Read the paragraph.
The people walked in little groups toward the beach. They talked and laughed; some of them sang. There was a band playing down at Klein's hotel, and the strains reached them faintly, tempered by the distance. There were strange, rare odors abroad—a tangle of the sea smell and of weeds and damp, new–plowed earth, mingled with the heavy perfume of a field of white blossoms somewhere near. But the night sat lightly upon the sea and the land. There was no weight of darkness; there were no shadows. The white light of the moon had fallen upon the world like the mystery and the softness of sleep.
Why did the author most likely use the underlined phrase?
A.
to indicate the sea was well lit by the nearby town
B.
to portray a sense of calm and safety in the nighttime
C.
to say that the sky seemed to hover right above the sea and land
D
.
to warn about looming danger
B. to portray a sense of calm and safety in the nighttime
B. to portray a sense of calm and safety in the nighttime
To determine why the author most likely used the underlined phrase, we must analyze the context and the overall tone of the paragraph. The paragraph describes people walking in little groups towards the beach, enjoying the night. There is mention of talking, laughing, and singing, indicating a sense of joy and relaxation. The author also describes the atmosphere as having a lightness to it, with no weight of darkness or shadows. The moon is mentioned as casting a white light upon the world.
Based on this analysis, it can be inferred that the author most likely used the underlined phrase, "The night sat lightly upon the sea and the land," to portray a sense of calm and safety in the nighttime. Answer choice B aligns with the serene and peaceful atmosphere described in the paragraph.