Final answer:
The passages suggest scenes from literary fiction, where descriptive language is utilized to create atmosphere and deepen character emotions. The use of sensory detail and vivid imagery is essential in these narratives, and the term 'white ashen' paired with a veil implies a mist or fog-like presence that affects visibility.
Step-by-step explanation:
The passage provided describes various scenes with vivid imagery and emotional depth, characteristic of literary fiction. It appears to delve into themes such as perception, loss, nature, and introspection which are common in English literature.
Notably, the text creates a sense of place and atmosphere, whether it's the purple slope, the contrast of moonlight against the sage, or the feeling of surprise and sorrow with the sudden darkness and silence. These excerpts may be from different novels or stories, where authors use descriptive language to bring their narratives to life.
For instance, the mention of a white ashen veil and the damp moonlight resonates with the use of color and sensory detail to create a specific mood in the reader's mind. Effective use of setting, like the wide purple slope or the strong walls, the steel of the girders, serves to reinforce character emotions and narrative tension.
Meanwhile, personal reactions to these elements, such as a character's tears or another's shock upon finding someone alive, provide depth to the characters and their experiences.
Addressing the initial question, a fitting word to fill the blank would be 'mist' or 'fog', as they pair well with the context provided by the term 'white ashen' and the overall atmosphere depicted in the examples. However, without a specific reference to the origin of the text, the exact word intended by the author cannot be confirmed.