Question

read the excerpt from silent spring. on the farms the hens brooded, but no chicks hatched. the farmers complained that they were unable to raise any pigs—the litters were small and the young survived only a few days. the apple trees were coming into bloom but no bees droned among the blossoms, so there was no pollination and there would be no fruit. what kind of tone do the underlined words create? ○ bewildered ○ threatening ○ courageous ○ insignificant

Explanation:

To determine the tone, analyze the underlined words ("no chicks", "no pigs", "no bees", "no pollination", "no fruit"). These words describe a lack of life and productivity, creating a sense of something threatening (as the absence of these elements threatens the farm's ecosystem and productivity). "Bewildered" implies confusion, "courageous" implies bravery, and "insignificant" downplays importance—none fit as well as "threatening" here.

Answer:

B. threatening