Difficulty: Medium

Average Score: 54%

What effect does your voice have on others? Does it persuade or irritate, attract or repel? One of
the worst qualities is harshness. If you ever get the feeling that people are uncomfortable when you speak, it may be that your harsh tones are jarring their eardrums. Your voice will sound
unpleasant if it is shrill, grating, hard, piercing, brassy, to loud, or too nasal. Harsh voice qualities usually come from too much tension in the throat and jaw. Tension tightens muscles and blocks the relaxed voice tones essential to a pleasing impression. Because tension occurs in higher pitched voices, women tend to have shriller voices than men, which usually makes them
less desirable public speakers, newscasters, or political candidates.

The author seems to

Rationale

The author seems to prefer low-pitched tones.

The author highlights the negative effects of harsh voice qualities, such as shrillness and grating sounds, indicating a preference for more pleasant, lower-pitched tones. This preference is reinforced by the discussion of how tension in the throat can lead to less desirable vocal qualities, which suggests that soothing tones are more favorable.

A (prefer low-pitched tones.) CORRECT

This option aligns perfectly with the author's emphasis on the negative impact of shrill and harsh voices. By advocating for a more relaxed vocal quality, the author implicitly supports the idea that low-pitched tones are more effective and appealing in communication.

B (have no particular reactions to different voices.) YOUR ANSWER

This choice contradicts the author's clear opinions about vocal qualities. The text explicitly discusses how harsh voices can make listeners uncomfortable, indicating that the author does indeed have strong reactions to different voice types, particularly those that are unpleasant.

C (prefer shrill, grating, and brassy voices.) YOUR ANSWER

This option directly opposes the author's perspective. The text characterizes shrill and grating voices as unpleasant and undesirable, suggesting that the author does not favor these qualities at all, making this choice incorrect.

D (be an experienced public speaker.) YOUR ANSWER

While the author discusses the qualities of voices in public speaking, there is no indication of the author's personal experience as a speaker. Therefore, this choice remains unsupported by the text and does not reflect the author's expressed views.

Conclusion

The author clearly advocates for low-pitched tones by criticizing harsh voice qualities that can lead to discomfort in listeners. By expressing a preference for more relaxed and pleasing vocal attributes, the author implicitly discourages shrill and grating sounds. The analysis of voice qualities reveals a strong inclination toward tones that enhance communication effectiveness, supporting the idea that low-pitched tones are more desirable.

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