Question

read the excerpt from \first joint debate at ottawa,\ by abraham lincoln.

now, i have no means of totally disproving such charges as this which the judge makes. a man cannot prove
a negative; but he has a right to claim, that when a man makes an affirmative charge, he must offer some
proof to show the truth of what he says. i certainly cannot introduce testimony to show the negative about
things, but i have a right to claim that if a man says he knows a thing, then he must show how he knows it. i
always have a right to claim this, and it is not satisfactory to me that he may be \conscientious\ on the
subject.

does the author use a consistent tone in the passage?

○ no, the author switches from casual to formal diction.
○ no, the author switches from subjective to condescending diction.
○ yes, the author uses diction that is academic and formal.
○ yes, the author uses diction that is lighthearted and informal.

Explanation:

Lincoln's passage uses formal, structured language appropriate for a public debate. He relies on logical, measured claims about burden of proof, with no shift in tone—his diction remains consistent, academic, and formal throughout, matching the context of a political debate.

Answer:

Yes, the author uses diction that is academic and formal.