Question

select the passage that has a more restful tone.
at nine oclock the younger ones went to bed—very willingly—because the day had begun early. grace was so weary that her father carried her, and did not leave her room until she was snug in bed. she dropped asleep the instant her head touched the pillow.
to bed went matthew. and to bed, when she had put her dishes away, went marilla, frowning deeply. and upstairs, in the east gable, a lonely, heart - hungry, friendless child cried herself to sleep.
adapted from martha finley, christmas with grandma elsie and lucy maud montgomery, anne of green gables

Explanation:

To determine the passage with a more restful tone, we analyze the two passages:

1. The first passage (about the younger ones and Grace going to bed) describes a peaceful bedtime scene: the children go to bed willingly, Grace is weary and falls asleep instantly when her head touches the pillow. The language ("very willingly", "snug in bed", "dropped asleep the instant her head touched the pillow") conveys a calm, restful atmosphere.

1. The second passage (about Matthew, Marilla, and the lonely child) includes a "lonely, heart - hungry, friendless child" crying herself to sleep and Marilla "frowning deeply". This creates a more somber and less restful mood.

So the first passage has a more restful tone.

Answer:

The passage starting with "At nine o'clock the younger ones went to bed—very willingly—because the day had begun early. Grace was so weary that her father carried her, and did not leave her room until she was snug in bed. She dropped asleep the instant her head touched the pillow." has a more restful tone.