go and make a little friendly call on your uncle. when your case comes to trial—and judge lenon may be on the bench—(whistles) hes one fiend for americanism. what best describes the effect of the word fiend in this excerpt? options (some text partially obscured): it establishes the time period...; it develops the conflict by establishing the fact that judge lenon is unforgiving when he feels that someone has been unpatriotic.; it enhances the theme of the story by suggesting that it is nearly impossible to receive a fair trial during this time period.; it characterizes judge lenon as a corrupt judge who does not care to serve justice.

Explanation:

The word "fiend" here is paired with "Americanism," meaning Judge Lenon is extreme about loyalty to America. Emil uses this to warn that the judge will be harsh to those he sees as unpatriotic, which builds conflict around the upcoming trial. The other options are incorrect: there's no indication of an unfair trial system as a broader theme, no claim of corruption, and the focus is on the judge's stance, not Emil's anxiety.

Answer:

It develops the conflict by establishing the fact that Judge Lenon is unforgiving when he feels that someone has been unpatriotic.