Reading Comprehension Success in 20 Minutes a Day, 3rd Edition

3. I think the theme of this novel probably has
something to do with revenge.
a. playful
b. uncertain
c. cheerful
4. Without a doubt, the theme of this novel is
revenge.
a. gloomy
b. disrespectful
c. authoritative
cheerful
complimentary
hopeful
sad
gloomy
apologetic
critical
insecure
disrespectful
humorous
sarcastic
ironic
wistful
foreboding
playful
sincere
insincere
authoritative
threatening
indifferent
–
H O W T H E Y S AY I T, PA R T T W O : T O N E
–
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5. Your essay? Oh, it was just fabulous. Really, I’ve
never seen anything like it.
a. insincere
b. critical
c. disrespectful
6. This is one of the best essays I’ve ever seen. It’s
clear, concise, and convincing.
a. complimentary
b. wistful
c. hopeful
7. Bill had stayed up all night preparing for this
presentation. He had everything ready: charts,
graphs, lists, statistics. This was the biggest meet-
ing of his career. He was ready. He smiled as the
cab pulled up to 505 Park Avenue, and he gave the
taxi driver an extra large tip. He entered the build-
ing confidently and pushed #11 on the elevator.
Suddenly, as the doors of the elevator closed, he
realized that he had left his briefcase in the cab.
a. cheerful
b. ironic
c. critical
Answers
3. b. The writer is obviously afraid to be authorita-
tive and uses phrases like “I think,” “proba-
bly,” and “something to do with” to reflect
this uncertainty.
4. c. The writer is clearly comfortable in making a
definitive statement. There is no hesitation in
the tone here. Instead of suggesting, the writer
declares: “Without a doubt…”
5. a. Because of the opening question and because
the next sentences are so vague, a reader can
assume that the writer either hasn’t read the
essay or didn’t like it. Also, “really” indicates
that the writer is afraid the reader won’t be
convinced by the statement, so he tries to
emphasize it. Furthermore, “I’ve never
seen anything like it” isn’t necessarily a
compliment—it could really mean many
different things, not all of them good.
6. a. Unlike question 5, this paragraph really is
complimentary. The writer specifies three
things that make the reader’s essay excep-
tional: It’s “clear, concise and convincing.”
The use of more specific adjectives makes this
writer’s praise seem sincere.
7. b. Irony is the mood created when things hap-
pen in a manner that is opposite of what was
expected to happen. Here, Bill had prepared
diligently for the big meeting and had every-
thing ready. But contrary to his expectations
of having a very successful presentation, he
had no presentation at all because he left his
materials in the taxi cab. The irony is height-
ened by his confidence.

S u m m a r y
An ability to determine tone is an essential compo-
nent of reading comprehension. Often, writers will let
their tone convey their meaning, so you need to look
carefully for clues in the writer’s language and style to
determine how writers want their words to sound.