Question

The forest lands of Gradwitz were of wide extent and well stocked with game; the narrow strip of precipitous woodland that lay on its outskirt was not remarkable for the game it harboured or the shooting it afforded, but it was the most jealously guarded of all its owner’s territorial possessions. A famous law suit, in the days of his grandfather, had wrested it from the illegal possession of a neighbouring family of petty landowners; the dispossessed party had never acquiesced in the judgment of the Courts, and a long series of poaching affrays and similar scandals had embittered the relationships between the families for three generations.
Question
Use the passage to answer the question.

Analyze the author’s use of the words precipitous and embittered. What tone do these words convey?

(1 point)
Responses

an enthusiastic tone
an enthusiastic tone

a foreboding tone
a foreboding tone

a humorous tone
a humorous tone

a nostalgic tone
a nostalgic tone
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page 13 of 13

Answer 1

The author's use of the words "precipitous" and "embittered" conveys a **foreboding tone**.

"Precipitous," which suggests steepness and danger, reflects the challenging and potentially threatening nature of the woodland, setting a mood of tension. Meanwhile, "embittered" indicates a feeling of resentment and anger that has developed over generations, further enhancing the sense of conflict and unease between the families. Together, these words create a sense of foreboding regarding the longstanding feud and its implications.