IXL | Compare passages for subjective and objective tone

Select the text that has a more objective tone.

In popular imagination this is the landscape of the Pacific Northwest, defined by ocean, mountains, and rain . . . Winter here is a monotonous gloaming of cloud and puddles, a soul-craving for the sun. Mist-loving plants creep in around the edges of civilization.

Pacific Northwest (PNW) climate and ecology are largely shaped by the interactions that occur between seasonally varying atmospheric circulation (i.e., weather) patterns and the region's mountain ranges.

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question

Select the text that has a more objective tone.

The Appalachian Trail is one of the longest continuously marked footpaths in the world, measuring roughly 2,180 miles in length. The Trail goes through fourteen states along the crests and valleys of the Appalachian mountain range from the southern terminus at Springer Mountain, Georgia, to the Trail's northern terminus at Katahdin, Maine.

A sign announced that this was no ordinary footpath but the celebrated Appalachian Trail. Running more than 2,100 miles along America's eastern seaboard, through the serene and beckoning Appalachian Mountains, the AT is the granddaddy of long hikes. From Georgia to Maine, it wanders through fourteen states . . .

key idea

Tone is a writer's attitude as expressed in a text.

To establish an objective tone, a writer

maintains a neutral stance towards a topic, regardless of his or her personal feelings;
presents ideas as accurately as possible, supporting ideas with observations and measurable evidence;
avoids loaded language, which has strong positive or negative connotations.

Example: The law has proved controversial, and a protest is planned for March 9.

The writer mentions the protest to provide factual evidence that the law has caused controversy. It's not clear how the writer personally feels about the law.

To establish a subjective tone, a writer

injects his or her own feelings, values, or judgments into the presentation of a topic;
supports ideas with personal opinions and beliefs;
uses strongly emotional or loaded language;
uses personal pronouns, like I, to present topics from his or her perspective.

Example: This outrageous law has invigorated protesters, who will gather on March 9.

The writer includes subjective language, like "outrageous" and "invigorated," which reveals the writer's feelings. It's clear that the writer personally disagrees with the law.

Academic writing generally calls for an objective tone, which helps communicate that the writer is credible and has presented an accurate and unbiased argument. However, a subjective tone is appropriate for some forms of writing, such as personal narratives, opinion pieces, and reviews.

solution

The first text has a more objective tone. The other passage uses more subjective and emotional language, such as serene and beckoning and the granddaddy of long hikes.

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