Rain is to drop as snow is to

In "there will come soft rains," why does the author turn the house into a mechanical creature? a. to stress how well run the future will be b. to keep readers from realizing at the start that no humans are present c. to stress how scientific advances can create the perfect society d. to compare the present with the earlier, non-mechanical times

Which three sentences in this excerpt from arthur conan doyle's "the contest" suggest that the author's tone is mocking?

What event triggers victors interest in electricity?