Question

Read this sentence from "Why I Write" by George Orwell.

So long as I remain alive and well I shall continue to feel strongly about prose style, to love the surface of the earth, and to take pleasure in solid objects and scraps of useless information.

How does the author's use of the phrase "scraps of useless information" affect the tone?


A.) It reiterates the uncertain tone of the essay.

B.) It emphasizes the whimsical tone of the essay.

C.) It highlights the critical tone of the essay.

D.) It points to the glum tone of the essay.

Answer 1

The answer is C.) It highlights the critical tone of the essay

Step-by-step explanation:

I took the test. As for an actual explanation, I'm not exactly sure but we see that he is definitely not uncertain or glum. He is very certain he will keep writing and nowhere is any sad or "glum" language used. I think if we take the phrase "scraps of useless information" alone it definitely sounds whimsical, but as a part of the whole excerpt, it helps to emphasize his seriousness to continue writing. And being critical is the closest thing to being serious. Anyway, I hope that helped in some way.

Answer 2

B.) It emphasizes the whimsical tone of the essay.

Step-by-step explanation:

The term whimsical is defined as the act of behaving in a capricious manner, which involves the property of being impulsive and a sudden change in mood. This describes how the author uses the phrase "scraps of useless information", as it is an unexpected set of words for him to use (his mood changed) after describing himself as "strong about prose style" and to "take pleasure in solid objects".