Question

read the passage. excerpt from \a witch trial at mount holly\ by benjamin franklin accordingly the time and place was agreed on and advertised about the country; the accusers were 1 man and 1 woman: and the accused the same. the parties being met and the people got together, a grand consultation was held, before they proceeded to trial; in which it was agreed to use the scales first; and a committee of men were appointed to search the men, and a committee of women to search the women... refer to explorations in literature for a complete version of this narrative. what effect does word choice have on the meaning of this excerpt? the mysterious usage of the word scales adds suspense. the informational phrase \the time and place was agreed on\ makes the scene feel real. the official - sounding phrase \a grand consultation\ adds humor. the modern - sounding word advertised makes the excerpt easier to read.

Explanation:

The phrase "a grand Consultation" is an over - formal and somewhat pompous way to describe a meeting in the context of a witch - trial. This formal and almost absurdly official language choice adds a humorous tone to the narrative. The word "Scales" doesn't create much suspense as it's just part of the trial process description. "The Time and Place was agreed on" is a rather mundane detail and doesn't make the scene feel particularly real. The word "advertised" is not a modern - sounding word in the context of the time the narrative is set and doesn't make the excerpt easier to read.

Answer:

The official - sounding phrase "a grand Consultation" adds humor.