What part of speech does the word in capital letters play this sentenceThe TAUNTS are rude and need to stop! cried Mrs. Norris.?

The word "TAUNTS" in the sentence "The TAUNTS are rude and need to stop! cried Mrs. Norris." is the subject of the sentence.

Here's why:

* Subject: The subject is the noun or pronoun that performs the action of the verb. In this sentence, the verb is "are," and the thing that is rude and needs to stop is the "TAUNTS."

* Predicate: The predicate tells us something about the subject. In this case, the predicate is "are rude and need to stop!"

Therefore, "TAUNTS" is the noun acting as the subject of the sentence.