Question

question 16 of 21
read the following sentence:

the sun’s heat caused the island’s plants to droop under its cruel stare.

to change the tone of the sentence from oppressive to positive, which word most needs to be replaced?

a. cruel
b. droop
c. stare
d. heat

Explanation:

The word "cruel" directly conveys the oppressive, harsh tone of the sentence, as it frames the sun's presence as unkind and harmful. Replacing it with a positive term (e.g., "warm") would immediately shift the tone, while the other words either support the oppressive tone secondarily or are neutral descriptors that don't drive the negative framing as strongly.

Answer:

A. cruel