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?

A. an enthusiastic tone
B. a nostalgic tone
C. a humorous tone
D. a foreboding tone

Answer 1

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

The word "precipitous" suggests steepness and danger, indicating that the woodland is not just physically challenging but may also symbolize conflict or tension in the relationships surrounding it. The use of "embittered" reinforces this sense of animosity and long-standing grievances, suggesting that the relationships between the families have been poisoned by past conflicts. Together, these words create an atmosphere of tension and unease, aligning with a foreboding tone.