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Author's Style author's use of ... descriptive language in a variety of text , identifying how word choice is used to appeal to the reader's senses and emotions, providing evidence from texl.

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In this lesson, you will learn about style, tone, and mood. Style is the unique way a writer uses words. Tone is the attitude the writer has toward a subject. Mood is the overall feeling or atmosphere of a story.

A writer's tone is his or her attitude toward the subject, characters, or audience. Think of tone as being similar to your tone of voice when you speak. Tone reflects the writer's attitude-it may be hostile, embarrassed, joyful, serious, or humorous, for example. The tone can also be objective, or without emotion. Newspapers often have an objective tone. An author'S tone can also be ironic. Irony is a contradiction between what is sa id or expected and what is meant or actually happens. If a character is described as Sitting on a couch playing video games for hours and his mother comes in and says, "My, what a productive day you're having," she is being ironic, or saying the opposite of what she really means.

The mood of a story is the overall feeling or atmosphere that an author creates. An author creates mood by using words and details that create an emotional response in the reader. To identify the mood of a story, pay attention to your own feelings as you read. Does the author create a feeling of peacefulness, fear, or suspense? The mood can be almost any feeling you can imagine.

Noticing how an author chooses words to create tone and mood can help you understand the author's style and enjoy reading even more. For example, a writer might use sound devices such as alliteration, or the repetition of initial consonants, to create a certain tone. "The dark, dank dungeon reeked of danger" has a threatening or ominous tone, while 'The cat clawed the coat with curious abandon" indicates a playful mood. Alliteration is meant to appeal to our senses and engage our imagination .

Writers use style, tone, and mood in all kinds of materials. Being aware of these elements makes reading more enjoyable. Use this chart as a guide.

Style the unique way a writer uses words Tone the writer's attitude toward a subject Mood the overall feeling an author creates

-------------------------~-------------------------Florida ~ NGSSS LA.S.2.l.7

Read these e-mails about a stock car race. Look for style, tone, and mood to answer the questions below.

1 Hi Brittany: Yesterday Deanna and I went to a stock car race with my parents. It was one of the most exciting and nail-biting experiences of my life. Those drivers are fantastic, racing around that hot track at more than 100 miles per hour, inches [rom the bumper of other cars. Their control and nerve is incredible. 1 felt my adrenaline pumping whenever one car squeezed past another at high speeds. -Kalina

2 Dear Brittany: Yesterday Kalina and I went to a stock car race with her parents. I'

I seriously do not understand the appeal of watching cars go around and around the same track all day. The engines whined loudly, the track was so hot that the air above it shimmered, and the harsh smell o[ gasoline and burnt rubber made me gag. It was nice of Kalina to invite me, but I think I'll decline next time. -Deanna

What is Kalina's tone in the first e-mail?

~ Reread the first e-mail. Look for words that reveal Kalina's attitude toward the stock car race .

~ What clues do you find in the e-mail.Kalinausesthewords exciting. nail-biting. fantastic , and incredible to describe the experience. She says I fe lt my adrenaline pllmping.

~ What do these clues tell you about Kalina's attitude toward the race? She enjoyed the race and thought it was very exciting.

ANSWER: In the first e-mail, Kalina's tone is excited and enthusiastic.

What is Deanna's tone in the second e-mail?

NGSSS LA.S.2.l.7 Florida

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Think About It What is the mood­the overall feeling or atmosphere-of the story? How does the story make you feel?

Hint Pay attention to your feelings as you read. Do you feel sad? Angry? Amused?

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Read the tall tale. Use the Think About It to guide your reading. Then answer the question. Use the Hint to help you.

Young Pecos Bill

Now, little Pecos Bill was the youngest of nineteen children, born to a cowboy and his missus while they was a-travelin' west to Texas ('cept at the time the baby was just called Bill on account of the family had already used up all the good names). As the wagon was fording the Pecos River, it hit a bump while Bill was a-napping, and Bill got bounced out and swept off by the current. But that didn't faze little Bill none. He woke up underwater three miles downstream, taught himself to swim, and swam upstream to his famil y, what sat sobbing and wailing on the riverbank. From then on , the little tyke was called Pecos River Bill , or Pecos Bill for short.

In this story, the author creates a mood of A grief. B anger. C seriousness. D humor.

