Question

Read this excerpt from part 5 of Zeitoun. Progress is being made. It’s so slow sometimes, so terribly so sometimes, but progress is being made. We have removed the rot, we are strengthening the foundations. There is much work to do, and we all know what needs to be done. We can only do the work, he tells Kathy, and his children, and his crew, his friends, anyone he sees. So let us get up early and stay late, and, brick by brick and block by block, let us get that work done. Which word best describes the tone of this excerpt?

Answer 1

Its is optimistic. Even do the work is hard and slow he thinks that it will get done and it will be alright. 

Answer 2

In the excerpt, the narrator conveys that there's still a lot of work to do, nevertheless she or he is hopeful and emphasizes the good part in the situation rather than the bad part: "progress is being made", "we are strengthening the foundations", and with people's willingness and cooperation, the work will go forward. All of this indicates that the narrator's tone is positive and confident about the future, the tone is optimistic (Option 2).