Read the passage from A Raisin in the Sun.

MAMA: Father, give us strength. (Knowingly—and without fun.) Did he threaten us? ·

BENEATHA: Oh—Mama—they don't do it like that anymore. He talked Brotherhood. He said everybody ought to learn how to sit down and hate each other with good Christian fellowship,

She and WALTER shake hands to ridicule the remark.

MAMA (sadly): Lord, protect us . . .

Which statement best explains how word choice affects the tone of this passage?

The word strength creates an optimistic tone.
The word threaten creates a somber tone.
The word knowingly creates a bored tone.
The word protect creates a confident tone.