Read each of the paragraphs below and choose the letter of the correct tone.

Question

The working poor represents 10% to 15% of the population. They work at low-skilled and low-paid
occupations, paying them approximately minimum wage and thus putting them very close to the “poverty line” established by the U. S. government. They may rely on food stamps, food pantries, and welfare even when employed and on unemployment assistance should they lose their jobs. The vulnerability of the working poor cannot be overstated. They live from paycheck to paycheck, week to week, with no opportunity to save money. Their jobs (e. g., delivering pizza, cleaning homes, migrant farmwork, day labor, low- pay factory work) don’t typically offer benefits such as health insurance or sick pay, making them very vulnerable to illness or accidents. Many single mothers and their children fall into this class, but even a family headed by two minimum-wage-earning spouses can find themselves among the working poor.

What is the tone of the passage?
a. cheerful
b. optimistic
c. serious
d. critical

Answer 1

c. serious