What is the participial phrase in the sentence below? running to the finish line, the tired contestants increased their speed and excitement.
a. running to the finish line
b. increased their speed
c. the tired contestants
d. and excitement

the tone of the passage is sympathetic to the forbidden love of romeo and juliet. the nurse plays a significant role in the play. she is responsible for making their meeting again possible. additionally, there is a sense of warning in the choice of words of the nurse. she seems to be authoritative when she calls romeo "scurvy knave", and at the same time the fact that she addresses to him as "sir" reflects respect. the nurse is "vexed", this word describes her confused state of mind. on the one hand, she finds romeo a fine and eloquent man, but on the other, it is thought that man's nature forces men to try to trick women.  

the correct answers are:

c. “never in the history of his people had a man married a woman who spoke a different tongue.”

d. “‘it has never been heard,’ was the verdict of an old man speaking a few weeks later.”

e. “this man had come with others to commiserate with okeke.”