Answer: Where the story takes place.
Explanation:
"The Lottery", Shirley Jackson's short story, is about a ritual that takes place every year in a small village in America. The winner of the lottery, however, does not win any money - he/she dies by stoning.
In the excerpt given above, the author reveals topics that are commonly discussed among the men from the story - planting, rain, tractors and taxes. This gives the readers a clue about the location where the story takes place. We can assume that such topics are commonly discussed among the villagers who earn their living through agriculture. The story, therefore, takes place in a rural area.
