Read the excerpt from "Surrendering by Ocean Vuong. Which statement best describes how the author's use
of syntax contributes to the tone of this excerpt?
One early-spring afternoon, when I was in fourth grade,
we got an assignment in language-arts class: we had
two weeks to write a poem in honor of National Poetry
Month. Normally, my poor writing abilities would excuse
me from such assignments, and I would instead spend
the class mindlessly copying out passages from books
I'd retrieved from a blue plastic bin at the back of the
room. The task allowed me to camouflage myself; as
long as I looked as though I were doing something
smart, my shame and failure were hidden.
The author uses repetition to emphasize an event
that occurred and to create a bitter tone.
O The author uses longer sentence construction to
slow the pace of the reader and to create a
remorseful tone
O The author uses parallelism to help the reader
understand a life-changing moment and to create a
wretched tone.
O The author uses various punctuation marks to
indicate pauses and to create a passionate tone.