Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks for the reason behind Smita's nervousness or distress. The passage uses the phrase "bit her lip in self-reproach," which indicates this feeling.
Step 2: Analyzing the Passage:
The passage states, "Smita bit her lip in self-reproach. She had been so excited at seeing the announcement that she had not remembered that her brother was very ill."
This shows a sequence of events:
1. Smita saw an announcement and got excited.
2. In her excitement, she momentarily forgot about her brother's severe illness.
3. When she remembered, she felt guilty and distressed ("self-reproach").
This sudden, guilty remembrance of the harsh reality of her brother's condition, after a moment of excitement, made her nervous.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Smita became nervous because she had been very excited after seeing an announcement, and in that excitement, she had forgotten that her brother, Anant, was very ill. When she remembered his condition, she felt a pang of guilt and self-reproach, which made her nervous.