Question

excerpt from moby - dick
by herman melville
chapter 41 - \moby dick\
the rest of his body was so streaked, and spotted, and marbled with the same shrouded hue, that, in the end, he had gained his distinctive appellation of the white whale; a name, indeed, literally justified by his vivid aspect, when seen gliding at high noon through a dark blue sea, leaving a milky - way wake of creamy foam, all spangled with golden gleamings.
nor was it his unwonted magnitude, nor his remarkable hue, nor yet his deformed lower jaw, that so much invested the whale with natural terror, as that unexampled, intelligent malignity which, according to specific accounts, he had over and over again evinced in his assaults. more than all, his treacherous retreats struck more of dismay than perhaps aught else. for, when swimming before his exulting pursuers, with every apparent symptom of alarm, he had several times been known to turn round suddenly, and, bearing down upon them, either stave their boats to splinters, or drive them back in consternation to their ship.
already several fatalities had attended his chase. but though similar disasters, however little bruited ashore, were by no means unusual in the fishery; yet, in most instances, such seemed the white whale’s infernal aforethought of ferocity, that every dismembering or death that he caused, was not wholly regarded as having been inflicted by an unintelligent agent.
judge, then, to what pitches of inflamed, distracted fury the minds of his more desperate hunters were impelled, when amid the chips of chewed boats, and the
read this excerpt from chapter 41 of moby - dick.
and, when running into more sufferable latitudes, the ship, with mild stun’sails spread, floated across the tranquil tropics, and, to all appearances, the old man’s delirium seemed left behind him with the cape horn swells, and he came forth from his dark den into the blessed light and air; even then, when he bore that firm, collected front, however pale, and issued his calm orders once again; and his mates thanked god the direful madness was now gone; even then, ahab, in his hidden self, raved on.
which words from the excerpt best convey the mood?
tranquil tropics
ravel on
left behind
calm orders

Explanation:

• "tranquil tropics" creates a peaceful and calm mood.
• "raved on" shows a sense of chaos and madness.
• "left behind" implies a release from something negative.
• "calm orders" gives a feeling of control and stability.

Answer:

A. tranquil tropics, B. raved on, C. left behind, D. calm orders