Question

read the passage from sugar changed the world.
some of the enslaved took the next step, running away from the sugar plantations, or attacking them in force.
running away was another kind of statement. when the enslaved africans could not stand their lives anymore, they risked everything to run or to fight. there was just one way for the owners to silence their workers: by making the price of fight or rebellion too high. spreading terror was the job of the overseers.
how does the authors use of the word silence affect the tone?
silence has a negative connotation, indicating that the mill owners wanted a quiet workplace.
silence has a positive connotation, indicating that quiet workers are productive workers.
silence has a negative connotation, indicating that the owners would not tolerate protests.
silence has a positive connotation, indicating that enslaved people took part in wordless protests.

Explanation:

The passage describes the enslaved people's actions (running away or attacking) as a form of statement. The owners' way to "silence" their workers was by making the price of fight or rebellion too high (spreading terror). This implies that the owners would not tolerate problems (the enslaved's actions). The word "silence" here has a negative connotation as it's about suppressing the enslaved's attempts at resistance.

Answer:

Silence has a negative connotation, indicating that the owners would not tolerate protests.