Function of Symbols: Short Fiction Practice Test

In the following excerpt, Theo, a new hire at a grocery store, learns the closing routine from a manager who speaks in clipped instructions. After the last customer leaves, the manager pulls a roll of “SALE” stickers from his pocket and begins slapping them over bruised peaches and dented cereal boxes, lowering prices without looking at Theo. Theo notices the stickers cover the damage but don’t fix it; when he reaches for one, the manager says, “Don’t waste them.” Which best describes the function of the roll of “SALE” stickers?

In the following excerpt, Anwar attends a mediation session with his landlord after repeated complaints about noise. Anwar insists the building is thin-walled; the landlord insists Anwar is careless. On the table sits a cheap plastic hourglass the mediator flips each time someone speaks. The sand sticks halfway through, forcing the mediator to tap it to keep time moving. What is the function of the cheap plastic hourglass?