Question

The Food Contest
Every fall my school holds a contest. It is to see which grade can collect the most food for the neighborhood food closet. From October 15th until the day we leave for the winter break, students bring in food that is imperishable so it will last a long time. They donate cans of fruit and vegetables, boxes of macaroni and cheese, jars of peanut butter, and anything else they believe will help. Each classroom has barrels to hold the food. Every Friday someone from the office comes around to check how full the barrels are. At lunchtime, the principal drops by the cafeteria to announce which grade is winning.

My mother takes me, my brother, and my sister to the store every year to pick out what we want to bring. It has become a tradition that we all look forward to. This year I chose cans of tuna and ravioli. I really like tuna sandwiches for lunch, and I like eating ravioli when I get home from school. My brother picked out several different kinds of noodles. My sister selected cans of corn and peaches because they are her favorites. When we go shopping for the food contest, it is the one time Mother is not allowed to overrule our choices.

An illustration of a pyramid-shaped stack of canned goods.

The food closet is in a warehouse a few blocks from our school. People who need food, but have run out of money, go there to get groceries to take home to their families. Last year, my class went on a field trip to the food closet. We saw the food that students from schools all over our town had collected. The shelves were full, and barrels piled high with cans lined the walls. It made me feel proud to know that the food I had brought to school was somewhere among all the cans I saw. I liked the thought that someone in town would be able to eat a tuna sandwich for lunch or have a bowl of ravioli because of me.

The tour guide explained that many people contribute to the food closet. She told us about an elderly woman who had rented a big truck, loaded it with food, and had driven it over by herself. My class was silent as the tour guide described how intensely some of the regular contributors worked to round up food.

One young man, the tour guide explained, had been badly injured in a car accident. Unable to work anymore, he still wanted to be active. His father helped him build a special cart he could push while sitting in his wheelchair. The young man goes from door to door in his neighborhood, asking for food donations. When he collects enough for a trip to the food closet, his dad packs the food into the trunk of their car and delivers it to the warehouse.

As we walked around the food closet, the volunteers working there smiled and nodded at us. I left there feeling so good that I hope we go back again this year.

Read these sentences.

She told us about an elderly woman who had rented a big truck, loaded it with food, and driven it over by herself. My class was silent as she described how intensely some of the regular contributors worked to round up food.

How do the words by herself and intensely convey the author's tone in this part of the story?
A.
The author is disapproving of people overdoing it when helping the needy.

B.
The author's tone is respectful when describing the helpful efforts of the community.

C.
The author's tone is excited when describing how important the food contest is to the needy.

D.
The author sounds worried about the contributors getting too tired at the food closet.

Answer 1

B. The author's tone is respectful when describing the helpful efforts of the community. The phrases "by herself" and "intensely" show admiration for their hard work and dedication.