What I should be, really, is frightened. Everything about this situation is alarming. I can almost hear the opening strains of one of those melancholy operas Father likes to listen to with the door to his study closed. All the ominous parts are here—dark sky, turbulent lake, waves rising, my cousin Peter, the ship’s first mate though he’s barely older than me, insisting I get a life preserver and put it on.

Question

I dig my nose into my collar and turn to the side. The wind still tears at my skin, but I’m not going to leave this spot at the front of the ship if I can help it. Even though the sky is getting darker by the second. Even though it’s only midmorning, and I can barely see the horizon. The lake is murky too, almost black, indistinguishable from the sky.

Excerpt from Big Water by Andrea Curtis. Printed with permission by Orca Book Publishers

Question
Use the excerpt from “Big Water” by Andrea Curtis to answer the question.

What best describes the mood implied by the story’s setting?

(1 point)
Responses

eerie and frightening
eerie and frightening

boring and disinterested
boring and disinterested

peaceful and relaxed
peaceful and relaxed

uplifting and cheerful

Answer 1

The best description of the mood implied by the story’s setting is eerie and frightening. The imagery used in the excerpt, such as the dark sky, turbulent lake, and the character's feelings of alarm, all contribute to this unsettling atmosphere.