CORRECT ANSWER Answer choice D is correct.

SUPPORTING DETAILS The author's folksy style and the unbelievable events that happen in the story create an overall feeling of humor and amusement.

INCORRECT ANSWERS A is not correct because, although the family in the story experiences some grief, the story does not have an overall feeling of grief.

Florida

B is not correct because the mood is lighthearted and funny, not angry. C is not correct because this is not at all a serious story, but rather an

exaggerated story that could never be true .

NGSSS LA.S .2.l.7

Think About It What can you tell about the author? What time period is he describing?

What is the author's attitude toward the swimming holes of his youth?

What words and phrases does the author use to create a sense of playfulness?

How does the author feel about today's swimming holes?

NGSSS LA.S.2.l.7

Read the passage. Use each Think About It to guide your reading,

Swimming Holes of My Youth 1 When 1 was a boy, the summers were just as hot as they are now,

but we didn't have any air conditioning. There was no better way to cool off than spending the day at a swimming hole-and we must have tried everyone of them for miles around. Times have changed, and many of the best swimming holes of my youth are today surronnded by condos and other trappings of civilization. But when 1 was young, you felt like you were in the country when you visited a swimming hole.

2 One of our favorite swimming holes was Flamingo Parle We'd swim and play around in the cool water all day when the temperature seemed to be in the 100s. Sometimes when we wanted a big change of pace, we'd hi ke along the riverbank or along a trail. But mostly, we spent our sweltering days in the cool, refreshing water.

3 We also spent a lot of time at swimming holes up and down Dolphin Creek. Dolphin Springs Pool was new back then, but just like today, its temperature was always an invigorating 68 degrees. Nothing felt better after a long, sweaty walk to a sw imming hole than cannonballing into that cool water upon arriva l! There was also a small rapids upstrea m that we liked to wade into and look for tadpoles and fish.

4 On occasion, we went to Palm Frond Pool, which was a popular swimming hole way back when my granddad was a lad. The pool is at the base of a 20-foot waterfall. We used to stand in the waterfall and pretend we were taking a shower. Then we'd dive into the spring-fed water and act like otters for the rest of the day. We'd sw im aronnd large boulders, see how deep we could dive, and bask on the sandy beach. Once in a great while we'd hike the tra ils, but the water was so cool and inviting we tended to stick close to it.

5 Many of the swimming holes of my youth are sti II around, but I think they have changed. Today, the swimming holes are crowded and popular, but when I was young we kept our favorite sw imming holes a secret. Often there were not too many other people there, and we felt like we were in the wilderness, even if the highway wasn't too far away.

Florida

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Hints

Reread paragraphs 2-4. What is the overall feeling or atmosphere that the author creates?

Which of these phrases creates a feeling that is playful and happy?

What is the author's attitude toward the swimming holes he describes?

~eAIR SAME' Witll your partne,-, sham and discl/ss your answers and sllpportiJlg details.

Use the Hints to answer the questions below. Circle the correct answers and provide supporting details from the passage.

1 In paragraphs 2- 4, the narrator creates a mood that is A mysterious. B joyful. C regretfu l. D gloomy.

Supportillg Details: ________________ _

2 In paragraph 4, which words does the author use to create a sense of playfulness? A "at the base of a 20-foot waterfall" B "We used to stand in the water fall" C "act like otters for the rest of the day" D "Once in a great while we'd hike the tra ils"

Supportillg Detai ls: ________________ _

3 Which word best describes the tone of this selection? A indifferent B confused C annoyed D nostalgic

Supportillg Details: ________________ _

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Read the passage "German Shepherds: Friends and Companions" before answering Numbers 1 through 6.

GERMAN SHEPHERDS: Friends and Companions

German shepherd dogs are one of the most popular dog breeds in the world. They have been helping people for almost as many years as tbe breed has been in existence. People long ago realized that dogs could be trained to help humans. A painting found in the ruins of Pompeii (an ancient Roman city that was destroyed by a volcano in A.D. 79) shows a dog leading a blind man across a marketplace.

A guide dog can help a person get around more easily, help the person retain independence, and provide a loving friend and companion. The first guide dog in the United States was a German shepherd named Buddy. The dog helped a blind teenager, Morris Frank. Frank was so grateful to his dog and the services the dog provided that he spent the rest of his life working to advance the cause of guide dogs.

