Question

Read the excerpt from "Shout: A Poetry Memoir.”

On our bellies, facing the beach,
hands in the mud
legs in the water, my feet motorboated obediently.
I didn’t mind kicking long as I could hold
on to the shore.
But then the Lady beckoned us into deep water
one by one. I refused,
even with the rest of the class staring.
The Lady hooked me under the armpits and pulled
me in.

earthbound, "directionally challenged," "practice," "cemetary girl," and "driven" from SHOUT by Laurie Halse Anderson, copyright © 2019 by Laurie Halse Anderson. Used by permission of Viking Children's Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved.

Which word best describes the mood of this excerpt?

unsettled
humorous
terrified
depressed

Answer 1

Answer: A. unsettled

Step-by-step explanation: The excerpt from "Shout: A Poetry Memoir" begins with the narrator and the rest of the class lying on their bellies, facing the beach. This setting creates a sense of anticipation and curiosity, as the reader wonders what will happen next.

The use of phrases like "hands in the mud" and "legs in the water" suggests a feeling of discomfort and unease. The physical sensations described add to the overall unsettled mood of the passage.

The narrator expresses a sense of reluctance and resistance when the Lady beckons them into deep water. This resistance is emphasized when the narrator refuses to go in, even with the rest of the class staring. The hesitation and refusal contribute to the feeling of unease and unsettlement.

The final line, "The Lady hooked me under the armpits and pulled me in," further enhances the unsettled mood. The act of being forcibly pulled into the deep water creates a sense of vulnerability and loss of control.