Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." When I was very near, my raft struck and turned over. I can swim in our lakes-I swam to the shore. There was a great spike of rusted metal sticking out into the river-I hauled myself up upon it and sat there, panting. I had saved my bow and two arrows and the knife I found in the Dead Place but that was all. My raft went whirling downstream toward the Bitter Water. I looked after it, and thought if it had trod me under, at least I would be safely dead. Nevertheless, when I had dried my bowstring and re-strung it, I walked forward to the Place of the Gods.

What kind of atmosphere is created by the author's word choice in this excerpt?

a welcoming atmosphere

a horrific atmosphere

a religious atmosphere

a threatening atmosphere

Question

English

Kirsten Boyd

3 April, 09:39

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." When I was very near, my raft struck and turned over. I can swim in our lakes-I swam to the shore. There was a great spike of rusted metal sticking out into the river-I hauled myself up upon it and sat there, panting. I had saved my bow and two arrows and the knife I found in the Dead Place but that was all. My raft went whirling downstream toward the Bitter Water. I looked after it, and thought if it had trod me under, at least I would be safely dead. Nevertheless, when I had dried my bowstring and re-strung it, I walked forward to the Place of the Gods.

What kind of atmosphere is created by the author's word choice in this excerpt?

a welcoming atmosphere

a horrific atmosphere

a religious atmosphere

a threatening atmosphere

+2

Answers (2)

Know the Answer?

Gould · Answer 1

Answer: a threatening atmosphere

Kyla Koch · Answer 2

a threatening atmosphere

The speaker is constantly in danger. The passage begins with his raft striking something and flipping over. To save himself, he grabs "a great spike of rusted metal". While the metal saves him, it's still described as something that could be dangerous. Then near the end of the passage, the speaker strings his bow before he continues on. This indicates that he is expecting some type of danger and wants to be readily armed to deal with it.