by Yoshida Kenko It is well for a man to be frugal, to abstain from luxury, to possess no treasure nor to covet this world's goods. Since olden times there has rarely been a sage who was wealthy. In China there was once a man called Hsu Yu. He had not a single possession in the world. He even scooped up water with his hands, until a friend gave him a gourd. But one day, when he had hung it from a branch, it rattled in the wind; whereupon, disturbed by the noise, he threw it away and once more took to drinking from his clasped hands. How pure and free the heart of such a man. A certain recluse, I know not who, once said that no bonds attached him to this life, and the only thing he would regret leaving was the sky. 10. Select the correct answer. How does the author's diction contribute to the tone of the text? A. It gives the text an encouraging tone. B. It gives the text an evasive tone. C. It gives the text a condescending tone. D. It gives the text a dignified tone​