Final answer:
Illustrations influence the tone of informational text by complementing the author's attitude conveyed through word choice and content. They can set a playful, somber, or formal tone, affecting how the audience connects with and perceives the text. Tone helps establish reliability, objectivity, and reader perception.
Step-by-step explanation:
Illustrations can significantly influence the tone of informational text. Tone refers to the author's attitude toward the subject matter or the audience and is reflected through word choice, syntax, and content. When determining if an illustration is appropriate for the text, one should consider whether it accurately reflects the tone the author is trying to convey. For example, a bright and whimsical illustration could set a playful or lighthearted tone, while a stark and serious image could establish a more somber or formal tone.
The tone of a persuasive piece, for instance, might vary from educational to impassioned. Most academic writing about images adopts a neutral tone; however, reviews and essays might take an informal or scholarly approach. When analyzing a story's tone, we ask ourselves if the diction—the choice of words—helps convey a specific attitude, like choosing 'joyful' instead of 'happy' or 'seething' instead of 'angry'.
In presentations and speeches, language choices and non-verbal cues such as gestures also help to create a particular tone. The audience feels connected to the speaker when the tone is appropriate and helps reinforce the credibility of the message. For informational texts, tone also plays a critical role in establishing reliability and objectivity, thus influencing how readers perceive and react to the content.