1. read this excerpt from John Muir’s diary. Muir loved nature, which he explored often. As you read, consider Muir’s tone toward the topic, a cave he discovered in Kentucky. "Came to the region of caves. At the mouth of the first I discovered, I was surprised to find ferns which belonged to the coolest nooks of Wisconsin and northward, but soon observed that each cave rim has a zone of climate peculiar to itself, and it is always cool. This cave had an opening about ten feet in diameter, and twenty-five feet perpendicular depth. A strong cold wind issued from it and I could hear the sounds of running water. A long pole was set against its walls as if intended for a ladder, but in some places it was slippery and smooth as a mast and would test the climbing powers of a monkey. The walls and rim of this natural reservoir were finely carved and flowered."
What tone does Muir have toward the cave he finds?
sadness
curiosity
alarm
boredom
2. How is mood different from tone?
Mood is when the writer only uses the denotations of words, and tone is when writers only use the connotations of words.
Mood is the atmosphere the writer creates for the reader, and tone is a writer’s feeling or attitude toward a topic.
Mood is how the writer feels about the audience, and tone is how the audience feels about the writer.
Mood is a writer’s feelings toward a topic, and tone is the atmosphere the writer wants the reader to feel.