According to Mario Pei, slang is common to English as well as to foreign languages (80). Many words that were once considered slang are now words of full, legitimate standing in our language. Some of these words are strenuous, spurious, clumsy, and bogus. Even Shakespeare introduced into current usage such slang terms of his day as hubbub, fireworks, fretful, (to) bump, and (to) dwindle. Pei estimates that about 90 per cent of all slang words eventually become permanent (Johns 12).

What is the author's overall tone?

The tone is neutral.
The tone is inconsistent. - not
The tone is scornful.
The tone is arrogant.

Question

According to Mario Pei, slang is common to English as well as to foreign languages (80). Many words that were once considered slang are now words of full, legitimate standing in our language. Some of these words are strenuous, spurious, clumsy, and bogus. Even Shakespeare introduced into current usage such slang terms of his day as hubbub, fireworks, fretful, (to) bump, and (to) dwindle. Pei estimates that about 90 per cent of all slang words eventually become permanent (Johns 12).

What is the author's overall tone?

The tone is neutral.
The tone is inconsistent. - not 
The tone is scornful.
The tone is arrogant.

Extrinix · Answer

Think of how the author is speaking, is it harsh toned or lightly toned?

Neutral - having no real bias towards harsh or light tone
Inconsistent - doesnt stay as one tone
Scornful - Having a disappointed tone towards a person or objective
Arrogant - Having a tone that the author knows it all