Which word best describes the mood of the extract?
The harbour had once been the pride of the town. Now its stone wall leaned like a tired man, and weeds pushed through the cracks where fishermen had mended nets. Every morning old Mr Tolland walked to the end of the pier, sat on an upturned crate and stared at the grey water as if he expected the boats to return. The younger people laughed at him. 'There is nothing out there,' they said, 'only the sea.' But Mr Tolland knew that the sea was not empty. It held every winter he had worked on it, every storm he had survived and the faces of the friends who had not.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. Nostalgic and melancholy
- Step 1: Details of decay and memory dominate. Step 2. The tone looks back sadly. Answer: Nostalgic and melancholy. Why not the others: The text offers no humour or hope.
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