Question

question 19 of 21
how does the rhetoric of this passage best support the tone?

there was so much to do; we didnt know where to start.
the packed closets? the collapsing garage? the stuffed
attic? how had dad let the house fall into such disarray?

a. the repeated use of question marks involves the reader, creating
an expectant tone.

b. the narrator creates tension by listing dissimilar items, creating a
negative tone.

c. the narrator repeats the sentence structure, emphasizing the
overwhelmed tone.

d. the use of short, choppy sentences separates ideas, creating a
reflective tone.

Explanation:

First, analyze the passage: it opens with a statement of being overwhelmed, then uses a series of parallel rhetorical questions about messy spaces, ending with a frustrated question about the disarray.

• Option A is incorrect: the questions do not create an expectant tone; they convey overwhelm/frustration.
• Option B is incorrect: the items (closets, garage, attic) are all similar (messy household spaces), not dissimilar.
• Option C is correct: the repeated interrogative sentence structure (three questions about messy areas, then a final critical question) emphasizes the narrator's feeling of being swamped by the amount of work, reinforcing an overwhelmed tone.
• Option D is incorrect: the sentences are not choppy, and the tone is not reflective—it is stressed/overwhelmed.

Answer:

C. The narrator repeats the sentence structure, emphasizing the overwhelmed tone.