Question 2 • CA-Common Core English Language Arts 11 B Credit Recovery 5 Credits
Read this excerpt from chapter 1 of The Scarlet Letter.A throng of bearded men, in sad-colored garments and gray, steeple-crowned hats, intermixed with women, some wearing hoods, and others bareheaded, was assembled in front of a wooden edifice, the door of which was heavily timbered with oak, and studded with iron spikes.Which best describes the effect of the words “sad-colored,” “steeple-crowned,” and “iron spikes”?
Answer
A
They establish the mournful mood.
B
They establish the hostile mood.
C
They establish the austere Puritan setting.
D
They establish the spiritual Puritan setting.
Explanation
The details describe the people’s plain, somber clothing and the severe construction of the building. Together, “sad-colored,” “steeple-crowned,” and “iron spikes” evoke the strict, austere Puritan community in which the story begins. They do not mainly create a mournful or hostile mood; they establish the austere Puritan setting.
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