READING – Determining Tone
rev. August 2005
DETERMINING TONE
EXERCISE I: Circle the letter of the word that most clearly expresses the
tone in each passage. If you are unfamiliar with any of the
words, look them up before you select the correct answer.
1. Often you feel you’ve done nothing when you’ve actually done a lot. That’s
because what you did do seemed beneath notice—it was so small that it
didn’t “count.” But it did—just as each stitch counts toward a finished dress,
each brick or nail toward a house you can live in, each mistake toward
knowing how to do things right.
a. hesitant
b. encouraging
c. amused
2. A vaccine is a preparation of killed or weakened germs that is injected under
the skin and causes the blood to produce antibodies against the disease.
Effective vaccines, for instance, have been developed for small pox, rabies,
and polio.
a. objective
b. arrogant
c. regretful
3. We have come together this afternoon to mourn the deaths of sixteen
miners—our friends and neighbors—who were trapped by fire yesterday,
deep below the earth. They lived bravely and they died too soon, leaving
behind grieving wives and bewildered children. We bid them a final farewell.
a. forgiving
b. sorrowful
c. angry
4. Why do these things always happen to me?, Brad wondered. First I forget an
important meeting, and nobody reminds me until it’s over. Then my boss
dumps a big project on my desk and wants it done by yesterday. And to top
everything off, I leave my wallet on the bus.
a. comic
b. self-pitying
c. optimistic
5. Each year in the middle of February, when slush is underfoot and the sky is a
depressing gray, I begin dreaming of warm beaches, tropical fruits and
sunsets. If only I could save enough for a winter vacation! Maybe next year
I’ll win the lottery. Meanwhile, I’ll read travel brochures and sigh.
a. unsure
b. joyous
c. longing
