Question

select the passage that has a more bittersweet tone. he realized, to his dismay, that, at the rate which, with the best of fortune, he would be able to save money, fifteen years must elapse before he could be in a position to go to college. the undertaking was hopeless. joy and regret struggled together in her heart. she had come at last to the bend in the road, and college was around it, with a hundred rainbow hopes and dreams. but she realized as well that when she rounded that curve she must leave many sweet things behind. adapted from thomas hardy, jude the obscure and lucy maud montgomery, anne of avonlea

Explanation:

A bittersweet tone combines positive (sweet, joyful) and negative (bitter, regretful) emotions. The first passage has only negative/dismal tone (dismay, hopeless). The second passage has "joy" (from reaching college with hopes/dreams) and "regret" (leaving sweet things behind), showing both sweet and bitter feelings, fitting bittersweet.

Answer:

The passage: "Joy and regret struggled together in her heart. She had come at last to the bend in the road, and college was around it, with a hundred rainbow hopes and dreams. But she realized as well that when she rounded that curve she must leave many sweet things behind."