Final answer:
Scout likely ruined the performance by arriving late onto the stage, as timing is essential in theater and any deviation can disrupt the performance. Option 1 is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The excerpt provided from the novel To Kill a Mockingbird demonstrates the importance of context to determine how a character's actions are perceived. Mrs. Merriweather's comment about Scout ruining the performance due to her entry onto the stage suggests a deviation from expected timing or behavior. Given the excerpts from various texts that illustrate characters acting either discreetly or too late, we can infer the behavior expected in a theatrical performance.
In theater, timing is critical, and entrances must be made at precise moments to ensure the flow of the performance. Thus, arriving late on stage would disrupt the sequence of events and could potentially ruin a live performance.
Hence, considering the emphasis on precise timing in theatrical performances, the most probable answer to the student's question is that Scout ruined the performance because she came late on the stage.
Please mention the correct option in the final answer: Scout ruined the performance because she came 1) late on the stage.