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Read this passage:

It must be, if the nebular hypothesis has any truth, older
than our world; and long before this earth ceased to be
molten, life upon its surface must have begun its course.
The fact that it is scarcely one seventh of the volume of
the earth must have accelerated its cooling to the
temperature at which life could begin. -H. G. Wells.
What makes the tone of the passage formal and scientific?
A. The narrator speaks quickly and in concise sentences.
B. The narrator uses puns or wordplay to talk about the Martians.
C. The narrator quotes facts about Mars and sounds well educated.
D. The narrator mentions death and destruction several times.

1 Answer

7 votes

Final answer:

The formal and scientific tone in H.G. Wells's passage is due to the educated language and factual references to planetary development, particularly involving life beginning on Mars and the cooling process of planets.

Step-by-step explanation:

The tone of the passage from H. G. Wells is considered formal and scientific primarily because the narrator uses well-informed language and cites facts about planetary development, aligning with option C: The narrator quotes facts about Mars and sounds well educated. The formal tone is reflected through the use of technical terms related to the nebular hypothesis, the concept of life beginning on Mars, and considerations of the cooling process of celestial bodies in relation to the emergence of life.

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