Diction and Syntax: Impact on Mood, Voice, and Tone
Question 1 • SHS Alt English 4 S1 - 2021
Read the excerpt from "Surrendering” by Ocean Vuong.One early-spring afternoon, when I was in fourth grade, we got an assignment in language-arts class: we had two weeks to write a poem in honor of National Poetry Month. Normally, my poor writing abilities would excuse me from such assignments, and I would instead spend the class mindlessly copying out passages from books I’d retrieved from a blue plastic bin at the back of the room. The task allowed me to camouflage myself; as long as I looked as though I were doing something smart, my shame and failure were hidden.
Answer
A
The author uses repetition to emphasize an event that occurred and to create a bitter tone.
B
The author uses longer sentence construction to slow the pace of the reader and to create a remorseful tone.
C
The author uses parallelism to help the reader understand a life-changing moment and to create a wretched tone.
D
The author uses various punctuation marks to indicate pauses and to create a passionate tone.
Explanation
The excerpt uses extended sentences with several connected clauses, which slows the reader’s pace and gives the memory a reflective, remorseful quality. The author describes hiding his shame and failure by pretending to do something smart, supporting that tone. The passage does not rely on repetition, parallelism, or varied punctuation to create its effect.
AI-written and checked against the verified answer.