Read the given extract.

Which of the following best describes the poet’s tone towards the trees’ movement?

1. Sympathetic 
2. Critical
3. Admiring 
4. Indifferent

Answer as written by the student:

The poet’s tone towards the trees’ movement is A. sympathetic.

Step-by-step explanation of the answer:

• First, let’s see what is tone . Tone is the attitude or emotion that the writer expresses towards the subject or the audience of a piece of writing.
• For example, in this sentence: “She was furious with him for breaking her vase”, the tone is angry because the writer shows a strong negative emotion towards the subject (him).
• The poet’s tone towards the trees’ movement can be inferred from the words and images that he uses to describe them. We can look for clues such as adjectives , verbs , similes , metaphors , or symbols that reveal the poet’s feelings or opinions about the trees.
• In this extract, the poet uses words and images that show his sympathy or compassion for the trees. He portrays the trees as living beings who have a desire and a will to escape from their unnatural and unhappy situation inside the house. He also contrasts the emptiness and darkness of the forest before and after the trees’ movement, implying that the trees bring life and light to the forest.
• Some examples of words and images that show the poet’s sympathetic tone are:
  • The verb “moving out” suggests that the trees are leaving their home voluntarily, like humans who want to start a new life elsewhere.
  • The adjective “empty” implies that the forest is lonely and desolate without the trees, and that it needs them to fill it with life and beauty.
  • The image of “no bird could sit no insect hide no sun bury its feet in shadow” creates a sense of gloom and silence in the forest, which contrasts with the lively and colorful presence of birds, insects, and sun in a natural forest.
  • The image of “full of trees by morning” suggests that the forest will be transformed and rejuvenated by the arrival of the trees, and that it will welcome them with open arms.

Therefore, based on these clues, we can conclude that the poet’s tone towards the trees’ movement is sympathetic. He feels sorry for the trees and supports their decision to return to their natural habitat.