And democracy? all we who twenty years ago entered a war to fight its battles to make the world safe for democracy, tonight we stand aghast because its last fortification, its last tower of strength, the supreme court of america, who has been a protector of the rights of the poor, who has been the protector of the rights of the rich, who has been the protector of the liberties of all, is now assailed and is now the target for those who blame it for our misdemeanors and who blame it for the depression and the following misery which eventuated from it. this is an excerpt from a 1935 sermon by father charles coughlin. in this context of this paragraph, what does the word assailed mean? a) to attack with physical force b) to leave for another location c) to enter into a written contract d) to attack with criticism and ridicule

1. find at least 9 adjectives from this opening passage used to describe the setting of the story- "to build a fire" setting: day had broken cold and gray, exceedingly cold and gray, when the man turned aside from the main yukon trail and climbed the high earth-bank, where a dim and little-travelled trail led eastward through the fat spruce timberland. it was a steep bank, and he paused for breath at the top, excusing the act to himself by looking at his watch. it was nine o'clock. there was no sun nor hint of sun, through there was not a cloud in the sky. it was a clear day, and yet there seemed an intangible pall over the face of things, subtle gloom that made the day dark, and that was due to the absence of sun. this fact did not worry the man. he was used to the lack of sun. it had been days since he had seen the sun, and he knew that a few more days must pass before that cheerful orb, due south, would just peep above the sky-line and dip immediately from view.