Here we again heard alarming and discouraging accounts of deeds of violence and bloodshed that had recently been committed on the plains, along the route that we were very soon to travel over.

which statement best describes the effect of word choice on the tone of the excerpt?

a. words like "violence" and "bloodshed" give the excerpt a threatening tone.
b. words like "accounts" and "travel" give the excerpt an exciting tone.
c. words like "again" and "along" give the excerpt an anticipatory tone.
d. words like "committed" and "deeds" give the excerpt a sinister tone.