Which tone best describes the author’s manner of expression in the passage? Read the following passage and answer the questions based on the passage:
To divide life into fixed opposites of happiness and grief is to misunderstand its deepest pattern. Human life does not move in a straight line of delight or misery; instead, it flows through a living exchange where one feeling gives depth and definition to the other. Victory feels most intense when it follows defeat, and the sting of losing something gains shape only because we once held it close. Thus, joy and sorrow are not enemies but partners in the same story. Across ages, thinkers have recognized this emotional duality. The Stoics viewed suffering as unavoidable and even useful in reaching calm, while Eastern paths such as Buddhism emphasize that all experiences pass and nothing remains permanent. In both views, the search for lasting happiness requires accepting change. Without grief, joy would lose its sharpness and become plain—without contrast, it would carry little weight. This mutual dependence appears even in everyday life: spring seems brighter after a bitter winter, and quiet solitude matters only to someone who has felt the noise of crowds. Often, personal maturity is shaped in painful trials—loss and hardship carve depth into us, strengthening empathy, resilience, and thankfulness. Wanting uninterrupted happiness is like demanding a life in a single colour—smooth but lifeless. In this sense, joy and sorrow together create a chiaroscuro of the mind, a striking interplay of light and shadow that makes life more vivid and human.

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Accepted Answer

1. The passage studies how joy and sorrow shape each other and cites Stoics and Buddhism, so it is calm and thoughtful.
2. Examples like spring after winter and growth from hardship show quiet examination, not playfulness or mockery.
3. The language is measured and empathetic, showing careful thought rather than detachment.
4. Therefore the overall tone is **reflective**.

FINAL_ANSWER: b

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