Analyzing Tone
Read the two passages below, and then answer questions regarding the author's purpose, organizational pattern
and tone. ​Highlight the answer you think is best for each question​.
PASSAGE 1:
Anyone can understand the confusion ancient traders experienced trying to market their goods without a
common standard of measurement. Imagine trying to sell grain in Egypt by the basket without having any
comparison to make as to the basket's weight or volume. Such were the problems in early times when weight
had to be guessed or measured against a standard of the weight of stones, seashells, seeds, or grain.
Problems also existed in terms of measurement of lengths. One of the earliest linear measurements was the foot
which first took its standard from the length of a human foot and later used the length of a king's foot as the
standard. Archaeologists have traced people's attempts to grapple with standard units of measurement from the
ancient Egyptians' attempts to reset precise property lines after flooding of the Nile River to biblical times when
a cubit was the standard unit of length. The cubit took its standard from the distance between the end of the
elbow to the end of the middle finger -- usually about 18 inches. The Romans defined the inch as the width of
the thumb, and the mile as 311,000 paces. The problems involved in using such measurements are obvious.
Imagine trying to set new, more accurate standards among people who hung on tenaciously to existing
standards.
When the Romans conquered ancient Britain, they brought their standards of measurement along and imposed
them on the people. Consequently, some of these standards ​have survived to the 20th century. ​ The British
Imperial System of weights and measures evolved from many sources and became fairly well standardized by
the 19th century. The standard yard and pound were kept in the Houses of Parliament. However, when the
Parliament building burned in 1834, the standards were destroyed. British scientists then began to press for a
more uniform standard for the gallon, the pound, and the yard which could be used in the entire British Empire.
This made trading, buying, and selling much more uniform.
1. The first sentence in paragraph 1 indicates that the author's purpose is -A) to analyze the problems of weights and measures.
B) to explain the growth of standards of measurements.
C) to describe the problems associated with lack of standards in weights and measurements.
D) to classify standards of weights and measurements.
E) to persuade readers to adopt a new set of weights and measurements.
2. The tone of this passage can be described as -A) angry.
B) confused.
C) formal.
D) informative.
E) ironic.
PASSAGE 2:
One of the industrial giants who changed American society was Henry Ford. Born on a farm in Michigan in
1863, he grew up to bring forth some of the most revolutionary improvements in automotive technology in the
early 20th century. His outstanding mechanical ability led him to become interested in the new automobiles in
the early 1900s. Though he did not invent the automobile, he improved upon everyone else's designs.
He was a person who believed in inexpensive, efficient production, so he established standards for his plant and
workers. He also standardized and produced many new auto parts for his Ford Motor Company cars. Then he
studied the workers' problems and built an assembly line -- the first of its kind in America. This ingenious
improvement led to mass production of thousands of automobiles per year. In fact, his plants had produced 15
million Model Ts by 1927.
Ford's personality was not all thrift, efficiency, and ingenuity, however. He was a man who was cold and who
could not keep pace with the competition due to his own rigidity. His company suffered because of his desire to
maintain the status quo instead of meeting and beating the competition by changing his product. Finally, he saw
that he must change or lose out; therefore, he introduced the eight-cylinder engine and once again took over the
automobile market. Ford left a legacy of millions of dollars, millions of jobs for American workers, and
millions of satisfied customers.
1. In developing the passage, the organizational pattern used by the author could be described as-A) simple listing
B) time order
C) example
D) cause and effect
E) compare and contrast
2. The tone of this passage can be described as -A) optimistic
B) formal
C) serious
D) critical
E) sympathetic