Tone or attitude questions
Last updated: 13 Oct 2008
This type of reading comprehension question asks you to identify the author's attitude or tone.
The question might look like this:
- "The author's attitude towards Morgan's theory could best be described as one of ..."
Strategy
Look for descriptive words, adjectives or adverbs, that could tell you the author's attitude. For example, the words unfortunately or flaw suggest a negative connotation, while strength or valuable emphasize the positive.
Make brief notes - a couple of words- regarding the tone of the text on your noteboard while you read.
Additionally, keep in mind that the author's attitude toward a theory, book, or ethnic group will almost always be respectful, even when somewhat critical.
