What is the central idea of the first section:When and how often do we dream?

Which sentence in this excerpt from frances hodgson burnett’s a little princess shows indirect characterization? it was just then that miss minchin entered the room. she was very like her house, sara felt: tall and dull, and respectable and ugly. she had large, cold, fishy eyes, and a large, cold, fishy smile. it spread itself into a very large smile when she saw sara and captain crewe. she had heard a great many desirable things of the young soldier from the lady who had recommended her school to him. among other things, she had heard that he was a rich father who was willing to spend a great deal of money on his little daughter. "it will be a great privilege to have charge of such a beautiful and promising child, captain crewe," she said, taking sara's hand and stroking it. "lady meredith has told me of her unusual cleverness. a clever child is a great treasure in an establishment like mine."

This is the noun or pronoun to which a pronoun refers.

Which is it? the desert is than the mountains? 1. drier 2. more dry