Question

Read the excerpt from a short story.
I descended the steps to the cellar, reminding myself that the smell of dirt was not to be feared. The earthen walls shone with moisture, and the rows of jarred fruit gleamed. I loathed these errands and doubted my ability to discern a peach from a pear in the dim light. I held a jar inches from my eyes and concluded it was some undesirable green—beans or peas—to be retrieved at a later date. As I mused, something crept stealthily from the shadows, and pounced unexpectedly from the summer’s stash.
Which best describes the tone of the excerpt?
somber
disinterested
angry
uncertain

Answer 1

uncertain

The narrator repeatedly doubts and hesitates ("reminding myself," "doubted my ability," "mused"), and the tense, suspenseful moment at the end reinforces an unsure, tentative tone.