German shepherds have been trained not only to help the blind, but also to alert deaf or hearing­impa ired owners to alarms and noises. Some German shepherds have been trained to pull wheelchairs or pick up things that were accidentally dropped. In addition, German shepherds have been helping law enforcement officers, the military, and search-and-rescue teams since the 1900s. Few dogs are as capable as German shepherds.

A German shepherd guide dog or service dog is, however, much more than just a helper. The dog is a friend and companion that doesn't care about a person's abilities. Having a dog also ensures that the owner gets out frequently, as dogs need to be walked and exercised. And walking a dog is a social experience since people will talk to dog owners about their dog, its looks, and its traits.

German shepherds are extremely social dogs and they like to be with others. For this reason, they can make great pets for an active family. It is important not to leave a German shepherd in isolation all day because it will be unhappy and bored, and get into mischief. However, German shepherds tend to like every member of a family, and as long as they can be w ith someone, they will be happy. Did I mention that they make great family pets? German shepherds that are raised with small children are usually tolerant about being grabbed and poked (after all, puppies treat adult dogs this way, too). And don't forget, they make great family pets.

Because German shepherds are smar t, loyal, energetic, and easy to train, they are often used as sea rch-and-rescue dogs, as bomb- or drug-sniffing dogs, as guide dogs, police dogs, military dogs, or guard dogs. However, the vast majority of German shepherds worldwide are used in a different capacity-as family friends and companions. What is life like for a German shepherd? Read the short story on the next page to find out.

NGSSS LA.S.2.l.7 Florida

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Florida

Tonya the Helper Dog When T was just a tiny puppy, I left the warm companionship of my litter and went to

live with the Soto family. The noisy chaos of the Soto house was very different from the cozy crate where I had lived with my mother and littermates. At first, I felt lonely and disoriented.

But I soon grew to enjoy living with the Sotos. I had a new mother and father, two teenaged brothers, and an eight-year-old sister named Maya. I was the baby of the family, and the Sotos took me everywhere-to Little League games, hikes in the woods, car trips, visits to the vet, and cookouts in the yard. I enjoyed all of it (except the visits to the vet). I was surrounded by people all day long, and I became used to lots of activity, noise, people of all ages, and obeying all kinds of rules.

In the two wonderful years I spent with my new family, I grew to love them as my own. But one day, Mrs. Soto came to me looking very sad. As she scratched my ears, she tried to explain that it was time for me to go away to school. She told me that I had an important job to do, and that I needed to learn how to do it. I didn't really understand, but the ear-scratching felt really nice.

The day I left the Sotos was a very sad one-both for me and for the Sotos. But after a little while, I started to think about how much fun it had been to live in a new place. I had enjoyed many interesting experiences, and now I would have the chance to learn even more new things, meet lots of new people, and eventually become an important helper and friend to someone who needs me. Now I understand what Mrs. Soto was trying to explain, and I can't wait to become a helper dog!

NGSSS LA.8.2 .1.7

o What is the tone of paragraph 1 when the author describes the history of German shepherds?

A. fearful

B. objecti ve

C. humorous

D. disapproving

., Read this sentence from the passage.

Few dogs are as capable as German shepherds.

The author uses these words to express a feeling of

F. fear.

G. hope.

H. disinterest.

1. admira tion.

., In paragraph 5, which words does the author use to crea te a lighthearted tone?

A. "they can make great pets for an active family"

B. "Did r mention that they make great family pets?"

C. "German shepherds tend to like every member of a family."

D. "after all, puppies trea t adult dogs this way, too"

NGSSS LA.S.2 .l.7

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In the story "Tonya the Helper Dog," what is the mood of paragraph 7 when Tonya goes to a new home?

F. sad

G. joyful

H. angry

1. suspenseful

In the story "Tonya the Helper Dog," what is the tone of paragraph 8 when Tonya adjusts to her new life?

A. peaceful

B. energetic

C. doubtful

D. embarrassed

In the story "Tonya the Helper Dog," what is the mood of paragraph 10, when the author has Tonya say, "r can't wait to become a helper dog!"?

F. mildly interested

G. happy and hopeful

H. anxious and fearful

1. weighed down by despair

Answer Form

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