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Question

Difficulty: MediumTone, Mood, and Persona

Read the poetic excerpt below and answer the question that follows:

The city sleeps in twilight's grey embrace,
Where idle promises are bought and sold;
The beggar counts the shadows on his face,
While politicians wrap themselves in gold.

Which of the following best describes the tone of the speaker towards the political leaders?

  1. Indignant and criticalAnswer
  2. B
    Melancholic and serene
  3. C
    Reverent and laudatory
  4. D
    Nostalgic and lighthearted

Answer

The tone of the speaker towards the political leaders is indignant and critical.
The correct answer is indignant and critical because the speaker uses vivid contrasting imagery—comparing the impoverished beggar counting shadows to politicians wrapping themselves in gold—to condemn political greed and corruption.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the diction and imagery in the excerpt
The excerpt contrasts the impoverished beggar counting shadows with politicians who 'wrap themselves in gold' through 'idle promises'.
Tone is determined through the speaker's choice of words and imagery regarding a specific subject.
2
Differentiate between tone and mood
While the overall atmospheric mood of the scene is sombre and gloomy, the speaker's specific attitude toward the politicians is condemnation.
Tone reflects the speaker's attitude toward a subject, whereas mood reflects the atmospheric feeling created for the reader.
3
Select the option that accurately captures the speaker's attitude
'Indignant and critical' accurately captures the speaker's moral condemnation of political greed.
The juxtaposition highlights social injustice, proving an indignant and critical stance.

Key Concept

Distinguishing Speaker Tone from Poetic Mood
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Topics

Tone, Mood, and Persona

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